Travelers passing through Pittsburgh International Airport will soon have a new reason to linger before boarding: Cleveland’s Great Lakes Brewing Co. is opening a brewpub-style bar at the airport later this year. The planned venue will pair familiar Great Lakes beers with food inspired by the brewery’s Ohio City flagship, turning at least one airport layover into something more appetizing than a rushed snack run.
The Axios report says the Great Lakes Experience Bar is expected to begin construction next month and open in late fall. It will serve the brewery’s Dortmunder Gold Lager along with seasonal offerings such as Christmas Ale, and it will mark Great Lakes’ first airport location in Pennsylvania after distributing beer in the state since 1999.
A Cleveland Beer Landmark Is Expanding Its Airport Footprint
Great Lakes already operates an airport location at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, where the brewery describes its Concourse C outpost as a brewpub-inspired spot with a full food menu and a lineup of year-round and seasonal beers. That experience appears to be the blueprint for the Pittsburgh project, which will bring a recognizable Ohio brand into a terminal that has been steadily upgrading its food-and-drink options.
The brewery’s own airport guide highlights the Cleveland location as a place for travelers to grab a meal, have a fresh pour and even pick up packaged beer before a flight. The Pittsburgh bar is expected to follow that same general formula, although final hours, exact placement and the full menu have not yet been announced.
PIT Is Building A Bigger Local Dining Lineup
The addition fits Pittsburgh International’s broader push to make its concessions feel more connected to the region. The airport’s official concessions information says PIT handles more than 10 million passengers annually, with travelers spending an average of about 110 minutes at the airport.
PIT’s current dining lineup already includes Pittsburgh-area names such as Mineo’s Pizza, Sarris Candies, Primanti Bros. and Wigle Whiskey, alongside national chains and newer arrivals. Great Lakes will add a brewery with a strong regional identity and a menu designed to feel more like a neighborhood pub than a generic airport counter.
The Pittsburgh connection is not entirely new for Great Lakes. Earlier this year, the brewery released a limited-edition chocolate ale with Pittsburgh-based Sarris Candies, giving the company an unusually sweet preview of the market it is now entering.
For travelers, the timing could be especially convenient: by the time the Great Lakes Experience Bar opens in late fall, Christmas Ale should be back in the seasonal rotation. The exact location and opening date are still to come, but the next beer run at PIT is already looking considerably more Cleveland than usual.
