Moving to Pittsburgh. Craft scene rec's?

Welcome. Many good ba's here. Do a little search for pittsburgh and you'll find everything you need. Also a few posts down is the western pa/pgh thread that has everything that goes on.

 

We have a thread with 3,000 posts, and nearly 100,000 views. Not to mention numerous "visiting Pittsburgh threads." We have a good scene!

We have quite a few of quality small breweries in the area. Roundabout, Brew Gentleman, Hop Farm, Draai Laag, Grist House are all great local start ups (I know I'm forgetting some). Voodoo just opened a brewpub, and it's a top notch brewery of the region.

As far as bars, check out Fat Heads, Pipers Pub, and Urban Tap.

For bottle shops, Giant Eagle Market Districts are the most accessible. House of 1000 Beers is the best selection, though their prices reflect that (but seriously, they get a shit ton of beer you wouldn't normally find in Pittsburgh, worth a trip). Whole Foods in Wexford usually has great stuff too.

Buddy's Brews on Carson is my favorite beer distributor.

Just make sure to get used to antiquated liquor laws, and you'll be golden.

 

Welcome. What area of Pittsburgh?

 

Definitely get tapped into the Western PA/Pittsburgh thread that others have referenced. The group is very on top of new releases, beers hitting shelves at local stores, etc.

 

I was just thinking the other day that if someone moved to Pittsburgh, it's a great time to be here, considering all of the things that have been going on. So far this year we have had numerous awesome events. I hope the rest of the year follows suit. I have a feeling it will.

As mentioned, here is the Western PA thread. It started out as the new beers thread and turned into the everything thread.

And here is what I would consider my quintessential guide to craft in Pittsburgh (an hour's radius of Pittsburgh):

Breweries
East End
Probably the most prevalent craft brewery in Pittsburgh. Internationally known for Gratitude (a barleywine); they released a bourbon barrel aged version this year also. @eastendbrewing There is also a second location "in the strip" where you can get growler fills and bottles. Bottles available, though mostly for purchase at the brewery.

Draai Laag
Specializes in Belgian-ish beers as well as unique wild ales. Their recent Briar series was well received, the Red Briar seemingly more so (most of those reviews are from the draft version, btw). A stone's throw from Grist House. Bottles available.

Grist House
New to the scene. Focuses on American style craft. A stone's throw from Draai Laag (naturally).

Roundabout
New darling brewery of the 'Burgh. Hoppy offerings are very well received. Pacific Ring IPA, Hy-er PA, and Humboldt Range Double IPA are a few to keep an eye out for. Down the street from Hop Farm. Bottles rarely; special releases only.

Hop Farm
Kind of an everything brewery that dabbles in some sours (mostly Berliner Weisse). If you brew and need rhizomes, they do sell them. You know, because "hop farm" and all. Cans occasionally. Bottles rarely; special releases only.

Milkman
New to the scene. The next block up from East End's secondary location in The Strip. A Kickstarter brewery.

CoStar
Nano-brewery. Watch their Facebook feed if you are intent on trying any of their stuff. Will most likely expand in the future.

Pennsylvania
Focuses on German style ales. Been around for quite some time. Not too far from Milkman, Roundabout, Hop Farm.

Church Brew Works
One of the OG's of craft in Pittsburgh. Is housed in an old Catholic Church. Bottles widely available.

Hitchhiker
Out in the 'burbs a bit in a well-to-do area called Mt. Lebanon. An everything brewery that does it all. @jagoffyinzer is the head brewer. Less than a 10 minute drive to Spoonwood from here. If I am not mistaken, does "Real Ale Wednesday" every week.

Spoonwood
New to the scene. Somewhat sizeable brewpub. Does a little bit of everything with a slight slant towards Amero-Belgian style ales. Decor is very modern minimalist. Less than a 10 minute drive to Hitchhiker from here.

Brew Gentlemen
Just about a year old as a brewery. Part of an effort to revitalize the neighborhood of Braddock, which has suffered the effects of post-industrial abandonment. John Fetterman is the mayor here; you may have seen him on CNN before. Also a Kickstarter brewery. 1st and 3rd Fridays showcase a new cask ale. @brewgentlemen @Zach_BrewGentlemen

Full Pint
An everything brewery well out on the East Side. They also have a secondary location called the Wild Side Pub in Upper Lawrenceville that is not too far from Hop Farm. Bottles widely available.

