Top 15 Places to Drink Beer in Pittsburgh

There is no city in North America that loves its colors of black and gold more than the Steel City. The city of Pittsburgh is home to many great points of interest: the historic Duquesne Incline, the Andy Warhol Museum, the Mattress Factory Museum, the Senator John Heinz History Center and the Bicycle Heaven Museum.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg! Pittsburgh is a blue-collar, beer drinker’s destination, and the blue-collar lifestyle embodies Pittsburgh’s rich traditions. There are 15 great places in the city where the love of beer is incredibly deep. These are breweries where tradition flows like molten steel. They are pioneers continuously casting new traditions, and revolutionizing Pittsburgh’s tourism industry.

Allegheny City Brewing
The goal at Allegheny City Brewing is to provide world-class beer in a hyper-neighborhood environment. The brewery thrives to be a place that has a beer option for everyone. Known for brewing lots of hazy IPAs, fruited sours, big stouts and plenty of experimental ales. Further, Allegheny City carries a handful of flagships, but the balance of its 12-tap draft system is always rotating something new and fresh. Further, Allegheny City is dog friendly.

Cinderland’s Foederhouse
Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville neighborhood is home to the city’s finest of the up-and-coming breweries. Cinderland’s Foederhouse is the original craft brewery and scrap kitchen. In a self-made city like Pittsburgh, rebirth happens through every citizen's decision to start something new and pursue progress at home. Cinderland’s is known for making beer and food that reflects the diversity of the surrounding community, which is simultaneously contemporary, high-quality and inventive. Aside from those attributes, making beer and food is kept serious and fun. Cinderland’s captures the evolving spirit of the IPA even as they oscillate back to the lagers and ales that took the world by storm.

Church Brew Works
Known as Pittsburgh’s finest restaurant and microbrewery, Church Brew Works is dedicated to producing traditional handcrafted beer using only the finest and freshest ingredients. The microbrewery is located inside the former St. John The Baptist Church on Liberty Avenue. Church Brew Works features 4 award-winning house beers brewed on site, plus two ales and two lagers. The restaurant menu features a fine selection of beer-inspired appetizers and entrees, a tribute to western Pennsylvania’s fine cuisine. Church Brew Works earned the 2019 Gold Medal and 2016 Bronze Medal at the Los Angeles International-Commercial Beer Competition. In 2012, Church Brew Works was recognized at the Great American Beer Festival as the Large Brewpub of The Year.

Couch Brewery
Why would anyone name a brewery after a piece of furniture? The answer is simple: it’s the best place to drink a beer! Its founders wanted to make a place where every seat is comfortable and visitors could spend hours with friends. Couch Brewery's laid-back, homey vibe is unlike any other brewery’s. It is retro, vintage, disco-like and even a little bit “kitschy.” Arguably, they brew some of the finest beer in Pennsylvania – and some of the finest spirits, wine, mead and ciders to boot.

Dancing Gnome Brewery
Across the Allegheny River from the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium is Dancing Gnome. The brewery opened in October 2016 to bring the Steel City a mélange of hoppy offerings. With hops at the forefront, and a dedication to design and quality processing, they focus on direct-to-consumer packaged products while creating a welcoming taproom for on-premises enjoyment. Since inception, Dancing Gnome has expanded their liquid portfolio to include a wide range of quality products to suit any palate. Dancing Gnome is currently the top-rated brewery in the state of Pennsylvania. In 2017, Dancing Gnome was nominated and placed 3rd for best new Brewery in the U.S.

Eleventh Hour Brewing Co.
Eleventh Hour is located a short walk from the historic Arsenal Park, in the Lawrenceville neighborhood. The brewery features a 20-bbl brewing system. Eleventh Hour’s taproom is always flowing with delicious brews and food trucks in its lot for all visitors’ hungry needs. Further, Eleventh Hour features 12 taps in a 1,300-square foot taproom.

Grist House Craft Brewery
At Grist House, it’s all about a family with one completely insane dream. Grist House was made possible by support of friends and family. This is a place where drinking buddies become lifelong friends, and regulars become family. Every beer brewed is a way of expressing thanks to all those that made this fine brewery possible. Whether they’re holding a hammer or just holding a beer, visitors are invited to bring family, friends and even their dog. At Grist House, everyone is welcome.

Hitchhiker Brewing Co.
Hitchhiker was established in May 2014 on a 3-bbl (93 gallons) electric system in the basement of its Mt. Lebanon taproom. All of Hitchhiker’s beer is brewed on a 15-bbl (465 gallons) steam system. Their cellar is comprised of four 15-bbl fermenters and a 30-bbl brite tank. Hitchhiker’s beer is simply one-of-a-kind – a journey into the world one step at a time. The brewery produces a beer for every mile marker, both respecting the old and discovering the new.

Hop Farm Brewing Co.
Hop Farm was established in 2013. They are the only brewery in Pittsburgh that has dedicated Hop acreage. They were the first canned craft beer in Allegheny County. Hop Farm is family owned, a mom and pop, with 3 children that are familiar and educated within the industry. Hop Farm uses local resources as ingredients (whenever possible). When necessary, they grow ingredients themselves. Among those ingredients is used basil in its LimeBasil Saison, which is a zesty creation with a spicy, citrus twist. Unlike breweries that focus on the volume of beer produced, Hop Farm focuses on quality. Quality is first and foremost before anything else, which includes marketing. Because of that focus, the kitchen is zero waste – recycling 95% of all of its waste. Their knowledgeable beer staff guides visitors through a great experience at both locations. Hitchhiker remains committed to brewing the best beer possible with the lowest environmental impact.

