The Pittsburgh Dish

037 Tyler Lewis: Crafting Community and Creativity with Jackworth Ginger Beer

• Doug Heilman • Season 1 • Episode 37

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(01:02) Ever wondered how a simple root can revolutionize the beverage industry? Join us as Tyler Lewis, co-founder of Jackworth Ginger Beer, shares the story of Pennsylvania's first ginger beer brewery. You'll discover the unique blend of ingredients behind their flagship alcoholic ginger beer, featuring organic ginger from Peru and fermented cane and panela sugar. Tyler takes us through their journey from an experimental idea to a thriving business, which includes pioneering non-alcoholic options and a creative cocktail menu that features their signature ginger beer in exciting new drinks.

(06:57) Our conversation takes a flavorful twist as we highlight the vibrant community spirit of Larimer, Pittsburgh, home to Jackworth Ginger Beer. From street food pop-ups to innovative snow cones, Tyler shares how local chefs and friends have played a pivotal role in their success. We dive into the brewery's welcoming atmosphere, where patrons can savor both alcoholic and non-alcoholic ginger beer, while Tyler describes strategic partnerships with local businesses like Open Road and 11th Hour Brewing.

(31:03) Plus a delightful exploration of the local coffee and tea scene of Greensburg, where you can indulge in the friendly vibe at Cuties or immerse yourself in the cozy loft of Steep Mountain. We also get a taste of the culinary artistry from pastry chef Selina Progar, on crafting the perfect chocolate chunk cookie. Have a seat at the table and enjoy the show! 

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Doug:

Welcome to The Pittsburgh Dish. I'm your host, Doug Heilman. How do you create a brewery that's different than anything else in the state of Pennsylvania? Ginger might just be the key. Tyler Lewis tells us all about Jackworth Ginger Beer. Looking for some good coffee or tea in the Greensburg area? We have you covered on both fronts and want some tips on the best chocolate chunk cookie ever. Pastry chef Selina Progar shares her secrets All that ahead. Stay tuned. The Pittsburgh Dish is supported by Chip and Kale plant-based meals. Check out their website to learn what's new on their weekly menu rotation, with items like spicy peanut butter, ramen, broccoli, veggie burritos or stuffed focaccia. Just visit www. chipandkale. com and use code DISH to save on your next order. Now on to the show. Thank you for coming over and being on the show, would you?

Tyler:

introduce yourself and what you have going on right now in the world of. I normally say food, but for you I'll say beverage. Sure, I'm Tyler Lewis, co-founder of Jackworth Ginger Beer, pennsylvania's first ginger beer brewery.

Doug:

I love that. Yeah, you guys are doing something completely different, absolutely. And how long has the operation been open now?

Tyler:

Jackworth Ginger Beer opened May 8th of 2024 this year.

Doug:

So we're still working on year one.

Tyler:

Yeah, but the idea has been in the works for over nine years.

Doug:

Wow yeah, you and I met back in January and I got to sample a little of this through a supper club that Alekka Sweeney was doing. So I feel so privileged that I got sort of a primer you got a little preview.

Tyler:

And nine years ago, when my business partner Jack who, for everyone at home you'll be hearing a lot about him, he's my business partner who is the head brewer when my business partner Jack was brewing this about nine years ago, when we first came up with the idea of launching this as a business and writing business plans, it tasted a lot different than what it does today. So you got a much more refined version of the ginger beer. Nine years ago it did not taste as good as it does today.

Doug:

Well, I've been into the brewery, your storefront as well. It's amazing. Not just the operation is there for the brewing and fermentation, but really a full bar event type space. You've got a great side yard. Why don't we do this for listeners If people haven't experienced Jack Worth ginger beer? Can you describe the kind of three main products the original and the two non-alcoholics?

Tyler:

Sure, so our flagship product is our alcoholic ginger beer. It's a 5% ABV ginger beer brewed with four key products organic ginger, which is shipped from Peru. Very fresh Some of the best ginger in all of Pittsburgh.

Doug:

You brought me a piece of it today, so I'm excited to do something with it.

Tyler:

Yeah, in addition to that, we use lime water and we ferment pure cane sugar with a little bit of panela sugar to 5% ABV. So we're one of only a handful of breweries in the United States that is making alcoholic ginger beer.

Doug:

And so, if I'm just counting this up, this is simply four ingredients. Yeah, correct. I mean, if you want to split hairs, panela sugar might make it five.

