Happy hour doesn’t necessarily have to be cocktail hour. With lots of great local breweries popping up, and wall upon wall of taps to try, it’s easy to get a hankering for a beer to shake off the stress of the day. But where can craft-beer lovers go in Pittsburgh to crack a cold one once the day is done? Here are a couple of suggestions to make you hoppy.
Beerhead Bar Pittsburgh. This is one of the longer happy hours on our list. You have three hours to capitalize on getting $1 off of all Pennsylvania drafts, 15 percent off large-format bottles and 25 percent off beer flights. Try a few new beers on the cheap, or that special big bottle you’ve been eyeing. 4-7 p.m. Mon.-Thu., and 5-7 p.m. Friday, North Side
Butterjoint. A seat here snags you $4 craft beers. The draft offerings change frequently and pull unique brews from all over the country, covering multiple styles and ABVs. Grab a snack from the superb Legume kitchen from the comfort of your bar seat. 4:30-6:30 p.m. Mon.-Fri., Oakland
Full Pint. Only a handful of local breweries play the happy-hour game. Full Pint is one of them. Stop in for a half-priced pint or two. 5-6:30 p.m. Tue.-Sat., Lawrenceville
Grist House. Grab your pooch and head to this Millvale brewery to get $1 off pints. You and Fido can have a blissful few hours of companionship and a few beers. 5-7 p.m. Wed.-Fri., Millvale
Houghs. It’s Pittsburgh, so we know that potatoes go great with everything. Happy hour at Hough’s means $5 giant spuds (potatoes loaded with things like brisket, pulled pork and veggies) and $4 drafts to wash them down. With 73 taps, you’re sure to find a winner. 4-6 p.m. Mon.-Fri., Greenfield
Independent Brewing. This cozy place, with a frequently rotating draft list, likes to keep it mostly local while throwing the spotlight on two or three “inspirational non-local” brews. Take $2 off all drafts. 5-6 p.m. Mon.-Thu., and 4-6 p.m. Fri.-Sun., Squirrel Hill
Sharp Edge. This bar has long been a haven for Pittsburgh beer drinkers. Swing by for half off Belgian and craft drafts and $1 off imported drafts during happy hour. Look for food specials — Monday night is wing night. 4:30-6:30 p.m. Mon.-Fri., multiple locations
Smallman Galley. This restaurant incubator is a great choice for curious eaters and drinkers. The bar menus always have a fun theme (right now it’s Pulp Novels) and you can snack while taking half off of all beers, cocktails and wines. All the drafts are from Pennsylvania. 5-7 p.m. Tue.-Fri., Strip District
Spirit. Find a ton of local beers on the menu, and chow down on some pizza to boot. All of the drafts are half off, and ordering a pizza gets you a bonus salad and garlic knots. 5-8 p.m. Tue.-Fri., Lawrenceville
