WIGLE ROLLS OUT BARRELS
Wigle Whiskey rolls through a LOT of barrels.
What the Pittsburgh distillery calls its Big Blue Barrelhouse in the North Side’s Spring Garden neighborhood, there were at last count 1,273 barrels containing 51,000 gallons of spirits in various stages of aging. When the spirits are ready and bottled, Wigle sells the empty if fragrant barrels to people who reuse them for everything from aging beer and maple syrup to decorating basement bars and gardens.
A “barrels 4 sale” email blast reminder this winter blew up the inbox of senior distiller Taylor Bostock. While he was answering people’s questions about the conditions and previous contents of available barrels, he had the idea of just inviting them to come in and see and touch the barrels firsthand.
“The idea to have it at Big Blue was the perfect fit,” he said, because “it’s the location [where] we keep all of our used cooperage to begin with, so no travel time bringing the barrels to the distillery. It has ample parking, and I am always personally in awe when I walk into the space and see racks upon racks of barrels. I wanted to share that with people, as Big Blue is usually an employees-only area.”
From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, for what the company is calling “our first annual Mother of a (Freshly Emptied) Barrel Sale,” the public is invited to come in to Barrel House No. 2 and have a look and maybe roll out with a barrel or three.
Tickets to reserve a time are $5 per person and will be applied toward the purchase of a barrel (limited to one per ticket). Costs are $50 for a 15-gallon barrel, $75 for a 25-gallon and $100 for a 53-gallon.
“I am constantly emptying barrels to keep products on the shelves,” Bostock says, but earlier this month, he had about 60 empty barrels that recently held cider from sister company Threadbare Cider, wheat whiskey, rye, bourbon and amaro vermut.
“I do have one barrel that held our Kilted rye whiskey,” he said. “Sadly, this barrel is no longer in usable condition, but it would make a great table.”
Ticket holders also get 15% off food purchases at neighboring Threadbare Cider House.
The Big Blue Barrelhouse is at 1291 Spring Garden Ave., 15212 — not to be confused with the Wigle Whiskey Barrelhouse and Whiskey Garden up the road at 1055 Spring Garden Ave. Get more information at wiglewhiskey.com.
Barrel & Flow
What was Fresh Fest, the first Black beer festival, will roll out in September at SouthSide Works as the Barrel & Flow Fest.
The new brand aims to be big enough to encompass not just beer but also “to fully embrace and uplift artists, musicians, chefs and brewers,” organizers announced. “We are more than just beer and want to continue to utilize the brewing industry to connect opportunity, accessibility and artistry in ways that empower the Black community.”
This year’s event is scheduled, both in person and virtual, for Sept. 10-12, and tickets will be available April 1. Virtual participants will be able to order collaboration brews to be delivered to them at home. Get details at www.barrelandflow.com.