Canonsburg brewery plans June 15 opening

June 5, 2017

A second brewery will begin operations in Washington County on June 15, when Rusty Gold has its grand opening in Canonsburg.

“It’s probably a longer road than I initially wanted, but I’ve learned so much about the process and I’m more than satisfied,” said Earl Kleckner, owner of the facility on East Pike Street, which he had previously hoped to open by early spring. He and his work crew needed extra time to renovate the former Toy’s My Way Cafe.

The grand opening will run from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Kleckner, of Peters Township, said he plans to offer five beers crafted by master brewer Justin Viale: a creme ale, an IPA, an oatmeal stout, an amber ale and a pale ale.

Hours normally will be 4 to 10 p.m. Thursday; 4 p.m. to midnight Friday; 11 a.m. to midnight Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Rusty Gold, at least initially, will be closed the other three days.

After a long absence, breweries are making a comeback in the county. Coal Tipple Brewery in Smith Township was the first to launch, when it opened around Thanksgiving. Spouses Chris and Dawn Kramer are co-owners of that brewery, an extension of their other two businesses: Kramer’s Greenhouse and winery that produces mostly fruit-based wines under the Raccoon Creek Winery label.

A third and fourth are hoping to start up by summer’s end: Washington Brewing Co. in Washington and Four Points Barbeque and Brewing in Charleroi.