Iron City Beer
Every native Pittsburgher knows Iron City Beer and its parent, Pittsburgh Brewing Co. The world knows them too, even if they don’t know them by name. Iron City Beer and Pittsburgh Brewing Company are longtime pioneers in the beer industry. They are pioneers of the snap-top can, the re-sealable twist-off cap, and featuring local sports teams’ icons on the cans. Further, they co-engineered with Alcoa the invention of the first-ever aluminum beer bottle. Iron City has its connections with other famous northeastern beers. They initially helped Samuel Adams by contract brewing for them at their Lawrenceville brewery. At home in Pittsburgh, Iron City is a cornerstone of the region’s hardworking identity. Visitors will find the red bullseye logo scattered across bar windows and bottle shops, stamped on shirts and chilling in the basement fridge of many a loyal Yinzer. Iron City Light is popular at PNC Park, PPG Arena, at Steelers tailgates and at every bona fide sports bar in the city. With ownership back in the hands of a Pittsburgher, the brand is determined to continue building its legacy of trend setting, innovation and Pittsburgh community.

Mindful Brewing Co.
Mindful Brewing takes commitment seriously. The brewery’s commitment to the consumer is that they will always use local ingredients whenever possible and will strive to make every batch of beer live up to not only customer’s standards, but theirs as well. Mindful Brewing has a commitment to the industry to stay independent and keep craft beer the way it should be. There’s a lot of science behind the brewing business, but the brewers at Mindful keep as much art in their craft as possible. The proof is in the beer. Mindful’s beer recipes range in style, color, taste and alcohol content. Among the favorites in Pittsburgh, Mindful Brewing is always constantly producing both their year-round favorites as well as special one-off beers that drinkers can only try at the brewery.

Penn Brewery
Established in 1986, Penn Brewery is the oldest and largest craft brewery in Pittsburgh. Penn specializes in classic German beer styles, but produces a wide variety of beers including lagers, ales, porters, stouts and experimental batch beers. Penn’s beers have won a total of 21 Great American Beer Festival and World Cup Beer Medals. Penn’s flagship location on Pittsburgh’s North Side is housed in a 19^th Century historic landmark building complex that was originally built by German immigrants. It features an authentic German bierhalle, an outdoor cobblestone biergarten and rare original lagering caves. The Penn Brewery’s restaurant specializes in “Euro-Pittsburgh” cuisine, with a nod to both traditional dishes such as schnitzel, pierogi, potato pancakes and wurst, along with modern Pittsburgh classics such as french fry-topped salad. Besides its flagship location, the Penn Brewery has satellite locations in downtown Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh International Airport.

Roundabout Brewery
The story behind Roundabout is anything but typical. The brewer wanted to open his own place after working for breweries in FL, HI, CA, CO, MO, New Zealand and three in PA. It took a period of 10 years and a couple of brewery jobs to make it happen. The support from other local breweries and businesses have chipped in, providing their insight and knowledge. After many trials and tribulations, Roundabout Brewery is now thriving as part of the vibrant Pittsburgh brewing community. Roundabout Brewery also features the Pop-up Beer Garden, located on the North Side portion of the Three Rivers Heritage Trail, a 24-mile path connecting visitors with the city’s historic highlights. Further information can be discovered here.

Southern Tier Brewing Co. 
Founded in Lakewood, New York in 2003, Southern Tier opened up its first satellite location in Pittsburgh in 2017. The brewery is known for brewing world-class hoppy ales and decadent dessert beers alike, but what many folks know is the experience they take away from their visit. At Southern Tier, visitors can expect the fulfilling culinary and craft beverage experience. Their full kitchen aims to pair each house-made dish, from sweet to savory, with handcrafted brews. What patrons see inside their walls is a German-designed Krones Micro Cube capable of cranking out about 8.5 bbls per turn (10hL to be exact.) Beside that, patrons note eight 25 hL fermenters. They brew special one-off beers locally (some that will stay local and some that will go into full production in Lakewood), local collaborations, and beers that are just plain fun. Of the 30 taps in house, a few will be from friends and partners at Victory Brewing Company and Sixpoint Brewery.

Spring Hill Brewing 
Spring Hill Brewing is off the beaten path. Geographically speaking, the brewery is located in the hills of Pittsburgh's Northside, in an old German social club with a gorgeous view of downtown. Their cozy taproom features 7 taps of thirst-quenching session ales that, by design, eschew BJCP guidelines. Owner and brewer Greg Kamerdze prefers making beer that is also "off the beaten path," mixing and matching archaic farmhouse brewing traditions from around the world with a unique blend of Lithuanian, Norwegian and Belgian yeast strains. Occasionally, lactobacillus makes an appearance as well.

Pittsburgh is far more than just a talk-tough city with steel factories where local sports reigns supreme. Pittsburgh’s blue-collar mentality is the foundation from which its passion for beer is born. Each and every brewery, big and small, share something unique and special with tourists from all over the world. From lagers, to stouts, to ales, to porters along with other favorites, Pittsburgh is a like riding on “It’s a Small World” in Walt Disney World – except with beer! Steeped in history, Pittsburgh is constantly forging a tradition for the 21^st Century, the tradition of beer brewing, coupled with the love of beer-drinking. Ultimately, Pittsburgh is a city steeped in tradition that flows like molten steel glowing in the thick of night.