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Did not eat. Beer was decent but not spectacular. Worth a stop.
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MARK,
palm harbor, , FL
(09/30/2012) |
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Great
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Penn Brewery is back in business!
The menu has changed a little and the quality of everything I have tried has improved.
I also think the Allegheny Ale a nice addition to their beer line up.
I always liked Penn Brewery and it is great to have them back.
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Pittsburgh, PA
(07/22/2010) |
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Update to the status of Penn Brewery. On 11/23/09, Tom Pastorius, the original founder of the brewery, and a team of investors reacquired a controlling interest in Penn Brewery. Brewing resumed at the Vinial Street Brewery in December. A new kegging line was installed in February, and starting in March, the restaurant is open on fridays, serving beer only. The grand re-opening of the restaurant is scheduled for May and they will be hosting the Pennsylvania Micro Brewer's 2010 Fest on June 5th.
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Steve Alvin,
Henry, IL
(04/12/2010) |
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Things aren't looking good for this Pittsburgh institution. As of August 18th 2009, all have ceased until further notice. Places like this that close "until further notice" usually don't re-open. Penn products will continue to be available courtesy of a brewing contract with Lion Brewing in Wilkes-Barre. But if the Troy Hill brewpub closes for good, it will be a sad day for Pittsburgh's brewpub scene even if it re-opens elsewhere as had been discussed in previous months. Any "new" Penn brewpub just wouldn't be the same.
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Chicago, IL
(08/19/2009) |
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Great
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N/A
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It's been too, too long since I've stopped by Penn Brewing, so we made this stop #1 on a recent beer cruise. Everything was fresh and clean; true to style. Pils had that original malty goodness I remembered from my first taste many years ago. Kaiser Pils had a spicy, refreshing quality, and I have to admit I forgot how good the dark was--especially when it was the first beer of the trip. Penndemonium is an 8% bock sweet in the nose and slightly throughout. It's smooth and drinkable despite the alcohol percentage. I'll definitely seek out Penn brews more often.
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Beav,
York, PA
(08/17/2008) |
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To the review below, you may have opened a bottle that was not fresh. Their weizen is an excellent example of the style and has received high rating in several ber publications. Or it could be you don't like the weizen style. If that's the case, please don't disparage the brewery.
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Mark,
Yardley, PA
(04/18/2008) |
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Awesome!
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Good
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Awesome!
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Penn Brewery is starting to produce special seasonal beers. The St Nick Bock Reserve was awesome.
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Pittsburgh, PA
(04/02/2008) |
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Lousy
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Lousy
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So So
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I have had beers in the past from this brewing company through local distribution and thought they were nothing special. I stopped in and had the hefeweizen which made me feel bloated and half way through it, I wanted to move on to another beer. It was a weak and generic attempt at a weizen. The beer had a thick feel with very little spice or citrus feel. I have no idea how this won any medal at any competition. Perhaps the batch served was old? I have had the Penn Dark in the past and found it very unrememberable. I moved on to Penn Pilsner and it really had no flavor. It was a below average pilsner.
The brewery itself is awesome. You can hang out between the brewery and another smaller building. They have an outdoor bar and the ground is cobble stoned. The brewery is brick with old masonry. The atmosphere would make me want to stop in again. If I am out there again at another time of year, I would definately stop in to give the place another shot.
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thomas sup,
schnecksville, PA
(06/25/2007) |
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Awesome!
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Awesome!
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Awesome!
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A definite destination when in the Pittsburgh area, particularly if you want good German food. OK, it's somewhat typical fare, and missing some of my favorites, but it IS good, and the beer is very good. The seating is rather family style -- which will put some off, but the atmosphere is quite Gemütlichkeit!
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RFM57,
Beaver, PA
(03/08/2007) |
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This is a borderline "great" recommendation, based more on the food and the surroundings than the beer. I visited Penn Brewery on July 13 while in town for the All-Star Game. I had been there once before many years ago, probably in the early 90s.
The venue is a good one: lots of long tables not unlike a German beer hall. And since it's German beer and food styles they feature at Penn Brewery, the decor and seating makes sense. It was a very hot day when I visited, so the inviting outdoor beer garden space was not being used. However it looks like a great place in cooler temperatures to while away an hour or two.
