Butler Brew Crawl

Typically when you're looking to go out on a Saturday night and visit a few breweries, you head downtown. A lot of times they can be found nestled into nooks throughout the city and many are in places that are being revitalized. With the amount of new breweries popping up in the Pittsburgh area there are also some other routes to enjoy. For a change of pace, we decided to head in the opposite direction and went north to Butler.

We traveled to four different breweries in one night, all located in Butler County. As with any voyage like this you'll want to make sure that you have a designated driver because there are some miles between some of them. One perk is that won’t find yourself driving in circles looking for a place to park or fighting crowds. Some have their own parking lot and others have ample parking close by.

Stop 2: Butler Brew Works

Our local Butler friends lead us to a parking lot that ends up being only a couple blocks from both of our next stops. It’s a Saturday night and the lot only contains three cars (which just so happen to belong to everyone on this brew crawl), so parking is ample. We stroll through downtown Butler taking in all of the surrounding sights. We walk beneath the notable Butler clock tower and make our way down a few blocks to Butler Brew Works.

It’s easy to spot this brick taproom with the help of the large, orange glowing metal sign that assures us that we have arrived. A long bar sits in front of us with a view of the taps and large windows looking into the production area where the fermenters are gleaming in purple light. To both sides of the entrance there are tables which we opt for as a few members of the group are looking to take advantage of their chef-driven menu. It’s a nice night so a large garage door window is open, letting fresh air into the taproom. It’s a mix of both rustic and industrial throughout the taproom with both reclaimed wood and old metal signs to set a relatively modern space.

They have a large variety of beers available, so a couple of us decide to taste our way through some flights. The tagline you’ll often see Butler Brew Works use is “Adventurous Ales” and that can definitely be proven through their Adventure’s Log series. Entry #15, a pale ale featuring Mosiac and Belgian wit yeast provides the adventure I'm looking for. An aroma of grass and a bit of citrus peel followed by mango flavors and a touch of clove to finish. There are other less adventurous options available like Amelia, an approachable blonde ale that ferments on 100 lb of strawberries. The stand out for me ends up being Costal Warfare, a New England Style IPA that is truly soft and hazy. A nicely balanced beer with strong tropical fruit aromas and flavors coming from the hops that were used. With some small plates such as Fried Spam Kimchi Rice Balls, the food selection easily matches the adventure aspect as well. The menu offers plenty of options like tapas-style small plates, salads and sandwiches so you can definitely come hungry. There’s a great selection of beer and food for the whole family here, all with at least a touch of adventure.