Local

Meet the bartenders of Mahoning Valley as they gear up for football weekend

By Chris Pugh and Brandon Vogrin

September 8, 2023 4:00 AM

Co-owner Douglas Price pours a flight of mead at Myriad Meadery on National Avenue in Lexington, Ky., Thursday, February 2, 2023. Myriad Meadery will serve mead, which is made from fermented honey, the oldest known alcoholic beverage. They plan to have 8 different kinds available as well as beers on tap. Silas Walker swalker@herald-leader.com

Drinking and football is a big deal for many and it is a big weekend for college and professional football in the Mahoning Valley.

On Saturday, the region’s local college football team, the Youngstown State Penguins, will travel to Columbus to face traditional college powerhouse the Ohio State Buckeyes.

The game will be shown on Big Ten Network for those who can’t make the trip.

The network isn’t available on all cable and streaming providers, so a bar or sports restaurant may be the only option for some fans.

On Sunday, the NFL season starts, and with Youngstown located in the middle of Pittsburgh and Cleveland, fans are excited to see the season debut of the Browns vs. Cincinnati and the Steelers vs. San Francisco at 1 p.m. Sunday.

Bars are a nice communal place to cheer on your favorite team and talk trash to your rival team’s fans.

And what’s a bar without bartenders?

Meet several talented workers who provide drinks to fans during the season.