Best Places To Buy Fort Pitt Beer

Fort Pitt Beer was originally brewed by the Fort Pitt Brewing Company, a major brewery in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 1906 to 1957. The company was revived in 2014 by Mark Dudash, a Pittsburgh area attorney and owner of the Duquesne Brewing Company, who introduced a new Fort Pitt Ale. The beer is crafted in the spirit of the brewery established in Fort Pitt in 1765 and is formulated as an ale using two-row malt, caramel, and English hops. Fort Pitt Beer memorabilia can be found on eBay, but it is unclear where the beer itself can be purchased.

Fort Pitt Ale

The Fort Pitt Brewing Company, which operated from 1906 to 1957, was a major brewery in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, that brewed Fort Pitt Beer and other regional brands. The company was incorporated in 1906 by Dr. Herman Hechelman, a group of businessmen, and local politician Samuel Grenet, with a capital stock of $200,000. The company constructed a five-story brewery in Sharpsburg, Pennsylvania, which opened for business in early 1908 with an annual capacity of 75,000 barrels. Fort Pitt Beer was distributed throughout Western Pennsylvania, Eastern Ohio, West Virginia, and Maryland.

In 1920, Prohibition caused many breweries to close, but Fort Pitt Brewing Company remained in business by selling non-alcoholic cereal beverages in 27 states. After the repeal of Prohibition in 1932, Fort Pitt resumed brewing alcoholic beer and continued to grow, becoming the country's 23rd largest brewery by the outset of World War II. In 1949, Fort Pitt was the top-selling beer in Pennsylvania, but a sales decline in 1950 and a major strike in 1952 led to a drop in sales and market share. Fort Pitt's rushed return to the market after the strike, with past-its-prime beer, further damaged the brand, and the company ceased brewing operations in 1957.

In 2014, Mark Dudash, a Pittsburgh native and attorney, revived the Fort Pitt name and introduced the new Fort Pitt Ale under the Fort Pitt Brewing Company. The ale is brewed by the Duquesne Bottling Company, located at 3100 E. Carson St. in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Fort Pitt Special Beer

In 1949, despite competition from national beer brands, Fort Pitt was the top-selling beer in Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania. However, sales declined after a strike in 1952, which allowed national beer brands to gain a foothold in the market. Fort Pitt's sales decreased by 40%, and the company suffered its first financial loss in over a decade.

Today, Fort Pitt Ale is crafted by the Duquesne Bottling Company with English hops, caramel malt, and two-row barley. It has a rich brown head and a deep red caramel colour. The flavour profile is reminiscent of the first English ales brought to Fort Pitt by the first English settlers in 1765.

Fort Pitt Brewing Company

During Prohibition in 1920, Fort Pitt Brewing Company was one of the few breweries to remain in business, selling non-alcoholic cereal beverages in 27 states. After the repeal of Prohibition in 1932, Fort Pitt brought alcoholic beer back to Pittsburgh. In the 1930s, the company acquired the Victor Brewing Company in Jeannette, Pennsylvania, and by 1935, it was selling a record 114,000 barrels of beer per year, positioning itself to dominate the local beer market.

However, the sudden death of Samuel Grenet, the company's president, in 1937 led to a significant decline in sales. Michael Berardino, the new president, implemented an aggressive marketing program, and by 1940, the company's annual capacity had increased to 450,000 barrels with upgrades and expansion of the Sharpsburg plant. By 1949, Fort Pitt was the number one beer brand in Pennsylvania, and the company embarked on another expansion of the Sharpsburg plant, costing $3 million.

Unfortunately, sales took a turn for the worse in 1950 due to a drop in national beer sales, an unusually cool summer, and a regional oversupply of beer from large national brewers. In 1952, a strike by brewery workers dealt a further blow to the company, as national beer brands once again flooded the market in Western Pennsylvania. Fort Pitt rushed to be the first to return to the market, releasing outdated product that had been sitting in its warehouse. This led to a decline in the quality of its beer, causing many loyal drinkers to switch to national brands.

