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    Strange Roots Experimental Ales

    4.2 (140 reviews)
    ModerateBreweries
    Closed 12:00 pm - 7:00 PM
    Updated 2 weeks ago

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    Mary F.

    We have been coming here for a while. We came when it was Draai Laag a few times and more often since it became Strange Roots. We had gone to Grist House so decided to stop quickly by Strange Roots for a quick draft and maybe something to take home. They seem to have a pretty good variety on tap typically. Some sours and some IPAs with a few Belgians and maybe a stout scattered in. Some of their sours and farmhouse style are good. We tend to wind up here for the Belgians (can be hard to find in Pittsburgh) and stouts. On this visit we were able to get a Wee Heavy and a stout. Both were tasty. There was no one inside and it was a nice night so we went ahead and sat down outside. They have a good amount of outdoor seating space. Sometimes I find the bartenders here to not necessarily be welcoming or friendly. They don't jump up with information or suggestions. Also a pet peeve of mine is way too often they only are serving in plastic cups. I get it when places are really busy or with people playing games outside but I just want my beer (especially Belgians) out of real glass. We took home with us a Belgian tripel and a barleywine. The barleywine Yodeler is always delicious. Bottles prices are reasonable. I do wish they would keep a taplist online (they do sometimes post to social media) as sometimes it's a particular beer that really gets us to stop. We look forward to more tasty beers in the future.

    two glasses of beer on a table
    Rob B.

    We stopped in one night on our way to Grist House to grab a bite to eat and a beer, but we didn't end of eating because they only had a food truck with zero vegan options. Bro, I really wanted to try those tofu tacos. Damn it! Do you not serve the food menu listed anymore or do specifically only use food trucks now? The location itself is awesome and all the renovations they have done are super cool. Parking is kind of scarce considering it's mostly street parking, but we parked at the Dollar General parking lot because there were zero parking for customers only signs, but I would have went in and bought something, ha ;) Tbh, it was a busy night in Millvale with Grist House having a charity event and being elbow to elbow there. Their beer garden is super cool and the murals too, but the only downfall this place had the day I visited was there is only one spot to get beer. Kind of made no sense considering you have a huge outdoor sitting area. Why not have an open window for the outside patrons to walk up to or a spot outside to serve like Grist and many of the other breweries locally? The guy working the taps wasn't very friendly and seemed kind of agitated and it wasn't even that busy. I would have bought more beers if not for him. My guy it's your only job to be helpful and smile. You work in *customer* service. Lol. The beer I had was good and I'll check you out again the next time I'm in town. I really wanted those tofu tacos. I hope you have them the next time I visit or at least offer offer something vegan like a chik'n sandwich and not just a veggie patty with no vegan cheese option. Isn't this a hipster spot? Come on man!

    Tart burst
    Jason F.

    I stopped by here on a Thursday night last month with a couple of former coworkers for drinks. While I had been to this location for beer before whenever it was Draai Lang, I had not been in its current incarnation of Strange Roots. This brewery is located in Millvale right near 28. It has a large outdoor space complete with string lights and plenty of seating. Then the inside consists of more seating as well as a bar. On the night that we were there they had a DJ. That meant that it was incredibly difficult for my friends and I to talk and so even though it was incredibly cold out, we migrated outside after our first round. For my first beer on this evening I decided to go with the tart burst. It was described as a sour ale conditioned on blueberries and cherries. While I could taste the somewhat muted flavor of the berries, I would not have called this beer a sour. With that being said, it was a solid beer and I had no problem drinking it. Then for my second round I went with their gose. It was a good representation of the style as it had a good flavor and tasted dry. The bottom line for me is that I would head back here again in the future. While I was not a huge fan of the DJ, there seemed to be enough people there enjoying him and I would like to try more of their beers.

    The kolsh is crisp and delicious! Strange Roots has a wonderful patio.
    Marissa W.

    Strange Roots is such a pleasant experience! They have a small parking lot but street parking is available as you head toward Millvale. They have a large patio with shade and nice tables. They managed to create privacy and make you forget you are right off the highway and exit ramp. The bar staff is lovely and happy to let you sample. I was pleasantly surprised that they had many non-sour options. The kolsch was crisp and perfect for a summer day. My husband loved the lime lager. The happy hour pricing didn't hurt either. I also love that they have Pittsburgh Sandwich Society in house!