Tyler:

Correct, correct.

Doug:

Or when we get to the spicy, there might be one little extra thing in there Right Right. But so simple. And then all you're doing is taking ginger beer that maybe is often known as non-alcoholic, and you're letting it ferment.

Tyler:

Correct, yeah, and there's some nuances to the technique in the way that we brew the ginger beer, but we're fermenting ginger beer to be an alcoholic beverage, which is pretty uncommon Trailblazers, yeah.

Doug:

Trying to be. I love it. Yeah, I think it bodes really well. You know, I've been at the bar and sort of doing a little research too and I think about where ginger beer kind of fits into, like a dark and stormy things that I love. But you've created an entire cocktail list as well which are super delicious, right, and inserting ginger beer all throughout.

Tyler:

The cocktail list is made up of our non-alcoholic ginger beer as a mixer.

Tyler:

So the other two products that we make are non-alcoholic beverages. We have a classic ginger beer which is made very similarly to our original, which is the 5%, and it is, uh, very similar to the non-alcoholic ginger beer that people are used to, um, but is again made with the ingredients and the technique that is unique to Jack worth ginger beer, uh, which makes it a little bit zestier and a little bit more refreshing than most ginger beers on the market, I agree a hundred percent.

Doug:

Thank you yeah.

Tyler:

Uh, and then we have a spicy version of that non-alcoholic ginger beer, which is made with a habanero juice which has a very refreshing natural spice to it.

Doug:

Yeah, it gives you that little heat, that kind of creeps up, but in a really nice way. Yeah, it pairs super well, I think, with the ginger.

Tyler:

Yeah, Super well, I think, with the ginger. Yeah, and it pairs very well with tequila as well, and our customers seem to think so too. We have a drink on our menu called the Texas Medicine, which is tequila habanero ginger beer, our spicy ginger beer, simple syrup and lime juice, and it is our best seller by far.

Doug:

Really, yeah, amazing. Yeah, I'm always someone that loves a Paloma and I noticed you have a Paloma with the ginger beer, is that right?

Tyler:

Correct yes, yeah.

Doug:

Is there any other? That's like a best seller on the menu right now.

Tyler:

Well, of course we have the Mule, the classic, and we we've been diving into some more experimental things that are a little bit more seasonal. We just came up with a Apple Chai 75, which is a chai-infused gin mixed with an apple simple, and topped with our original ginger beer to create a French 75 type of drink that's been selling really well as of recently. We also have classics on our menu as well that are made without ginger beer, because we do want to create a space that is also just seen as a bar, a gathering space. We don't want to be just the ginger spot, although that's why people do come and visit us is for the ginger. We do see ourselves as a craft cocktail bar as well.

Doug:

I think you know you said it best it's a full bar. You really have, like this key product that is shining there. If folks haven't visited your space, can you remind us where you're located and what are the hours right now? Sure, Sure.

Tyler:

Sure. We are located in Larimer, which is nestled between East Liberty and Homewood. We are on Hamilton Avenue the address is 6615 Hamilton Avenue, right across from Kelvin Coffee and Goodlander Cocktail Brewery, right around the corner from East End Brewing or Dogtopia.

Doug:

A lot of people know Dogtopia for some reason, you've got lots of great neighbors right around there. Exactly, absolutely.

Tyler:

Absolutely the hours right now. We just expanded our hours to seven days a week, so Monday through Friday, it's four to 12. And then Saturday, Sunday, it's 12 to 12.

Doug:

Wonderful and folks can come in and buy ginger beer to go right, correct, correct.

Tyler:

Yeah, we do four packs to go. We get a lot of, uh foot traffic of people just stopping by driving through and you know, uh popping in to grab some four packs, um, but we do also get a lot of people who just want to come and hang out because, uh, we do a lot of programming to keep people engaged while they're in the space.

Doug:

Yeah, let's talk about that. I think I love the space because you guys have done some great things with the interior, but it also at least at the time we're recording it's been pretty warm this summer and even into fall. You've got a great side yard and when I was there, I think Eric White from Pittsburgh Dumplings was having a pop-up. Who are some of the other food pop-ups you've partnered with out there? Sure?

Tyler:

I've worked with Felipe Crespo from Secretos. He's a good friend of ours and he has some of the most phenomenal Puerto Rican food I've ever had.

Doug:

Now he's in medical school.

Tyler:

And now he's in medical school. Yeah, he's in the Caribbean and it's unfortunate that he's not around to pop up.

