Indiana County event explores Hoodlebug Trail, craft libations

Visitors to Indiana County can explore the Hoodlebug Trail Saturday as part of a tasting tour of three local businesses along the trail that create craft beers and spirits.

The fourth annual Spirits Along the Hoodlebug event begins at noon at Noble Stein Brewing Company, 1170 Wayne Ave., Indiana, and continues through 4 p.m. with stops at Levity Brewing Company, located at Wayne Avenue and Indian Springs Road, and Disobedient Spirits, 30 S. Main St., Homer City.

A shuttle bus will take participants most of the distance, with a walk along a 1.5-mile section of the Hoodlebug featured midway. The shuttle also will drive past “The Wall That Heals,” a three-quarter-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., that will be on display at Indiana’s Mack Park, not far from Noble Stein Brewing.

The cost of $25 per person includes snacks and an alcoholic beverage sample — for those 21 or older — at each location, as well as a beverage maker talk.

Among the beers available at Noble Stein will be One Moor, a Scottish ale introduced earlier this year.

“It was our best-selling beer the first few weeks we had it out,” said brewer Zack Morrow. “It’s slightly caramelly — not too sweet or heavy.”

Each of the businesses supports maintenance of the Hoodlebug Trail by donating a portion of proceeds from sales of a selected product — Noble Stein’s Mallard’s Landing, Levity Brewing’s Hoodlebug Brown Ale and Disobedient Spirits’ Hoodlebug Gin. Donations have totaled about $2,000 so far.

The tour will begin with information about the new trail extension into downtown Indiana and plans for Confluence Discovery Park at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, part of which would be located near Noble Stein and the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex. The park is intended to supplement IUP’s Allegheny Arboretum.

The Hoodlebug Trail hike, led by retired IUP biology professor and Allegheny Arboretum Chairman Jerry Pickering, will begin at the trail head near Wayne Avenue and Old Route 56 and will continue south to Homer City.

As the trail makes several crossings of the Stoney Run stream, participants will see tree species found along waterways, said Barbara Hauge, a landscape architect and member of the C & I (Cambria and Indiana) Trail Council. Tulip trees and box elder may be showing their fall colors, she said.

“We’ll happen upon a witch hazel occasionally,” Hauge added. “There are a lot of ferns in the area, and asters are blooming this time of year.”

Visit disobedientspirits.com/events/hoodlebug to register for the event.