The Museum of Beer, a 50,000-square-foot complex set to open up shop somewhere in Downtown Pittsburgh – is launching a free online exhibit called, The Story of Beer in Pennsylvania.  Organizers are trying to raise $20 million for the project, which will include 20,000 square feet of interactive exhibits, a 300-seat brewpub pouring 30 to 50 drafts, an event space and a gift shop.

To give people a chance to get a sneak peek at what to expect from the project, the company is launching this online exhibit detailing the origins of the beverage from Penn’s Colony up to today’s booming craft beer scene.

The online exhibit is now live and includes speakers such as McAllister, BrewDog Pittsburgh brewer Paul Young and Lauren Churilla, a St. Vincent College lecturer who will discuss the history of Latrobe’s controversial Benedictine brewery. This is a great way for beer lovers not only to support local but to get an education on the background of their favourite brews.

The project, which is supported by a grant from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, features video interviews with the state’s craft beer pioneers, historians and collectors, an interactive map of all the active and pending breweries in PA, a searchable list of the 21st-century, local winners at the Great American Beer Festival and a beer quiz.

“Pittsburgh is a neutral beer city,” McAllister says. “We aren’t dominated by a beer brand like St. Louis or Milwaukee.”