Spoonwood Brewing celebrates 10 years in business
This weekend Spoonwood Brewing Company is celebrating a decade since opening its doors in Bethel Park.
Grant and Mary Lou Scorsone, along with head brewer Steve Ilnicki, have been operating the brewery since Jan. 31, 2015.
“The process started probably closer to 12 years ago. I was struggling with what I was going to do after my professional career was over. I came home from a business trip and told my wife I wanted to open a brewery,” Grant said.
Not knowing where to start, or how to brew beer, Grant spent about a year in the “discovery phase.”
“We traveled extensively, joined the Brewer’s Association, attended the conferences, read, spoke to people and, ultimately, I wrote a business plan,” Grant said.
With a finished business plan Mary Lou encouraged her husband to go ahead with putting it into action. They found a location in the former site of Duke’s Station on Baptist Road.
However, they also needed someone to brew the beer.
Grant explained that he contacted the American Brewers Guild to advertise for the head brewer position.
“One ad. I got a reply from Steve Ilnicki within 24 hours of the ad hitting, and it was the only ad I ever wrote,” Grant said.
Ilnicki had been working at another local brewery at the time, and said he had also considered opening one of his own.
In the brewery, Ilnicki brings his own style and taste to his creations.
“It was always based on my personal taste, and it very much still is, but I do read a lot and try to pay attention,” Ilnicki said. “I’m the least trendy brewer, I would say. So when it comes to like the hazy IPAs, for example, I kind of got on board five years after. I always resisted that trend.”
Ilnicki personally prefers hoppy IPAs, but he and Grant found common ground in Belgian beers. For the anniversary Spoonwood is bringing back its original lineup of eight beers, which includes a few Belgian options.
They will also have imperial stout crafted for the occasion called K-10.
“I love drinking beer, and I still love making it. I still get such a kick out of knowing that people care enough to come. They have so many options when it comes to beer,” Ilnicki said.
Though they each have their preference when it comes to beer, Grant is not in the habit of telling Ilnicki how to run the brewery.
“Steve and I have a relationship where I stay out of the brewery, I really do. Just as much as I try not to mess with the executive chef in the kitchen. I mean, it’s really their program and I’m just as much a patron as anyone else,” Grant said.
The celebration will be “understated,” according to Grant. There will be live music Friday, which they typically do not do during the winter, as well as a sheet cake.
“I think Steve’s personality and mine are very similar in that we’re not big, bold personalities. So we try to be thankful for the amount of success that we’ve had and always looking to replicate that, and being big hasn’t been part of our strategy,” Grant said.
For the Scoresones and Ilnicki, serving the South Hills has been a rewarding experience. Grant gives much credit to Mary Lou, saying her work as business manager keeps everything moving.
“She really makes this place function,” Grant said. “Everybody respects her and wants to do their best for her … If it wasn’t for her daily participation in the business, we wouldn’t be here right now.”