Construction Junction - Building Material Reuse

About the new brewers joining the Big Pour in 2009...

Fat Head’s Brewery - Glenn Benigni from Fat Heads on the South Side wasn’t busy enough running one of the busiest beer bars in the City, so he decided to open a brewery.  To do this he teamed up with brewer extraordinaire Matt Cole.  Don’t hold it against him that the brewery is located in the Cleveland suburb of North Olmsetaed, because the beer is great.

Founders Brewing Company - Founders is located in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  Rumors of Founders finally making it to the Pittsburgh market have been circulating for the past few years and lucky for us those rumors have come to fruition.  Founders is well known for very distinctive and unusual craft beers.  We can’t wait to see what they bring to the festival.  They also like to build their facilities in abandoned buildings, which of course, we Construction Junction'ites love.

Shmaltz - Shmaltz is from Saratoga Springs, New York.  Founder Jeremy Cowan is real character.  The artwork on the bottles is great and the names of the beers (such as Jewbelation and Rejewvenator) are lots of fun.  But don’t let the fun and games fool you, these are seriously good beers.  Oy... Mazol Tov!

Terrapin Beer Company - Terrapin, from Athens, Georgia, is a real up-and-coming brewery whose beers are very difficult to find outside of their home base in Athens.  Pittsburgh is their first foray into the northern market and rumor has it this effort is driven by the Brewer's love for the Steelers (way to go Stillers!).  How can you not love a brewery who’s name comes from the Grateful Dead album “Terrapin Station.”

Thirsty Dog Brewing Company -  Last year, fellow Akron, Ohio brewery Hoppin’ Frog came to the Big Pour and made a huge impression.  Master brewer Fred Karm told us that he started brewing at Thirsty Dog in Akron, so we decided to invite them as well.  Their beers are mucho delicioso!! with a line up that includes Belgians, stouts, and hoppy ales.  And because we're easily entertained, it doesn't hurt that their names are funny.  Who knew Akron is such a mecca for great craft beers.

Live Art

Glass Art & Pour

With the Pittsburgh Glass Center

• Glasses cut out of enameled beer bottles
• Hand-blown beer steins
• Glass discs with stamped Big Pour logo
• Beer cups with attached stamped Big Pour logo
• Artists Dawson Kellogg and Nick Russo will be pouring hot glass into sand molds fabricated on the  ground during both session

Chain Saw Art

With Rick and Liz Boni of the Appalachian Arts Studio and guest appearance by Brian Sprague of Sprague Farm & Brew Works

Chainsaw carving is the revved-up, sawdust-spitting segment of the art world, a place where the scent of pine and motor oil are as vital as the sculptor's hands and eyes in creating gorgeous works of art.”  Rick and Liz Boni host the Chain saw Rendezvous in Ridgeway, PA.  In addition to being a master carver, Rick is an accomplished painter and musician, and Liz is a master organizer as you can see by the ample evidence of this amazing event they host each year which just keeps getting bigger and bigger and bigger (and better too if that's at all possible!).  Together, they also own Appalachian Arts Studio - a local artists retreat located on Boot Jack Mountain, where you can order custom designed chain saw sculptures or browse through the pottery and carving studio.  Rick and Liz have travelled the world, teaching and demonstrating carving in Europe and Asia as well as through the U.S., and it's obvious that they have found nothing less than a calling. 

Mosaic Art

With Daviea Davis

Daviea Davis is a self-taught glass mosaic artist, living in Pittsburgh’s Edgewood community.  She works primarily in salvaged stained glass and regularly creates community mosaics at Pittsburgh Glass Center and various Pittsburgh schools. Everyone always asks me... "Are you still doing mosaics?"  This is going on 10 years of doing them.  Every time I finish a project, I stare at it and learn from it.  I'm shocked at what it turns out like.  The scraps of glass are the parts that stained glass artists aren't using -- little beautiful subtractions from their pieces reassembled in a totally different way. 

Two amazing mosaics by Daviea now grace the Pittsburgh airport terminal train entrance. They wonderfully capture the spirit of the city and are not be missed.

