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Carnegie's Quantum Spirits 'pops up' in Pittsburgh International Airport | TribLIVE.com
Food & Drink

Carnegie's Quantum Spirits 'pops up' in Pittsburgh International Airport

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Quantum Spirits is open in the Pittsburgh International Airtport through the end of the year.
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Quantum Spirits is open in the Pittsburgh International Airtport through the end of the year.
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Carnegie’s Mayor Stacie Riley (left) and Quantum Spirits owner Ryan Kanto taste a sample at the company’s pup-up shop.
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Quantum Spirits is open in the Pittsburgh International Airtport through the end of the year. Travelers can enjoy a sample or buy a bottle.

Pittsburgh International Airport is focusing on putting a little more Pittsburgh into the airport.

“Travelers want to know where they are when they land and we want the airport to be reflective of the city and the region,” says Alyson Walls, manager of communications for the Allegheny County Airport Authority.

With an initiative to bring in more local restaurants and craft beverage producers, the airport has partnered with some local legends and up-and-comers including Penn Brewery, Steel Cactus, Buford’s Kitchen, Voodoo Brewery, Sarris Candies, Gaby et Jules, Primanti Bros, and now Carnegie’s Quantum Spirits, which celebrated the opening of its “pop up” late last month.

Through the end of the year, travelers can sample some of the locally distilled vodka and gin, as well as purchase bottles to take with them.

Ryan Kanto, owner of Quantum Spirits, says that he believes that besides duty-free stores, their pop up is one of the only places in a United States airport where you can purchase a bottle of craft spirits on the airside.

“It’s pretty darn unique,” says Kanto. “There are a lot of people that walk by and then do a double take because it’s not something you typically see at an airport.”

In addition to bottles of gin and vodka, Quantum’s “Team Nerd” merchandise, including T-shirts and hats, is for sale. And, Kanto says people are loving it, especially the science teachers and scientists who walk by.

Quantum Spirits has recently experimented with a new gin that has been rested in an American oak barrel, which gives it the color of whiskey and rounds out the sharpness of the gin, picking up the wood notes of the barrel. Kanto hopes to add it to their portfolio next year, but some bottles will be available for purchase for the upcoming holiday season.

“We are excited to have Quantum in the airport because they are a really good example of some of the cool things that are happening in the Pittsburgh food and beverage scene right now,” says Walls.

Sarah Sudar is a Tribune-Review contributing writer.