Doug:

But Secretos is. He's in the.

Tyler:

Caribbean and it's unfortunate that he's not around to pop up with us anymore, but Secrito's is still going strong. The Secreto's is still going strong, exactly. We work pretty closely with El Chucho, which does Guatemalan street food. Carlos is a good friend of ours. We have a friend of ours named Alan, who works at Urban Tap. He's creating his own food pop-up called 80 VI and he's been popping up every Sunday with us.

Doug:

What? What's his style of food?

Tyler:

Uh, he does a mixture of like American, uh bistro food. Um, you know it's. He's good for like a Sunday afternoon kind of aligns with like game days. You know he's got some wings smash burgers.

Selina:

Um, he does a really good wings smash burgers um, he does a really good, um, like sausage that.

Tyler:

Uh, that I've been eating over the past couple weeks. It's been really good, sounds, perfect. Yeah, yeah, we uh. We had a really fun one pop up recently called snow cono. Um, they do snow cones yeah and they have really interesting flavors like matcha and pumpkin and coffee, which you're not used to seeing in snow cones.

Tyler:

But you know, because we opened this year and most food trucks have already scheduled out their entire year. We've had to get kind of scrappy with how we've been engaging with chefs and, you know, programming some of the food at our spot. So we've been working with some friends who are chefs to allow them to just use our space to pop up and just work on concepts that they really have just been dying to try.

Doug:

Yeah, I think it's working. Yeah, thank you, thank you.

Tyler:

One of my favorites that we've had was was Rafael from Amboy popped up and and you know people, people came out in droves for him.

Doug:

Really, interesting that you bring that up.

Tyler:

I interviewed Rafael yesterday, oh really Amazing, amazing, yeah, he's, he's very, very sweet.

Doug:

I'm excited for his space to open in the spring. Yeah, oh, me too.

Tyler:

Me too. I uh. I was lucky enough to meet him at uh at a table magazine shoot and we. We had a big family style meal and you know it was a great way to get to know him well, I think what you're bringing up for me too, Tyler, is the connectedness of Pittsburgh.

Doug:

We hear it again and again, which I love, so I'd like to take us maybe a step back and then talk about how the community has been supporting you guys as you've launched and come along in this journey. You mentioned you started experimenting with this concept nine years ago.

Tyler:

Oh yeah, I mean even even further, um further back than that. So the the origin story of Jack Worth ginger beer. Um, so, my business partner, Jack Worth Smith, he, um, he grew up in Point Breeze. It's from Pittsburgh. Um, him and I went to Oberlin college together. Uh, he studied religion, I studied neuroscience and we opened a brewery together. Amazing, Makes sense, right.

Doug:

Totally makes sense.

Tyler:

Um, and about 13 years ago he was living in Philadelphia and he was dabbling in brewing and specifically brewing ginger beer, was always curious about. You know why ginger beer was called ginger beer but was non-alcoholic and started doing some research and found out that pre-prohibition ginger beer was actually alcoholic for the most part, sometimes up to 12 12% ABV. And then during prohibition they started fermenting ginger beer a lot less to keep the alcohol content below 0.5%, which is what most ginger beer is today. Um, and during prohibition, beer proliferated because we had a lot of um people come, uh, come the States bringing their beer making practices here and beer proliferated because it was easy to make cheaper, to make the beer market exploded and ginger beer kind of stayed the same.

Tyler:

Long story short was he was experimenting with making ginger beer. Uh, fast forward to about 10, nine, 10 years ago. Uh, he was living in Stanford, connecticut. Uh, working for a brewery, him and I obviously staying in contact. Um, I was living in New York city at the time and, uh, I would escape the hustle and bustle of New York city and go visit my buddy Jack, and uh, this is when you know, he was sharing some of his like ginger beer with me. And uh, at that point you know him and I had the revelation of this is a genius idea. You know, we, we, at this time this is when cider was was all all the rave. Um, this was before seltzer was actually just catching on. This is before white claw, before high noons, before any of these, ready to drink cocktails were a thing and you know we were.

Tyler:

we looked at each other and we're like this this has legs, because it's a gluten-free alternative to beer.