    Beers in the patio
    Lauren B.

    Some of the more interesting and fun beers I've had yet. We came here around 5pm on Thursday. We are still awkward and weird about when and where to de-mask but the staff made us feel comfortable and assured us it was our choice. We found a seat outside, we ended up moving from the original seat to a seat that had a better seat to table height ratio. We got 4 beers, three fruited and one wild. They were all delicious. The screaming tangerine was a delightful fruit beer that still tasted like, well, beer! The koleaid was like grape juice and my partner loved it. My personal favorite was the houbon de coupage (sorry if I misspelled). It was fun and complex. We had a lovely time!

    Patio
    Kaleb M.

    We came here on a chilly night and sat indoors, but I will be back in the summer to enjoy the patio. It's so cute. The staff was so friendly, the bartender let us sample a few before we chose. The beers are all really interesting and fun. We only had beer but the food looked amazing. I will come back again!

    Menu from May (changes frequently)
    Erin B.

    Strange Roots is one of my absolute favorite spots in Pittsburgh! As a huge fan of sours, there's really nowhere like Strange Roots. Often, breweries will only have a handful of experimental/sour ales, but here you have tons of amazing options. The menu rotates -- I've been several times and there's always something new. The outdoor seating is great for summer time. If you love sours or unique beers, you absolutely must give Strange Roots a try.

    Abby K.

    Great selection of beers. There is always something unique to try! The outside seating is great for warmer evenings, and the inside area is small but inviting.

    Patrick playing with his phone was the only time he was happy to be there.
    Joshua C.

    Patrick, who took my order never smiled or looked happy to be there and did his best to make me feel stupid when I asked a question about the draft list. The other server was courteous but I didn't catch her name. The space was really cool, the patio could benefit with heaters, food was great, beer was alright.

    IPA
    Jess W.

    Really enjoyed my first visit to Strange Roots. They have a great patio and expanded even further to accommodate more people. Their inside is pretty small but a good sized bar and a nice selection of beers- not just sours! I got the IPA and it was delicious, nicely balanced. They have food trucks every day and evening. I had tacos when I was there and they were super authentic and delicious. Nice to support a local business x2.

    This was a really fun *dog friendly* spot with plenty of outdoor picnic table seating. I enjoyed the beer selection but honestly I wasn't blown away. What really took the cake was the Pittsburgh Sandwich Society! WOWOWOW. I followed those guys on instagram for a while and I was so excited to see they're set up right inside of Strange Roots. We really enjoyed our beer and our chicken sandwiches. The burgers were really tasty too! If I lived here, this would definitely be a go-to spot for me.

    Bomb Mi
    Sarah M.

    I wasn't expecting to find some of the best tacos I've had in Pittsburgh when I stopped by this brewery last night, but now I know that Strange Roots delivers awesome beers AND awesome tacos! It was our first time visiting and we had no expectations aside from the fact that we had seen their great patio before in passing. While it was too cold to sit outside, the interior is spacious with comfortable lighting and some fun games to play if you're feeling like it. We tried Sour Ginger (good but less sour and more wheat-y in its aftertaste than I like) and the Bourbon Barrel la Pienture ( which way exceeded my expectations and was AMAZING. Don't get it for the bourbon taste, since it's just a hint, but its sour and fruity tones were off the charts.). Both beers were great and we definitely would have gotten seconds if we had more time to spend. As for the tacos - on Tuesdays you can get two tacos for $4.50, and these are miles above the quality you usually find at taco nights around town. The Bomb Mi tacos were flavorful, spicy, and the meat was juicy. We were less blown away by the Jerk Chicken, but it was still tasty. 10/10 will definitely drink beer and eat tacos here again.

    Sampler of three
    Stacey B.

