Early Spring in the Lawrenceville neighborhood of Pittsburgh is mild and cloudy. The rain seems to be a constant threat, but fails to actually fall, which is nice if you’re walking to as many breweries as you can in one day like I was. My partner was getting tattoo work done at Hannah Aitchison’s Curiosity Shop, so I made a beer tourist agenda. I had a short list of three breweries I definitely wanted to hit and would play it by ear (or liver) after that.
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Getting Around Lawrenceville
Located in the northeastern part of Pittsburgh, Lawrenceville is a historic neighborhood that has undergone significant transformation in recent years. Originally settled in the late 1700s, it was home to a diverse population of immigrants and blue-collar workers throughout much of the 20th century.
While I traveled alone, I definitely encountered familiar faces at my stops which suggests to me that this area is a strong destination for beer travel. Overall, I can see why – one can easily hit five breweries without getting in a car if one is not picky or looking at Untappd ratings. In honor of you, fine reader, I would never be so cavalier.
Speaking of walking, Lawrenceville is very hilly. You’ve been warned. It’s also very clean. The sidewalks are rough going as the the surface alternates between cobblestones, broken, and unbroken concrete. Butler Street is littered with eclectic shops, charming cafés, bakeries, and eateries. One barely needs to deviate from this path to enjoy lots of brews and great dining.
In recent years, Lawrenceville has also emerged as a hub for street art, with murals and installations adorning many buildings throughout the area. The neighborhood boasts a mix of historic row houses, modern condos, and renovated industrial buildings that reflect its eclectic personality.
Lawrenceville Beer
I found that every brewery I visited foregoes (“forewent”?) any sort of flight offering and instead opts for individual pricing on smaller pours. Fine by me, but you can tell the bartenders get tired of being asked.
I’m not sure if it’s a seasonal thing, but Spring in this neighborhood of Pittsburgh means you will struggle to find anything darker than a cream ale on draft. I went to three breweries and it was only once the food truck guys recommended a place I was even able to find so much as a dark Dark English Mild (Grist House) or even encountered some meaningful variety.
In any case, I made an attempt to stick to Lawrenceville, for the convenience of walking on a cloudy Spring Saturday, but eventually broke down and Lyfted over the river to Millvale to get away from “IPAland”. I’m told that Pittsburgians don’t like to go across bridges or through tunnels to get places, but I had to.
So let’s start there.
Day One
Grist House Craft Brewery
Yeah, this is going to be biased. I only came here looking for darker fare and it was nice to finally find it.
The Dark Twister () is listed as a Vanilla Porter, but I’m gonna say the vanilla is pretty subtle. It’s good, on the syrup-y side, and admittedly a bit of a slog to drink a 10 oz. pour.
I felt that London Crawling (), the Dark English Mild, deviated from the style a bit too much for my liking, but still a refreshing change from the Pales and Hazies I had to escape from.
Grist House occupies a generous side street block with a ton of outdoor seating. Inside is big with a standard “bar and table with garage doors” layout. It was by far the busiest of the breweries I visited on my random early Spring Saturday. Lots of families with kids and dogs, so bring the leashes and water bowls. If you want to keep your dogs in check and hydrated, bring that stuff too.
Trace Brewing
Big points for style at Trace. It’s a cool taproom. Low scores for variety. In fact, at the time of my visit, they were pouring nearly as many guest taps, from breweries I’d already visited, as their own. Considering the amount of space they have, this is surprising. Their corner establishment also serves as a coffee spot, so they may be less concerned with being a neighborhood taproom.
The staff was extremely standoffish and shrugged off my questions very quickly. I was offered an imperial stout in a bottle. I imagined a fast-forward montage that ended with me passed out on the bed of our AirBnB while my partner’s unanswered text inquiries as to my whereabouts beep away on my phone, wherever that landed. I’ll stick with yellow for now, thank you.
I ordered the Pinhole Cream Ale (), which was quite nice, but even that was a collab with another brewery, so who knows what they do here. I mean, I saw the brewing vessels, but it was dark and quiet back there.
