Malört vs. Fireball: Pa.'s new liquor rivalry

• There's even a freakin' book about the bitter-tasting brand.

Driving the debate: Pittsburghers are still too naive to debate the pros and cons of Malört (plus we're already obsessed with Super Punch), so we turned to the real pros: Axios Chicago teammates Monica Eng, Carrie Shepherd and Justin Kaufmann for their insights.

What they're saying: Eng is a Malört convert who initially hated the drink the first couple of times she tried it. But then she had it with an Old Style beer — as part of a drink called the Chicago Handshake.

• It tastes like "a bit of butterscotch" that "drifts into grapefruit rind and finishes with burnt rubber bands," Eng tells us.

How to drink it: "Don't," Shepherd warns.

• "It's the aftertaste that gets you, and it doesn't hit immediately. Take a breath, THEN chase it with the Champagne of beers. Or just Champagne."

Yes, but: There's no bigger fan than Kaufmann.

• "Malort is f---ing awful!" he says. "It's not something Chicagoans love, but it is marketed like we do."

💭 Ryan's thought bubble: I have imbibed several Malörts on trips to Chicago, and it's a great shot-and-beer shot since it's so bitter, you have to drink it as fast as possible.

• I recently spotted a bottle of Malört at Lorelei in East Liberty, for the curious.

The bottom line: Maybe Fireball is safe after all.