Voodoo
No brewing going on here, but a secondary location in the Homestead area. New to the scene. Looks like they will be doing barrel releases at the same time as the Meadville location. Bourmuda Triangle IPA was one of the recent releases. Very close to Rock Bottom. Bottles widely available. @voodoobrewery

Rock Bottom
Very close to Voodoo. Typical for the chain.

Hofbräuhaus Pittsburgh
Typical for the chain. German all the way, of course.

Duquesne Bottling Company
All contract brewed. Resurrected old labels and have re-released them.

Pittsburgh Brewing Company
Famous for the Iron City. Or, Iron Shitty, if you prefer. Used to be across the street from Church Brew Works. Brewed elsewhere. Not craft. I.C. Light Mango, anyone?

Insurrection
Brewing only right now, but with their brewpub opening (supposedly) very soon. Will be focusing on "Vermont-style" IPAs as well as sour ales. They also have an actual foudre.

Rivertowne
The Pourhouse (their brewpub) is in Monroeville, production facility is much farther out in Export. Also multiple bars located throughout the area. Cans a lot of beer. A lot. Bottles very rarely; special releases only.

Shubrew
In Zelienople, north of the city and close to Cranberry. Small spot, with food.

Auroch's
all gluten free beers

Helltown
A hop lovers dream. Idle Hands is pretty popular and thankfully makes frequent appearances throughout the 'Burgh. Located way out in Mt. Pleasant.

All Saints
Everything brewery located way out in Greensburg.

Bloom Brew
Nano (?) out of West Newton. Up to 24 beers on at once.

Beaver
Located out in Beaver Falls. Limited days and hours open.

North Country
Up north in Slippery Rock. Beautiful brewpub. Cans widely available.

Crooked Tongue
Very, very new. I personally tried one of their beers at the Gratitude release and really enjoyed it. I hope their other stuff follows suit.

Four Seasons
Way out east in Latrobe. Sometimes distributes to the Pittsburgh area, but rarely from what I have seen. Mostly to the east side.

Whitehorse
Way out east in Berlin. Bottles available.

Copper Kettle
A brew-your-own spot.

 

Miscellaneous
Apis Meadery
Meadery operating south in Carnegie. You will see their stuff available in a lot of places.

Arsenal Cider House
Civil war themed cidery that is also available widely.

Rebellion Ciderworks
In Slippery Rock (where North Country is also).

Kaliber
Butler area. Only brews with honey and tea.

Red Star
Kombucha only.

Breweries - Coming Soon
Cellar Works
Up north in Sarver. Have said they will be doing wild ales. Their website is operational, though not updated in some time. Facebook.

Brewtus
Brewpub. Hermitage, PA (up north). Their website is under construction. Facebook is up and running.

Reclamation
Supposedly opening in April. Located in Butler (north). Facebook. Website.

Butler Brew Works.
Also in Butler, shocking as that may seem. Have been building out for some time. Probably won't be too much longer. Facebook. Website.

Brixton
In Rochester. A brewpub, I think. Facebook.

Jones
Going to be in Aliquippa, I think. Facebook. Website.

Abjuration
Nano. Seems to have some very unique ideas. Facebook.

Eleventh Hour
Website. Facebook. Maybe this year? Can't say for certain.

Broken Paddle
Facebook. Website. Was supposed to open in Fall of '14. Haven't posted on Facebook since June '14.

Stores
Giant Eagle/Market Districts
Some of these have really thorough selections. Shadyside @randylangford, Bethel Park (in the south), Settler's Ridge (by airport), and the Waterworks location have the best.

D's SixPack and Dogz
The original bottle shop in Pittsburgh. Was the only game in town for some time. Some prices are very high or not listed at all. It's also a bar and restaurant. Large tap list.

House of 1,000 Beers
Kind of far out, as mentioned previously. Completely ridiculous and insane selection. You will see stuff you never see in the Pittsburgh area here. Also a bar and restaurant.

