You ever hear of Seven Springs (ski area?) I know you can buy it at their bar, so i'm sure it's available in carryout form in western PA.
Any good local brews or regional beers you guys can suggest. I despise Budweiser and most anything else resembling typical American Lager. A good pale or amber ale would be preferred
If you like trying new/regional breweries there are a couple of suggestions I have... (1) Columbus Brewing Company. Their beer is offered at several local bars and there is a Cameron Mitchell restaurant 'Columbus Brewing Company' downtown. (2) If you want bottles, the most well-known and widely available in Ohio is Great Lakes Brewing Company. They have four or five good beers. Based in Cleveland, I think. (3) O'Shaughnessy's, our official pub, has their own beer. A porter ale I think (www.ospub.com)
Yuengling is the greatest damn beer ever (Guinness, Lowenbrau, and Killian's being tied for a distant second). Can't promise anything, but I'll try to make a run into PA a day or 2 before the game to pick some up. I do know they sell it pretty much all down the Eastern seaboard south of PA (my friends that live in NC and FL can get it at home), but for some stupid reason they don't sell it in New England (where I go to school) or apparently in Ohio either. According to their website they sell in Alabama too, but not Ohio or New England, that makes a ton of sense.
Anything by Great Lakes in Cleveland. For year-round offerings, I'm love their Dortmunder Gold (what a lager beer should taste like). One of my favorite seasonals that's currently out is Nosferatu, an ale that clocks in at about 8% abv. It's a real stunner. Basically, Ohio is in a sweet spot in terms of beer distribution. For example, if you don't get Bell's beers where you are, check out Expedition Stout, Two Hearted Ale, well, just about anything from Bell's (aka Kalamazoo Brewing). The aforementioned Palmer's (about a half-mile from my house) has a pretty solid selection.
Update... O'Shaughnessy's, the official pub (www.ospub.com) for the weekend, will be giving us happy hour prices all night long, both night; Friday from 7pm and Saturday post-match. So be sure to hit the place up! The manager told me "you can take the bar over if you'd like". Prices and this information will be posted on the SA event page once I can finalize the .pdf flyer and get the logo from the bar.
Let me add a few and interject my own opinions: First, I certainly rate Barley's higher than CBC in terms of local craft brewed beer: http://www.barleysbrewing.com/. Two locations, one not far from O'Shaughnessy's. Some very good guest beers on tap, too. And the Barley's selections at each selection often differ somewhat. It's a chain, but there's a Gordon Biersch right next to O'Shaughnessy's. If their Czech lager seasonal is still available in early Sept., czech it out, so to speak. Other decent beer spots in the Short North area are Betty's and Mac's (right across the street from one another), though my favorite downtown beer spot is the St. James Tavern (you don't want to walk there, as it's not in the best neighborhood); $3 pints! Further afield, there are two Winking Lizard locations in greater Columbus (http://www.winkinglizard.com/). It's a Cleveland-based chain with, I think, fewer than 15 Ohio locations. I wish they'd upgrade their tap selections (which are alright), but their bottled offerings are extensive. One location is north of 270 off of High Street/Highway 23; the newest (just opened yesterday) is on Bethel Road, just off of Highway 315. Finally, if you happen to be coming into town from the east, it is worth the time and effort to stop by Brews Cafe in Granville (http://www.brewscafe.com/index.php). This is probably the best beer bar in central Ohio (and in 2003 was named the Most Arrogant Bar in America by Stone Brewing for selling more pints of Arrogant Bastard Ale than any other bar over the course of one week.
Unless you're bring in their porter, don't bother. Guinness is glorious. But Lowenbrau??? Killians???? You need to get out more often. The reason why, suddenly, Yuengling products began to appear in the eastern/southeastern US almost overnight a few years back is that the company bought a huge brewery in Tampa. The stuff you buy in FL, etc. (incidently, for the person who's coming from NC, it's there, too) is unlikely to have been brewed in PA.
I agree with most of what you say above, but I would caution against having out-of-towners drive out to Granville to get stewed to the gills in beer and then cruise back down trooper alley to Columbus. Yuengling is wonderful. Never been a fan of Guiness. Kilians and Lowenbrau is for amateurs. Czech beer is a delight. I live for Pilsner Urquell. German Village is full of great beer joints. And I'm guessing The Elevator is still around. Great "handcrafted" beer selection. I suspect the R & T will get some play too. If you can stand English food, you're rewarded with Boddington's on tap to wash it down with.
Some of you folks need to head over to Food & Travel and check out the "Bitching Beer Thread." I want to buy some Belgians in Columbus. I'm assuming that can be done at Viking or Palmer's, right? I need to find a place to buy some victory cigars too.
It is still around. Absolutely. Probably not enough time for a lot of people to go there, but i'd imagine some might. We were thinking of having one of the "official" parties there, but decided against it for various reasons.
Don't worry, Western PA does sell Yuenglings. That is my beer of choice here in Pittsburgh. Anyone driving through Western PA to the game will be able to pick-up a case, or two.
Mike if you are flying in, to help you ease into a nice cold Belgian Ale with little effort bring something you want for the US/Mex match to the DC/LA match on the 20th. I will haul it with me when I drive out that Saturday morning, then you are guarunteed whatever you can get near your house for Columbus. Trust me I plan on stocking up on some Belgians etc for the tailgate. Moreno9 and I are leaving Baltimore by 8ish and should be in the lot by 3pm. I am also planning on bringing a small grill. if anyone needs space and their is propane left mine is yours just find me.
Yeah, we're flying. I'll buy some stuff at Chevy Chase before the LA game and give it to you there. Thanks!
I'll be bringing Newcastle and Tangueray to the tailgate. My beer budget is about $100 for the day so if you're in need of a beer I'll be able to help out. Could we possibly look into to doing red wristbands to police the U-21s in the parking lot and help out with that situation?
You mean Iron City. I'll drink just about any beer if it's cold. However, when I have a choice, I certainly have preferred brands. See some of you at the T&T game and others at the Tri match.
Should clarify that by Lowenbrau I meant the stuff they have over in Germany which is awesome. Never had Lowenbrau here actually but I have heard it sucks. As for Killian's, I just like it. Yeah, I saw that on their website...sacrilege, I tell ya. I wonder if it's as good as the real stuff.