1 for the Road Beer Emporium & Tap Room

1 for the Road Beer Emporium & Tap Room1 for the Road Beer Emporium & Tap Room
1 for the Road Beer Emporium & Tap Room1 for the Road Beer Emporium & Tap Room
Bar, Eatery, Beer-to-go

10974 Perry Hwy
Wexford, Pennsylvania, 15090-8382
United States

// CLOSED //
PLACE STATS
Average:
4.2
Reviews:
44
Ratings:
44
pDev:
10.24%
View: Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by cpetrone84:
Photo of cpetrone84
Reviewed by cpetrone84 from Pennsylvania

4.58/5  rDev +9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5
3 Sons is my favorite bottle shop in the area. Bill is a great guy and quite the salesman. He works hard to provide Pittsburgh with a good selection (and trust me we don't get a lot). The prices are amongst the best in the area and the selection is probably the most kept and largest variety. They keep a lot of imports and a good selection of craft beer. It is always restocked and well kept.

Definitely the place to go if looking for a fresh selection of good beer. They keep it much more organized than some of the other top bottle shops in the Pittsburgh are.
Jan 17, 2010
More User Ratings:
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Reviewed by PumaSaysRawrr from Pennsylvania

3.79/5  rDev -9.8%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.75 | service: 4 | selection: 3.75 | food: 3.75
I just found out they are closing. I love this place but sadly it has gone down hill after the road construction cut off almost all access for the past 2 years. I think they still have some beer left and the fixtures are for sale. Support the little guy even though Giant Eagle is cheaper.
Aug 06, 2013
Photo of DWolf
Reviewed by DWolf from Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev -17.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3
1 for the Road can be summed in 1 sentence. If you are seeking a particular beer, this establishment probably has it, but you'll pay a lot for it.
Going into more detail, 1 for the Road has a lot of single bottles logically arranged in coolers. They have a warm section of various six packs. They also have a nice selection of Belgians and other international brews. There are about 8 beers on tap. The prices for drafts are pretty decent. The hotdogs aren't too bad either! There is some seating - including outdoors (if you don't mind looking at a parking lot and very busy road). The service is delivered with smile, as well.
However, unfortunately, I don't shop here much anymore (used to a lot more when it was 3 Sons Dogs & Suds). Shame, because it's on my way home from work too! But, IT'S JUST NOT WORTH IT. Some bottle prices are almost double, and definitely 75% more, than other places.
If the owners ever read these reviews, I encourage you to drop the Thursday free beer tastings (which are a cluster freak anyway) and the other trimmings and trappings that drive up your costs, and make your prices more competitive.
May 07, 2012
Photo of jupe13
Reviewed by jupe13 from Ohio

2.14/5  rDev -49%
vibe: 2 | quality: 2 | service: 2 | selection: 2.5
Worst example of price gouging I've ever seen. Each bottle is price individually. I was excited to see they had Sculpin 6 packs. If I had bought a six pack it would have cost over $30. Ten Fidy priced at over $6 a can. If I wanted to get this screwed buying beer I'd go to a baseball game. Was visiting from Ohio over Thanksgiving and was excited to stop by based on reviews. Selection was decent - carried some local PA beers not available in OH. They had Oskar Blues and Ballast Point but I could order online and still pay less. I left without buying a single beer.
Nov 28, 2011
Photo of DogfishJoe
Reviewed by DogfishJoe from Ohio

3.68/5  rDev -12.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3.5
Stopped on way home out of Pittsburgh, hoping to pick up some stuff that I can't get in Ohio since we have a 12% abcv cap. This place has a decent selection and is organized fairly well. Alot of Belgian stuff and a couple bombers. They also have something like twelve beers on tap. Overall a nice place the service is where it shined a women gave me alot of help and was very pleasant to talk to. I'm happy I stopped I ended up getting some dales pale ale, autumnation, and some dogfish olde school.
Oct 30, 2011
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Reviewed by PittRooney from Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +1.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
stopped in here on my way back from pittsburgh one day. man, is the selection big, especially their belgians. nothing super rare, but some things like nebraska and dark horse that i haven't really seen a lot in the area. also lots of cold to mix and match sixers, plus bombers and everything in between. hot dogs were well done, i mean they are kind of hard to screw up, but the menu was different and had to have something for about everyone. including a hamburger one shaped like a hot dog. i thought that was cool. small bar with a handful of taps. nothing too impressive on tap while i was there, but awesome they had them nonetheless. great little place in wexford that i will definitely stop at again when i'm in the area.
May 11, 2011
Photo of radioscooter
Reviewed by radioscooter from Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev -1.2%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 5 | selection: 4
Came here specifically to get in, get some Black Magick and get out. Ended up staying for a tasting because the woman (owner?) at the counter was so nice and helpful.

Fantastic Belgian bottle selection. Stuff I haven't even seen at HO1KB. Lots of sizes and styles to choose from.

Great people. Pretty good pricing. A few things seemed pricey in the bomber category but - not overly offensive.

