PHOTOS BY KRISTY GRAVER

Romance is dead. (And less than a week after Valentine’s Day!) 

Necromancer Brewing Co., a Ross brewery known for its creepy aesthetic and its penchant for resurrecting forgotten beer styles, is going belly up after three years. Customers can pay their respects from 4 to 10 p.m. this Thursday and Friday, when all suds will be free to responsibly consume on-site or take by the case. Patrons can also purchase merchandise and glassware and contribute to a virtual tip jar, with all proceeds going to the staff.

The closure also means the end of Necromancer’s plans for the Midnight Whistler Pub in Greenfield, next door to the recently opened Greenhouse Co-op cidery. 

Co-owner Ben Butler says that due to the rising cost of everything — from grain and hops to shipping and labor — and the overall state of the beer industry, the company couldn’t stay alive. He adds that management is in talks with multiple parties who either want to take over the building at 2257 Babcock Blvd., the brand or the brewing equipment. 

“I’d love for someone with an unlimited bankroll to step in and say, ‘I’m going to make this place work!’ but other than that it’s over,” says Butler, who is the founder of local design agency Top Hat. 

In May 2021, when the business opened for can sales in the 14,400-square-foot former USA Baby that once operated as a Spirit Halloween store, they sold out in an hour and 15 minutes. 

On-site imbibing began in June of that year.

Initial plans to open a restaurant in the large warehouse in the back fell by the wayside and Necromancer, a big supporter of Pittsburgh’s queer community, used the space for events, including roller skating parties. 

In April 2023, Necromancer brought Franktuary, a gourmet hot dog truck and brand name from Tim Tobitsch. The idea was to have the vehicle make the rounds to different events and be a fixture at the brewery, which relied on a rotating lineup of food trucks and a soup kiosk to feed patrons. Unfortunately, the engine blew up mid-season and has been out of commission since July. Butler says the company took a $100,000 hit.

Last week, Necromancer announced on social media that there was a problem with their liquor license, rendering them unable to sell or package beer. That seemed to be the final nail in the coffin.

There are about 100 cases of beer left at the Babcock Boulevard facility and plenty of kegs to kick. Butler hopes customers will come out this week to say goodbye, raise a pint glass and, for a few hours at least, put the “fun” in funeral.