USA, PA: Dough Daddy Brewery debuts in West Deer

Angie Bogacz, wife of Caliente Pizza & Draft House Founder and President Nick Bogacz, took her love of hops and hospitality to the next level by purchasing the former Strange Roots Experimental Ales tasting room and beer garden in the Gibsonia neighborhood of West Deer. The revamped space debuted on May 24 with a dozen house-made brews and a seltzer on tap, canned wine, Sicilian-style pies and other elevated pub fare such as truffle fries, a one-pound German pretzel, paninis, salads and desserts, Pittsburgh Magazine reported on May 30.

“This is my dream,” Angie says. “We’ve been wanting to do beer forever.”

In 2012, during a celebration that coincided with Little Italy Days and Pittsburgh Craft Beer Week, the couple launched Caliente in Bloomfield to sell gourmet pizzas and a large selection of craft brews. There are now seven restaurants throughout Pittsburgh and stands at PNC Park, PPG Paints Arena and Acrisure Stadium. A new spot on Babcock Boulevard in the North Hills is expected to open this summer. Caliente also has brought back several top awards over the last decade competing in the International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas.

Dough Daddy was founded last year as a contract brew collaboration with Strange Roots, whose head brewer, George Kepler, is making both the new brand of beers and Strange Roots offerings at the Gibsonia production facility. Strange Roots still runs taprooms (that both serve excellent grub!) in Millvale and New Kensington. Dough Daddy plans to can its beers in the near future. An on-site store selling products from local, woman-owned businesses is already up and running.

30 May, 2024