Not a lot in the way of extremes or tough, expensive US craft stuff but - great lower scale selection. Had lots of locals an regionals, Church, Voodoo, Troeg's, Great Lakes etc.

Did not try the food yet. Next time. Not super jazzed about hot dogs enough to make this place a destination, like the Sharp Edge but still - nice, clean and fun.

I can't believe how many of these types of places seem to have grown out of plaza -based beer stores. VE, YP6, and this one too. You wouldn't expect it to have a bar.
Mar 12, 2011
Photo of unit555
Reviewed by unit555 from Pennsylvania

4.8/5  rDev +14.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 4
We must have driven by this place a 1000 times before someone recommended we stop in and I have to say I am sorry it took me so long.

I love this place. A truly tremendous selection of bottles and a weekly rotating selection of 10 taps. They have an excellent selection of New England beers which are my personal favorite.

Thursday night is tasting night where you can try 3-4 beers in the weeks theme (for free!).

They do two things well: beer and hot dogs. They dont pretend to be anything else. If you want a third thing then you should stay away.

The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. Dont come to Pittsburgh without stopping by.
Feb 14, 2011
Photo of DrDemento456
Reviewed by DrDemento456 from Pennsylvania

4.65/5  rDev +10.7%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | food: 4
I try and go to this place at least twice a month to check out the seasonal's and new releases. It's not incredibly far for me only a mere 18 miles away but I guarantee if I was an closer I would be there everyday.

The selection is by far better than typical bottle shops. With over 500 brews in stock at all times it is not very hard to mix and match a sixer (or two) and pick up a few bombers. I always check the site:

http://www.3sonsdogsandsuds.com/main.asp?ID=7

for new releases. They sometimes forget to update every so ofter and forgot for about a month so I assumed they didn't get anything new until I checked one day and 30-40 beers were added!

The prices are pretty reasonable for whats being offered and you do get some pretty nice beers you wouldn't expect to find. Some of the selection is pretty old which works two ways:

1. Negatively: I got an almost year old imperial porter with tons of white sediment. The flavor wasn't skunked but was lackluster

2. Positively: I was able to find almost a year old Founders imperial stout that tasted better than I remember.

I did have their hot dogs and even attended a charity event to try some rare dogfish head brews. I didn't really like the beer because of the ABV but I did buy a bottle of Hop Stoopid and munched on at least three dogs which I enjoyed and broke even for my 10 bucks.

My final positive about this place is a sort of members royalty. If you join their sort of "club" they keep your purchases on file every time you show your ID. Every time you spend 100 dollars they give you seven on the house a sort of way to cancel out the Dan-O tax which is pretty progressive to get some incentive to go there. As a low income guy it does take me 3-4 runs to get to that goal but to get free beer from beer is just awesome.

Overall I love this place and glad that even though it has a new owner it keeps the same business tactics except now I believe they serve pizza...

A+ guys! Love the shop!
Oct 05, 2010
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Reviewed by OneDropSoup from Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev +2.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
The selection is great, yes. In my experience, top three in the greater Pittsburgh area. There have been a few standards that I found there when others were out, as well as some things I'd not seen before (Widmer's braggots come to mind).

The thing that impresses me most about 3 Sons is how organized it is. I know that's a compliment along the lines of "I love that cover your band played," but don't underestimate how important having a neat, easily browsable bottle shop is. Coolers & shelves are organized by brewery, prices are clearly marked, clean, well-lit. I like the smaller displays of big bottles & seasonals. This in itself is a good vibe: it shows a dedication to the product. I give other places slack for less-than-great presentation due to high inventory & turnover, but these guys go the extra mile to present well.

Service was helpful, no complaints. I seldom need help going into a place, & they answered my questions when I had them. Prices are competitive, definitely not the best I've seen in the area, but not the worst either.

The few times I've been to 3 Sons it's been strictly to buy bottles, very utilitarian. I haven't hit up the weekly samplings, & unfortunately for me, I don't eat hot dogs. That said, I seldom make it out -- most of what's available I can find closer to home when I'm looking for it -- but I've always been very satisfied with the experience.
Aug 26, 2010
Photo of ef88
Reviewed by ef88 from Pennsylvania

4.44/5  rDev +5.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
It's great to have a place like 3 Sons in the thick of suburban Pittsburgh. Although it's not the most beautiful shop (read I don't like fluorescent lighting) I've been in, they have some indoor and outdoor seating so you can enjoy a brew. Granted, the view of Rt. 19 and the Burger King leaves a little to be desired, but I digress.

If the name of the place doesn't tip you off to it, 3 Sons has a family feel to it, and after a few visits, the staff gets to know you on a more personal level. Make sure you get a 'customer number' so you can accumulate credit for discounts (plus, I feel like a badass whenever I proudly say my number at the counter).

