Pittsburgh Tips for trip

Here's a map to get you started with brewery locations and hours. Many of the breweries have their details included (outdoor seating, food, etc) as well.

www.pabrewreview.com/brewerymap

 

It has been a while since I visited...

I am sure others will tell you that Church works is a cool place to eat. Also, when I was there Fatheads was under construction but I am sure it is a good food/beer stop now.

I can't remember the name of a sour beer brewery that we went to that had a nice (although small) outdoor area. I remember it was a little bit of a drive from downtown though. Maybe someone local can help on this.

I know it is not a craft beer spot, but I have always enjoyed every time I went to a Hofbrauhaus. If you like German food it is well worth it.

Penn brewing was not worth going to. And Souther Tier was fine, but I don't remember them having anything that you cant find easily elsewhere.

 

I just remembered; the sour brewery was called Draai Laag but it appears they changed their name to Strange Roots.

 

Strange Roots is worth a stop, especially for anyone interested in sour/wild ales. Their original spot in Millvale is right around the corner from Grist House. It's a great one-two punch.

 

I think Church Brew Works is worth a visit. One of the more unique breweries I've been to, and the beer is good enough.

 

The TRYP by Wyndham recently opened in Lawrenceville. Depending on how much you like walking you could walk to around 9 breweries from that location and if you don't like walking they would all be a short uber ride. Lots of good restaurants in that area as well. Industry public house, the abbey and, condado's might be some restaurants you would like.

 

If you're looking to hit multiple breweries in a day then you're in luck. Our brewers here tend to be clustered near at least one other brewery. As someone mentioned Grist House and Strange Roots are within walking distance of each other. Same with Hitchhiker and Dancing Gnome in Sharpsburg. If you're into hop forward beers and big hazies then you have to hit Dancing Gnome. Hitchhiker does a bit more variety, everything from stouts to blondes to milkshake ipa's and smoothie sours. Lawrenceville is essentially right across the river from Millvale. In Lawrenceville you'll find Hop Farm, Roundabout, 11th Hour, and Cinderlands Foederhouse. They all make great beers, but Cinderlands is the only one with a dedicated kitchen and has a great menu. Cinderlands also was a Warehouse location in the Strip District which is pretty big and has a bunch of games to play indoors and second floor patio. Their food is fantastic and the beer is pretty great, too. The Foederhouse, as the name suggests, is where they focus more on their lagers, saisons, and wilds. It only recently changed to this focus, so things will probably be more diverse by the time you get there. The Warehouse location offers a full spectrum of different beers. If you venture over to Homestead you'll find Voodoo, and then Brew Gentlemen a bit further away in Braddock. That covers my favorite breweries in the city, but there are a number of others. I don't want to downplay the suggestions of Church Brew Works, Penn, Southern Tier, etc, as they're a huge part of why Pittsburgh has the beer scene that it currently does. That said, they don't venture too far from a tight rotation of beers, and I just think that a lot of other breweries in the city are really pushing themselves and turning out some incredible products. Also I imagine you see a good amount of Southern Tier products already in your area, so that might not be so exciting for you in regards to trying new things.

Lorelei in East Liberty is a great bar for finding independent beers from around the city and outside of it. The Independent Brewing Company is a bar in Squirrel Hill with another great tap list and a great kitchen. Mike's Beer Bar is right across the street from PNC Park and has a huge tap list with a large portion of it dedicated to local beers.

This is just the beginning of what the city has to offer when it comes to beer options. If you finalize some plans and know more about where you're staying feel free to ask for any more info. If you're looking to take cans home with you then following canspgh on Instagram is a good idea. They do a great job of outlining what all of the local breweries are releasing on a given week. Hope you enjoy your time here.

 

If you have access to a car, and are willing to travel, Hightower in Rayland, OH (about 50 minutes from downtown Pittsburgh) is also quite worth it - very good hop forward and fruited sours - I'd put it on par with Dancing Gnome.

Brew Gentlemen in Braddock is also fantastic - but it's not in the cluster class that the poster before me mentioned - it's kinda out on its own - but if you do decide to go to Braddock, which I think is worth it, Voodoo in Homestead isn't too far away - can probably link those two together, but they're about 10-15 minutes apart by car.

 

Couple different "corridors" you can take:

Millvale/Sharpsburg: Includes Grist House (great outdoor area and beer), Strange Roots (specialize in sours), Dancing Gnome (top notch NEIPA's), and Hitchhiker (good variety, cool space in the old Fort Pitt Brewery).

Lawrenceville (and Strip District): Most trendy area as far as bars/restaurants go... Cinderlands (warehouse and foederhouse locations) have top notch food, Church Brew Works is more touristy and meh to me but it is an interesting space in an old church, plenty of other breweries along this stretch as well (Eleventh Hour, Roundabout, etc.). Beer bars aren't as big in Pittsburgh currently, relative to other cities IMO, but I've heard good things about Bierport.

