The Drink Of Kings: Apis Mead and Winery

A few years ago, Cohort taught me how to make a lovely beverage that I'd only heard about in books and movies. Mead, the drink of kings (and Vikings) has origins dating back to around 6500-7000 BC and is made from fermenting honey with water. Sometimes the brewers add various fruits, spices, grains, or hops and the alcohol content of mead can range from 8% ABV to more than 20%. Depending on how it's made, mead can be still, naturally sparkling or carbonated; it can also be dry, semi-sweet, or sweet. 

Cohort makes a very good mead. His beverage stands up well to most commercially available mead. For years we tried different mead makers, none could hold up to Cohorts homemade batches. And then it happened....

Apis Mead and Winery

Apis Mead and Winery located on Main St in Carnegie, PA. The bar area is small, but the space is warm and cozy with booths along one wall and high tables on the other side. The walls are full of brilliant artwork (for sale) from local artist Joe Deckart. Cohort and I ordered 2 flights which covered everything on tap plus a specialty Pineapple Coconut Sangria (yummy). My favorite was a tie between the Lemon Bourbon 8% - a nice tart lemon mead aged in bourbon barrels and the Hopped Pineapple 11% - a soft pineapple flavor, not too sweet with a light hop taste.

Mead Flights

They don't serve food, but during special events they have food trucks and live music. You can review upcoming events on their website http://apismead.com/

Along one of the back walls they have a shelf full of board games and Cohort chose Othello; it was my 1st time playing. While settling the tab we noticed a sign "What's In The Box?" If you guess correctly you get a small prize. Wouldn't you know it....Cohort guessed correctly and we had a bonus glass!! We shared a Raspberry Blackberry 10% and more fruity than some of the other flavors, but still divine. If you haven't tried mead, now is your chance.

PROS: Great people, good drinks, board games! 

CONS: I-376 construction makes getting into Carnegie more challenging than normal and looks like this may continue throughout the summer. 

   

St. Patrick's Day: Joey's The Edge

After our visit to Rivertowne on St. Patrick's Day we ended up at a place called Joey's The Edge in Export, PA for a quick drink and a bite. I normally don't venture out on St. Patrick's Day, I look at it like it's the evening of The Purge. You're more than welcome to participate in the shenanigans, but if something goes wrong, you were kinda asking for it! I didn't see much harm in stopping by a small neighborhood spot. It wasn't very crowded at first, but more people poured in as the evening progressed. They have a small bar area with a few high tables and stool seating, a pool table and an area where bands perform. Beer and cocktail specials were listed for the evening. At the end of the bar a young woman was boasting that she had been there celebrating St. Patty's Day since breakfast. (Kegs and eggs I guess) It was around 9pm, so Cohort and I assumed she was joking. After a few long islands I headed to the ladies room. As I walked to the end of the bar I could see the young woman in full view. She sported flannel white pajama pants with colorful peace signs and a fitted night shirt. It was at that moment that I realized she was completely serious. Not only had she been at the establishment since early that morning, she didn't even bother getting dressed! LET THE EVENING BEGIN! I LOVED this place!

Burger and Chips

The people are friendly, laid back and just want to have a good time. The menu was limited due to the fact that they don't have a fryer. They did have burgers, Italian sausage, B.L.T. ect. Cohort ordered a burger with chips, I decided on the Italian sausage with chips. Nothing fancy, more like being at a friend's house and they decide to throw some burgers on the grill. And let me tell you, every bite was good! The old neighborhood bar with a back room kitchen is a dying breed and that saddens me. Growing up everyone in the city knew if you wanted a good fish sandwich the place to go was the Triangle Cafe in Mount Oliver. The Triangle is long gone now, as are many other neighborhood bars. If the neighborhood bars across the city don't continue to get support they will all be gone. Some people may think this is a good idea, that Pittsburgh needs upscale establishments all around the city, but riddle me this, who wants to spend every weekend paying $12 for one drink? Who wants to get dressed to the nines just to grab a quick bite? If you can't sport your flannel jammy pants to the local neighborhood watering hole, than where can you sport them?!?!

Italian Sausage and Chips

I say people of Pittsburgh pick a month and in that month only venture out to small local neighborhood establishments for eating and drinking. Take a break from the high end affairs and just relax. Go out and enjoy yourself without a care in the world, because at Joey's The Edge the people don't care - about what you look like, how you're dressed, how much money you have or where you came from. They're just there to enjoy themselves. I would like to visit Joey's again on an evening when the band is playing. According to their Facebook page it makes for a damn goodnight! Hopefully I'll run into Jammy Pants Girl...she clearly knows how to have a good time! (Rock on Jammy Pants Girl....ROCK ON!)  http://www.coroproservices.com/joeys/index.html

PROS: Good food. Happy hour specials. Live music. They even have S.I.N. (service industry night!)
CONS: A bit of a drive unless you're local,  but if you decide to venture to Rivertowne Brewery, you're right around the corner! They also still allow smoking. (This isn't really a CON for me. I don't mind, but it may be for others.)