“That’s it, Fort Pitt” (Fort Pitt Beer)
“That’s it, Fort Pitt” (or “Fort Pitt, that’s it”) is a saying that has been printed on many images. Fort Pitt opened in 1761 and was the site of what became the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Fort Pitt Brewing Company existed from 1906 to 1957, and the Duquesne Brewing Company revived Fort Pitt Ale in 2014.
An advertisement for Fort Pitt Beer in the Pittsburgh (PA) Post-Gazette on April 16, 1940, stated: “FORT PITT that’s it!” The slogan was trademarked in 2012.
The book Pittsburgh Speech and Pittsburghese (2015) gave this definition: “That’s it, Fort Pitt, expression: ‘Task completed’, ‘case closed’ or ‘end of discussion’. ” There is no precise date for when the Fort Pitt Beer slogan acquired this broader meaning.
Wikipedia: Fort Pitt Brewing Company
Fort Pitt Brewing Company was a major brewery in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 1906-1957, which brewed Fort Pitt Beer and other regional brands. Mark Dudash, a Pittsburgh area attorney and owner of Duquesne Brewing Company, revived Fort Pitt Brewing, and introduced a new Fort Pitt Ale in 2014. The new Fort Pitt Ale is crafted in the spirit of the brewery established in Fort Pitt in 1765, and is formulated as an ale using two row malt, caramel, and English hops. The company had manufacturing plants in Sharpsburg, Pennsylvania and Jeannette, Pennsylvania.
Pittsburghese
That’s it, Fort Pitt That’s right or it’s all over. This comes from an old advertising slogan for Fort Pitt beer. (Submitted by Jeff Tuckfelt , Falls Church, VA)
The Community News (Western Crawford County, PA)
“That’s it Fort Pitt” Now a solved mystery
(...) (From a letter—ed.)
As I understand it, “TIFP” was an advertising phrase many, many years ago for a now almost-vanished product: Fort Pitt Beer.
Duquesne Beer was a popular brew around Pittsburgh for years (brewed in Latrobe I think?), but they went out of business decades ago. Happily, they went back INTO business about three years ago, and I’ve been enjoying their product since then.
On one of my “beer runs,” I discovered that the Duquesne Brewery had revived another of their old products, Fort Pitt Beer! I bought a case of it and enjoyed it, but I haven’t seen it since. Jimtown Distributing in Jamestown regularly stocks Duquesne, but tells me that Fort Pitt is a “special order.”
The significant thing is this: the phrase “That’s it! Fort Pitt!” appears on each bottle on the smaller, upper label that is glued onto the bottle’s neck right below the bottle cap.
Newspapers.com
16 April 1940, Pittsburgh (PA) Post-Gazette, Pirates Ahoy! supplement, pg. 12, col. 2 ad:
FORT PITT
that’s it!
Yes, no matter where you go these days you’ll find the call switching to FORT PITT BEER. Lovers of fine, distinctive flavor have made Fort Pitt the fastest growing beer in Pennsylvania. One taste of the matchless flavor of Fort Pitt Beer and you’ll join the thousands who say “FORT PITT…that’s it.”
FORT PITT BEER
Google Books
She’s on First
By Barbara Gregorich
Chicago, IL: Contemporary Books
1987
Pg. 4:
Fort Pitt, That’s It, declared a faded and forgotten billboard.
Google Groups: bit.listserv.history
Thats it; Fort Pitt!
kla!K_Wel…@sun.com
2/23/93
(...)
I have an elderly friend (70’s) who constantly uses the phrase “Thats it; Fort Pitt!” as an exclaimation, particularly when completing crossword puzzles. Would anyone know, or care to speculate on the origins of this phrase? She was raised in Indiana and says she picked it up from her parents and has used it since she was a child.
Fort Pitt was an English fort built during westword expansion, named for William Pitt, I believe. Was the fort in Pennsylvania? Was the phrase carried west with settlers?