Tyler:

It's, it's something that can be seen as like a healthier alternative. People were just starting to kind of run away from beer. Craft beer was still all the all the rave but, you know, people were kind of pulling away from beer a little bit. We started building our business plan but, you know, people were kind of pulling away from beer a little bit. We started building our business plan but you know, during the nine years that have transpired since, you know, now and then, jack and I were still, you know, young 20-somethings that had to support ourselves and you know, we were working day jobs while also trying to build this business at night.

Doug:

Just something slowly happening in the background. Exactly exactly day jobs while also trying to build this business at night. Just something slowly happening in the background. I think what I really appreciate is you're pointing out all of these trends that maybe some of us didn't notice. But you're absolutely right. I remember the cider trend coming up and being a thing, and now all of these seltzers or maybe that was just the last couple of years. I still don't think there has been a ginger beer trend, correct. So again, trailblazer.

Doug:

I think, it's great, and maybe that sort of slow burn of just working on this over time is the right timing.

Tyler:

Sure, we certainly agree.

Doug:

Yeah.

Tyler:

And that's all part of the master plan.

Doug:

You said it earlier, but I just want to restate for our listeners. You are the first ginger beer brewery in the entire state of Pennsylvania, correct, but have you found other ginger beer breweries elsewhere Anybody to model off of or partner with.

Tyler:

Absolutely. There's a couple of ginger breweries that we kind of look toward as trail, as trailblazers in in the segment. There's one based out of Burlington, vermont, called Halyards, and there's another one called Ginger's Revenge, based out of Asheville, north Carolina. Obviously, now, right now they're kind of going through some, some issues with the recent hurricane.

Doug:

Yeah, we're recording right now in October and a lot of folks just got hit.

Tyler:

Sure, they do have a GoFundMe for all those who want to support some of their employees, because they're closed down for the indefinite future, but we're hoping that they come back here very soon.

Doug:

Since you've launched. What has been the response, both from the public as well as other food and beverage partners throughout the area Sure?

Tyler:

I'll start with the public. The public seems to really enjoy it. It's a novel product. People love new things.

Tyler:

We have this thing that we've coined as the ginger smile, which is the smile on people's faces Every time they take a sip of ginger beer and especially their first sip and we've been doing some of these beer festivals and you know, or if it's somebody just walking into our doors the first time they take a sip, and you know they, they take a second to think and they're just sitting there and they're just digesting it and like swishing it around in their mouth. They look up, they just smile, they just brighten up, it's, it's beautiful. I love that, um, and you know, and we we're slowly getting fans that way and and through the product we're getting people to enjoy uh, jackworth, ginger and who we are, but also through the brand and through the space that we create, we also create a very safe space, a welcoming space, and we have a community of people that is very approachable. So I think that also has lent itself to invite people in, which has been really key for our brand side of things.

Doug:

I agree, and what we've talked about before on this show is also the movement of non-alcoholic but still wanting great experience, and so folks can come into your establishment and they can have the non-alcoholic versions and have a really good time.

Tyler:

Sure, I mean. That's why we have the non-alcoholic versions of our product. One of the most beautiful things that happened when we first opened was there was a couple that was sitting next to each other. The gentleman was having an alcoholic ginger beer and his partner, his girlfriend, was having one of our classic ginger beers the non-alcoholic ginger beer. His girlfriend was having one of our classic ginger beers the non-alcoholic ginger beer and they came over and they were just talking about how it was so great that they could share the same product or a similar product something that was new to both of them and one was non-alcoholic, one was alcoholic and they could still feel safe and welcome in the same space. And it's not like a ruckus bar, it's a comfortable, inviting space. Yeah, and it's not like a ruckus bar, it's a. You know it's a. It's a comfortable, inviting space.

Doug:

That's right.

Tyler:

This is Tyler Lewis from Jackworth Ginger Beer and you're listening to The Pittsburgh Dish.

Doug:

I think. Keep me honest. I think I've also noticed on the bar menu there are a few other non-alcoholic drinks. Are you guys partnering with Open Road?

Tyler:

Yeah, absolutely yeah. We're partnering with Open Road. Mel from the Open Road is a good friend of ours.

Doug:

And we should let listeners know Open Road is selling liquors or spirits that are non-alcoholic.

Tyler:

Correct, absolutely. We do a monthly pop-up with them. You know she comes in and we feature different cocktails that we create together. She invites some of her people in and we just celebrate spiritless fun, or NA fun, I guess you could say, similar to what Two Phrase does with Mad Mondays. We strive to create a space that you know, again, is very inclusive. You should visit Open Road as well. Exactly, I'm saying Open Road is opening up a new bar and storefront in Garfield in November.