Daviea will be working with Chris Rhodes (Concrete Pour below) on a concrete and glass installation piece.

Concrete Pour

With Chris Rhodes of Edgewise Superior Precast Concrete

Chris will be working with Daviea Davis (Mosaic Art above) on a concrete and glass installation piece.

Pottery Art

Raku Kiln Demonstration with Sandra Moore

Ceramic artist Sandra Moore, member of the Associated Artists of Pittsburgh and the Craftsmen's Guild of Pittsburgh, will be demonstrating throwing, Raku firing and horsehair firing.  The fast firing process of Raku yields lustrous and dynamic ware.  Horsehair Raku is the process by which horsehair is laid on the piece when it is 950 degrees F.  "My children ride at Robert mayer Riding Academy and everyone donates horsehair to me for this process.  I also make pieces for their horses from their own hair."

Live Art

With three Pittsburgh artists... Mike Budai, Tim Oliveira and Daisher Rocket

Each artist will create a mixed media piece of installation art over the course of one hour at each session.  Paintings and prints will be available for purchase upon completion (or at the end of each session).  All proceeds benefit Construction Junction.

Tim Oliveira - www.timoliveira.com

Daisher Rocket - www.lovedaisher.com

Mike Budai - www.crayondracula.blogspot.com

Recycled Fashion Show

With Crystala Armagost, Karen Page and Tori Mistick

Models will be floating and mingling during the festival wearing primarily recycled materials as clothes.  They'll also be changing outfits often so be alert!

Live Music

Hoodoo Drugstore

With Robert Peckman, Sam Klingensmith and Mike Sweeney

Hoodoo Drugstore plays Roots-Rock, Soul and Funky Blues.  Throw in some Zydeco and Texas Swing and you have a recipe for a musical good time. 

Core members, Robert Peckman (drums and vocals), Sam Klingensmith (accordian, mandolin, guitar and vocals) and Mike Sweeney (bass and vocals), will be joined by Jim Adler (guitar and vocals) and Eric Spalding (sax).

For this year'sBig Pour event, a special guest, John Gresh on piano and voals will be added.  It's as though we have our very own custom Big Pour band.

CD's for Hooddoo Drugstore, Jimmy Adler Band and Robert peckman will be available at the event.

For more information see Bone Dog Records.

2009 Brewer's Creative Reuse Award Winners

And the winners are...

Small/Non-Bottling Brewery Category

• East End Brewing Company

Large/Bottling Brewery Category

• Bell's Brewery
• Great Lakes Brewing Company (Honorable Mention... see video)

Comments from Previous Big Pour Attendees

I attended last year’s Big Pour.  This year I brought down the Fat Heads banners as well as set up and run the Oskar Blues booth for both sessions.  Once again you guys run a hell of a show.  The selection of beers, food and great music makes your Beer Fest a true winner.  I've attended these around the county (and world if you include 2003 Qingdao International Beer Festival in Mainland China) and yours is a true gem.  Your volunteers must also be mentioned.  Everyone of them was unbelievably helpful.  Just wanted to complement you on the excellent job and time I had.  Hopefully I'll be working the booth again next year.

-- Mark Saucier

A heartfelt thanks to everyone for making the Big Pour such a wonderful event.  My husband and I had a great time.  We tried beer we never tried and will certainly buy in the future and tasted some wonderful food from places right in our backyard we never knew existed.  We want each and everyone of you to know how much we appreciate all of your hard work to make this event one of the best we have ever been to.  We look forward to next year! 

-- Andrea and Ed Kwiatkowski

I did make it to the Big Pour last year - the event was fantastic.  I was really blown away by the great beer, food and music.  It was the best beer event I have ever been at. 

-- Eddie Figas

Just got back from the 12-3 session of the Big Pour, and wanted to let you folks know what a great time we had!  Excellent beers, food and really enjoyed the live music.  And such a wonderful atmosphere!  Our only complaint is that it went by way too fast.  Looking forward to next year!

-- Christian Winter