“February stars // Floating in the dark
Temporary scars // February stars”
- ‘February Stars’ (Foo Fighters, 1997)
ICYMI: it was Dave Grohl who belted out this memorable outro in one of my favorite gems from The Colour and The Shape.
Full disclosure – I was 11 when that album came out. My favorite beer at the time? ROOT. Also, my mom dressed me every morning for school.
HOKAY, anyway here’s this week’s edition of ABV: a sour IPA from Grist House.
Let’s get to it.
ABV, volume III
Big sIPA – available Sat Feb 23 at Grist House
- Beer Name: Big sIPA
- Style / ABV: Sour IPA, 7% ABV
- Where is it available: Grist House (Millvale)
- When is it available: cans and draft available starting at 2 pm on Saturday Feb 23.
- First time visitor? Grist House is located on Sherman St in Millvale and it is VERY outside. Dress weather appropriate if you plan to meander about the dog-friendly biergarten. Coming hungry? No worries, their food truck game is strong. Very strong. Coming in a car? On-street parking is limited and it’s a courteous move to leave some spots for the neighboring residents of the brewery. Pro Tip: hit the (large) free parking lot across the street, directly above the canal. Unfortunately, there isn’t great bus access to Grist House. The 1 and the 2 lines will get you close but other buses would require a 1+ mile walk to Lawrenceville. Lyft and Uber are great. On pleasant days, biking to Grist House is a blast. GH rocks with dedicated bicycle parking areas near the front gate and Millvale traffic is generally pretty mindful of cyclists in the borough.
- How is it served: grab a 4-pk of 16-oz cans or enjoy a fresh pint on draft.
- Why we recommend it: Okay, I admit. I LOVE IPAs and I LOVE SOURs. You just get me, Grist House. The (Fruited Sour) Shaman series has been spot-on and every mainstay IPA from these guys is stellar. The Hazedelic Juice Grenade is thoughtfully distributed to brewpubs around town and it’s ALWAYS a treat. If their track record holds up, the Big sIPA is gonna be a tasty blend of flavors. Here’s the description from the brewery: sour IPA brewed with lactose, Madagascar vanilla beans, raspberries, strawberries, cocoa nibs, and chamomile. Zoinks. It comes in at 7% bottoms up, y’all.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bpb_6r0FZ5T/
- Honorable Mention: Remember earlier in this post when I talked about the Hazedelic Juice Grenade? If you haven’t already, give it a try. A beer that has literally NEVER let me down, the Haze weighs in at 6.7%…highly recommend.
Follow Grist House on Instagram (and Facebook) for updates on all beer releases, food truck schedules, brewery happenings and events.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BtBZCnCF5VT/
Looking for more beer content? Check out Day Bracey’s beer column (Day Drinking) in the Pittsburgh Current.
