Welcome to THEbreweryauthority's take on the the craft beer scene in the Steel City! The brewery scene of Pittsburgh would be tops in the state if it wasn't for the Philadelphia beer scene which is near the top in, not only the country, but the world. Actually, Pittsburgh would be #1 in most other states and for the size of the city there may be more breweries per capita. Like Philadelphia, Pittsburgh has a vast treasure trove of breweries and taprooms from the downtown area to the neighborhoods and reaching all the way to the suburbs.
This article will delve into the many pros of Pittsburgh as well as a few cons that you should be made aware of. Let's start with the pros. There are quite a few!
Pros
Let's start with the obvious. If you are looking for quantity then Pittsburgh is for you. East, west, north, south and downtown you will find a great number of breweries. After four visits to the Steel City we have only now been able to grasp an understanding of the beer culture there. Throughout our exploration of the area its safe to say we never really encountered a "bad" brewery. Sure some are better than others, but there's fun to be had at each one!
What about the beer? How does it compare to Philly, New England, and other big cities in the U.S.? Pittsburgh ranks quite high on the list for beer quality and is right on par with Philly. Plenty of breweries have those hazy and juicy IPAs that hop lovers adore. But many of those same places have finely crafted vienna lagers, kolschs, and other traditional styles that are receiving higher demand. Looking for a darker beer? You can bet you will find a roasty stout on a menu, but now we are seeing alternatives like dark Czech lagers and brown ales that have made a resurgence. What a great day and age to be a taste bud!
So we have plenty of breweries with great beer. Factor in the added bonus of them all being located closely together and you have a recipe for a great time. Pittsburgh even has a few areas where you can easily walk to 3 or 4 breweries (or more if you really like walking). Even if you don't like to walk most breweries are a short drive or short Uber ride away. If you are staying a few nights try and grab a hotel downtown. Here you are centrally located with a ridiculous amount of breweries within arms reach. Plus, the downtown area has some great beer bars and other attractions.
Also, Pittsburgh seems more like a small town compared to its eastern PA counterpart. Going from one side of town to the other may only take a few minutes rather than an hour or more in Philadelphia. For instance, hopping from Inner Groove in the Allentown section of Pittsburgh to Spring Hill Brewing north of the city only took 10 minutes in normal traffic conditions. Not bad!
Cons
The other con is the Pittsburgh neighborhoods. Usually when we travel to a city we skip the touristy attractions and scope out the neighborhoods to get a real feel for the culture of a city. After all this is where many of the great local breweries call home. Sure every city has rough areas, but it seemed as though every single neighborhood of Pittsburgh has seen better days. This is just a minor hiccup of the Pittsburgh brewery scene and should in no way deter you from exploring, just a fact you should be aware of.
Must Visit Breweries
Like we stated earlier, there are no "bad" breweries in Pittsburgh. Some of our favorite breweries are the small local watering holes. However, if you are a first time visitor there are a few MUST VISIT breweries that need to be on your list.
Church Brew Works - This was our very first "church" brewery and it set the bar for all other church breweries. This brewery has been around since the 1990s and has been a destination brewery ever since. There's no other brewery in Pittsburgh that is more awe inspiring. Make reservations or go during a slow time because seats fill up quick!
Dancing Gnome - THEbreweryauthority doesn't visit many breweries twice. Dancing Gnome is the exception. We make a point to stop by every time we are in town so we can try some of the best hazy IPAs in the city and get a case or so of beer to go. With the newly opened, bigger and better brewery there's even more reason to visit!
Eleventh Hour - If you are lucky enough to find a parking space near Eleventh Hour then you are in for a treat. Set inside an old brick warehouse this is one of the local breweries you need to check out. Great beers in an authentic, gritty taproom.
Grist House - This is just another brewery with some great IPAs in a truly unique setting. The biergarten is an old concrete foundation and the whole experience seems more like a festival than a brewery taproom!
Spoonwood - If you're looking for a brewery with a full food menu then head just outside of town and visit Spoonwood. It's a sleek, brand new facility with a full selection of beer and some mouth watering food.
Brew Gentlemen - Technically in Braddock PA Brew Gentlemen is an oasis in a less than visually appealing town with some artisan beers.
Final Thoughts
There you have it....THEbreweryauthority's take on the Pittsburgh beer scene. If you are looking for a less hectic and more blue collar brewery trip then Pittsburgh won't disappoint! The beers rival almost any other city or region in the United States and the breweries themselves are all so unique with their own character. If you were on the fence about traveling to Pittsburgh for a beercation then I hoped we helped nudge you in the right direction!
For more brewery info and reviews check out our Instagram @THEbreweryauthority
Thanks for reading. Cheers!
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