4.5 Stars. It's been years since my first visit to Penn Brewery, so I wanted to refresh my memory while I was back in the area. First, it's not in the most convenient location up on Troy Hill, but still pretty easy to get to from either Route 28 or I-279. Parking is a little on the rough side, in a gravel lot across the street. That's apparently an issue for some, but I could care less...it's free! Can't say that about very many places in the city.
After walking through the courtyard and walking up the stairs, I noticed the lunchtime crowd wasn't too busy. I read through the Penn Brew drafts listed on the chalkboard behind the bar and decided to try the Penn Dark (of course). The I looked at the menu and saw this:
"Bacon Brew Dog: A natural-casing hot dog stuffed with fresh jalapenos, wrapped in bacon, then deep-fried and topped with BBQ sauce, shredded cheddar Jack cheese, and vinegar slaw in a hot dog bun." SAY WHAT!? I told the bartender that's what I wanted and he grinned and said "Oh, those are really good. I haven't had one in awhile. Nice choice."
Long story short, it was awesome! I probably could've eaten two of them, albeit I would've paid the price for it dearly later on. The friendly bartender also let me sample some of the other brews, including Penndemonium (Brewer's Choice Series) and Summer Berry Weiss (seasonal), both smooth, refreshing and sweet.
I'm very happy I revisited Pittsburgh largest and oldest brewery, but slightly bummed I missed out on their $3 Happy Hour drafts. Good thing to remember for next time.