Doug:

So not too far away from you, correct? Yeah, that's great, correct. When I was just scrolling through your website, I noticed you have a ton of partners already that are using your products in their restaurants.

Tyler:

Can you just name a couple off the top of your head Distributors, cafes, some of which to name names Margeaux in East Liberty, Mario's East Side Saloon in Shadyside, 11th Hour Brewing in Lawrenceville, Blue Sky Kitchen and Bar in East Liberty. Brooklyn Bagel in Lawrenceville.

Doug:

Oh, my goodness, I think I counted like over like two dozen, oh yeah.

Tyler:

So we self-distribute. Uh, I'm out there. Or, um, our head of business development, Colby Jacob Colby, we call him Colby is out there making these deliveries. Uh, one of my favorites to go out to is at the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden. Uh, Canopy Cafe. All the way out there, or we're as far out as Robinson. People can pick us up at the House of Brews.

Tyler:

So we have a pretty big footprint right now and we have this series every other Sunday called Meet your Maker, where we invite some of our partners to come in and guest bartend behind our bar and we allow them to kind of spin up what they've been doing with our ginger beer or come up with cocktails that they want to share behind our bar, which has been well received.

Tyler:

So, for example, we had a couple of the brewers from 11th hour who carry our ginger beer. We had them come up, come in and pop back behind the bar and they haven't bartended in years and they, they had a ton of fun with it. You know they came back and, just, you know, they invited all their friends and you know it was very well received. Similar thing with. You know, we had two beer tenders from old thunder come in and similar thing, and you know they're mixing cocktails and they're used to just pouring beer all the time. So that's one way is to cater to our peers in the industry is just invite them in to take the reins behind the bar.

Doug:

Well, I think it's also really smart on your part, because maybe they do create a cocktail that you haven't thought of Exactly and now they go. You can keep that cocktail going Exactly.

Tyler:

And we get to learn from them as well, which has been a lot of fun. And then in other ways through social media, I think we've been able to. We look at all these as partnerships, not transactions. So every partnership that we make, we look to make collaborative posts or promote them as well. We're not just looking to get our product out there. We're looking for strategic business partners that we can that will promote our product the way that we want to promote our product in our own space.

Doug:

Oh, I was going to ask that question since you guys are new. If someone has an interest to partner with you for their location, is there something on the website that they can contact you and then start that dialogue?

Tyler:

Absolutely. There's various ways to contact us on our website, but if you go through where to find us, there's a wholesale contact there, or you could just find the contact link on our website and it all goes to me.

Doug:

And we'll plug all this in just a minute.

Tyler:

Absolutely Sounds great.

Doug:

Perfect, Tyler. We've been talking so long about the business. I would like to talk a little bit about you as well. So you mentioned you met Jack up in Oberlin, correct? Where did you grow up?

Tyler:

I grew up in Monroe, Michigan.

Doug:

Monroe, Michigan. Yes.

Tyler:

Yep, it's Southeast Michigan, the most Southeastern County in Michigan, south of Detroit, north of Toledo. Given that we're between the two, most people know us for our rest areas and truck stops.

Doug:

And how long have you been living in Pittsburgh?

Tyler:

I've been here for a little over two years now, so I spent 10 years in New York. I wanted to make it to 10 years so I can be at that Frank Sinatra mark where. I can call myself a New Yorker officially, you could.

Doug:

You're working on Pittsburgh now.

Tyler:

I'm working on Yinzer. Yeah, how are?

Doug:

you finding the city. You've been here two years.

Tyler:

I love it. I love it. Pittsburgh is welcome to be in. You know, Pittsburgh is a very community driven place. It reminds me of home in a lot of ways. It's easy to make connections here and people are very friendly. People want to connect you with others and see you succeed, so I've had a great time here.

Doug:

I love hearing that While you've been on your journey to open Jack Worth, you said that you and Jack and all the others, you had some other side business day jobs. Sure, have you been working in food and beverage for a bit?

Tyler:

For a bit? Yeah, sure, have you been working in food and beverage for a bit? For a bit? Yeah, I've been in food and beverage for the past probably four years, mostly on the beverage side.

Emily:

Yeah.