Atlas Bottle Works
In the Lawrenceville area. Good selection. Down the street from Roundabout and Hop Farm. Will be a bar area there soon, if not there already. Movie theater is attached where you can drink (and eat) during the movies.

Whole Foods - Wexford
The other Whole Foods location in the East End does not sell beer. @wyckyd_sceptre This one makes up for that.

Bars
Piper's Pub
English style pub. Big time football scene (of the Euro variety, mind you).

Fat Head's Saloon
Brewery is based in the Cleveland area. This is an alternate location. No brewing on premise.

Sharp Edge (multiple locations)
One of the first bars in the country to focus solely on Belgian beer. Has since shifted to a heavy craft focus. Prices can be insanely high (as in more expensive for an 8 ounce pour than to buy a 750ml of it at Market District).

Independent Brewing Company
Not a brewery. It's a bar that serves only local beer. They have a crowler system for takeaway. In the Squirrel Hill neighborhood (which is a very nice one).

Hough's
Tons and tons of taps. Did I say tons of taps? They also are apparently sitting on a huge amount of vintage beer. Next to Copper Kettle. Sports bar style place.

Gooski's
The ultimate dive.

Mad Mex (multiple locations)
Part of the Big Burrito Restaurant Group. Always lots of craft available here and good in a pinch.

Kelly's
Minimalist art deco style bar. Hosts the Hell With the Lid Off Barleywine Festival every year.

Caliente
Gets tons of stuff that normally doesn't make it to the Pittsburgh market. Tons.

Events
Steel City Big Pour
A fund-raiser for Construction Junction, which is a waypoint for to-be-repurposed construction items and more. Facebook. Website.

Hell With The Lid Off
Annual Barleywine festival, as mentioned above.

Beers of the Burgh
Two versions: Winter Warmer and Regular.

Pittsburgh Craft Beer Week
Or, Pittsburgh Craft 10 days. There is also a thread for this year's.

Voodoo Barrel Room Releases
At random.

Gratitude Release
Typically a winter thing, though you never know.


And yeah, liquor laws here are dumb. So singles and six packs have generally been a rare thing to find, though that is very much changing with Giant Eagle/Market District in on the game now. You will see a lot of distributors only selling cases.

Feel free to join all our threads. And don't hesitate to let us know if we can help with your 'Burgh experience in any way.

This was a recent bottle share on the 13th, btw.

 

Caliente Pizza & Draft House in Bloomfield is my personal favorite. Check out their website for lots of good events and special tappings. I tried a brand new brewpub in Bethel Park called Spoonwood last week. Only tried one beer but it was good, the food was great, and the place itself is top notch. Another one of my personal favorites is Full Pint in North Versailles. Nothing fancy there, but they make some great beers and the staff is great.

 

The best place for singles and 6ers are at giant eagle Market District's. Bars and Restaurants with certain licenses are allowed to sell beer to go, but not always at a great price. Most local breweries do growler fills and some of the giant eagle's also do growler fills.

 

We also do beer advocate tastings every couple of months. These are a great way to meet some local BAs.

 

This is me. Just for clarification, we're looking at last week of April to first half of May as a realistic timeline. It's possible it could be sooner, but why jinx it? Unexpected delays are inevitable (especially when doing all the work yourself and also working a day job full time). We've had our fair share, and we are hoping they are done!

These guys are 1.5-2 blocks up the road from us. I talked to them last week and they are waiting on their building plans to get approved and in the process of getting bids for the work. They said they are probably a few months out still.

Exciting times in Butler.

 

@brother_rebus, as you can see here and on the general thread we have quite a healthy dose of brewer participation in the forums.

@BenSmith2588, thank you very much for the updates and I look forward to checking you guys out. So much stuff going on in the 'Burgh (and surrounding areas) for craft beer right now. Good times!

 

Not a problem and thanks! I've been a member here for a few years but really only lurk occasionally. I think this actually might be my first official post. It certainly won't be my last.

 

<--- first follower...sweet

 

Welcome to Pittsburgh. An important distinction (to me) is that bars/bottle shops/restaurants sell in single bottle or 6er quantities, but charge more per unit. If you have a beer you drink regularly, a beer distributor sells by the case at a significant savings. Usually I've found that if you can split a case with one or two other people you're coming close to the price of a 6er.