Oh yeah, there's beer here. The coolers are constantly stocked and neatly organized by domestic, import, and seasonal beers. Many of the bottles in the coolers have a color-coded sticker on the cap which corresponds to the price of a 6 pack (for example, an orange sticker on the cap of 'Beer X' means that a 6 pack of 'Beer X' costs $14.99). Of course, you can mix and match when you choose a 6 pack, and the beers don't have to be from one price range. There is also a cooler dedicated solely to Belgian beers as well as one for bombers.

The selling point for me, however, is the free weekly Thursday (6-8 pm) tasting. When you walk in, you head to the counter and pick up 6 tickets which you exchange for a small plastic cup filled with a certain brewery's beer. Last week, Arcadia Brewing was the featured brewery. The staff pours your samples (they come one at a time, so enjoy them!) in a thoughtful order, from lightest to heaviest. Thursdays at 3 Sons are excellent because you can enjoy the tasting and then pick up a bottle of something else to enjoy in-house.

I've never had the food here, but hot dogs are the specialty and from what I've heard, the dogs are quite good.

If you're in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, stop by (on Thursday if you can) and check this place out. Highly recommended.
Jun 28, 2010
Photo of biglite351
Reviewed by biglite351 from Pennsylvania

3.81/5  rDev -9.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4
Atmosphere - Clean and bright. Shelves were nicely filled with product. It is obvious that someone put thought into the presentation.

Quality - I do not really understand "quality"... if it is quality of the place, isn't that atmosphere? If it is quality of the brews, isn't that selection? I am going to consider this to be Atmosphere*Selection/Price. There is the rub. While some of the prices were quite nice, many were a bit high. A few bottles here were more than I have seen them at drinking bars for. I was a bit surprised by that. A majority of the mix 12oz 6 packs ran from $12-$15. However, a high number of the 12oz bottles do not qualify for those 6 pack deals. Those usually ran $4-$6 each. Some of the 22oz bottles seemed a bit higher than I have seen them go for in the Southside. There is a "sale" rack though where the brews are all 50% off. I did get a couple from there.

Service - The older gentleman was quite helpful. A few times he asked if I needed anything. He offered to hold my selections at the counter so that I would not have to carry them. He even gave me one of my selections for free as it was the last one of that type and he just wanted to make room for new product in the case. He was also very attentive to other customers that came in. Thumbs up to him.

Selection - There was a lot to choose from. A very solid selection. I managed to buy 17 individual bottles with only one of those being something that I have bought before. There were a few brews that I had never seen before. However, Pennsylvania must have tighter restrictions on what they are allowed to sell as a vast majority of bottle shops seem to sell mostly the same stuff. As i mentioned, some things that I have not seen before, but nothing mind blowing compared to other bottle shops in the area.

Food - I did not try the food.
Mar 18, 2010
Photo of woodske1
Reviewed by woodske1 from Pennsylvania

4.8/5  rDev +14.3%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5
Can't beat the selection or the service here. The guys working this place know the beer very well and will answer any question you may have. Kudos to them for educatiing the region on craft beers. They carry alot of mainstream stuff, but they'll carry the minibrewery that you never heard of either which I like.

Food is reasonable, they do mostly hot dogs but are done very well. I enjoy myself everytime I go. Will continue to go with new ownership, they do a great job there.

ALso easy to find right off route 19.
Mar 12, 2010
Photo of goblue3509
Reviewed by goblue3509 from Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev +2.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4
A great place to buy beer, very large selection that is constantly being updated and new stuff being brought weekly. The prices are very reasonable. The staff is very knowledgeable and always very willing to help. For a PA store they carry all of the usually suspects, PA micros, upstate new york, colorado, cali, and some of the other west coast breweries. The seasonal cooler is always evolving and always stocked with the new stuff that you would want or be looking for. The have sampling seasons once a week as well.
Feb 22, 2010
Photo of mgbickel
Reviewed by mgbickel from Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev +2.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
Finally made the trip up "north" to pay a visit to 3 Sons Dogs and Suds. All I can say is "what took me so long!"

This is the kind of place I like to pop into...a bottle shop in the truest sense of the word. Sure, you can buy a beer and drink it there, but this is more geared to the beer to go crowd.

They have a very impressive line of coolers on the outside walls. These contain pretty much any local, craft and import beer that is available in our region. The coolers surround shelving that houses six and four packs. There are also a few coolers and shelves dedicated to big beers (22 oz. or larger).

My favorite thing about this place is the pricing. Not only is it reasonable, but clearly marked and defined (when mixing and matching).

As a bonus, they have a pretty good selection of glassware for sale also!

All in all, a great beer place that I plan on visiting on a monthly (if not bi-weekly) basis.
Jan 13, 2010
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Reviewed by garbercury from Pennsylvania

3.94/5  rDev -6.2%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4
3 Sons is a good place for those of us beer snobs who do not want to have to buy a case in order to get better beers in the area surrounding Pittsburgh.

A--Nothing special but who cares, you dont go here for atmosphere really, they basically serve hot dogs and sell beer.

S--Nice enough people there. They were attentive and seemed to appreciate the business.