Tyler:

I've bartended for about four years. I started bartending in New York City off of the West 4th Street F stop, which is a very busy street, so I was bartending for a lot of nyu students and tourists, and you know it's a very high volume bar. Then I moved here and worked at a few spots, uh, one of them being blue sky kitchen and bar um, where I was bar managing and general managing. Uh, before that, though, I was working in advertising and, uh I was putting my neuroscience degree to work and was measuring brain response to advertising and media, and I was working with clients like Anheuser-Busch right around the time when seltzers were exploding and ready to drink, cocktails were exploding, so I was learning a little bit about the industry.

Tyler:

So I was kind of learning how to apply some of that to what I'm doing now.

Doug:

It's always great when we can take skills from other parts of our life was kind of learning how to apply some of that to what I'm doing now. It's always great when we can take skills from other parts of our life and kind of bring that forward.

Tyler:

Oh yeah, it's all been a training ground for Jack Worth Ginger Beer.

Doug:

Since you mentioned, you cut your teeth a lot on some of that New York and Blue Sky and some of those other places. Have you helped to create the bar menu? Is this your creation? Is this your creation? Is this a collaboration?

Tyler:

I try to stay fairly hands-off, to be honest, with the bar, With the bar programming. It's mostly been our bar manager and bartenders. Our bar manager, Nev Hangelsberg, has really taken the reins on that. I mean, there's only so much that we can do.

Doug:

You have some delicious cocktails. Thank, you.

Tyler:

I just want reins on that. I mean, there's only so much that we can do. You have some delicious cocktails, thank you. I just want to say that. Thank you, appreciate it, appreciate it. Yeah, they've done a great job. There's so many aspects of the business. It's really had to learn how to delegate. I think Jack and I both had to learn that.

Doug:

I think that's the key to success. When you own everything. I think that's the key to success. When you own everything, at some point it's not sustainable. Correct? You got to have great people around you.

Tyler:

Absolutely, and we do. We have a really great core team and we're really lucky to have that.

Doug:

I think we should just give you a second to plug the business in terms of that website and social handles. Where can people find and follow you if they're not following you yet.

Tyler:

Our website is jackworth. co not . com and we have a lot of information there about where to find us. A little bit more about us Our Instagram is at Jackworth ginger beer. It's a fun follow If you guys don't follow us. We post a lot about what we're doing, what's going on at the brewery. We do a lot of events. We do live bands on Fridays. We do DJs on Saturdays.

Tyler:

We have a lot of fun stuff coming down the barrel for during the winter time. That beautiful outdoor space that you mentioned is going to be heated all winter, so, uh, it's going to be hopefully open year round. That's the plan. Uh, so we're trying to create a winter wonderland outdoors that people can enjoy. Um, with that, uh, we're doing a lot of events and things as well, private events. So, uh, go to our website, inquire about events. If you're interested in doing a holiday party, great for holiday parties, Perfect.

Tyler:

But on the Instagram, too, we do a lot of fun videos. I'm usually the mastermind behind those. We have a lot of fun with it because our mantra is you know, we don't want to sell. You know a picture of our can, or, like you know, pictures of ginger. We want to sell who we are. We want to sell like what people can expect, but also we just like to have fun, so it's a fun little follow. If we're on Facebook, it's also at Jackworth Ginger Beer. We're also on LinkedIn if you want to find us there. We're not on X. We don't have much to tweet about or x about whatever that may be.

Doug:

So much on x. Yeah, exactly I think that's it yeah, I was going to ask you about events, but it is the events calendar on the website which is really one of the best places to look correct, absolutely, absolutely. Uh, we just added that to our website, so building that out right now, yeah, smart Any other fun events or anything special happening in the next couple of weeks or months.

Tyler:

Well, funny that you ask. We have a really fun new product release coming out, super special. It's been kind of under wraps for the last month and a half. Two months. We're coming out with our first canned cocktail, collaboration with our friends at Maggie's Farm.

Doug:

Love Maggie's Farm.

Tyler:

Kind of a big deal. We're very excited about it. It's called the Fireside Mule and it's a concoction that consists of our classic ginger beer mixed with a combination of their spiced and dark rum, and it's got some notes of cinnamon and clove. So it's perfect for drinking by the fireside, perfect for the holiday season. Really excited for it to come out right before Thanksgiving. We're looking at it as the canned cocktail for Friendsgiving, where we're going to be releasing it probably around the same time that this is aired.

Doug:

I'm so excited yeah.

Tyler:

Thank you for sharing. Yeah, of course, absolutely.

Doug:

I'm really looking forward to that.

Tyler:

Oh yeah, we are too.

