Welcome to the 3 Sons
Frequently Asked Questions Page
1. So what's the deal, I can get six packs here? Is that legal in Pennsylvania?
A. Yes, selling six packs is legal in Pennsylvania provided that you have the right type of liquor license. 3 Sons Dogs and Suds has the appropriate license, and operates inside of the parameters of Pennsylvania Law to be able to provide you with the ability not only to buy six packs but to actually mix six different beers in a six pack to take home with you!
2. Are you sure that's legal?
A. Yes, we're sure.
3. Can I buy a beer and drink it in your store?
A. Yes, you can consume your beer anywhere on 3 Sons Dogs and Suds licensed premise, including our outdoor seating area, however in accordance with Pennsylvania State Law, no open bottles may leave the premise. Also, six packs purchased at 3 Sons are not allowed to be consumed on premise and are for take out only.
4. I love your selection of beer, but I am afraid of mixing from the cooler because I do not want the beer to get warm and go bad. Will that happen?
A. Allowing your beer to return to room temperature and then refrigerating it again will not "skunk" your beer. Remember, most beer is bottled cold, heated for pasteurization, returned to room temperature for storage in warehouses, etc., so it frequently undergoes temperature changes. EXTREME temperature changes, including excessive heat and freezing can affect the flavor or your beer, but are not contributory in "skunking."
5. OK, then what does skunk my beer? And what exactly IS "skunking"?
A. For that we turn to C.H. Evans Brewing Company Bremaster George de Piro for the following explanation: "Almost all of the world’s commercial beers contain hops. In fact, American and German beers are required by law to contain at least a small amount of hops. Hops give the beer bitterness, and can also be used to impart a spicy, fruity sort of aroma best described as “hoppy.” (Obviously, I’ll never be writing a dictionary.)"
"The hop compounds that are responsible for making beer bitter are called isomerized alpha-acids. These chemicals, along with sulfur compounds found in beer, are also culpable in beer skunking. When light hits beer, it provides the energy necessary to drive a reaction that transforms the iso-alpha-acids into 3-methyl-2-butene-1-thiol. The “thiol” part of that somewhat cumbersome name indicates that there is sulfur present. Sulfur compounds often have strong, offensive aromas. Some musteline animals, like skunks, have evolved the ability to produce this chemical, and use it for self-defense."
"In a sense, the aroma of light-struck beer doesn’t just resemble skunk spray, it is skunk spray! It’s the same stuff!"
"This photochemical reaction is the only cause of skunked beer. Warm storage, while damaging to the flavor of beer, does not skunk it. Cycling the temperature of beer from warm to cold and back again is also not implicated. Storing beer in the dark is the simple way to prevent skunking."
"Blue light, and to a lesser extent green and a bit of near ultraviolet are the most damaging to beer. Most wavelenghts of ultraviolet light are not a concern because glass blocks them quite effectively (that’s why you don’t get sunburned in your car). The color of glass is the color of the light that it transmits, so green bottles allow the green light though. Similarly, blue light passes unhindered through pretty, cobalt-blue bottles. Clear bottles transmit all of the visible light. That is the reason beer in green, blue, and clear bottles is almost always skunked. Yes, even some very expensive imports."
"The photochemical reaction that skunks beer occurs very quickly; a well-hopped beer in clear glass can become noticeably offensive with just 30 seconds of exposure to sunshine. Brown glass transmits less visible light than the previously mentioned colors, and therefore offers some protection from skunking. It does allow some light through, so beer in brown bottles will skunk after a few hours of light exposure."
"Since light is an essential ingredient in the skunking process, beers packaged in kegs, cans, and opaque bottles cannot be skunked. Beers with very little hops, like all of the insipid mass-market American lagers, cannot become as skunky as overtly hoppy styles like pale ales, simply because there is less iso-alpha-acid available."
6. Can I use a credit card or debit card at your store?
A. 3 Sons Dogs and Suds accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover Cards as well as any debit cards bearing the Visa or Mastercard logos. We are also more than happy to accept cash, but we regret that we do not accept personal checks.
7. Can I smoke in the store?
A. 3 Sons Dogs and Suds is a smoke free environment, however, smoking, including cigar smoking is permitted at our outdoor seating area.
8. I am interested in getting your e-mail updates, but you are not going to spam me, are you?
A. E-mail updates are mailed once a week and include information on upcoming beer samplings, new beer arrivals and store news and usually arrive in your mailbox on Wednesday mornings, provided the IT guy is not slacking off. E-mail addresses provided to 3 Sons Dogs and Suds are NEVER shared or sold and are used solely for the aforementioned purpose.
9. OK, so I signed up for your e-mails, but I am not getting them. What gives?
A. If you signed up in the store for e-mail updates, we may not have been able to decipher your writing or made a mistake when entering it into our database. Please stop in again or sign up online. For both in store and on line signers, some e-mail clients are set up to automatically bounce or forward to the junk mail bin any unrecognized addresses. Adding us (info@3sonsdogsandsuds.com) to your list of trusted e-mail addresses should resolve this problem.
10. I am looking for a specific beer, do you have it and if not can you get it?
A. 3 Sons Dogs and Suds is limited only by what our wholesalers are able to provide us. Some beers available in other parts of the country and sometimes even other parts of the state, are not contracted to a wholesaler in our region and are therefore not available to us. We endeavour to meet any special requests, if possible, so please ask if there is something you do not see, and we will see what we can do!
11. Where are you located and how do I get there from here?
A. 3 Sons Dogs and Suds is located north of Pittsburgh in the Wexford Flats Plaza in Wexford, PA at 10974 Perry Highway. For a MapQuest set of directions, click here and enter your starting point!
