Parks on Tap Tour collaboration brings craft beer to city parks

Touted as a “one-of-a-kind fusion of nature, community and craft brews,” the inaugural Parks on Tap Tour is set to hit Pittsburgh parks this summer.

The event marks a new collaboration between the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy and Lawrenceville-based Eleventh Hour Brewing. The brewery will donate a portion of proceeds from beer sales at the events to the conservancy, which works to improve parks throughout the city.

The Parks on Tap Tour, set to launch June 30 from 1-7 p.m. at the Schenley Park Visitors Center, will feature an array of craft brews, set amid the backdrop of the scenic park.

Additional tour stops are slated for Allegheny Commons Park near the newly restored George Washington Monument on July 20 and the Highland Park volleyball courts on Aug. 18.

The finale will coincide with the annual Riverview Park “RP Day” celebration in the early fall.

“We are thrilled to partner with Eleventh Hour Brewing to bring the Parks on Tap Tour to life,” said Alana Wenk, director of advancement at the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy. “These events not only celebrate Pittsburgh’s vibrant park system but also foster a sense of community and appreciation for our city’s green spaces.”

Justin Strzelczyk, who launched Eleventh Hour Brewing in 2017 with his mother and stepfather, said the new event fits perfectly with the community focus of the brewery. The family business seeks opportunities to partner with local nonprofits and organizations to give back to the community, he said. Strzelczyk is the son of former Steeler Justin Strzelczyk, who died in 2004.

“At Eleventh Hour, a lot of us — myself included — really enjoy what the city has to offer,” he said. “There’s a lot of really cool green spaces that I don’t think people really talk about that much or pay attention to. Some people may take it for granted.”

The Parks on Tap Tour, he said, will give people a unique opportunity to enjoy those spaces and support the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy’s efforts to preserve them.

“You really get to appreciate these spaces the more you’re out in them,” Strzelczyk said.

Each event will include local food trucks, live music and family-friendly activities to ensure park visitors of all ages can participate.

Strzelczyk said he hopes this year’s initial Parks on Tap Tour goes well enough to launch a more robust craft beer tour in even more city park locations in the future.