Pittsburgh Fare : Church Brew Works

The Church Brew Works
3525 Liberty Ave
Pittsburgh PA 15201
Phone: 412.688.8200

I will not attempt to review everything I've ever consumed at the Church Brew Works: Karl and I are actually considered regulars there (i.e., the bartenders know us by name). Since Karl lives about a block away, several times a week, we will go there to share a pitcher of the beer brewed on site. And yes, this is a brewery and restaurant set up in a church. The atmosphere this creates is truly unique. Add the fact that the food and beer are generally a cut above what you'd expect from a bar and restaurant and you've got a winning combination!

When you walk in through the imposing double doors, the bar is on the left and the two dining sections are divided by an aisle (that used to divide the two rows of pews). This division is utilized to divide the two "sections" of the restaurant. The area near the bar boasts a "Pub Menu" and the other side is the "Dinner Menu." If you want the famous pizza, you have to sit on the bar side (although, I'm sure the servers would make an exception if you requested it). Karl and I have eaten dinner at the CBW, and unless you're out for a special occasion, on a student budget, I do not recommend it (it's pretty pricey!).

But I don't want to talk about that. Last night, Karl and I finally managed to get our hands on some of that pizza. The last time we ordered it, we were told we would have to wait an hour (it was a busy night!). Gene, our favorite bartender at the CBW, informed us that they can only fit a maximum of 5 pizzas in their wood-fired brick oven at one time, so it tends to get backed up on weekends. So, we decided to wait for another time.

Last night, we ordered the Garden Plum Tomato Pizza ($13), with plum tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic, olive oil, and just the right amount of mozzarella cheese. The key to any pizza is the crust. The toppings are hard to ruin (although, it has been done), but if the crust is bad, the whole pizza suffers. The Church Brew Works makes a great pizza. Because it is baked in a hardwood-fired brick oven, the crust is the perfect texture: lightly crisped on the outside, and tender on the inside. Pizza crust should never be tough and chewy. The pizzas are also a nice, generous size (I think cut into 8 or 10 large slices). They are certainly large enough to feed up to 4 people, but Karl and I managed to put the whole thing away by ourselves (I blame it on the beer! I always get hungrier when I drink beer).

Because you can't go to the CBW without ordering beer (and really, pizza and beer is a classic combination!), Karl and I indulged in a pitcher of the Millennium Trippel ($15, 9% ABV). I don't tend to be the biggest fan of Belgian-style beers, but this Trippel is one of my favorite beers that the CBW brewmaster has created. I'm not kidding when I say it tastes just like banana cream pie! Even if you don't get the smooth, creamy texture that makes it taste pie-like to me, you will not be able to deny the banana flavor. One of the reasons this Belgian-style beer is more palatable to me is that the sweetness is balanced by a subtle acidity balanced with the creamy texture. I felt that this beer paired surprisingly well with the pizza for that reason as well.

CBW pizza gets an A+ in my book! I think next time, I want to try the intriguing "Pittsburgh Pierogie Pizza, topped with potato puree, sautéed onions, garlic, and cheddar cheese ($13.50). But if you want your pizza in a timely fashion, don't go on a busy night (e.g., Friday or Saturday!).

East Liberty Presbyterian Church

East Liberty Presbyterian Church
116 S. Highland Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
Phone: (412)441-3800

Karl and I attended East Liberty Presbyterian's 11 a.m. service Sunday morning in keeping with Karl's resolution to go to church this year. The service was very similar to Shadyside Presbyterian's, with a few exceptions:

(1) There was only one special song sung by the chancel choir (and I didn't like it: the choir wasn't nearly as well-trained as Shadyside's, plus the piece was a modern, and hence, less sonorous arrangement of the text).
(2) There was a 5-minute children's sermon in the midst of the service (a practice I have mixed feelings about, though this particular one wasn't so bad).
(3) The reverend made announcements as if he knew members of the congregation personally (at Shadyside, it was much more impersonal and generally applicable).

Overall, East Liberty was a tad less polished than Shadyside, but somehow, that made it all the more likeable.

One interesting note: the church organist for this Sunday happened to be a 13-year-old student of Hope Academy (who, I'm sure, is not on the payroll). Because the organist is almost always hidden from view, I only realized this after I got suspicious during the hymns and checked the program.

If you have ever listened to an experienced organist play hymns in a large, reverberating sanctuary, you may have noticed that such an organist pays no heed to what he or she hears (e.g., the congregation's singing). Of necessity, the organist must simply play in a steady tempo without adjusting for auditory signals. It's pretty difficult for an organist to train him- or herself to do this, but it's really the only way. No matter what happens, the congregation and the actual sounds of the organ will always be a beat or two behind the organist's fingers striking the keys. That's just the nature of sound! Anyway, on the performance pieces, our 13-year-old was rather spectacular, but during the hymns, her inexperience showed.

Regardless, the service was nice, and the sermon was really quite good. Also, the sanctuary was simply breathtaking. It is quite large, with very high ceilings. If you are seated facing the front of the sanctuary, you have a marvelous view of some elegant stained glass (a dying art) and extraordinary stonework. I believe the Cathedral of Hope (the current building for the ELPC) was completed around 1935 or so. It's worth a look just for the architecture.

Another good church! Next week, we may check out St. Paul's Catholic Diocese, so be looking out for that blog!

New Year's Resolution: Attend Church

Yesterday, Karl and I made good on one of his New Year's resolutions to find (and go to) a church in the Pittsburgh/Oakland area when we didn't make it out to North Huntingdon with my parents (kind of a trek!). So, we attended a service at Shadyside Presbyterian Church. Great music, scattered sermon, but an all-around nice church. I'm glad we went. Next week, we're going to investigate East Liberty Presbyterian.

Two things I've decided I like about the Presbyterian church: the music and the architecture.

Music
We sang hymns yesterday! I forget how much I miss hymns sometimes. The church at which I'm a member is fondly referred to among its members as the "Rock-and-roll" church. We have a band, including drums, electric and acoustic guitars, bongos, a keyboard, and an electric bass. It's fun and exciting, but I often feel that a more serene, solemn service is just what I need. I'm not always fond of the organ used in most traditional services, but the organist at Shadyside Presbyterian was very nice.

I also enjoyed the presence of a chancel choir. It's good to have harmonies when you're singing hymns, and I also love when the choir sings short pieces to enhance the worshipful atmosphere of the service.

Yes, I do appreciate some good music! Yesterday's service included some lovely music, which you can actually listen to (along with the sermon and hymns) at the Shadyside Presbyterian website.

Architecture
Just take a look at these two buildings!

Shadyside Presbyterian and East Liberty Presbyterian

In sum: I enjoyed going to church!