Doug:

Are there any other big goals or something you guys want to achieve in the next couple months? You're still in year one.

Tyler:

Absolutely Ultimate goal is to be the ginger beer that everybody thinks about, not only in Pennsylvania but beyond and beyond.

Doug:

I think you're well on your way. I love the product. I love what you guys are doing, and it is so much more than just the product. It is the experience that you're making around it. I wish you guys all the best. Appreciate it All. Right, Tyler, I always have a sign-off question. I know we've been talking a lot about beverages the whole time, but the name of the show is The Pittsburgh Dish. What was the best dish you had to eat this past?

Tyler:

week. Oh my goodness, the best dish I've had to eat this past week. I'll keep it in house. My friend alan, who cooks for us at the brewery, uh, every sunday, cooked up some really, really good wings for it for me um, they're brining our ginger beer, so a little bias, what?

Doug:

wait, wait, wait, wait. That's just straight up ginger beer. They soaked wings in the ginger beer.

Tyler:

Yep, they soaked the wings in our ginger beer.

Doug:

Okay.

Tyler:

And then it's a soy garlic glazed wing.

Doug:

Oh, it's incredible Sounds delicious.

Tyler:

It fell right off the bone. It was awesome. I'll have a dozen of those Okay, great, I'll see you on Sunday.

Doug:

Tyler Lewis of Jackworth Ginger Beer. Thank you so much for being on The Pittsburgh Dish. Appreciate it. Since we're already talking beverages on this episode, let's learn about some coffee and tea spots in Greensburg. Hey everyone, we're joined today with freelance journalist Emily Struhala. And Emily, I was wondering if I was in your neck of the woods, the Greensburg area, and I wanted, you know, just some coffee or tea, where would you point me to?

Emily:

For coffee. I definitely recommend Cutie's Coffee. They do Rose Commonplace, which is based out of Pittsburgh.

Doug:

I have seen Cutie's. They have a pretty mean Instagram game.

Emily:

Yes, they do.

Doug:

Is that a go-to for you?

Emily:

It is a go-to for me and everyone's always super friendly.

Doug:

It is a go-to for me and everyone's always super friendly, did I see? Are they sort of close to the Palace Theater? Is that right?

Emily:

Yeah, so if you're at the Palace Theater, you just go down the road another minute or two and you're right there.

Doug:

Oh, and what do you get when you go to Cuties?

Emily:

My usual is a cold brew with light ice, and then I get vanilla cold foam on top.

Doug:

Oh, all right, so you know your drink. But I did take a look at their menu and they've got a lot of other sort of fancified drinks or the standard coffee if you want. Yes, and did I see that they do? There's some kind of cart. What's the cart thing?

Emily:

It's a cutie cart, so it's just like you can cater for any events. You can rent the cart and have, like your coffee, specialty drinks, and there's different packages.

Doug:

Oh wow, so you can actually bring cuties to something you're doing at a wedding or whatever yeah.

Emily:

Yeah, and personally, as someone who doesn't drink alcohol, I think that's super cool.

Doug:

I would totally rent that for my wedding. I would agree. I think if you're looking for not just non-alcoholic cocktails, what a better thing to do than do like this coffee cart?

Emily:

Oh, yeah, definitely.

Doug:

All right, now I am a coffee person, so that's good. Yes, but if I was a tea person, should I still go to Cuties, or is there any other place?

Emily:

Cuties has some tea, but the specialty tea place in Greensburg is Steep Mountain. Steep Mountain, like steeping my tea, yes, and they're located right next to Olives and Peppers, also just past the Palace Theater, and they have all freshly loose tea and they've even partnered with other local businesses and made this matcha ice cream last summer, which was really good.

Doug:

Did I see that at Tastyland? Yes, at.

Emily:

Tastyland on 66.

Doug:

Okay. So if we want to drink tea, we're going to Steep Mountain, which is also just up the road from the Palace Theater, or if I want my coffee, you would take me to Cuties.

Emily:

Yeah, what's also really cool about Steep Mountain is they have an indoor loft. It can be a study area or just you know, go to work or whatever you'd like to do. But you go in and once you order they have this little loft upstairs to hang out.

Doug:

So Steep is a cool place just to chill.

Emily:

Oh yeah.

Doug:

Oh, that's amazing.

Emily:

They even just started also having their own like mini sandwiches, like tea size sandwiches or like little breakfast things as well, and they also have like muffins, cookies and your regular baked goods.

