Alcohol

8 Breweries You Can Visit from a Bike Trail in Pittsburgh

Over the years, we've had a growing interest in biking, and have developed a love of finding more and more bike trails in Pittsburgh. As much as getting out on the trails for ten, twenty, or forty-plus mile rides is something we quite enjoy, we have to admit it is even better when we can finish the ride at a Pittsburgh brewery for a draft (or two).

Thankfully, our beer scene is quite well developed and there are a number of breweries where you can access them straight from a trail (or within a block or two max on city roads). In this one, we wanted to share all of the ones we've hit to date!

Note: Beyond breweries that are located right off of the bike trails, this article will also give shoutouts to other breweries that are close to the trails but may require a short drive or a longer ride on city roads to reach. The accessibility for bikes varies with these. Some have private parking lots and windows where you can keep an eye on your bikes mounted on your car. Others do not. Some are larger and may allow you to bring your bikes inside. Others may not. As such, you may want to look into the supplemental breweries mentioned a bit more to see if you'd feel comfortable taking your bike as all of their setups are different.

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Insurrection Ale Works Review – Go for the Beer, Stay for the Food

Our local breweries really run the spectrum in their offerings. If you are looking for a specific kind of experience, odds are good there is a brewery out there that matches your desire.

If a brewery with amazing beer and a robust food menu is something you need in your future, a trip to Insurrection Ale Works in Heidelberg is a must.

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Emerson’s Bar Review – A Cozy Space for Drinks in Downtown Pittsburgh

Emerson's Bar first started as a Christmas pop-up bar above Market Street Grocery in downtown Pittsburgh in late 2019, and was converted into a permanent bar space in early 2020 with a large and inviting space and a relatively straight forward bar menu.

So if you're in need of a cozy space to enjoy a drink with friends in downtown Pittsburgh, you may want to give this one a try!

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Drinking Your Way Around PA at Pennsylvania Libations

Pennsylvania liquor laws are weird. In fact, we'd go as far as saying they're awful. Between the state-run liquor stores, limited accessibility of beer and wine outside of producers and select sellers, and other oddities, finding a good bottle to enjoy in Pennsylvania does not come without its challenges.

Thankfully, some of the most archaic of regulations have been changing in recent years, and one such change has allowed for the creation of a unique store in the Strip District called Pennsylvania Libations (now with a second location in Shadyside, too!).

Their products? 100% Pennsylvania-made spirits.

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Mary’s Vine Review – A High-End Wine Bar in a Church

Mary's Vine is a high-end wine bar that opened in the Pittsburgh borough of Rankin in late 2019.

This one can be found in a converted church and provides an ambiance and wine selection that is truly unlike no other wine bar in the region.

So if strong attention to detail and an impressive (albeit expensive) wine selection is what you seek, a trip to Mary's Vine is a must.

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Cocktails from the Crypt Review – Halloween Themed Libations

In 2022, Cocktails from the Crypt will be located at 705 Liberty Avenue downtown and is opening on October 6th. The below review is from a visit of ours in a prior year when the bar was located in South Side.

Pittsburgh's Halloween season is in full force with a number of hauntingly fun attractions to enjoy. Naturally, some pop-up bars have jumped onto the scene to celebrate this spooky season with themed libations!

One of these themed bars is Cocktails from the Crypt, a South Side pop-up managed by Spencer Warren of The Warren (a popular cocktail bar in downtown Pittsburgh).

I checked this one out shortly after it opened for its limited run and share a bit more on what the bar and cocktails are like below! 

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CJ Big Pour Beer Festival – Our Kind of Fundraiser (With Beer)

Construction Junction is one of our favorite re-use centers in Pittsburgh, and every year the facility puts on a fundraiser in the form of a beer festival known as the CJ Steel City Big Pour.

We've been wanting to attend this one for a while, but the relatively expensive ticket prices had kept us away for a while (it is still a fundraiser, after all). But while it took us a bit longer than we would've liked to finally attend this one, we made it happen and attended the afternoon session of Big Pour #13.

Armed with our glasses, our necklace cupholders, and a thirst, we hit the festival to see what it is all about.

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Bridges & Bourbon Review – Elevating Pittsburgh’s Craft Cocktail Scene

Bridges & Bourbon opened in Pittsburgh's Cultural District in June 2019 and was a much-awaited cocktail bar due to their strong lead-up on social media.

The bar focuses on high-end cocktails with some rather interesting flair and novelties thrown into the mix as well, making it rather unique in Pittsburgh's cocktail bar scene!

We were guests of Bridges & Bourbon for a media preview event and wanted to share some of the great cocktails we tried in this one!

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26 of the Best Cocktail Bars in Pittsburgh for a Libation

Almost everyone is down for a good cocktail, and we are spoiled with a number of truly awesome cocktail bars in Pittsburgh that specialize in these creative beverages.

We've been exploring many of the best cocktail bars in recent years, and today we want to share a list of some of the best. So if fortified libations are in your future, check out one of the following!

As per all of our guides, the following is a list of cocktail bars we've personally visited. As we find more, we'll update this guide accordingly!

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