Church Brew Works
This brewery, built into a former church building, may still be home to some paranormal parishioners
Paranormal Reports at
Church Brew Works
- Strange noises and music are heard throughout the building
- A lady in white’s apparition has been spotted
- Workers have the sensation of being followed around the kitchen
- Items in the building may be moved by unseen forces
- Disembodied voices can be heard in the building
- Unexplainable eerie feelings and sensations have been reported
Praise the Lord & Pass the Ale:
History of Church Brew Works
In the Lawrenceville area of northern Pittsburgh, down the slim Liberty Avenue roadway, sturdy brick designs shape the entire neighborhood, from historic row houses, tall apartment blocks, old industrial buildings, and even a large Catholic church. Or, rather, something that resembles a Catholic church.
Though it certainly looks the part, with a tall steeple, an eye-catching rose window, and an attached parsonage, the old Liberty Avenue sanctuary now leads a very different life.
Known today as Church Brew Works, the former church is now a well-known and beloved Pittsburgh brewery. And some say the brewery harbors a few ghosts from the church’s active era.
So while modern visitors come to Church Brew Works to partake in libations, they may be rubbing shoulders with historic phantoms still there praising the lord.
Timeline of Church Brew Works's History
Swipe or use timeline points to see Church Brew Works through the years
1902
In the late 1800s, Lawrenceville was a growing and industrializing area of Pittsburgh, filled with European immigrants. With them came industrial jobs, palpable cultural spheres, and of course, religion. Numerous Christian churches cropped up throughout the 1800s in Lawrenceville. And over time, many of these churches needed to expand.
In 1902, Lawrenceville Catholics set a cornerstone on Liberty Avenue, the start of what would become St. John the Baptist Church.
1936
The first few decades of St. John’s life ended up being quite eventful. A 1915 fire caused extensive damage to the church building, requiring a new altar, new floors, and new interior paint. Just over twenty years later, in 1936, St. John’s would play an essential role in a notable local disaster.
In March of that year, flooding devastated Pittsburgh, and the church opened its doors to locals in need of shelter. Through these events, the population of Lawrenceville rallied around their church, and the church did the same for them.
1993
While St. John’s served a vital role in the neighborhood through the early 1900s, the later part of the decade brought hardship to the parish. The community of Lawrenceville slowly stopped growing, and residents began shifting away as the 21st century loomed in the future. By the early 1990s, the Diocese of Pittsburgh needed to make numerous changes and cutbacks to stay afloat.
One of these cutbacks was the closure of St. John the Baptist Church. The church was formally shuttered in August of 1993, after over 90 years of operation.
1996
After three years of quiet closure, new work came to St. John’s. This time, developers sought to revitalize the church complex as a brewery and pub. Both modern renovations and careful historic restorations turned the old church into the Church Brew Works, opened in 1996. Ever since, Church Brew Works has been home to local beer and an unmatchably unique atmosphere.
One thing that contributes to that atmosphere is, apparently, the church’s ghosts. It seems St. John’s phantom parishioners can’t quite leave their beloved sanctuary behind.
Is Church Brew Works Haunted?
An often noted ghost at Church Brew Works is the unknown figure of a lady in white. Said to be a young woman, she is likely between the ages of 16 and 22.
The lady in white is known for being exceptionally pale, even by ghost standards. Those who have seen her claim she is not appearing to be scary or eerie, but rather seems like she is lost or in need of some help. Could this possibly be the figure of a 1936 flood victim, seeking refuge at the old church?
The Church’s Lady in White
The lady in white’s figure isn’t known to have a particular favorite spot around the church. She instead appears all throughout the building.
At least one witness has reported spotting her pale, translucent figure in the old rectory portion of the complex, walking up and down a set of stairs. Others have seen her lingering near the front of the church and at the opposite end around the altar, which is where she is most commonly reported.
The lady in white has also been seen lingering in the middle of the sanctuary, like she is taking a moment to pray.
If you happen to disrupt one of these quiet, private prayers, you might get a piercing glance from the mysterious lady, before she disappears before your eyes.
Funny Feelings at the Brewery
Even if you don’t see a visible apparition around Church Brew Works, you might feel a paranormal presence around you. Unexplainable eerie feelings are sometimes noted around the pub, both by workers and patrons.
It is never known to be anything malevolent or negative, just a sense of not being alone, or some unseen person standing very close to you. Some workers further claim to be followed around the kitchen by some unseen force, as if the ghosts are there to supervise their work.
A Creepy Congregation of Voices
Along with mysterious, ghostly figures, Church Brew Works is also said to be a hotbed for spooky sounds. Disembodied voices can often be heard at quiet times around the church, as well as in empty areas of the complex. Other kinds of unexplainable noises have been reported as well, including distant knocks and taps. Some visitors and workers even claim to hear the sound of church organ music echoing through the complex at times.
The crew from TV’s Ghost Hunters visited Church Brew Works for an investigation in the early 2020s, and claimed to record some of these unknown sounds. Most notably, the production reported a potential EVP recording, a ghostly voice saying, “Jesus.”
Objects Shift Around the Sanctuary
Church Brew Works has also become known as a place where small items might be moved or go missing out of nowhere. While not the kind of thing to pester patrons, workers around the brewery sometimes claim to have small objects disappear on them, even when they turn their backs for only a moment.
At times during reconstruction or renovation projects around the church, spirits may mess with the construction equipment. A common claim is that power tools will be suddenly unplugged by unseen hands. But, others report the opposite kind of activity. Sometimes, things left unplugged around the church may be curiously plugged in later, with only the ghosts to blame.
Boos and Brews at Church Brew Works
Today, Church Brew Works remains dedicated to the same mission they started with in 1996: share good food and pints of local beer with locals and tourists alike. The church-turned-pub has become a fixture of the Lawrenceville neighborhood, much in the same way that the original church became a pillar of the community.
As the brewery stays busy as a restaurant and bar, it’s not often you’ll find ghost-centered programs or events at the building. But, Church Brew Works’ appearance on Ghost Hunters certainly brought its paranormal lore into the spotlight, and enlivened many of the church’s ghost stories.
Though you can’t book a ghost hunt at the bustling brewery today, you can still pop in for a drink and hope to spot the lady in white.
Even if you aren’t in search of a paranormal encounter, you just might find one at the old church. And whether a ghostly sighting has you reaching for a rosary or a tall alcoholic beverage, you’re in luck. Church Brew Works should have just what you need to calm your nerves.
