A Match Made in Pittsburgh

This post is sponsored by Burgh’ers

Mouthwatering Burgers at a Brewery? It's Like They Read Our Mind

Ever since breweries emerged as a staple of the Pittsburgh social scene, too frequently, the food has been an afterthought — a slot filled with sub-par snack food or a rotation of food trucks. If I'm drinking some of the best beers Pittsburgh has to offer, I want to eat, too, and eat well.

Good news: There has been a shift, and yes, Pittsburgh, you can now get a great meal at a brewery. It all started about two years ago when Burgh'ers, purveyors of locally-sourced, thoughtfully made delicious burgers, started experimenting with brewing their own beer to serve in their restaurants. Today, Burgh'ers has 10 drafts in Lawrenceville, and a dozen drafts in their Zelienople location.

—Beer for everyone at the place that makes a burger for everyone. Is your mouth watering yet? Last week, on a steamy summer night, I set out to find the perfect summer beer-burger marriage. After consulting with Burgh'ers founder and chef Fiore Moletz, I ordered half the menu. I suggest you do the same, and let me know if these pairings make your heart as happy as they made mine.

Shadyside Burger and Sweat & Gold (West Coast Style IPA)
Full disclosure: IPAs are my go-to beers. I love their hoppy flavor, and brewmaster Neil Glausier brews the Sweat & Gold with a hint of citrus that is perfect for summer. This is just what the “Shadyside,” a smashed patty topped with bacon, mushrooms, swiss, and caramelized onion, is craving: a bold and bitter combination.

Liberty Burger and 1890 Lager
A classic with a classic. It doesn't get more all-American than a grilled burger topped with onion, pickles, tomato, lettuce and of course, American cheese. The 1890 Lager, an homage to our city's first professional baseball team, the Pittsburgh Burghers(!!), this light bodied beer refreshes and brings you back to the ballpark.

Forest Hills Burger and Oat Black Water Stout
Sing it with me now — “Oat Black water, keep on rollin', Mississippi moon keep on shinin' on me....”
Brewer Neil Glausier hails from Mississippi, where its namesake river, he points out, “is a thing of power, beauty, and grace,” much like this oatmeal stout. “Oat Black Water is one of the first beers I ever brewed and developed to a point of what I consider to be perfect,” he says. Smooth, flavorful, and easy to drink, it plays off the sweet notes of honey and subtle funk of bleu cheese in the Forest Hills burger.

Fox Chapel Burger and . . . Every Beer on Tap
This burger is my favorite — and a James Beard award winner — for so many reasons. Where to start? It's light and (gasp!) healthy, yet juicy and flavor packed. The patty itself is 75% beef and 25% mushroom, topped with goat cheese, pickled red onion, avocado, and balsamic reduction. The mushrooms not only pack a huge dose of Omega 3s, they also make for an incredibly juicy burger. I would eat this every day, with any style of beer.

“I love how a burger can capture everything you need in a great meal,” Chef Fiore muses; “great bread, meat and condiments. And what could possibly be more satisfying than a burger and a beer? We aim to take that perfect marriage of flavor and satisfaction to the next level with our hand-crafted burgers and beer.”

STORY BY ANNE TRABANDT // PHOTOGRAPHY BY ADAM MILLIRON

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