I had the Rouladen (stuffed sirloin rolls), mostly because when I saw it on the menu it reminded me that my mom made the same dish occasionally many decades ago. They were well-prepared and the spatzle and red cabbage accompaniments were likewise satisfying. My wife had the potato pancakes and loved them. We also had the German meat sampler plate as an appetizer and it was hearty. (I'm headed to Munich this fall for Oktoberfest and figured I'd "test-drive" my taste buds with this hearty German fare.)
The weakest link at Penn Brewery is the beer. What was offered was certainly clean but not overly memorable. I had the Maibock and the Penn Pilsner and sipped my pal's Kaiser Pils. All were OK but there was nothing particularly noteworthy about them. Later that night I had a Penn Gold at the ballgame. It was just a crossover beer for the Bud Light crowd and can be bypassed by folks in pursuit of microbrews with character. The biggest drawback was that only five beers were available at the brewery, and three of those were variations on the same golden lager theme. I know it's a German-style brewery, but I would have welcomed an alt or other lesser-known such style.
Overall, Penn Brewery is certainly worth seeking out ... especially if you're hungry.
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Ken Kane,
Portland, OR
(07/17/2006) |
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Great
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Great
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Come here many times, from special events like Oktoberfest or their Microbrew Festival to just stopping in before or after the game. It's always a great time. The beer is always top-notch from their weizen to the dark to the seasonals - there's always a good brew to be had. And the food has greatly improved over the last couple of years. Before it was hit-or-miss, sometimes you would get a good meal and sometimes you wouldn't. But lately all the meals I've had their have been top-notch. If you like German food and beer there's no other place to go than the Brewery.
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John Lewis,
Pittsburgh, PA
(02/20/2006) |
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Awesome!
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Great
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Been here many times. The beer is always the same quality...Awesome", but the food can be spotty. EG, last week I ordered the Brewmeister's Steak. A ribeye with a wild mushroom sauce made with their Penn Dark. I wish the sauce hadn't been so thick so it would have been easier to cut around all the fat and grissle on the cut. But, I've been here that the food's been "Awesome" too. Wish the food could be as consistantly "Awesome" as the beer and atmosphere. It truly does seem like you're in Germany.
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BR,
State College, PA
(01/09/2006) |
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Great
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Great
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Awesome!
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Unique, I felt like I was in bavaria! Cool old relics and breweriana from the old E&B brewery in the basement. Although nothing very adventerous, the beer was very good and true to style! Yet another PA. original.
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BENBREW,
HUDSON, OH
(01/05/2006) |
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I've tagged the selection as "great" because there was probably a good ten varieties available the time I stopped by. I'm crossing the Burgh, going from Church Brew to Penn Brewing to John Harvard's only to find that this brewery does not offer a sampler tray. How can you guys have such a selection and no tray? I can't be drinking a gallon of beer to try everything and then moving on. ANYWAY, try their Penn Dark. It's got a rich flavor to it that I haven't quite found anywhere else.
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SuperSteve,
Spokane, WA
(11/04/2005) |
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Good
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Good
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Good, old historic location. All German-styled beers are offered, so don't look for an Imperial IPA. Between the maibock and marzen that I tried, I favored the marzen; it seemed to have a little more flavor. I found it ironic that a Brit was on the bar (without a hand pump in sight!).
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Beav,
York, PA
(06/29/2005) |
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I paid a visit to Penn recently and I can now say all is forgiven. So you folks can stop ragging on me for "badmouthing" the place. You won't find an Imperial Rye Chipotle Stout or any such experimental stuff here. It's traditional German-style beers or nothing. I tried their Pilsner, Kaiser Pils and their hefe-weizen. I'm not sure why they call the Pilsner a pilsner; it is described in their literature as a Vienna lager and it certainly tastes like one (which is a good thing). Their Kaiser Pils is actually a pilsner as the name describe, and again, it tastes like one. The Weizen is appropriately tart, straw-colored, cloudy and citrus-like. Nicely done. Atmosphere is much like that of a Munich beer hall with common tables in a big open hall, plus a smaller seating area with conventional tables and a second, smaller bar in the Rathskeller. The main level seating area features a glass wall that overlooks the gleaming brewing equipment. Service left nothing to complain about. Beers were brought out with a pleasant attitude and a smile. Didn't try the food but suffice to say the place smelled like a German restaurant. I'll let you decide if that's a good or bad thing. Capital Brewery in Middleton WI is still my favorite American brewer of German beers but Penn's quality comes quite close. I'm glad I live within daytripping distance of Capital but I wouldn't be disappointed if I lived near Penn either.
