BONUS: More Than Iron City Beer: A Look Inside Pittsburgh Brewing Company
Alex Gonzalez, Plant Manager at Pittsburgh Brewing Company, explains how the company revived the iconic Iron City Beer brand by building a state-of-the-art, fully automated brewery inside a repurposed 1883 PPG glass plant. Gonzalez details the strategic decision to invest in high-end, hybrid bottling and canning equipment to achieve 0.1% scrap rates and rapid changeovers, prioritizing long-term efficiency over lower upfront costs. The episode highlights the facility's role as a community hub, featuring a taproom, concert venue, and expansion into distilling rye whiskey and bourbon to drive growth for the small, 50-person team.