Do the words simply rhyme, having no historical significance?
(...)
P.L. Cowan
2/26/93
There used to be a beer called “Fort Pitt” beer brewed in Pittsburgh. I am pretty sure that the phrase “That’s it, Fort Pitt” was their advertising slogan. I am skeptical that it dates back much further than that, but I suppose it’s possible.
Twitter
Mike Marker
@iMikeMonster
“that’s it, Fort Pitt” just a Pittsburgh saying or does everyone use it? & why haven’t I heard if this before?!?!
12:31 AM - 9 Dec 2010
Twitter
KDKA
@KDKA
“Fort Pitt, that’s it!” Another classic beer is about to make a comeback: http://cbsloc.al/1fuyIgf
8:50 PM - 30 Apr 2014
Twitter
Rick Sebak
@rickaroundhere
So many dads always said “That’s it, Fort Pitt.” #HOP17
1:20 PM - 8 Jun 2014
Google Books
Pittsburgh Speech and Pittsburghese
By Barbara Johnstone, Daniel Baumgardt, Maeve Eberhardt and Scott Kiesling
Berlin, Germany: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG
2015
Pg. 43:
That’s it, Fort Pitt, expression: “Task completed”, “case closed” or “end of discussion”.
(...)
Discussion Pittsburgh originated as a British military outpost named Fort Pitt, and the name is still in use in street and business names. This saying may have come from a Fort Pitt Brewing Company slogan. If so, it probably meant something like, “Fort Pitt, that’s the beer; no need to look further”. Pittsburghers then added the slogan to the repertoire of formulaic expressions English speakers use to describe a completed event or to close down discussion, such as mission accomplished, case closed, and end of discussion.
YouTube
Fort Pitt- That’s It!
The Boilermaker Jazz Band - Topic
Published on Sep 2, 2015
Provided to YouTube by CDBaby
Matador Network
LANGUAGES
11 funniest expressions people say in Pittsburgh
Tyler McCloskey
Sep 10, 2015
(...)
5. Pittsburghers don’t say “you’re right” or “that’s a wrap”…they say “That’s it, Fort Pitt!”
“You see Mazeroski’s home run in the 60s World Series against the Yankees? That’s it, Fort Pitt!”
(Trademark)
Word Mark FORT PITT
Goods and Services (CANCELLED) IC 032. US 048. G & S: MALT BEVERAGES, NAMELY, BEER. FIRST USE: 19350426. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19350601
Mark Drawing Code (1) TYPED DRAWING
Serial Number 73777785
Filing Date January 30, 1989
Current Basis 1A
Original Filing Basis 1A
Published for Opposition July 18, 1989
Registration Number 1560085
Registration Date October 10, 1989
Owner (REGISTRANT) FORT PITT BREWING CORPORATION CORPORATION PENNSYLVANIA P.O. BOX 12896 PITTSBURGH PENNSYLVANIA 15241
Attorney of Record JON M. LEWIS
Type of Mark TRADEMARK
Register PRINCIPAL
Live/Dead Indicator DEAD
(Trademark)
Word Mark FORT PITT THAT’S IT!
Goods and Services IC 032. US 045 046 048. G & S: Beer. FIRST USE: 20120918. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 20121001
Standard Characters Claimed
Mark Drawing Code (4) STANDARD CHARACTER MARK
Serial Number 85448787
Filing Date October 17, 2011
Current Basis 1A
Original Filing Basis 1B
Published for Opposition March 27, 2012
Registration Number 4641531
Registration Date November 18, 2014
Owner (REGISTRANT) Duquesne Brewing Company CORPORATION PENNSYLVANIA 624 Dock Landing Willamsburg VIRGINIA 23185
Attorney of Record Mark J. Dudash
Type of Mark TRADEMARK
Register PRINCIPAL
Live/Dead Indicator LIVE
Cancllation Date April 16, 1996