PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA

Occupying a prominent marble-columned Municipal building along the cobblestoned roads of Pittsburgh’s southern Dormont section, BACK ALLEY BREWING COMPANY opened its doors in 2022. A yellow Back Alley signpost leads patrons to the Classical large arched entrance.

An elongated cement-topped bar serviced the white walled main space as well as the dainty restaurant garden room. Arched windows and the high ceiling bring a simple elegance to the cafe tables and leather booths surrounding the bar.

I visited Back Alley on a Sunday at noontime, October ’25, when the Steelers had a home game and many fans hit the streets. I tried the two tapped IPA’s and took home a half dozen more (reviewed in Beer Index).

Flagship Back Alley IPA retained orange rind bittering, yellow grapefruit tang and salty pineapple zing as well as herbal tea whims and grassy hop astringency atop honey-spiced pale malts.

Dry rye graining surged next to grapefruit rind bittering for Raccoon Ninja Warrior Rye IPA, snuggling dark roast-hopped brown leaf musk across dusty cocoa powder.