Brewers' special collaborations key to Greensburg Craft Beer Week

Greensburg Craft Beer Week is a nine-day, multi-venue event showcasing breweries, restaurants, local businesses and more through craft beer-centric events and community involvement throughout the Greensburg area.

This year, events run from Sept. 20 to 28.

Each year, Greensburg Craft Beer Week grows larger and offers more exciting events than previous years. Because of this well-organized week, attendees can expect exciting events and fantastic local craft beer and collaborations.

Downtown Greensburg Project, the organizers of GBGCBW, understand the key to any successful craft beer week is to simply keep it all about what’s produced locally. And that’s exactly what they’ve done.

Organizers here know how quickly things can fall apart as they recently did with Pittsburgh Craft Beer Week. When you don’t make it all about local beer, there’s nothing special about your beer week, and it certainly leaves little reason for anyone living out of town to visit.

Those living in the Greensburg area or coming in from out of town to experience Greensburg Craft Beer Week are in for a treat.

Tapped Brick Oven Pour House, Moxie Events and Laurel Highlands Pour Tour are only a few of the generous sponsors for GBGCBW.

Creatively designed T-shirts ($15) and pint glasses ($5) commemorating the week can be purchased on the Greensburg Craft Beer Week website (greensburg craftbeerweek.com) or at a few of the venues hosting events.

Signature events

• Home Brew + Chill is a signature event happening Sept. 22 at which attendees can sample more than 60 of the best home brews from the area. There is a limited number of VIP tickets available at $50 each and general admission for $35. The event includes live music, collaboration beers and a commemorative tasting glass.

• Brewers Double Dare is another signature event and happening at All Saints Brewery on Sept. 29, presented by Moxie Events and produced by the Downtown Greensburg Project.

The event is bound to be entertaining, as local brewers including Fury Brewing Co., Bloom Brew, Sobel’s Obscure Brewery, Laurel Highlands Meadery, Whitehorse Brewing LLC, Quinn Brewing Co., Yellow Bridge Brewing Co., Invisible Man Brewing, All Saints Brewing Co., Noble Stein Brewing Co., Levity Brewing Co. and Devout Brewing Co. complete head-to-head by answering craft beer-centric questions and competing in slimy, physical challenges to find out which brewery wins.

Hold on to your beer tight, because this event is about to get real messy!

More sudsy fun

There are 34 events scheduled for Greensburg Craft Beer Week (in Greensburg, unless otherwise noted) including:

• Blues, Brews BBQ presented by Westmoreland Cultural Trust

• Brunch + Brews with Yellow Bridge Brewing Co. at the Lamplighter Restaurant, Delmont

• Sushi + Beer pairing with Levity Brewing at Robokyo Japanese Steakhouse

• Trivia Night with Invisible Man Brewing at Hugo’s Taproom

• Puzzles and Pints with Sobel’s Obscure Brewing at 60 Minute Missions

• Okchamberfest at Quinn Brewing Co., Irwin

• Kegs + Eggs with Noble Stein Brewing and Bloom Brew at Oliver’s Pourhouse

• Brewmuda Triangle Oktoberfest Bus Tour with Devout Brewing, Helltown Brewing and Yellow Bridge Brewing, various locations.

Craft beer collaborations

Last but never least — and more often the first thing craft beer drinkers think of — are the very special one-off collaboration beers from local brewers. This year, the organizers paired up the breweries and gave them one special ingredient they must use in their collaboration beer.

You’ll be able to taste these unique ingredients during Home Brew + Chill VIP Hour, plus throughout the week at local businesses and scheduled GBGCBW events.

These are the paired breweries and their one special ingredient:

• Yellow Bridge Brewing Co. and Invisible Man Brewing — cranberry

• Whitehorse Brewing LLC and Quinn Brewing Co. — jackfruit

• Levity Brewing Co. and Devout Brewing Co. — peppercorn

• All Saints Brewing Co. and Noble Stein Brewing Co. — tomato

• Sobel’s Obscure Brewery and Laurel Highlands Meadery — pretzel

• Fury Brewing Co. and Bloom Brew – oyster.

Pennsylvania produces more beer than any other state in the U.S., which I think makes Craft Beer Week extra special. While you’re spending quality time together and responsibly sampling some of the best beer PA has to offer, don’t forget you’re supporting an entire community, too.

Cheers!