S--Not too bad all things considered. Again, finding beer stores in Western Pa that have a decent selection of Belgians and micros is not easy. You have to go to Pittburgh and tends to be very, very, pricey. I dont go here very often but when I need to pick some good beer up when I am in the area, this is my first choice.
Dec 01, 2009
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Reviewed by mtnbikerpa from Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev +2.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
Stopped by yesterday and enjoyed looking at the great selection of Troegs, Victory, Weyerbacher, SN, Great Divide, New Holland and many others. Harder to find brews like Sea Dog, and Smuttynose. A great selection of fresh seasonals and some one offs. Bottles purchased may be enjoyed on premise. I got a 6'er of Sea Dog Apricot Wheat, O'Fallen Chocalate Cherry, Lagunita's Brown Sugga. A bottle of 120 minute DFH IPA. The selection was huge and staff is reasonably knowledgeable. but the prices and distance will probably not allow me to be a regular here.
Nov 14, 2009
Photo of Cyberkedi
Reviewed by Cyberkedi from Georgia

4.2/5  rDev 0%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
When I was in Pittsburgh I visited only one beer store - and what a store it is! I don't know how it compares to other bottle shops in the Pittsburgh area, but I am sure that it stacks up well. They have a HUGE selection of craft brews, many of which are available only in select areas. I stocked up on a lot of brews that I can't find in Georgia.

I like the store's rugged, unpretentious ambiance. The staff are friendly and helpful and glad to help you find the kind of beers you like. Best of all, you can "mix a six" if you want to take home a variety of beers. They have a side business of fast food, but I didn't have anything to eat. A good place to visit if ever you find yourself in or near Pittsburgh.
Jul 09, 2009
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Reviewed by sonicdescent from Pennsylvania

4.74/5  rDev +12.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5
Hands down the best selection in the area, if only it were closer to home.

Atmosphere is..well it's a bottle shop, what do you want here?

Quality is great, everything is well lit and organized by micro - import - belgian - bombers and alphabetically within.

Service was friendly and helpful.

Selection was as said very very nice. Other places are close, but this had pretty much everything within reason, including a few difficult to find brews.

They are on the pricey side, but this is probably worth it for the service and selection.
Jan 14, 2009
Photo of Kolsch
Reviewed by Kolsch from Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev +1.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 5 | selection: 4
Atmosphere: a nicely laid out beer selection. One could be overwelmed by the coolers and not knowing how the pricing works.

Quality is top notch, nothing that I could not find.

Service is what others have said. Not pushy at all but will steer you if you need it.

Selection is excellent

Food: did not have any food, though not sure if you can have a beer with your dog as no one was there eating when we where there.

Value is on par I believe to Dee's. I compared prices and they are very similar, though service is ten times better than Dee's!

Choose here before Dee's just because of service.
Jan 10, 2009
Photo of IronCitySteve
Reviewed by IronCitySteve from Pennsylvania

4.44/5  rDev +5.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
Good little place located in Wexford PA. Has a really nice selection for not an overwhelmingly big place.

Has warm beers and multiple coolers. The beers are in the fridge alphabetically and have a color sticker on the cap to designate price. You can mix and match 6 packs at your leisure.

The customer service was exactly what you want. No one pushes you in one direction but answered questions with great knowledge when asked.

The place also had glassware for purchase as well.

They have a web-site that is quite current, the beers I picked out online were in stock. Although, once I got there, I didn't stick to my list.
May 19, 2008
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Reviewed by BeerImmediately from Pennsylvania

4.31/5  rDev +2.6%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
Attended a 2 day sales meeting a couple weeks ago in Pittsburgh and HAD to make the 20 minute trip up to Wexford to stock up before driving home.

Atmosphere does not matter in this case - it's all about the beer! Place is relatively small, but an outstanding selection.

Greeted by Bill (owner?) who was very accomodating, did not push me in any particular direction. Was very impressed with the selection of American brews - plenty of West coast & others. Tons of singles and six-pack selections, and many racks of bombers - Stone, Rogue, DF Head, Bear Republic, etc. Slightly dissapointed with the Belgian selection (still decent), but Bill mentioned that he's restructuring the floor/coolers and expanding on that area.

Pricing was good - he was able to set me up with "6-pack pricing" on the many individual selections I made, and as any good salesman, made sure to figure out / point out the $20+ in savings on my $116 purchase - my wife appreciates it, Bill! All total, I think I picked up about 20 or so different selections - all rated as either A or A- on BA!! Man, I have some reviewing to do...
May 01, 2008
Photo of CrazyMacHarris99
Reviewed by CrazyMacHarris99 from Pennsylvania

4.58/5  rDev +9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
My review might be a little biased. I work in the shopping plaza that this store is located in. My boss owns the plaza so I know the owner of 3 sons very well.

