Stepping through the doors of one brewery is fantastic. Two… even better. But how about three breweries operating under one roof? No, this isn’t a dream; it will soon be a reality when a one of a kind brewery experience opens in the former home of the historic Hazelwood Brewery.
Situated in the 20,000 square foot facility at 5007 Lytle Street in Pittsburgh that dates back to the early 1900’s where the brewing company would produce nearly 40,000 barrels per year from the location. During Prohibition, the company produced low-alcohol “near-beer” from there and in 1933 the brewery was reorganized as the Hazelwood Beverage Company and then Derby Brewing Company until it went out of business in 1938.
Fast forward less than 100 years later and brewing operations will return to Lytle Street. The space will soon house the teams at Bonafide Beer, Abstract Realm Brewing, and New France Brewing. Each which will be outfitted with their very own taprooms and independent brewing operations all under one roof.
For those in the local area, the name Bonafide should not be new as the brewery opened in the Strip District of Pittsburgh in late 2022. The opening of this space will mark their second location in less than a year from opening. The teams at Abstract Realm and New France Brewing may sound newer as this location will serve as the inaugural space for both brewing companies.
While Abstract Realm may be a new name, many local guests will know one of the names behind the brand. Head brewer Chris Carr (who will be joined by owner Jason Short) has honed his skills in the professional beer world for years in Pittsburgh. Having crafted beer for brands such as Brew Gentlemen, Hellicon, and Aurochs to name a few. He now takes those skills to bring a unique flavor profile to an equally as unique location.
Tom Marshall and Nick Jones are the team behind New France. According to a profile from The Progress Fund (the team behind the property) “Nick and Tom are doing something that no one else is doing.” Before finding this location the two scouted more than 50 potential brewery locations and upon hearing about the Hazelwood location Tom’s reaction was quoted as “I want in.”
All three breweries will open with a 10 barrel brewhouse allowing them to produce their own unique offerings for each location. Guests will have the ability to enjoy options from all three as they move throughout the space. The brewing and taproom operations will be split on the first floor with an open air beer garden connecting the three. Moving to the third floor each brewery will have a shared taproom with their own bars allowing guests to be in a single space to offer all variety of beer being made.
The space will showcase the rustic exposed brick and industrial elements from the original brewing operations. At the top floor will be an indoor/ outdoor mezzanine offering guests a picturesque view of the city. Inside will be long German hall style benches for guests to enjoy their dining experience.
Get a look at the entire space from our pictures below:
Food service will be provided by a third party through a small kitchen on the third floor. Food trucks will also be onsite from time to time to add to the dining experience.
As of this writing there is no timeline for when the space expects to be open. Tom Marshall, co-owner of New France Brewing, said in a report to Next Pittsburgh that they “doubt they’ll be open before next year [2024]”. For now be sure to follow Hazelwood Brewery on Facebook for updates on the space.
