{"id":158609,"date":"2026-04-06T16:06:09","date_gmt":"2026-04-06T16:06:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/158609\/"},"modified":"2026-04-06T16:06:09","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T16:06:09","slug":"balance-brewing-opens-in-the-north-hills-more-pgh-beer-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/158609\/","title":{"rendered":"Balance Brewing opens in the North Hills & more PGH beer news"},"content":{"rendered":"

For the first time in two years or so, Pittsburgh has a new brewery. Balance Brewing Co.<\/a> opened in the old Necromancer Brewing<\/a> space in the North Hills last month.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur opening weekend was wonderful,\u201d said co-owner Rob Houston. \u201cWe got a lot of great support.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of people thanked us for opening the space back up,\u201d he noted.<\/p>\n

Between them, Houston and his co-owner, Matt Gibb, have worked at a number of local breweries, including Hop Farm, Hitchhiker and Pittsburgh Brewing, where they first met. Houston handles the operations at Balance while Gibb heads up the brewing. They offer \u201csomething for everybody,\u201d Houston said, including IPAs, stouts, sours and more. \u201cIt\u2019ll depend on what our customers want.\u201d Their house lager and Gorilla Garden IPA are early favorites, he added.<\/p>\n

In addition to a variety of Balance brews, Goodlander canned cocktails, seltzers and soft drinks are available.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Rob Houston and Matt Gibb, co-owners of the area\u2019s newest local brewery, Balance Brewing, have taken over the old Necromancer space on Babcock Boulevard. Photo courtesy of Rebekah Fitzgibbons.<\/p>\n

As Necromancer fans will recall, the Babcock Boulevard space is huge. Houston and Gibb have increased the taproom size to 3,400 square feet, which still leaves plenty of room for a seven-barrel brewing system and eventually, an event space.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Balance is open seven days a week, something of a rarity among local breweries. Pointing to their commitment to \u201csomething for everybody,\u201d Houston said he hopes to attract service industry workers on their nights off. Look for food trucks on weekends; patrons can bring their own food or order in on other evenings.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The brewery\u2019s name is intentional, Houston said, noting they strive for balance in their brewing, in their employees\u2019 work\/life balance and life in general: \u201cIt\u2019s a business philosophy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Abjuration making moves<\/p>\n

Abjuration Brewing Co<\/a>. has been shaking things up. Late last year, they opened a small taproom at Taps Axes and Games<\/a> in Mt. Lebanon, a new axe-throwing bistro. The McKees Rocks brewery, which has operated inside the Parkway Theater since 2018, has also joined Abstract Realm and New France as the third tenant at Hazelwood Brew House<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been looking at this for some time,\u201d said Dave Hallam, Abjuration\u2019s founder and brewer. \u201cWe need more beer to sell.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Dave Hallam, owner of Abjuration Brewing, looks forward to moving into Hazelwood Brew House sometime this summer. The McKees Rocks location will remain, and their drafts and cans are available at Tap Axes and Games and other local stores. Photo courtesy of Coret Fisher, City Lights Cinematography.<\/p>\n

The Hazelwood expansion will greatly increase their production capacity, to as much as 3,000 gallons annually, Hallam said. They\u2019ll still brew and sell beer at their original location, \u201cwhich will lovingly be referred to as The Lab,\u201d he added.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Abjuration is best known for its dessert beers, including a vast array of ice cream sours. Among the more notable flavors are cherry, made with cotton candy and cherry ice cream; a smoothie-style sour, with guava and strawberry pur\u0117e; and a muffin sour, featuring bananas, macadamia nuts and cinnamon.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe tartness makes the flavors pop,\u201d Hallam noted, adding that he\u2019ll be able to increase production of customer favorites, such as a Bomb Pop candied sour and pineapple ice cream sour.<\/p>\n

The Brew House space is open on Fridays and Saturdays for now, as Abjuration brewers work to set up production and tap service. He\u2019s happy with the new location, as Hazelwood and McKees Rocks have a lot in common, Hallam said: \u201cThey\u2019ve both been downtrodden, but now they\u2019re revitalizing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Other happenings:<\/p>\n

Three Rivers Beer Week 2026<\/a> is April 8-12. Abjuration\u2019s ice cream mixer, a Beer Week tradition, is April 11 at their McKees Rocks location. They\u2019re collaborating with Frio Creamery on several sours, including a banana, peanut butter and chocolate concoction, and with Ivy\u2019s Ice Cream Doggie Pawlor for canine treats. Other events include the release of a limited edition Three Rivers Beer Week glass, available at many local breweries starting April 8. The East End Pedal Pale Ale Keg Ride and Lawrenceville Brewery Crawl return on April 11.<\/p>\n

Work continues on Allegheny City Brewing<\/a>\u2019s second location on California Avenue in Brighton Heights. \u201cWe want this spot to really focus on giving Brighton Heights and nearby neighborhoods a comfortable place to hang out and get to know their neighbors,\u201d said owner Al Grasso. Opening day should be later this spring.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Mike Haas and Donnie Cardone, founders and owners of Altered Genius Brewing Co., have sold the brewery to their former brewing assistant, Daelyn Schellhaas. Schellhaas is Pennsylvania\u2019s first Black female brewery owner. Photo courtesy of Altered Genius Brewing.<\/p>\n

Founders Donnie Cardone and Mike Haas have sold Altered Genius Brewing<\/a> to assistant brewer Daelyn Schellhaas. They report that Schellhaas will be Pennsylvania\u2019s first Black female brewery owner. Altered Genius\u2019s Ambridge location is currently closed for renovation, but the Trailside taproom in Imperial remains open.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Riverbank Distillery<\/a>, Lawrenceville Distilling\u2019s new home on Allegheny River Boulevard in Verona, is now open. The refurbished bank offers bar and table seating, and cocktails made with their small-batch vodka, gin and absinthe. Look for small bites on hand, as well as pop-ups by local chefs.<\/p>\n

Barrel and Flow<\/a> founder Day Bracey has organized the festival\u2019s first spinoff: Barrels on the Bayou<\/a> happening in New Orleans on April 18. It\u2019s not quite a Steelers away game, but Bracey says yinzers will be well represented. Local creators from TLC Libations<\/a>, Trace Brewing<\/a> and Windy Bridges Brew<\/a> will be on hand, and so will some local drinkers, according to Bracey: \u201cThey\u2019re bringing caravans.\u201d To add to the NOLA fun, the French Quarter Festival is just a few blocks away on the same day. Bracey and his team are also at work on Barrel and Flow, set for Aug. 8 in the Strip District.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Marcus Wyatt, Windy Bridges\u2019 brewer\/owner has a lot going on in addition to his featured role at Barrels On The Bayou. He\u2019s working with Diane and Erika Turner, the mother-daughter owners of TLC Libations, to create the Black Brewhouse, \u201ca shared passion between TLC and me,\u201d Wyatt said. \u201cWe are dedicated to creating a welcoming space where our drinks can be enjoyed, fostering connection and a lively, genuine atmosphere.\u201d They expect to announce more details in the next couple of weeks.\u00a0 Windy Bridges beers will also be on tap at Babesburgh Bash<\/a> at Allegheny Landing Park on June 6.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\t