Being impartial, I would say that this place is very well run by a great family who are friendly and very knowledgable in the industry. The store is very clean and organized and everything is easy to find. The prices are ok for being in Pennsylvania and that also explains the selection being on the ok side. They price their beer using a colored dot system that makes it easy to tell how much you are spending. Also, the higher priced bottles are cleary marked with the single price and the reduced six-pack price. The food is also very good but the selection is not as wide. They only sell the hotdogs because their liquor license states they have to sell food. If anything, I would recommend the Vienna bratwurst with spicy brown mustard and their own homemade style sauerkraut. Also check their website for their weekly tastings. Its a great way to try out new beer every week and hang out and talk beer with other enthusiasts.

Overall, I would highly recommend this store if you are in the Pittsburgh area. There are other bottle shops in the area but try this one out, you might be surprised.
Feb 01, 2008
Photo of Hojaminbag
Reviewed by Hojaminbag from Colorado

4.2/5  rDev 0%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
I visit 3 Sons fairly regularly when in Pittsburgh, which is a lot of the time. I love it. A good selection of imports/crafts, and lots of local stuff. Very well organized, everything priced in an accesible, logical manner. There is an entire Belgian/Belgian style corner, which I love.

Did not try the food.

Last time I visited I asked about the price of a Corsendonk giftset (2 759ml, dark brown/pale + a Tulip glass). The friendly guy, who I assume is the owner, quoted me a very low price. When I went to the register it was incorrect, but he sold it to me for the price he quoted anyway. Essentially giving me 2 bottles+the glass for the same price as just 2 bottles, which was nice. It was a great visit, I also got a few Christmas beers (Samuel Smith's, St. Nicholaus Bock reserve, Corsendonk) at 20% off.

Comparing 3 Sons to D's I would say slightly less selection, but with a few different beers. Probably a little more expensive with better service and Much more organized.

It is located in a strip mall, so parking is very easy also.

Great Website where you can check exactly what beers are there.
Jan 26, 2008
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Reviewed by letsgopens from Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev -2.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5
Off of Rt. 19 in Wexford, this place is moderately sized with a good selection of well known brews as well as some lesser known local stuff. They offer mix and match six packs as well as individuals and bombers. Bells, Great Lakes, Rogue, DFH, etc. Some really quality selections as well as some often tougher to find stuff; i.e. - DFH World Wide Stout. The beers were displayed on shelves in six packs and individuals but the majority were stored in cooler cases along the wall. A pretty impressive array. The service seemed friendly and helpful but I did not sample the food, although I've heard good things. Overall the mix and match prices were reasonable although a bit higher due to the recent increase on PA liquor and beer taxes. Thanks a bunch Dan Onorato. Also if you like this place, check out Vintage Estate Beer & Wine in Boardman, OH. Similar set up but better selection, prices, and they have a beer bar as well. As far as 3 Sons goes, it's certainly a great place to stop for some quality brew on your way home from work. Definitely check it out.
Jan 09, 2008
Photo of ffejherb
Reviewed by ffejherb from Pennsylvania

4.14/5  rDev -1.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
Visited on 11/24/07.

This place is located in a strip mall in Wexford, PA, just outside Pittsburgh. Very clean and organized 6-pack shop with adjoining eatery that serves bottled beer only and hot dogs, nachos, sausages, etc. We had already eaten, but I wanted to stop in for a quick bottle and also to check this place out.

Selection was organized from A-Z with subcategories for micros and imports. They also have bombers, Belgians, lambics and bottle conditioned selections both on the floor and in the coolers. You can mix your own 6-pack, and all beers are color-coded for price, so you know exactly how much you are paying. Awesome selection! Non-color-coded beers had price tags. They even had some gluten-free beers in the cooler. Service was friendly and we were greeted immediately upon entry. I'll definitely stop back when I'm in the area.
Nov 28, 2007
Photo of MikefromDormont
Reviewed by MikefromDormont from Pennsylvania

4.51/5  rDev +7.4%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5
Finally made the trip north to visit 3 Sons Dogs & Suds. Mt mother's eye doctor moved from Oakland to an office in Wexford near I-79 and Rt. 910. Since I was taking my mother to see her eye doctor, I decided to visit 3 Sons Dogs & Suds after my mother's eye appointment. From I-79's Wexford exit, I drove east on Rt. 910 and turned right onto Rt. 19 to head south. As you drive south on Rt. 19 from the Rt. 910 intersection, 3 Sons Dogs & Suds is located in a small strip mall located on the left hand side of Rt. 19. The store is just south of the Brown Road intersection and across from Wright Pontiac.

I arrived there on a Thursday during lunchtime. A few customers were seated at outdoor tables and were eating. I entered the store and was greeted by the owner. I was the only customer so he took the time to chat with me and ask me where I lived. The owner had worked for Pittsburgh Brewing and then was let go by the brewery because of financial problems that the brewery was having. After getting work with an oil company he decided to start 3 Sons Dogs & Suds.