Doug:

I love it all. Emily Shuhala, thank you so much for these picks. Thank you for having me. You can follow Emily Shuhala on Instagram at ems. Underscore experiences. Underscore pgh. Could you go for a cookie right about now? This week, Chef Selina Progar of Eleven Contemporary Kitchen teaches us about Valrhona chocolate buttons called Feve and her tips for the best chocolate chunk cookie. Hey everybody, we're back with pastry chef Selina Progar of Eleven. And, Selina, I always appreciate the beauty in the desserts you're putting out at Eleven, but I am wondering is there something that you make at home that's a little more common or simple?

Selina:

Yeah, I have a chocolate chunk cookie dough that is, in my opinion, the best cookie that I've ever had.

Doug:

Chocolate chunk, cookie dough, cookie you bake it.

Selina:

Yeah.

Doug:

Okay, you're not just eating the cookie dough.

Selina:

No, Okay, the secret, in my opinion, to a nice cookie is to actually double the amount of baking powder to baking soda, the amount the ratio, the ratio, okay, and what does that do? So it gives it a little bit more lift.

Doug:

Okay.

Selina:

Powder is puff, soda is spread.

Doug:

Oh, I like this.

Selina:

Yes.

Doug:

This is now going to be etched in my mind forever. Powder is puff, soda is spread.

Selina:

Yeah, and if you ever look on the back of like a bag of chocolate chips. A lot of times there is no baking powder in a cookie dough recipe.

Doug:

Right None at all.

Selina:

None at all, or it's in equal parts. Okay, yeah, I think that doubling the amount of baking powder really gives the cookie a really nice chewy texture without it being flat and crispy.

Doug:

Yes, yes.

Selina:

And then also you can always throw a little bit of brown butter in there.

Doug:

I love doing that as well.

Selina:

It gives a little caramely note, yeah, and don't be afraid to put salt in the recipe.

Doug:

Absolutely.

Selina:

Yeah, never miss the salt in a pastry recipe.

Doug:

I have one more question for you. This is your chocolate chunk cookie. Do you have a particular chocolate that you love to?

Selina:

use valrhona okay yeah, now I think the average person would probably have to buy that online okay yeah, um but worth seeking out absolutely, they have um a hundred different types of chocolate I was just gonna ask do you use like a dark chocolate?

Doug:

is it a milk chocolate? Do you know like the percentage you like?

Selina:

Yeah, I mean I use a couple of different chocolates.

Doug:

You do.

Selina:

Yeah, I like white chocolate. I like milk chocolate, I like caramel chocolate, I like dark chocolate.

Doug:

And are you just mixing these up in different batches or are you putting them all together? I'm putting them all together. Oh my goodness.

Selina:

Chopping them up into small pieces, so A variety of flavors as you're eating the cookie.

Doug:

And you are chopping like bars of chocolate. So this is truly a chunk. You're not using chips.

Selina:

So this is a Feve and it's like an oblong shaped disc. Okay.

Doug:

I don't even know what that is.

Selina:

Oblong and disc are not the same thing. It's a oblong, it's about the size of a flattened penny, okay, yeah, and it's thick yeah, oh, and it's thick. Oh yeah, maybe about a quarter inch thick, okay, and I chop those up, but you can also always get a block of chocolate. I think it's a lot of extra work.

Doug:

Okay, and I've always seen the pro tip. If you are using a block of chocolate to get chunks, should I use a serrated knife? Or is that too fine in this recipe? Fine?

Selina:

in this recipe. I would say start with a chef knife, okay, and then kind of go from there, and then you can adjust your size based off of like what you want with your serrated knife.

Doug:

All right, Chef Selina. So this is your chocolate chunk cookie with at least four different kinds of Valrhona chocolate in the cookie.

Doug:

Yes, oh my gosh. And salt, lots of salt. Thank you so much for this recipe. Yeah, I can't wait to make it. Selena Progar is the pastry chef at Eleven Contemporary Kitchen, located in Pittsburgh's Strip District. You can follow Selena on Instagram @PastryChefSelina. Do you have a recipe? Share it with us. Just go to our website at www. pittsburghdish. com and look for our Share a Recipe form. That's our show for this week. We'd like to thank all of our guests and contributors, and to Kevin Solecki of Carnegie Accordion Company for providing the music to our show. We'll be back again next week with another fresh episode. Stay tuned.

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