Pittsburgh’s beer renaissance
Not too long ago Pittsburgh was home to more Super Bowl trophies than breweries. In the mid-1900s, most of our region’s breweries couldn’t shake those same forces — consolidation, increasing costs, aging equipment and changing consumer tastes — that led to a sharp reduction in the number of active breweries across the United States.
The number of American breweries went down from more than 4,000 in the 1870s to fewer than 80 in the 1970s. Just a few stalwarts, such as Pittsburgh Brewing, maker of the iconic Iron City, survived the times.
My, how things have changed. The nation’s brewery rolls have swelled to more than 9,000, and nearly 50 of those now dot Allegheny County’s unique landscape. Why do we bring this up? Because the stunning growth of craft beer over the past 20 to 30 years has led many publications or “experts” to draft lists of top beer cities, and some of them don’t recognize the quality of our beers. An annoyed friend sent us an indignant message about one that ranked Pittsburgh 47th.
But we’re not here to question the veracity of listicles. We are here to raise a pint to Pittsburgh beer. Years of hard work, big risks, creative partnerships and — most important — consumer support have fueled the impressive growth of our region’s beer scene. That’s something that should make every Pittsburgher feel good.
The growth started sip by sip. In 1986, Penn Brewery opened its doors on the site of the former Eberhard & Ober Brewery in North Side and became one of the first craft breweries in Pennsylvania. Ten years later, Church Brew Works opened in what had been Lawrenceville’s St. John’s Church. In the early 2000s, East End Brewing joined the ranks.
Then things picked up steam. Multiple breweries have opened in the county every year from 2013 on. Although each has its own approach, collectively this group of breweries offers locals and visitors virtually all you want or need when it comes to beer.
We have breweries such as Allegheny City on the North Side, Inner Groove in Verona and Two Frays in Garfield that serve as local neighborhood haunts. We have breweries that offer full-service food menus, including Mindful in Castle Shannon, Spoonwood in Bethel Park and Hop Farm in Lawrenceville. We have breweries that specialize in particular styles, so you can grab a lager at Golden Age in Homestead, a mixed fermentation ale at Strange Roots in Millvale and olde world styles at Cobblehaus in Coraopolis.
Many of these and other local breweries appeal to dog lovers, bicycle riders and families. Many local breweries pair up with food trucks to make that symbiotic relationship between beer and food even more special.
Even several breweries with origins elsewhere — such as Sly Fox ( Eastern Pennsylvania), Southern Tier (Lakewood, N.Y.), and Aslin (Virginia) — have taken the time and effort to establish a meaningful presence here.
Of course, this region’s refreshed beer scene is regaining an old favorite. Pittsburgh Brewing, which had left its Lawrenceville brewery in 2009, is back in Allegheny County and brewing from a spectacular new facility along the Allegheny River in Creighton.
Perhaps most important, the quality of the beer stands out. A number of local breweries — including Sharpsburg’s Dancing Gnome, Braddock’s Brew Gentlemen, Blawnox’s Old Thunder and Millvale’s Grist House — have earned an overall rating of 4.0 or better on Untappd, an application that lets consumers rate beers and breweries.
The scene has grown so large it can be overwhelming. That’s why our group — the Pittsburgh Brewers Guild — created a passport-like guide to help beer fans find their way around. Visitors and locals use the guides regularly to map out stops. We have also partnered with VisitPITTSBURGH to promote our scene in other parts of the country.
Beyond the options and the quality, this region has become a force for change. Largely through the enormous efforts of local comedian and beer lover Day Bracey, Pittsburgh serves as host for Barrel & Flow, an annual festival that celebrates black- owned breweries and black artists from around the country. This event alone brings in hundreds of people from outside the region to explore the city and enjoy our beer. The next one will be held next year on Aug. 12.
Another festival, Pittsburgh Mixed Culture, emphasizes how beer can bring together people of different backgrounds. It’s hosted by hosted by Trace and Cinderlands.
And then there’s our own event, Three Rivers Beer Week, which starts on Saturday and runs through Sunday, Oct. 9.
We appreciate that many outside our region recognize what’s happening here in beer. The Brewers Association, a trade organization that represents and advocates for the more than 9,000 craft breweries in the nation, selected Pittsburgh as host this year for the first National Homebrewers Association Conference (“Homebrew Con”) since 2019.
The online publication American Craft Beer may have summed it up best in a story last year. “‘Steel City’ is maybe the most overlooked beer destination in the nation, but we don’t expect it to remain that way for long.” Cheers to that.