The owner told me that he sells food only because state law mandates that he sell food in order to sell beer in quantities less than a case. I could tell from looking around the store that beer was the main focus of this business. Coolers filled with beer lined the left wall and the back wall. A counter/bar was on the right hand side of the store and tables were at the front of the store. More beer was stored at room temperature on shelves in the middle of the store. Being a regular customer of D's in Regent Square, I was struck by how neatly organized this store was compared to D's. It was nice to see prices on all the beers. D's could take some lessons regarding placing price information on their beers. Beers that didn't have prices had different colored dots affixed to their bottle caps. The colors determined how much the beers cost when a mixed six pack was purchased.

I selected two 24 ounce bottles of Sierra Nevada 2007 Harvest Ale that had recently arrived. The bottles cost me $5.50 each. I selected two 22 ounce bottles of Lagunitas and paid $5.50 each for these bottles. The same beers in D's probably would have cost me $7.50 each. Picked up a six pack containing two Victory Moonglows, two DFH Punkin Ales and two Left Hand Oktoberfests (The Bros rated this beer an A- in the October 2007 BA magazine). The six pack cost me $14.49. The prices aren't as good as they would be in Ohio, but seem good for Pittsburgh. Unlike D's, this store has a lot of beer available in six packs with prices that are reasonable by Pittsburgh standards (D's does sell a few different beers in six packs from their walk-in cooler). There were some variety packs such as the Lakefront Brewing variety pack with eight different beers for sale

The store has a nice web site that lists new arrivals, what beers they have and what beers are being tasted in their weekly Thursday evening tastings. Customers can sign up to be on their email list.

I'd recommend visiting this store if you can't travel out of state to buy beer.
Oct 18, 2007
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Reviewed by PittBeerGirl from Ohio

4.54/5  rDev +8.1%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
Made a side stop here on my way up to North Country yesterday.

Located in one of many small strip malls on 19 in the Wexford area. Coolers line the walls with individual bottles from almost every brewer available in Western PA (though the malternatives are mixed in here). 6 packs and sampler packs are available in one of 3 isles. The BMC section is very small and located to the far right farthest away from the entrance.

The selection was excellent and the pricing is probably the best for individual bottles and mixed 6-ers in Western PA (though not as good as out-of-state pricing). Yellow dot mixed 6-ers at 9.99, blue at 11.99, and orange at 13.99, If you do 1/2 one color and half another the cost is split (i.e. 3 yellow and 3 blue=10.99) More expensive 12 oz bottles start at $3.75.

The staff were quite friendly and helpful but not in-your-face (which is great). The website is great and updates its current selection frequently. They also have a mailing list for new arrivals and bottle tasting every week.

This place resembles a bottle shop much more than it does a beer bar. I didn't drink any beer there or look at their food menu.

In the end I picked up myself a good beer haul. I will stop here frequently when I am out this way.
Aug 26, 2007
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Reviewed by Reed415 from Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev -2.9%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4
A hot dog shop / Beer Store. I got there after the kitchen had closed so I could sample the food, but the beer selection was very good. Many Stone, Troeg, Victory, Bells, Weyerbacher, Church Brew Works, Smuttynose. They had numerous beer that I don't have access to in Ohio. The prices were a little higher then my normal beer store (Vintage Estate Wine & Beer). The owner was very friendly and helpful. If you are around the area take the time to stop in, I am sure you will find something you are looking for. Overall a very nice place.
Jun 13, 2007
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Reviewed by crookedhalo from Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -4.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3.5
A very nice in-the-family type of establishment. About 8 coolers and 2 small aisles dedicated solely to microbrewed and quality imports. As I was looking over their cooler selection, I was asked promptly if I needed any help making a selection. Their Belgian selection was pretty decent, with some common offerings as well as a few I had not tried but opted to pass on. Their micro selection is only as limited as the distibutors in PA; they had many New Holland brews which are new to the area. Very friendly service. I also purchased a Cantillon tasting glass they had on display for $4.50 after inquiring if their glassware was available for purchase. I don't make it to the Wexford area often anymore, but I'll be sure to stop in there if I'm in the area. I wasn't in the mood for a hot dog after already having lunch, but next time I am, I'll amend the review.
Jun 10, 2007
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Reviewed by beerphan from Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev -4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3
Located on Rt 19 in Wexford, PA 3 Sons has a fine selection of brews. A short 5-10 min drive South on RT19 off I79, 3 sons will be on your left in a non descript strip mall.

A fine selection of mix and match singles in an L shaped grid of coolers, with a simple color coded price scheme. Room temperature six packs and bombers also available. I fine selection of the brews available in Western. PA.

The food seems to be an afterthought. I've had the sausage and its was sensationally unremarkable. Stick to the brew unless you're really hungy or just have the munchies.

Prices are the cheapest you'll find around Pittsburgh, but will seem high to anyone who lives out of state.

Weekly tastings, a fine weekly e-mail newsletter, and awesome selection will have you returning to 3 Sons.
Mar 21, 2007
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Reviewed by jasonm from Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev -1.2%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 5 | selection: 4
Made my first trip to 3 Sons today for some beer purchases, I did not eat while there.

