On the road again: East End Brewing charity ride mixes bikes, beer
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Yes, there will be 170-pound kegs of beer being pulled behind bicycles on Saturday.
That can only mean one thing.
The Pedal Pale Ale Keg Ride has returned.
Sponsored by East End Brewing Co. in Pittsburgh’s Larimer neighborhood, riders are invited to travel on a course from the brewery at 147 Julius St. to a secret location to enjoy a beer.
And raise money for a local charity.
“It’s such a fun event,” said Scott Smith, owner of East End Brewing. “We are glad to be bringing it back. We hope it won’t be too soggy. We want to save the world and drink some beer.”
Smith said he expects between 300-400 people. A final number will be dependent on the weather.
The forecast for Saturday is 80% chance of rain. Whatever the conditions, the ride will begin at 11 a.m.
The cost is $25. That includes a beer and glass to take home.
The ride began in 2005 with about two dozen people. At one point, there were 700 riders. And doing the course at 6 p.m. on a Friday in rush hour traffic caused some challenges, Smith said. So he changed it to Saturday.
BikePGH will help riders navigate the course with the help of marshals, Smith said. The event was not held in 2020 or 2021 because of the pandemic.
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This distance will be in the 8-12 mile range and at a slow pace.
“That’s as long as I can go pulling a 170-pound keg,” said Smith. “The more people we have, the more kegs we will pull.”
Smith said he decided to make it a charity event eight years ago.
Proceeds will be donated to Jeremiah’s Place, an organization in Larimer that provides housing and support for children and families in need. Tammy Aupperle, executive director, said via email that Jeremiah’s Place thanks East End Brewing for including the organization as recipients in the keg ride. The proceeds allow Jeremiah’s Place to continue to provide free emergency childcare, she said.
“It’s a fantastic organization,” Smith said. “The more riders we have, the more kegs we have to pull, and the more money we can raise for Jeremiah’s Place.
”As you might imagine, when following a guy pulling a 170-pound half barrel on a bike, the pace is slow and gentle, mostly hill-free, and limited to eight to-12 miles. We’ve got a great mystery destination this year, fully equipped so you can stick around for another beer and have a bite to eat while you enjoy some live music.”
Smith founded East End Brewing in 2004 after quitting his engineering job at a big corporation, so he could “bring fresh, local beer to Pittsburgh,” he said.
Known for its flagship Big Hop American Ale, the brewery released more than 50 different beers this past year in kegs, cans and bottles at its 17,000-square-foot facility.
Participants must register here by noon Friday.