Grist House brews at former missile site
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Grist House Command's main taproom in the South Hills. Photos: Chrissy Suttles / Axios
A former Cold War missile defense site is back on duty as Grist House Command, the region's newest brewery.
The big picture: Pittsburgh-based Grist House Craft Brewery opened its long-awaited Collier Township brewpub to a packed house Saturday.
- A 55,000-square-foot former Nike missile command center is reimagined with multiple bars and elevated outdoor decks framed by views of the South Hills.
- Owners Brian Eaton and Kyle Mientkiewicz are leaning into the site's past to carve out more space in Pittsburgh's craft beer scene, hoping to become one of Western Pennsylvania's "destination breweries."
What they're saying: "Out East you have places like Tröegs and Victory Brewing that people travel to for a unique experience, and there's not as much of that out here," Eaton tells Axios.
Zoom in: Grist House Command has four bars with two dozen taps, offering its signature craft beer, cider, seltzer and nonalcoholic suds.
- There's a full kitchen and indoor-outdoor seating for up to about 400 guests, with three outdoor patios, including one 1,000-square-foot terrace, overlooking the hillsides.
- Much of the menu is designed as a "vehicle" for an inventive sauce bar: Hot dogs, burgers, pretzels, fries, and other bar classics.
The intrigue: The U.S. government built the Nike missile command center in the late 1950s to defend Pittsburgh's industrial core during the Cold War, Eaton says. There, the military tracked enemy aircraft and remotely controlled missiles housed across a dozen sites in the region.
- From the deck, visitors will see the site's towering white radar dome, another Cold War relic still used by the Federal Aviation Administration, Eaton says.
Flashback: The military auctioned the property in 2014, and Grist House bought it in 2018.
The vibe: Restored military signage, floor plans and historic photos line the walls, and an old water tank — once intended to wash away radioactive material in the event of a nuclear attack — still anchors the parking lot.
- Industrial modern decor and a flood of natural light turn the concrete fortress into an inviting gathering place.
The bottom line: Grist House will shift brewing from its flagship site in Millvale to the new facility, at least temporarily, while keeping the Millvale taproom open.
- The move will boost the company's production capacity from 2,500 barrels a year to as many as 30,000, Eaton says.
If you go: Grist House Command is at 301 Sgt Messerschmidt Road, Collier Township, near Oakdale and Carnegie.
- Hours are Wednesday-Friday 4pm-10pm, Saturday 11am-10pm and Sunday 11am-8pm.