3 Sons is located in Wexford on Rt 19, just north of the Wexford Plaza in a small strip mall. Its part hot dog shop, and part beer store. The store itself is small, clean, with two walls of cooler cases and some shelves of beers in the middle. Selection is pretty good, with most of the major US micros available in Western PA represented. Lots of Stone seasonals were to be had, so definitely check this place out for Double and Oaked Bastard (as of 12/06). If you're comparing to D's, they're not quite at their level yet (particularly with imports) but its an excellent start. They've also got a pretty neat system for pricing beers based on stickers for mixing and matching sixes, and will are still willing to work with you to price non-stickered beers within mixed six packs.

Service was excellent while I was there. A couple of times I was asked for assistance, but not nagged at all. I also give them service ups for having a website and mailing list that does a pretty bang-up job of tracking their new arrivals.

Another big plus for 3 Sons was their prices, which are very reasonable for PA. One example would be Stone, which ran ~$2 cheaper per bomber than at D's (e.g. $7.50 for Double Bastard, versus $9.50 at D's).

Overall, an excellent spot for beer shopping for those of yinz in the northern suburbs, plus worth the occasional trip to bulk up on some pricier seasonals for the rest of us.
Dec 28, 2006
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Reviewed by drinknewbelgium from Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev -2.9%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
If you are from the north and want someplace to find sweet beers at reasonable and i mean reasonable PA prices you have to hit this place up the selection is fabulous and the man that owns it is really knowledgable and is so willing to help you and even talk some beer talk hot dogs are great and many to choose from the only thing i believe that they should change is keep more beers warm than cold but anytime i am up in wexford and want beer i definitely go there and for the price and the friendliness of the staff you can't beat it Definite Recommend
Nov 14, 2006
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Reviewed by tcromwell from West Virginia

4.33/5  rDev +3.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4
I have been going to Dogs and Suds for over a year now to make my mixed six packs, and I am very happy with the place. While most six-pack shops will leave beer on the shelf until its a collectors item, 3 Sons will run specials to get rid of it and keep their stock fresh.

The father (hence 3 Sons) works here regularly and is always ready to talk beer with anyone. Previous to work at the shop, he was employed by the Pittsburgh Brewing Company and is VERY knowlegable.

Food: 3 Sons is primarily a hot dog shop and a decent bit of traffic comes through at lunch time. They run a lot of good combo specials that will put a hotdog, chips and beer in your hand for a very reasonable price.

Selection: Good mix of imports and micros with a slight preference for German beers. Also, the coolers feature a good selection of Belgiums and seasonals.

Be sure to get on their mailing list. It will keep you updated of upcoming tastings (always free!)
Oct 06, 2006
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Reviewed by kkipple from South Carolina

4.35/5  rDev +3.6%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5
I'm from South Carolina. South Carolina still has a beer ABW cap that limits us to roughly 6% beer. So anytime I get a chance to get out of state, I make a point to hit up Beerfly and find a store where I can indulge in some "high" ABV beer goodness. 3 Sons Dogs and Suds was my stop of choice while in PA for the Pennsic War.

The store itself is very unassuming. It's clean and small, with a bunch of coolers along two walls and a few aisles of ambient temperature beer in the middle of the floor. A hot dog bar is off to one side. As I understand it, you can't sell mixed 6 packs or singles in PA unless you also sell food. Weird. I didn't try a dog, so I can't comment on 'em.

The beer selection is very solid. I saw beers from Dogfish, Allagash, Unibroue, Victory, Bell's, Great Divide, and other worthy brewers. They had a very good selection of Stone beers, and a smattering of Belgians (Chimay, Delirium Tremens) along with the standard macro fare. These guys clearly know what is good and stock accordingly.

Most beers are stickered with blue, yellow or orange on the cap, and you can mix and match six packs based on color. A nice way to try a lot of different beers without breaking the bank.

Service was friendly and helpful. I chatted with William for a while about home brewing and he told me when they could expect in some of their more sought after shipments. Apparently 3 Sons gets in new stuff all the time, and quickly sells out of the same. Not a bad problem to have.

Prices were marginally higher than I've seen in other states, but I didn't see anything I'd consider overpriced. Their website is above-average for this kind of store.

All in all, a fine place to buy beer, and one I look forward to hitting up next year.
Aug 25, 2006
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Reviewed by WVbeergeek from West Virginia