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The Enemy,
Chicago, IL
(04/23/2005) |
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Awesome!
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Great
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Awesome!
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Penn was rocking when I stopped in last week, tables full and busy, and pint after pint of St. Nikolaus Bock sailing across the bar. I stuck to the damn-near-perfect Penn Dark and was not disappointed. Food was delicious and plentiful, service was on the dot. No complaints here.
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Lew Bryson,
Philadelphia, PA
(01/02/2005) |
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Great
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Great
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Great
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So So
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Great
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Cool place with good beer.
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beer drinking mike,
lagrange, OH
(11/20/2004) |
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Awesome!
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Great
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Great
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Great
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Great
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A truely great brewpub. Brewed in the German tradition adhering to German purity laws. They have a nice outside area great to sit outside and enjoy a few pints. Stage with regular events.
I can't comment too much on what beers I tried. I tried the range, which was good to awesome! Worth trying if in town. Good German food.
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Mike Murphy,
Iselin, NJ
(11/18/2004) |
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Great
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Great
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Great
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Awesome!
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Awesome!
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Just had an enjoyable visit to this establishment on 6/26/04. The beer was clean crisp and flavorful. The Dark I found smooth and easy to drink with a nice chocolate malty tone. The service was exceptional, polite and courteous. The staff was helpful in explaining the beers and was generous enough to bring a sample of the weizen as I did not want to have a whole pint. The weizen was quite flavorful and drinkable. Also great atmosphere and good food all the way around.
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Elk,
Binghamton, NY
(06/28/2004) |
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Great
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N/A
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Awesome!
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Got a chance to try the seasonal Maibock at Fat Head's over the weekend: excellent beer, smooth as silk and rich with malt. Very nice. Also heard that the Kaiser Pils may finally be bottled: can't happen soon enough for me!
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Lew Bryson,
Philadelphia, PA
(04/27/2004) |
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Great
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Good
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Great
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Great
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Great
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Really enjoyed the Maibock and the Dark. Steak Sandwich was excellant. On weekends they have entertainment.
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Bob Morseburg,
Seattle, WA
(04/26/2004) |
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"I don't know what The Enemy's and Tim Tomlinson's problem is. This place is far and away the best brewery in Western Pennsylvania and one of the best in the region." My "problem," as it were, is that Penn beers were problematic when I tried them. But let's be real here -- my prior review is over 5 years old. Note some of the other reviews from around that time and it seems like Penn had hit a rough spot. In the microbrewery industry, 5 years is an eternity -- things change, I realize this, and I don't hold grudges. Recent reviews seem to indicate that Penn has subsequently gotten their act together. I moved away from Pittsburgh years ago so I haven't had a chance to re-evaluate Penn beers. Next time I'm in the area I'll give 'em another go.
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The Enemy,
Chicago, IL
(04/23/2004) |
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Awesome!
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Great
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Great
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Awesome!
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Awesome!
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I don't know what The Enemy's and Tim Tomlinson's problem is. This place is far and away the best brewery in Western Pennsylvania and one of the best in the region. Great recreations of German beers, served up in an authentic German-style brauhaus. The place is practically in my back yard so I get to spend lots of quality time here.
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Orberthur,
Mexican War Streets ('Burgh), PA
(04/19/2004) |
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Great
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Great
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Stopped after several hours on road from Arlington,VA. It was quiet time on Friday. Very interesting facility with lots to see and weathered copper bar to lean on. Very German in its beer selections - no hop crazies here! Easy to find, but watch the directions closely!
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Lynwood sinnamon,
Arlington, VA
(04/13/2004) |
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