5 breweries opened in 2019 that are still going strong

In honor of NEXTpittsburgh’s 10-year anniversary, we’re looking back on our top stories of the last decade and sharing them again to show how much has changed (and stayed the same) over the years. This post was originally published on June 11, 2019.

In Pittsburgh, you’ll find a craft brewery cranking out liquid gold in just about every neighborhood. If your summer itinerary includes stops at popular hops-spots, here are some new and soon-to-open places to add to your list.

Like the German town that shares its name, Heidelberg loves its beer. This microbrewery is helping promote the high-octane history of the tiny town with offerings such as Heidelberg Racetrack Red (the town was home to a serious racetrack back in the ’50s). Check the Facebook page for updated hours, grab a growler and fuel up. Prost!

Turn the stereo up to 11 to celebrate Inner Groove’s grand opening on June 15. Named after the spot on a vinyl record where bands lay hidden tracks, the 4,000-square-foot space (complete with a patio!) will be a destination for brews and tunes this summer. Bring your own grub, order in from nearby restaurants or hit up one of the food trucks idling outside. Rock ‘n’ roll!

Inner Groove opened a second tap room in Allentown in 2022.

The Eastern Pennsylvania-based brewery is setting up two locations in Pittsburgh this summer. While work continues on its nearly 6,000-square-foot restaurant in The Highline development on the South Side, a smaller Downtown satellite will debut on Liberty Avenue in the next few weeks. Can’t wait to grab a cold one? During the Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival, they’ll be set up outside of their new venue to pour Vulpulin IPA and Helles Golden Lager.

The owners of Bellevue’s first brewery hope to supply beer to the formerly dry borough by July. For more than a year, an army of volunteers has helped transform the century-old building into this beautiful tavern. There will be 12 taps with six staple beers, five rotating seasonals and one “community collection” choice that head beer-maker Grant Saylor will concoct with a local home brewer.

The gang at Acrospire is busy fine-tuning recipes and building out its Glenshaw space. The three friends — who have more than 20 years of brewing experience among them — hope to start pouring pints and filling growlers this fall.

Their Etna site won’t open until (fingers crossed) early 2020, but the folks at CoStar are true rock stars when it comes to getting their beer to the masses. As they navigate the zoning and permitting process, you can regularly grab one of their cold ones at Smallman Galley and Federal Galley, Bulldog Pub, Butterjoint, Driftwood Oven and other locations where craft is king. Keep an eye on CoStar’s social media to see which of their beers is where.

Update: CoStar still hasn’t opened its site at the beginning of 2024. The good news is, it’s well on its way. The brewery posts updates and photos to its Facebook page.

Tiny Garfield is getting a big brewery. By late summer, the plan is that Platform Beer Co. will open the doors to its two-story, 10-barrel production facility with a canning line, walk-in cooler, 100-seat taproom/restaurant and an event space. Recently, the Cleveland-based beer gurus teamed up with local favorite Prantl’s Bakery to create a burnt almond torte blonde ale, allowing Pittsburghers to have their cake and drink it, too.

This small, sleek tasting room opened on the borough’s main drag in April. Along with a variety of hard ciders and meads (honey wines), Stonewall co-owner Joshua Niese whips up unique drinks he’s sampled while globetrotting. Forget margaritas and order a Paco’s Tapache, a Mexican beverage made with pineapple.

While Stonewall is currently closed, its Facebook page implies a potential reopening in the future.