PITTSBURGH, PA — A collective of bars and distilleries, in partnership with Visit Pittsburgh, has formed the MixBurgh Foundation, a collaborative initiative dedicated to advancing the craft cocktail and spirits scene in western Pennsylvania.
MixBurgh’s goal is to unite industry leaders, bar owners, and distillers with the goal of sharing Pittsburgh’s beverage scene with the world.
“We’re bringing together the world class mixologists, distillers, educators and makers in Pittsburgh because we know that collectively our scene is as strong and diverse as any in the US,” said Dale Vaughn, Mixburgh founder and owner of Space Bar in Market Square. “There’s a hot spot of
innovation and craft forming here, and it’s time for the rest of the country to learn what we already know about our city.”
In addition to the science fiction-themed Space Bar, the collaboration includes Hidden Harbor – a nationally acclaimed tiki bar with the largest rum library in America, Poetry Lounge – a dive bar that also publishes poetry anthologies, and award-winning distilleries like Maggie’s Farm, Liberty Pole, and Iron City Distilling.
“Regular people can make something weird and authentic in Pittsburgh with ‘regular people money’. You don’t have to be a millionaire to be creative here,” Vaughn said. “What’s happening here is the same spirit as Portland in the 90s, and Austin in the 2000s. There’s always something new and unique forming.”