    This was the first stop on our rainy day in the Burgh Brewery Tour. I've driven past here many times and loved the outdoor seating area. The interior is dimly lit and has a great vibe to it with a huge mural and wooden walls. The place was packed and pretty loud but not ear splitting and we were quickly greeted and redirected to a different table because the one we chose was so wobbly, he likened it to dining on a cruise ship. Ahoy DRAAI LAAG brewery men! Permission to sample some beers? Once we got setup at our new table, we chose some beer and some food. The beers are all pretty sour which I typically associate with gose style beers (which I think are German sour beers) but they call theirs wild, I believe, and these are more French and Belgian. I am obviously not a beer snob but I took time to ask our server about this and he explained it although I may have butchered his technical brewing explanation. We also tried to ask him about the pending change to this brewery - a new name -and we wanted to understand what that meant to the beers they might add to their offerings. He was not very helpful in that regard. The new brewery will be called Strange Roots Experimental Ales but we have no idea what new brews will be brewing, folks. The food was very good. Surprisingly good, actually, because no one was eating in the entire place. We wavered on whether or not to order for several minutes and then decided, why not? Boy, am I glad we did! We tried the smoked pork tacos that come with a little pickled onion, lime, cilantro, and cotija cheese. Super flavor profile. We devoured ours in a short order but left a mess since we split the two tacos and they never brought a plate or anything to split them. Mucho messio! The beers were good too. I have been wanting to try more of the sours and this was a great selection. It takes some getting used to, for sure, but there is a beauty in these sours that you don't find in other styles of beer. If you are interested in trying some, the sampler of three for $12 is the way to go. You get a nice pour of each and can easily share them. Our favorite was the Wit but the raspberry was pretty good too. The only issue we had, and this is sort of a big one, was the service. It's a strange setup if you are not familiar with the place. There are tables or bars you can sit at but the servers are also the bartenders (at least it appeared that way) so when the place gets a big group, all servers on deck to pour beers and forget about asking your server for something. I was ready to leave at one point but my "better half" wanted to stay so we did. So you don't really have an assigned waiter. They need to tell you that or change their model to have actual servers. It's annoying when you don't understand their service model and results in a less than stellar experience. It all made sense when we asked for our check and he asked if we started a "tab."

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    Page 1 of 4

    Ask the Community - Strange Roots Experimental Ales

    Review Highlights - Strange Roots Experimental Ales

    The most important thing to know about Draai Laag is that they serve sour beers; you will never find an IPA here.

    Mentioned in 34 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Lolev Beer - Lager

    Lolev Beer

    4.4(35 reviews)
    0.8 miLawrenceville

    Stopped into Lolev for the first time on a Sunday afternoon just after they opened at 12. The…read morebartender was very friendly, greeted us, and was super helpful in showing us the space and walking us through the menu. She said they change their drafts pretty frequently. Currently, they are IPA and DIPA heavy, but within the next month or two we can expect some other options. I love the decor, the pastel colors, the exposed brick, and the casual and comfy seating areas. They offer rental spaces with very reasonable pricing. Parking is out front on Butler, but isn't nearly as chaotic as trying to park on the other end of Lawrenceville.

    A hop lover's heaven and a beer lover's nightmare. Bartenders are great, and the beer is high…read morequality. The selection is terrible. If you like ultra-hopped hazy beers and double, triple, quadruple IPAs, then this is your spot. Basically the boring Dancing Gnome formula on crack. A few times a year I can find something that isn't packed with hops and haze, but those times are becoming fewer and farther between as time has passed. They have a lot of activities for adults and even families, a cool indoor space, very dog-friendly (which is a minus for me but a plus for most people, it seems. Please make sure your dog likes people and other dogs and responds to commands before you subject the public to their behavior, thanks). The food trucks outside are usually very tasty and quite expensive. Perfect Lawrenceville spot, if you're into lots and lots of hops- despite the fact that these beers haven't been trending in years, apparently the public didn't get the memo, because they seem quite popular. If you like hops and modern third spaces, this place is for you. If you want a lager or a dark or amber beer, it's probably not going to be here. If you do like this spot, make sure you use tap-to-pay with your phone to get loyalty rewards. If you spend way too much in a short amount of time, they will make it worth your while, for sure.

    Photos
    Lolev Beer - Comfortable lounge area

    Comfortable lounge area

    Lolev Beer
    Lolev Beer - Inside

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    Inside

    Acrospire Brewing Company - They have beer cheese!

