2020: The Year in Pittsburgh Beer

ABV is our weekly series that highlights a different beer from a local Pittsburgh brewery every week. Check out our past picks here.

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For our 2020 grand finale, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite stories from the past year about Pittsburgh beer.

That’s right. It’s an end-of-year recap piece for folks who may have missed some of the notable moments in our local beer scene. From bike quests to virtual beer fests, the pandemic did little to stop Pittsburgh’s vibrant brewing scene.

What else would you add to the list? What was the best beer you tried this year? What are you looking forward to in 2021? We’d love to hear from you!

Drop me an email: Aadam.Soorma@VeryLocal.com.

Cheers and thanks for reading this 100th edition of our beer column, ABV.

2020 Pittsburgh Beer in Review

ABV, Volume C

Mike Cottle Rides his Bike to 29 Breweries in 10 Weeks

Our Story: Quarantine Quest: Mike Cottle bikes to every brewery in the Pittsburgh Brewers Guild to show support for local breweries during the pandemic

Follow: Mike Cottle on Instagram

Several Pittsburgh-Area Breweries Begin Offering Home Delivery

Our Story: Local breweries that are now offering home delivery. Plus, take a listen to our interview with Scott Smith from East End Brewing on how they adapted to the changes in March.

Follow: A great local beer resource, the Pittsburgh Brewers Guild has helpful information available on their Facebook page.

Fresh Fest Beer Festival Goes Digital

Our Story: Fresh Fest goes Digital

Our Podcast: Hear Day Bracey, Fresh Fest co-founder, explain the digital pivot in his own words on Ep 34 of The Slaw

Follow: Fresh Fest on Facebook

Brew Gentlemen Expands Brewing Capacity & Unveils Slim Cans for Distribution

Our Story: Brew Gentlemen kicks off slim cans with ‘General Braddock’s IPA’

Follow: Brew Gentlemen on Instagram

Trace Brewing Announces a Paid Vocational Program, Aims to Diversify the Beer Industry

Our Story: Trace Brewing opens in Bloomfield

Follow: Trace Brewing on Instagram

Dancing Gnome Collaborates with Iron City to Resurrect the Robin Hood Cream Ale

Our Story: The return of the Robin Hood Cream Ale from Pittsburgh Brewing Company and Dancing Gnome

Follow: Dancing Gnome on Instagram

Virtual Beer Festival “Cheers, Yinz!” Donates 100% of Proceeds Back to Participating Breweries

Story, via Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Cheers, Yinz virtual festival

Follow: Fueled By Hops on Instagram

Pittsburgh-Area Breweries get Creative with Outdoor Seating Options

Story, via Good Food Pittsburgh: Beer Gardens & Outdoor Breweries

Follow: Good Food Pittsburgh on Facebook

Old Thunder Rumbles into Blawnox

Our Story: The final brewery to launch in 2020, Old Thunder Brewing, is now open inside the former Blawnox Post Office

Follow: Old Thunder Brewing on Instagram

All of the new breweries that opened in Pittsburgh in 2020

Quarantines and shutdowns did little to stop the flow of beer in the ‘Burgh. Here are 8 new breweries that opened in and around Pittsburgh this year.