Self- serve taps arrive on South Side
Self- serve beer taps arrived on the South Side when the Vault Taproom opened Thursday.
The new bar and restaurant, located where the Beehive Coffeehouse used to be on Carson Street, has an iPourIt self- service tap wall like the one at the Oxford Athletic Club in Pine and the Clubhouse at Cool Springs Sports Complex in Bethel Park.
At the Vault, customers can pour their own from 26 taps of beer and four taps of wine and pay by the ounce. Touch screens display beverage information such as alcohol content, maker and price per ounce. After swiping a driver’s license and credit card to get a radio frequency identification card, a customer can scan that card to pour as much or as little as he or she wants. The software prevents them from pouring more than a total of 32 ounces of beer or 12 ounces of wine without checking in with a human who can reactivate the card. When customers check out, their credit cards are charged. The establishment and iPourIt retain the data on consumers’ purchases.
At the U- shape LED- lit bar, customers also can order cocktails as well as several wines, just in case they’re not into using the tap wall. “We’re trying to open this concept up to all patrons,” says co- owner Kyle Wolfe.
The Vault will be open starting at 11 a. m. Thursday and will serve lunch, dinner and late- night bites from an “elevated” fusion menu that includes appetizers, small plates, soups, salads and sandwiches. The Vault Taproom is at 1327 E. Carson St.; 412- 904- 4462; www.thevaultpgh.com.