‘Burgh boasts small breweries crafting drafts

Pittsburgh is known for its rich and extensive history of industrial production,… Pittsburgh is known for its rich and extensive history of industrial production, championship-winning sports teams and … brewing. Although beer might not be the first Pittsburgh industry that comes to mind, the city has had an important presence in the brewing business since the 19th century. Today, there are several breweries, each distinctive in its own way, that continue to produce high quality beer within the city limits.

Sure, lots of American cities are full of breweries, but what makes Pittsburgh stand out? Historically, it’s been a leader in Pennsyvania brewing and has developed a modern brewing scene throughout the years. While each local brewery has its own answer to the question of why brewing in Pittsburgh is special, a look at both the historical breweries of the past and the innovative breweries of the present can demonstrate Pittsburgh’s brewing prowess.

The main producers in Pittsburgh brewing have historically consisted of a handful of iconic local breweries. Iron City Brewing Co., formed by German immigrants in 1861, is a prime example. Although the brand has become a symbol of the city, it recently moved production to Latrobe, Pa., following a change in ownership.

Duquesne Beer, another longtime Pittsburgh favorite that was brewed in the city between 1899 and 1972, has also recently moved production elsewhere. Both Iron City and Duquesne, however, continue to have strong ties to their Pittsburgh roots. Iron City, for example, maintains its headquarters in Pittsburgh, and the websites for both breweries emphasize their affiliations with the city.

Despite the relocation of two of Pittsburgh’s distinguished beer brands, there are still well-known, local breweries that produce within the city limits. One brewpub is the Pennsylvania Brewing Co. More commonly known as Penn Brewery, it was built by the German immigrant Eberhardt and Ober families in 1846 and produced its first beer in 1848.

Today, the brewery has moved back to its original site in the North Side; the arched “Penn Brewery” sign marks a series of connected brick buildings. Inside, there is a restaurant and full bar where a glass wall allows visitors to see the whirring, steaming kettles — complete with German writing — where the beer is brewed. This provides an unusual backdrop before which to enjoy a genuine German-style meal.

Dave Cerminara, a brewer who has been with Penn for about a year, said the brewery’s operation hasn’t changed much over the years. “We’re all traditional, everything,” he said, referring to the way that the brewery strives to stick to its German roots.

The Penn Brewery got its start in 1986, when it was instrumental in bringing craft beer to Pennsylvania, Cerminara said. Craft or microbreweries, unlike major corporations such as Budweiser and Coors, operate independently and are often associated with a higher quality product. Tom Pastorius, Penn Brewery’s current owner, worked to change laws so that breweries could both brew and serve beer on site.

“Literally, he changed the laws so that you can brew on premise,” Cerminara said. Thus, craft brewing in Pittsburgh was born.

Penn’s flagship beer is the Penn Pilsner. The National Beverage Tasting Institute Gold Medal-winning lager is described as smooth and mellow. In addition to its year-round beers, the brewery also offers seasonal concotions, such as the Oktoberfest Bier and the St. Nikolaus Bock.

Though Penn has expanded, now distributing beer both in bottles and on tap throughout the country, its German authenticity has not suffered. Cerminara said what makes brewing in Pittsburgh unique is the rivers’ pH levels. “Our water is like, dead on with Munich’s water,” he said, which means that it doesn’t need to be modified in order to produce a true German-style beer.

Other craft breweries have emerged in Pittsburgh more recently, particularly in the 1990s, when, according to East End Brewery’s Scott Smith, the post-Prohibition brewing scene began to surface in new ways. “In the ’90s, when the brewpub craze kinda hit, there was this buzz about beer that had flavor,” he said.

With a background in mechanical engineering, Smith started East End Brewing about seven years ago. “I had been home-brewing for about eight or nine years, and like everybody who’s brewed a batch of beer at home, there’s that little voice in your head that says, ‘Hey, maybe I can do this for a living.’” So he made the move from San Francisco to Pittsburgh. “I decided to quit my day job, and then start working on a business plan, which is not the sequence I recommend,” he joked.

Originally operated as a “one-man show” in Homewood, East End Brewery has grown considerably since its modest start and now has plans to expand to a brew house twice the size of the current one.

If you stop into the brewery during its open “growler hours,” you can taste samples while you decide which beer — or beers — you want to take home in one of East End’s reusable half-gallon growlers. You’ll also get a sense of the laid-back atmosphere maintained there. That is, if you can find the entrance, the only indication of which is a small sign on the door urging visitors to come in. “Our running gag was it’s a brewery disguised as an abandoned building,” Smith said. Don’t be deterred by appearances — a trip inside is well worth it.

The air in the tasting room, a small room directly connected to the brewing quarters, is thick with the aroma of freshly brewed beer. While filling mugs from behind a makeshift bar, Andy English, a volunteer, expressed the down-home, casual atmosphere of the brewery. “I get paid in beer and tips. That’s how it works here,” he said.

East End’s year-round offerings include everything from a hefeweizen with banana-like notes (the Monkey-Boy) to a dark but sweet stout (the Black Strap). Seasonal favorites are the Pedal Pale Ale, a hoppy summer beer, and the Snow Melt Winter Ale.

Things are working out pretty well for Smith and East End. There are now between 110 and 120 establishments throughout Western Pennsylvania with East End on tap, and, in addition to its brewing location in Homewood, the company has a growler shop located in the Strip District — the first of its kind in Pennsylvania.

Pittsburgh has some other special features to offer in terms of beer and breweries as well. South Side’s Hofbrauhaus, modeled on the one in Munich, is one of fewer than 10 locations the company maintains in the United States, and offers a variety of flavors of freshly brewed beer and a German-style bar room experience.

The Church Brew Works, a microbrewery and restaurant located in Lawrenceville, also offers a memorable encounter with beer. Converted from an old church to a brewery and opened in 1996, the restaurant features brewing kettles in a prominent position on the altar, providing an unexpected juxtaposition.

So what is it about Pittsburgh that makes it a good place for brewing? Smith said that Pennsylvania’s laws, which — unlike those of some neighboring states like New York — don’t allow the sale of beer in places like grocery and convenience stores, encourage consumers to drink more draft beer. For brewers like Smith, that’s a definite bonus.

“I’ve been brewing for a long time, and Pittsburgh is one of the best cities to brew in,” Cerminara said.