It's cookies and beer time for Nancy B's and Allegheny City Brewing
Imagine tasting a sweet humungous Nancy B’s Bakery chocolate chip cookie in a brewed liquid form.
That’s right.
Nancy B’s Bakery of West Homestead has collaborated with Allegheny City Brewing in the North Side’s Deutschtown neighborhood for a dessert beer for a fourth year — only this time they are making a double batch.
“People call from far and wide to see if we have it,” said Matthew Yurkovich, who co-owns Allegheny City Brewing with his sister Amy Yurkovich and Al Grasso. “That’s why we decided this year to brew more.”
The beer called Nancy B’s Bakery Chocolate Chip Stout is an American style malt. Matthew Yurkovich and Grasso incorporated 20 dozen cookies per batch. The first 10 dozen were crumbled by hand and the other 20 dozen added during the process.
Any chocolate chip pieces have been filtered out. The dough helped to create more body to the brew, Matthew Yurkovich said.
“The beer is phenomenal,” said Josh Wahl, an employee at Nancy B’s. “This is so cool.”
When Matthew Yurkovich and Grasso ventured into brewing a dessert beer, Nancy B’s was the first choice.
“The taste of these cookies is so unique,” Amy Yurkovich said. “I often send the cookies out of town to people. I just took some to the bank the other day because I really appreciate how the bank takes care of me, especially when I come in near closing time. One of the bankers said ‘these cookies are to die for.’ I am definitely hooked on them.”
A surge in dessert beers is relatively new, within the last four of five years, said Matthew Yurkovich. This one always sells so well, which is why they made a double batch.
“The hardest part is not eating them while we are making the beer,” Matthew Yurkovich said. “And we will be selling cookies (on Wednesday), so why not dunk the cookie in the beer?”
The brew will be available on tap and in cans starting Wednesday at the brewery of Foreland Street. They will be selling cookies as well. Two local musicians from the neighborhood the duo B Man & El Jefe will perform from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
On Feb. 8 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., the brewery will have a pop-up selling the canned beer in Nancy B’s parking lot. A four-pack of 16-ounce cans is $20.
They always choose to launch around this time of year because it is close to Valentine’s Day.
Amy Yurkovich said current owner Michael Runco, his late mother Nancy Bertram Runco and the staff have always treated them so well.
“Nancy used to give me an extra cookie, and I was like, ‘no, I don’t need that,’” Amy Yurkovich said. “But I would get in my car and take a bite and it was over. That cookie was gone because it was so good.”
Working with Allegheny City Brewing has been comfortable because he’s partnering with another family business Runco said as he pulled a tray of freshly-baked chocolate chip cookies out of the oven.
The bakery, which will celebrate 40 years in business in June, makes 200 dozen chocolate chip cookies on a slow day. Runco said he is always open to relationships with others. He works with a number of businesses, people who sell his cookies or use them in a product seasonally, such as Page’s on Pittsburgh’s South Side for its Hot Chocolate Chip Cookie Sundae with a Nancy B cookies, vanilla ice cream and hot fudge.
Runco said his mother Nancy, who died last January, loved this beer collaboration and every one of the companies they’ve teamed with because cookies bring joy. Cookies to her were more than eggs, flour, sugar and chocolate chips.
Many of the customers were her friends. She knew them by name.
“Nancy B’s cookie beer is about spreading happiness,” Runco said. “My mother loved watching people smile when they ate a cookie. It is nice to deal with people who are nice and Allegheny City Brewery people are nice. The smiles will now come from people who taste the Nancy B cookie when drinking a beer.”
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region’s diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of “A Daughter’s Promise.” She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.
Remove the ads from your TribLIVE reading experience but still support the journalists who create the content with TribLIVE Ad-Free.