4.08/5  rDev -2.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3.5
Nice store front locale in a Wexford shoppng plaza, very homegrown the way every beer store should be. Built on the shoulders of the owner Bill, a great all around guy for the beer scene in the Burgh with major experience with Pittsburgh Brewing in the industry as a whole. He realizes where the market is expanding and jumped on this sixpack shop style business, good idea. Offering a huge amount of brews not D's capacity but quality is can be better than quantity all bottle brews no small tap selection like D's not even a "bar" in this place so it's hard to classify as a beer bar but it's a beer store with a hot dog shop. I made out well with quite a few beers I hadn't sampled along with a newly found partner in the hunt for good beer. I joined the passport club and hope to return check the website it updates frequently with their new arrivals great tool to see what's new coming into the Pittsburgh market so check it out along with info on their Thrusday tastings they have been steadily offering. Service was genuine and ample definitely made an effort to give us discounts based on their hard to follow three color pricing system. I don't look at prices when mixing a sixer I look at which beers I want to try so it's kinda obscure to keep sixers together based on price when selecting them but that's a small complaint. I got nervous when I saw the dogs rolling on metal poles I must say, however I reluctantly tried a Chicago dog that hit the spot but just so inferior to D's Chicago dogs can't beat any way you cook 'em though you can't beat Vienna Style even if their rolling on metal poles. Hey they're making an effort I liked my dog I was hungry but I prefer D's there's the short version but on the other hand this place has fair prices when compared to D's. That crew needs to realize that with more and more of these sixpack shops popping up that means competition and there as to be a price comparative D's in general is a bit higher right now but they're the pioneers of this game.
Jun 27, 2006
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Reviewed by nickg902 from Pennsylvania

4.44/5  rDev +5.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
Its a bit of a drive for me, but I would defintely make it for a chance to get less than a case at a time (stupid Pennsylvania laws). The selection is very nice (just purchased a Stone Russian Imperial for $6.50) and they have many different types. The people who work there are pleasant and they have free beer tasting on Thursday nights. I havent been to one, but I hope to soon. For anyone in Pittsburgh, this is a must-go place as six pack shops are hard to find. They also have a very good website with a complete beer list so you wont spend an hour deciding what you want.
May 08, 2006
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Reviewed by psinderson from Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev -1.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 2.5
For Pennsylvania residents, the ability to purchase less-than-case quantities of good beer easily is very limited. Luckily, the past several years have seen a relative boom in western PA of "six-packs" shops and 3 Sons is one of the best.

I first heard about 3 Sons while reviewing a local hombrew club site. 3 Sons is hosting their annual Homebrew Competition next month. My first visit was on a Thursday, one of 3 Son's weekly free beer tastings. The theme that evening was "A Taste of Germany". There were two things I first noticed when I arrived: Their huge selection (over 500 beers) and the large number of people there. The patrons were obvious beer lovers and knew their brews!

The 3 Son's employees are great. They knew alot about their beer and could guide you to something you would like. They recently started a "passport club" where you get a stamp for each beer you purchase from a list of 80 breweries. When you try them all, you get a gift. Of course, I signed up. Nearly all of their beers are stacked in coolers along the wall organized alphabetically by brewery name. They also have a nice selection of warm six packs from around the globe.

The only negative is their food. On a visit 2 days later, I tried one of their hot dogs. OK, but nothing to get excited about and not a great variety. It seems their food is simply a requirement to receive the six-pack license from the State.
Apr 22, 2006
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Reviewed by unclecrappy from Pennsylvania

4.6/5  rDev +9.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 5
As someone who lives north of town, I can't emphasize enough how cool it is to have easy access to a six-pack shop this good. I have no problem stopping in at D's on the weekend or hauling beer home from one of our Ohio trips, but to be able to stop at 3 Sons on the way home from work is a godsend.

That makes it sound a little bit like I'm settling, and that's not the case. Hundreds of bottles, including two coolers with seasonal beers only, are there for the taking. The guys who run the show are friendly, helpful and they know what they're talking about. Be sure to check out their Thursday night tasting sessions -- they generally get a good crowd, and it's a great way to give some new stuff a try.

My single caveat: I can't vouch for the food, because I never seem to make it past the coolers. Uhh ... sorry.
Apr 12, 2006
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Reviewed by eksortso from Pennsylvania

4.45/5  rDev +6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | food: 4
Having lived in Pittsburgh's North Hills for over six years, I was delighted to discover this new store, and ecstatic to find what they had to offer. The hot dogs and kielbasa are great, and though I don't want to sell their dogs short, I'll concentrate on their beers.

Such a huge selection for such a small store! They have refridgerated cases full of beers from regional microbreweries, national micros (and macros), quite a few well-regarded German breweries (a favorite of the owner's), and a whole case full of the finest Belgian brews. Most of the 12-oz. bottles are color-coded so you can mix and match to your heart's content; in recent months, I've assembled "executive assortments" for many of my friends in the city. It's a delight if you're wanting to try something new, and you don't have to head into the city or hit up a distributor to do it.

The rest of the beer section of the store is filled with six-packs of breweries' offerings from around the country. They've also started offering fancy glassware from breweries like Warsteiner and Franziskaner, among other places.

They have beer tasting events on Thursday evenings, which I haven't been able to attend due to work. They are passionate about their beer, there's no doubting that!

It's a great place. It might be out of the way, but well worth seeking out if you want a great beer in the North Hills.
Dec 27, 2005
1 for the Road Beer Emporium & Tap Room in Wexford, PA
Place rating: 4.2 out of 5 with 44 ratings