Braddock/Homestead: Two top notch breweries a little further out in Brew Gentlemen and Voodoo but definitely worth the trip. Two cool (and very different) spaces as well, BG just opened an outdoor space. A bit "seedier" of areas, so just be mindful of that, but that definitely shouldn't deter you.

As far as the killer sandwich / wing / burger joints (and that level of food) with great local tap lists, the top 3 that come to mind are Pipers Pub and Fat Head's in the South Side and the Independent Brewing Co in Squirrel Hill (Independent owns Lorelei in East Lib as well, those two are a big higher end I would say). Piper's is a soccer pub but it's just just Guinness there: they serve up the best local taps including DG and BG beers, along with Independent. Fat Head's serves their own beers, which are pretty solid as well, along with huge ass sandwiches. I should also plug Carson Street Deli as well as a great option. Also Fuel & Fuddle in Oakland if you're on Pitt's campus.

Around the stadium: Southern Tier (although it can get packed, they have a patio too) and Mike's Beer Bar has a lot of local taps as well, although I've never been there (only been to previous establishments in that location).

In the city: the best roof top bar is at Sienna Mercato. Tons of places downtown and an easy walk to PNC Park. Tako (put your reservation in now, mostly mexican lagers tho) and Proper Brick Oven and Tap Room come to mind.

I live here so hard to say on where to stay exactly, but I would think you'd want to be in the downtown/strip/lawrenceville sections and just uber around from there. North shore has plenty of hotels too although prices can certainly vary based on demand (with concerts and big sports games, although the Pirates are now horrible so that will help you).

 

Church Brew is worth a visit if you want a cool atmosphere/experience. The beer isn't good.

11th Hour
around the corner to Cinderlands
Hitchhiker
Grist House

I like to go to The Yard. Gourmet grilled cheese and great tap list.
Industry Public House - usually good taps.
Caliente Pizza - pizza and good tap list.

 

Does Voodoo Homestead have an onsite bottle/cellar list? Or if not, is there any place to find Voodoo's barrel aged stouts to drink in the area?

 

Voodoo Homestead does not. On days when they release their barrel-aged beers they will have them on draft, but both bottles and drafts are usually gone within 2 hours, if not sooner. The just recently started selling cellared bottles at their Meadville location for on-site consumption only. I'm not sure if they only offer those on specific days or if that cellar list is available every day they're open. Unfortunately, Meadville is about 90 minutes north of Pittsburgh, but if it's something you're dying to try and have the time it might be a good day trip. The prices I've seen posted range anywhere from $30/bottle up to $200/bottle for on-site consumption. The list of what they have available also seems to change pretty quickly from week to week initially, but I haven't kept up with it since they started doing this.

 

Okay, thanks for the info, I appreciate it. Making my first trip to Pittsburgh this weekend.

 

You could trade for some Voodoo BA stuff while in Pittsburgh too. Not sure if you are into that

 

Lots of GREAT info above especially the detail provided by @3genpanther and @Pinz412 . Almost overwhelming!

I'll be in town next weekend with Sunday afternoon probably being the only day I can get out to some places. If you had to pick 3-4 breweries and areas what would it be? Dancing Gnome will definitely be a stop. I'm thinking there, Hitchhiker, Strange Roots and Grist House. I'm staying downtown (Hampton Inn Downtown) and will have a vehicle. Plan to try the places closer to where I'm staying if I have time Monday evening (if breweries are open Mondays which many in VA choose that day or Tues as their closed day).

Also, any specific packaged beers I should seek out to enjoy in the hotel or bring back with me and what are the best shops? Buddy's Brews and Packs & Dogs seem pretty popular to go spot and are somewhat nearby to my hotel.

Thanks in advance!

 

I think the DG/HH/SR/GH route is the best route for you, given your time (one afternoon). I would also think about Cinderlands (Warehouse in the Strip or Foederhouse in Lawrenceville), especially if you're looking for something on Monday, as the Warehouse is open on Mondays with a specific food focus on tacos that day. Most Pittsburgh breweries are closed Monday (or Mon/Tues), but a few that I know that are open, in addition to Cinderlands Warehouse, is Southern Tier in the North Shore and Penn Brewing up on Troy Hill.

 

Thanks! Cinderlands leaked my interested too. That would be a great spot for dinner Monday night. I see the menus at both are a little different. Is one preferred over the other?

 

Both Cinderlands locations have great food. The beer menu at the Warehouse is a bit more varied as the Foederhouse focuses more on their saisons/lagers/farmhouse offerings. I honestly don't think you can go wrong with either of them.

Buddy's Brews on Carson is a cool spot and has pretty good prices, too. If you venture down that way you can also stop into Carson Street Deli. They're not very big, but they usually have a decent offering of cans from other local breweries that are further outside of the city.

It's hard to beat DG/HH/GH/SR when it comes to both convenience and beer quality. I would bet that all of them have cans or bottles available when you're there as well. Dancing Gnome's cans probably move the quickest, but they release around 3 different varieties a week so it's usually replenishing. Strange Roots recently started canning some hazy ipa's and stouts. Those have sold out pretty quickly, but they usually have a few different bottles of the wild ales available to go.