I got waffle fries from the aforementioned food truck and was on my way.
Eleventh Hour
I mean, hard pass. Twelve taps with 1/3 of them being some sort of IPA/PA/NEIPA and another two of hard seltzer. Their Eleven Eleven () lager had a nice malt-forward, bready feel, but otherwise, it was clear who their audience was. This place is chasing the trends and doesn’t care who knows it.
Big space. Lots of outdoor seating. Probably a good spot to watch a game. If you’ve ever been to multiple breweries in one day, there’s always that last one you can fit in. Eleventh Hour wants to be that stop. It’s all right there in their menu and certainly implied by their name.
Cinderlands Foederhouse
I’ll admit, I started out strong with my first stop. Cinderlands is a fucking destination if foeder-aged Saisons and Golden Ales are your jam. In fact, it’s the only place I made a bottle purchase.
I also went here first because they have a full kitchen with a spectacular brunch. My lox potato pancakes were the perfect start to a day of imbibery and urban hiking.
The beer menu is divided into a handful of specials, their Saison offerings, and a section called “Dad Beer” which kinda made me want to avoid. I started with a 5 oz. pour of their foeder-aged Gregg () and my brain went to “Oh shit, Pittsburgh’s got it going ON!”
I walked out with a bottle of Gregg and their 2021 Cayuga from the Hill & Hollow series.
Strange Roots Experimental Ales
Saving the best for last, I’m in the Millvale neighborhood and visiting Strange Roots isn’t even off the beaten path, especially if you’re coming from Grist House. It’s well worth the short walk.
While smaller in scale, they also had a decent amount of outdoor seating. The staff was super nice and it was a great spot to recharge and chill.
You’d be hard pressed to find a still-served, cask-blended Saison elsewhere in the area. This was Biere De Coupage () and it was delightful. At nearly 7%, you would do well, as I did, to take your time sipping this small batch gem.
To call their Tripel Wit () an “Imperial Blue Moon” would do it disservice. This is a rock solid, citrus-y Belgian Tripel that just happens to be brewed with orange peel and coriander.
Strange Roots is also the only brewery at which I was compelled to buy a shirt.
Harold’s Haunt
If you thought I would walk past a bar called “Harold’s Haunt” and NOT stop in, you’d be nuts. Turns out it’s an ultra-inclusive, historically-significant local bar you’d be remiss to walk past.
I ordered a North County Station 33 Firehouse Red and it was a rock solid local Irish if ever I had one.
Day Two
The Church Brew Works
Five breweries seemed like enough for one day, but for the next day, I talked my partner into making just one more stop.
It took six breweries, but I finally found a stout on draft! The Church is just that – a gorgeously renovated church turned into a beer hall. Cavernous ceilings, ornate pillars, stained glass, and places to repent are all here.
The food was… food. Neither of us was impressed. It’s sad that the basket of fries you shared was the highlight, but we’re also vegetarians. They may well be known for their more carnivorous offerings. No, I won’t let them off the hook: I had to fix the beer cheese sauce. How do you screw THAT up?
The Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout () was very good. It’s served super cold, but once it gets closer to temp, the barrel is nice and bourbon makes a strong showing.
I had several 5 oz. tasters here. They were all solid enough. Not particularly adventurous, but you don’t always have to be. Highlights were the Irish Strong Ale () and the Bell Tower Brown Ale (). Both rock solid examples of their respective styles.
The Session Saison () had more of a Hefeweizen flavor to it.
There were German influences in the decor, mostly Oktoberfest-style flags, so I was expecting more from the Pious Monk Dunkel ().
So there you have it. Don’t say we didn’t prepare you for a little Pittsburgh brewery hopping. Hopefully we gave you some ideas on places to hit and others to avoid.
If we missed a must-visit spot, let us know in the comments. There’s lots to love about the Lawrenceville area and I may very well be back!
https://www.visitpittsburgh.com/neighborhoods/lawrenceville/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrenceville_%28Pittsburgh%29