In 1957, the company ceased brewing operations at the Sharpsburg plant, and the rights to Fort Pitt were sold to the Gunther Brewing Company of Baltimore for $1.3 million.

In 2014, Mark Dudash, a Pittsburgh native and attorney who also owned the Duquesne Brewing Company, revived the Fort Pitt name and introduced a new Fort Pitt Ale. This new ale is crafted in the spirit of the first brewery established by the British Army within the confines of Fort Pitt in 1765 and uses the same family of English hops that were used to brew the first ale. While it does not resemble the beer brewed in the Jeannette or Sharpsburg plants, it recaptures the taste that the first settlers of Pittsburgh experienced within Fort Pitt.

Today, the former Fort Pitt Brewery in Sharpsburg still stands, with much of it converted into apartments, and one of the buildings now housing the Hitchhiker Brewing Co. Various Fort Pitt beer memorabilia, such as coasters, bottle openers, signs, and advertisements, can be found for sale on eBay.

Fort Pitt memorabilia

Collectors can find a variety of vintage Fort Pitt items on eBay, including signs, coasters, bottle openers, tap knobs, and beer bottles. For example, a vintage 1930s Fort Pitt Beer coaster from Pittsburgh, PA, or a Fort Pitt Special Beer Coaster from the 1950s. There are also porcelain and enamel metal signs advertising Fort Pitt Beer and Ale, some of which are several feet in diameter. For those interested in the beer itself, there are unopened vintage bottles of Fort Pitt Special Beer, as well as Fort Pitt Bock Beer and Fort Pitt Porter.

In addition to these items, there are also more unusual pieces of Fort Pitt memorabilia, such as a Fort Pitt Beer Advertisement Shooter Marble, a Fort Pitt Beer Bottle Salt or Pepper Shaker, and a vintage Fort Pitt Beer Lighted Sign. For collectors interested in the history of the brewery, there are also advertising postcards and a book about baseball titled *Aunt Minnie's Scrapbook: Humorous Tales of the Diamond* published by the Fort Pitt Brewing Company.

For those specifically interested in the Fort Pitt Ale that was revived in 2014, the Frank B. Fuhrer Wholesale website provides information on where to purchase it. The ale is crafted with English hops, caramel malt, and two-row barley, and is available at the Duquesne Bottling Company in Pittsburgh, PA.

Fort Pitt's decline

Fort Pitt Brewing Company was a major brewery in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 1906 to 1957. The company revived in 2014, introducing a new Fort Pitt Ale.

The original company was incorporated in 1906 by Dr. Herman Hechelman, with a group of businessmen and local politician, Samuel Grenet. With capital stock of $200,000, the company began construction of a five-story brewery located in Sharpsburg, PA. Fort Pitt Brewery opened for business in early 1908 with an annual capacity of 75,000 barrels.

The company survived Prohibition by selling non-alcoholic beverages in 27 states. After Prohibition ended in 1932, Fort Pitt brought alcoholic beer back to Pittsburgh. By 1935, the company had sold a record 114,000 barrels of beer, positioning itself to dominate the local beer market.

However, the sudden death of Grenet, the company's president, in 1937 led to a significant decline in sales. Michael Berardino, with thirty years of experience in the brewing industry, was appointed as the new president. By 1940, the company's annual capacity had increased to 450,000 barrels, and it was estimated as the country's 23rd largest brewery.

In 1949, Fort Pitt was the number one brand in Pennsylvania in total beer sales, despite competition from national brands. However, sales suddenly dropped in 1950 to just under 1 million barrels, due to a drop in national beer sales, an unusually cool summer, and a regional oversupply of beer from large national brewers.

The beginning of the end for Fort Pitt came in 1952, when all 2,100 brewery workers in the Pittsburgh area went on strike. This allowed national beers to once again gain a foothold in the market, causing many loyal Fort Pitt drinkers to switch to other brands. In a panic to return their product to the market, Fort Pitt introduced spoiled beer, causing sales to decrease by 40% and leaving the company with a financial loss.

After the death of Berardino in 1957, the company ceased brewing operations, and the rights to Fort Pitt were sold to the Gunther Brewing Company of Baltimore.

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