Rooney's Old Irish Ale turns ... 1?

Rooney's Old Irish Ale is celebrating its first birthday with a little bash from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 8, in the Wheelhouse of River's Casino on the North Side.

The Rooney's Beer Co., which revived the old local brand after six decades and has it brewed at Penn Brewery, says that this year, they made 19 batches -- that has worked out to be 7,165 cases of bottles, 506 half barrels and 173 one-sixth barrels.

The company is happy to be able to say that the beer is available at Heinz Field, which some other members of the Rooney family have been known to frequent, and in 18 other Pennsylvania counties, plus a few places in Florida, where Rooney's Beer principals are based.

One of them, brewer consultant Fran Andrewlevich (who will be at the party, along with Pat Rooney), says the Rooney's is working on a new brew for this spring. 

Rooney's Beer Co. photo by Alex Patho