Full Pint Archives | I 💛 PGH

Even though today is International Beer Day, it’s a great chance to go local with these Pittsburgh businesses that know and love beer.

Brew Gentlemen
Coming soon to Braddock, this promising venture is a collaboration between two CMU grads. They’re working on getting a full production brewery set up, and are eventually planning to add a taproom and lounge. Even though it’s not open yet, it’s totally worth keeping an eye on!

church brew works interior (Photo credit: calamity_hane)

Church Brew Works
While their beer is tasty and their food menu interesting, the most impressive thing about Church Brew Works is the building. Located inside an old church in Lawrenceville, the beautifully restored architecture steals the show as you sip on one of their award-winning beers.

Copper Kettle Brewing Company
This place is truly unique: as the only brew-on-premise in Pennsylvania, customers can use Copper Kettle’s equipment, ingredients, recipes, and expertise to brew and bottle their own beer. Perfect for people who may be intimidated by home brewing or simply don’t want to deal with the hassle, Copper Kettle is located in Greenfield as an extension of craft beer bar Hough’s.

East End Brewing Company
A small microbrewery, East End isn’t exactly a pub where you can sit down for a beer. However, you can fill up growlers of their delicious home brews at their daily growler hours, at both their brewery and in the Strip District at the Pittsburgh Public Market. You can also find many of their beers at your favorite bar or restaurant– check out this list of places that have dedicated a tap to East End beers.

Full Pint Brewing Company
Located in North Versailles, Full Pint is both a brewery and a pub. Go on a tour of the brewery or stop by for a pint or growler of one of their many craft beers, plus check out their newly launched food menu. Fellow Yinztern Ian wrote a great, more in-depth review of the pub.

PA Brew Tours
If you want to skip the hassle of organizing your own trip or designating a driver, then these beer tours are for you. They provide a ride to local breweries and pubs, a behind-the-scenes tour (when possible), and good food for the ride. Best of all, a portion of their profits is donated to the Wounded Warrior Project.

Penn Brewery
Modeled after the traditional beer gardens of Germany, Penn Brewery (aka the Pennsylvania Brewing Company) features craft beers, homemade food, and a historic setting. Oktoberfest in September is a roaring good time with music, dancing, German food, and, of course, tons of beer.

Rivertowne
With several restaurants located in and around Pittsburgh, Rivertowne sells lots of different beers including their own that they brew locally. You can check out any of their restaurants (which feature full menus), take a tour, or grab a six pack, case, or keg at the brewery.

South Hills Brewing Supply
Ready to tackle brewing your own beer at home? South Hills Brewing Supply has everything you need to get started with your first home brew, to perfect that recipe, or to get crazy with experimental beverages. It’s definitely your best bet in the Pittsburgh area for home brew supplies.

Walking into Full Pint Brewing, located off of Route 30 (near Rivertowne), I wasn’t quite sure what to think. I’ve read plenty about the craft beer they produce and how great it is, and visiting the brewery and the pub has been on my Summer to-do list for some time. However, I was kind of thrown by the location and nature of it, in a good way. The brewery and pub are tucked away on the hillside and kind of difficult to see from the road. Walking up to the warehouse, all of the garage doors were wide open. I could see the kettles and busy people working to box the products. The pub area is sort of just a “come on in and check us out” kind of area, and the casual nature of Full Pint is really awesome.

Pub Entrance to Full Pint Brewing

There wasn’t anyone else in the pub except for another guest enjoying a beer at the bar. Because of his friendliness, knowledge of the brewery, and comfortable attitude, I just assumed he was an owner. He wasn’t, but he was still helpful.

Ironically, I found while writing this post, he’s Eric Starkey– the host of the YouTube channel “Beers in the Burgh.” And he did a great spot on Full Pint a couple of months ago which highlights parts of the brewery, the brewing process, the types of beers offered, and some of the owners:

Beers in the Burgh has some other great spotlights on other local brewers. Check out their channel, like them on Facebook, and follow them on Twitter.

Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to take a tour of my own. The brewery was very busy, probably in preparation for the inaugural “Pittsburgh Summer Beerfest” at Stage AE TODAY and tomorrow, in which Full Pint will be featured. Ticket information is available here.

Decisions, decisions..

I did sample a few of the beers, however, including the “All In Amber,” “Little Brown Ale,” “Spruce Ale,” and the 2012 Great American Beer Festival Bronze Medalist and 2013 World Beer Competition Silver Medalist “White Lightning,” and ended up having a “full pint” (ouch) of the latter, award-winning Belgian-style white ale.

Along with the open, comfortable pub atmosphere with seemingly limitless drink options, Full Pint will be expanding their pub menu to include food as well. Right now they offer house made pizzas (which one of the founders talks about in the video above-it sound delicious), but a full pub menu will be available August 1.

The wall behind the bar in the pub was stacked with stickers of other local brewers, bars, and businesses from the Pittsburgh area which was another awesome thing about Full Pint: the hometown feel and authenticity of the place. The people I met were nice, knowledgeable, and very helpful. The whole place just has this really unique feel to it. As evidenced above, the names and label designs of the beers are all really cool and creative. The label for “White Lightning” even features a fictional version of one of Full Pint’s founders.

Customers can come in and grab a drink or two like I did, however full purchases of cases, six-packs (custom variety packs are available as well), clothing, and soon to be food are also available. So if you’re ever in the North Versailles area, pop into Full Pint Brewing and see what it’s all about– I know I’ll be going back.