Pittsburgh classic
The story
The Church Brew Works pours beer inside St. John the Baptist, a Roman Catholic church whose cornerstone was laid on Liberty Avenue in Lawrenceville on June 1, 1902. The Beezer brothers designed it, with a rose window, stained glass and hand painted cypress beams across the vaulted ceiling.
The parish was closed on August 6, 1993, and the building sat empty until the brewpub opened about three years later. The restoration kept nearly everything. The original pews were shortened to fit the tables, the bar was built from the oak left over, and the Douglas fir floors were restored.
The real showstopper is up front. The brewhouse sits on the apse, right where the altar used to be, with steel and copper tanks glowing under the stained glass. It's one of the most striking rooms in Pittsburgh to sit down with a pint.