Cranberry gets first ‘tasting room’
New state store to have space for special events
When the fancy new state store opens Friday in Cranberry, it will be the first with a designated “tasting room” for samplings and other educational events.
The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board plans to give several other Fine Wines & Good Spirits Premium Collection such rooms, which going forward will be called “Taste & Learn Centers.”
This will be where the stores “host wine and spirits learning and tasting programs in an intimate setting,” according to the PLCB. “Limited seating in tasting rooms will allow winemakers, master distillers, professional chefs and product ambassadors to interact with guests in a private, controlled environment conducive to learning.”
PLCB spokesman Shawn M. Kelly says the rooms will seat about 20 people and have video monitors and other furnishings. Currently, many stores offer samples at tasting bars, “but they are in the middle of the store and there’s usually foot traffic around,” he said. Producers and other would-be presenters have been keenly interested in a more focused space where they can do more than a simple tasting, including delving deeper into the history and geography of certain drinks, making cocktails and pairing drinks with food.
“We’re just starting to scratch the surface of what the full
potential of these rooms could be,” Mr. Kelly said. Rooms are in the works for numerous other stores, including the Oliver Building in Downtown Pittsburgh and at Robinson Town Centre, he said. Taste & Learn Centers also are slated for stores in Wayne, Harrisburg, downtown Philadelphia and East Stroudsburg.
The new store is in Cranberry Mall, very near to the old state store there. It will start using its 830-squarefoot room right away on Friday, with tastings for those age 21 and older beginning at noon. Already scheduled are two recurring events:
• At 2 p.m., the first official event is a presentation and tasting by Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey brand ambassador Drew Stein, which he will repeat until 4 p.m.
• At 6 p.m., Breakthru Beverage Group Majestic Division brand ambassador Dave Mitton will talk about three Canadian whiskeys and demonstrate how to make cocktails with them in a program he will repeat until 8 p.m.
Adults can try samples at both. Otherwise, customers are welcome to check out the room.
The new Cranberry store’s other amenities include about 50% more space — nearly 16,000 square feet with a central service point; a wide selection — some 5,000 wine and spirits, including luxury ones; and energy-efficient lighting.
A grand opening event is scheduled for 4 p.m. Friday, and PLCB Executive Director Charlie Mooney and PLCB board member Mike Negra are among those expected to attend.
The store’s hours are 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. The phone is 724-776-0300 and its address is Room 301, 20111 Route 19.