Pittsburgh Recommendations

Search the Pittsburgh - New Beers & Local Breweries thread for detail, and maybe give an indication of what fits your fancy to narrow it down, but you'll generally get some derivation of the following:

Bottle shops: visit a Giant Eagle (with Shadyside being preferable), House of 1000 Beers (pricier and check dates), Atlas.

Bars (that aren't breweries): Fat Heads, Pipers, Carson Street Deli (carry local stuff)

Breweries: Brew Gentlemen, Voodoo, Round About, Draai Laag (and Grist House)--somewhat proximate to each other. Helltown is good but not really close. At all.

 

Our alcohol laws are silly anachronisms, no doubt.

I'm a shameless Fat Heads fanboy, and though they aren't brewed in the 'burgh, they are always my first suggestion. If you like IPAs (though they're not a one-trick pony) and want something that you couldn't otherwise get outside of trading, Brew Gentlemen is the best place for you. Voodoo ain't no slouch and they are about two miles from BG.

We see Deschutes, but nothing outside of their year-round line up--most unique distro is Philly-only. Alpine was recently added to the list, but bottles will be limited to House of 1000 Beers and maybe (@randylangford) Giant Eagle Shadyside.

PA has bottle shops, where you can buy (individual bottles of different beers) up to 192 ounces per visit, but you must go to a distributor to purchase 12- or 24-packs.

 

grist house brewery is the best beer in pittsburgh

 

Not
even
close

Brew Gentleman, Voodoo, Roundabout, and Fat Heads in no order

 

Since you are staying in McCandless check out the Whole Foods in Wexford. 5 or 10 minutes down the road. They have a great selection and always have something interesting on draft.

 

Wexford Ale House is right down the street from Whole Foods, they usually have some decent stuff on draft. Pig Iron Pub just opened in Cranberry(about 10 min north of Wexford). They have like 66 taps, may be worth checking out. If you do go to Cranberry, Mad Mex and Double Wide usually have solid selections as well.

 

Fat Heads will have sixers on premises and nearly everywhere else; BG only sells their bombers on site I believe. Again, at House, be sure to check dates before you buy--they get a lot of grey market, but some of it sits and you'll pay a premium at times.

I'll second Mad Mex and Double Wide, given your location. Whole Foods makes sense too for bottles; totally blanked on that one before.

 

pssssh, fat heads aint even pittsburgh tho

I havent had much roundabout - what do u recommend

 

Anything hoppy and they make good lagers as well.

 

Don't bother with the Pittsburgh thread, it's a bunch of clutter, and it'd be too tough to catch up. I'd recommend Fat Heads (my absolute favorite beer spot in Pittsburgh). Voodoo, Roundabout, and Brew Gents are also great.

Bottle shops, Giant Eagle Shadyside, Whole Foods Wexford (15 minutes north of the city), and House of 1000 Beers (30 minutes... West(?)... of the city).

But please check out Fat Heads, they have incredible beer, either there own or guest taps, and great food.

 

I 2nd this completely!

 

Mad Mex will almost certainly have some of their stuff on. They recently brewed a beer for the restaurant's anniversary, Dos Decadas, but the FH beer you will want to seek out (if you haven't had it) will be Head Hunter. Whole Foods (and GE) will no doubt have six packs of HH as well.

 

The McCandless Giant Eagle Market District isn't too bad either... (EDIT: maybe technically Pine?)

I'm confused. If you are willing to go downtown, and you don't mind an insane crowd on black friday, check out the south Side...basically right next to downtown...that's where fat heads is...as well as piper's pub and many, many other bars...but I stress the "if you don't mind big crazy crowds" part...especially on black friday.

 

That's cause everyone was in the South Side. ...it's the polar opposite of downtown as far as signs of life, believe me...

And also a good midway point between the north hills and south hills.