Review Detail

On a hot Saturday night in June (Saturday, June 12, 2021), I traveled across the North Hills of Pittsburgh to Millvale to meet a friend for a late evening craft beer at the Grist House Craft Brewery. This day featured a nearby event, the Millvale Music Festival, which I intended to grace beforehand. That didn't happen. 

I won't get into details, but I have a relative that lives in Millvale, and when I was on the way to the festival, I saw him on his porch. Next thing you know, we're having a drink, and the music festival can wait until next time. However, there would be no missing my night at the Grist House Craft Brewery. 

My friend was already waiting when I arrived. He had found a big barrel table recently vacated, and this was good luck as the spacious open lot of the Grist House Craft Brewery was filled with folks, mostly teeshirt and khaki shorts-wearing everyday folks, younger for sure, and some with dogs leashed at their side. It was a summer hipster beer vibe and we were digging it. 

Having secured our barrel table, my beer buddy and I went to a pour truck set up nearer the entrance. You can get a beer here or proceed to their covered patio, which provides access to an enclosed bar area. Credit cards are welcome. Gift cards are available too.

I can't remember the exact name of the beer I had, but it was a crisp, fresh, and balanced citrus IPA. I want to say it was space-themed, as in UFOs or something like that. The alcohol content was about 7 percent, a sweet spot for a craft beer, at least for my dollar. Much higher beers have more bite, and for my beer dollar, I like something a little punchier than lager and not quite a three-day bender starter. I want to say that my friend had a Cactus Juice IPA, and he liked it enough to order another, and maybe, another. Who is to say exactly how many. Hmm. 

My buddy Ubered down too, which cost him about $16 from the Point Breeze area. Earlier in the day, he griped that when he checked up for a 10-minute ride to Grist House, it was around $30, but that was likely due to the Millvale Music Festival. 

I drove the Jeep Wrangler with the top down and parked about a block or two away, conveniently right before another bar. I love Millvale. The neighborhood surrounding the Grist House Craft Brewery is tried and authentic Pittsburgh. 

This view from the Grist House is oddly weird and cool because scenic sites tend to be labeled such from the perspective of being up high on a vista looking down. Still, there is something extraordinary about drinking in an open industrial lot gazing up at the rim of row houses that grow like the trees on the banks of the Millvale's crowning slopes and hills. 

If you are a craft beer lover looking for a fantastic outdoor place to enjoy a craft beer in a casual summer setting, you can't go wrong with the Grist House Craft Brewery in Millvale. 

The beer is fresh, crisp, complete, and well-balanced. The servers are friendly, and the crowd is just about right for a summer weekend night with a cold craft beer in your hand.