    Acrospire Brewing Company

    4.6(18 reviews)
    3.2 mi

    I stopped by here earlier today with my wife for some evening beverages. I originally wasn't…read moreplanning on Acrospire, but it ended up being our audible whenever the Pirates game was ending at the same time we were heading out. The inside of this brewery has a relaxed, open vibe with plenty of natural wood tables, metal chairs, a visible brewing area in the back, and colorful string lights hanging across the ceiling. There's a chalkboard mural on the wall and a Pride flag (since it was Pride month) adding to the welcoming atmosphere. There's also a well-stocked kids corner with books, puzzles, games, and art supplies, which is a great touch for families like ours. Outside of the beer, it looks like they often host different food vendors inside the kitchen space. As I often do when visiting a new brewery, I decided to go with a flight. It consisted of five beers: Joe Brown (coffee brown ale), Hear No Evil (honey ginger wheat), Honeycomb (oat honey ale), ChatBRU (west coast IPA), and Apple Pie Sour (sour ale). First up was the Joe Brown and it started with a solid coffee flavor and finished with rich toasted malts. Up second was the Hear No Evil which was A bold honey ginger wheat with ginger dominating from start to finish, leaving a lingering spice on the palate. Thurs was the Honeycomb which has Sweetness from the honey hit up front, followed by a more mellow oat finish. Fourth was the ChatBRU which was Smooth at first before diving into hoppy bitterness that lingered long after the sip. Last and certainly not least was the Apple Pie Sour. My first sip was mostly the cinnamon and sugar rim, which added a nice touch with a little salt on the finish. The second sip, without the rim, delivered a strong apple flavor that lingered nicely. I could absolutely see how they named it, as it genuinely tasted like apple pie. Out of the bunch, I ended up liking the Apple Pie Sour the most, closely followed by the Joe Brown. The bottom line for me is that I would head back here again in the future. I enjoyed my beers, and my wife and I found it to be a super chill place. We loved that we could possibly bring our kids thanks to the thoughtful kids corner.

    Another stroll down memory lane with an old yinzer. I remember when this was "the 412" and even…read morebefore that the "Shaler lounge." The inside has been completely remodeled now to suit the brewery. There's games for kids, TVs with sports on, and a nice atmosphere. Beers are good and bartenders were friendly. We will look forward to coming when it's warmer so the garage doors can open up.

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    Acrospire Brewing Company - New taproom

    New taproom

    Acrospire Brewing Company - Kids area

    Kids area

    Acrospire Brewing Company - Beer list 6/28/2025

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    Beer list 6/28/2025

    Dancing Gnome - Pittsburgh brewers guild guide book

    Dancing Gnome

    4.3(154 reviews)
    2.2 mi
    $$

    Food, yes! Service, absolutely yes!…read moreAmbiance, needs a bit more gnome-ness! 10/10 Parking yes, but Uber, Lyft better for everyone!

    No complaints about Blue Sparrow. The food was amazing and so accommodating. I have a nut, dairy…read moreand egg allergy & they let me look at the dairy free cheese ingredients to make sure it was all good! The pizza was amazing. My girl friends and I came after four years of me wanting to come here. I love Gravel Grinder and live close to an OTB so heard of Dancing Gnome from that. Finally made our way there and well, make sure you do not bring young kids. My friend had an 18 month old with us and as she was BUYING a beer from them, the guy who worked there asked if she "could keep the screaming to a minimum." An eighteen month old!!! And Mother's Day is tomorrow, nice. He said that they had to draw a line somewhere and he wasn't kidding. The 18 month old was not running around screaming crying all day. We were outside having the kids play and when my friend was buying a beer he got a bit fussy and was told to keep it to a minimum. Needless to say, we will NOT be coming back. If you have small children, I would not suggest this place. Super disappointing. I've always hyped their beer and place up and now I can't support it. We ended up going to Grist House and it was a WAY better vibe and WAY busier...I wonder why. I should have known when their sign said no dogs allowed.

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    Dancing Gnome - Cask conditioned Bitter up front, fruity sour behind.

    Cask conditioned Bitter up front, fruity sour behind.

    Dancing Gnome
    Dancing Gnome - Outside

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    Outside

    Strange Roots Experimental Ales - breweries - Updated May 2026

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