Owner says Sharpsburg distillery is an old-soul watering hole where Love reigns

Katie Sirianni escaped a relationship a few years back and wrote a love letter to herself.

She is sharing it with the world in the form of a new watering hole, a black-and-white themed lounge dripping with white roses, crystal chandeliers and a speakeasy vibe.

“Love has become so complicated,” the Fox Chapel native said. “My goal with the space is to take it back to a time where things were more simple.”

Love, Katie Distilling is open along Main Street in Sharpsburg.

Sirianni said it is Pittsburgh’s first LGBTQ-owned distillery, and, she believes it is the first in the state.

A soft launch on June 28 — during Pride Month — was particularly important to her.

“This is a historical moment,” she said. “We are open to everyone. We want to remind people to get back to the basics and focus on passion, joy and a good cocktail.”

Currently open with limited hours, guests can taste one-of-a-kind concoctions like the Bad Blood Old Fashioned. Priced at $13, the drink is made of bourbon, a sugar cube, bitters, filthy black cherry juice and an orange garnish.

Sirianni’s vision for the spot is sure to take people back a few decades. Music from the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s will drown out worries, she said. A projector will display vintage TV shows and movies, such as “I Love Lucy” and “Young Frankenstein,” onto the walls.

“Our brand is about love,” she said. “Come in your street clothes or dress up. The idea is to have a high-end cocktail as a love letter to your partner, family or yourself.”

Sharpsburg Councilwoman Kayla Portis said the distillery fits perfectly with the borough’s revitalization. And, the message behind the bar is that all are welcome, Portis said.

“Inclusion is so important,” she said. “It is an exciting time for Sharpsburg right now. Love wins!”

Sirianni, 37, said the distillery is a win for her on many counts.

After leaving a career in medical sales — where her former boss told her she would never be successful on her own — Sirianni launched a mobile bar company. It was established in July 2021 from a converted horse trailer and served private parties across the region.

The self-described free spirit said she eschewed the thought of opening a brick-and-mortar location, despite urging from mentors like McLaughlin Distillery in Sewickley.

At Noire Expedition in Lawrenceville, she helped friend Kenyan Hicks build a tasting room and learned the fine art of distilling.

“I was getting over a hard time, and I met my girlfriend who made me feel like I was capable of having a space of my own,” Sirianni said.

“Within a week of deciding I was gonna go for it, I had found the space and everything lined up.”

Since March, she has been leading a complete overhaul of the space at 816 Main St., which had sat vacant for at least seven years.

“The fun thing is that I’m a Fox Chapel native so I’ve watched the evolution of Sharpsburg for years,” said Sirianni, who now lives in East Deer.

For now, the distillery will specialize in gin and vodka, with whiskey and bourbon coming down the pike.

“My ultimate goal is to make a tequila,” Sirianni said. “Something smooth.”

Every bottle manufactured by Sirianni will be adorned with a letter on the back, she said, to remind people that “love is love.”

O’Hara resident Carrie Tongarm, a former Sharpsburg councilperson, is proud that the distillery found a home in the borough.

“I am still very close to town and am excited about the distillery,” Tongarm said. “We worked very hard during my time there to create a culture of inclusion and belonging. The opening is certainly a win for the community and a wonderful example of how Sharpsburg is for everyone.”