Published by Jeremy. Last Updated on September 20, 2022.
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Pittsburgh has breweries. It also has cocktail bars. But did you hear that Pittsburgh is now home to a cocktail brewery?
Goodlander Cocktail Brewery in Larimer combines the best elements of both of these styles of bars for a unique concept that puts cocktails on draft while also being available in growlers to go!
Naturally, it sounded right up our alley.
Cocktails on Draft at Goodlander Cocktails
When you hear the term “cocktail brewery”, odds are good you'll think of something close to the concept at Goodlander Cocktails. This bar features approximately a half-dozen premade cocktails (and a few non-alcoholic options as well) available via a draft system.
Most of the drinks here during our first visit were either plays on traditional cocktails (a la the Moscow Mule) or were simple well-style cocktails with fruit and other flavors added to a base spirit (like the Gin & Juice). These were then served into a standard highball glass full of ice within just a few seconds of ordering.
- We should note here that we have seen Goodlander Cocktails appear on other menus around town with slightly more involved cocktails than on the menu above.
While you could say these are somewhat straightforward, we can see how this system works. Simpler cocktails, premade in large batches, and served via draft allow for one key element that most cocktail bars struggle with- hitting a respectable price point. In our 2022 visit, most on-site beverages ran about $7-$8, small growlers were around $12-$13, and larger growlers clocked in at about $22-$24- roughly the same price you could expect to pay for beer at our local breweries!
So, how were the drinks? We tried three- Gin & Juice, Transfusion, and Sunset Highball.
The Gin & Juice was gin based with grapefruit, passion fruit, orange, and lime, and certainly lived up to its name. Flavorwise this reminded us a lot of a tiki-esque POG drink with the traditional guava swapped out for grapefruit. A nice little acidic kick from all the juices went nicely with the gin here.
The Transfusion was among the more interesting ones as it was made with vodka, concord grapes, ginger-ale, and lime. The strongest flavor in this one was most certainly the ginger-ale, but the grape added a nice sweetness and a subtle flavor twist that wasn't too overpowering (especially considering we're not really big fans of that particular grape at large).
The Sunset Highball was perhaps our favorite of the lot which was rum-based with raspberry, passion fruit, lime, and mint. This one had strong mojito vibes while also having a nice acid punch much like the Gin & Juice. Suffice it to say, they all went down as quickly as they were served.
While an ice-filled highball cocktail is not our standard go-to when we drink out at cocktail bars, there is something to be said about how it all simply works at Goodlander Cocktail Brewery. Easy drinking cocktails, served up by some incredibly friendly staff, in a comfortable and relaxing ambiance, for a rather reasonable price (where you can potentially have two for less than the cost of one cocktail at another bar)? We can be down for that when the mood strikes us.
So if you are looking for a different kind of no-frills cocktail bar experience in Pittsburgh, you know where to go- Goodlander Cocktail Brewery has hit the mark on this one!
Goodlander Cocktail Brewery is located at 6614 Hamilton Avenue in Larimer.