Craft Beer NYC

5 Stars, Dazzling & Uplifting Journey into the world of craft beer! We had the honor to join the filmmakers on Sunday December 8, 2024 for the world premiere of the documentary series United Crafts of America, as part of the 2024 Dances with Films independent film festival.   The series will be a six episode journey around the country, each episode featuring a different American city  The first episode featured New York City based Interboro Brewery and the story of the two co-founders Jesse Ferguson and Laura Dierks.  Unfortunately the series documents the brewery months before they were forced to close the doors on their Williamsburg taproom in late 2023.  UCA is produced by Subversal Films, Jonathan Adelson, and directed by Sergio Camacho.  Let's hope Interboro finds a new home, and opens up another taproom soon.  They are currently doing contract brewing for their brand at another location in Westchester, just north of the city. This film brings a wo...

Talea opened up a third Manhattan location just a few weeks ago!   Conveniently located near MSG and Penn Station, this latest installation of the women owned craft beer culinary infusion delivers a vibrantly colorful experience!   The menu is a nice blend of tap beer, wine, and crafty cocktails with all the Talea favorites just a block away from the Knicks and Rangers.     We visited on December 4th and our group had a great time, and ample seating.  One word of caution is that there is no kitchen or food offering yet, just some light prepackaged snacks.  Perfect for a place to grab a drink before a concert or event at MSG. Cheers! 160 West 32nd Street New York, NY, 10001 

On a recent visit to the flagship location of one of the hottest craft beer brands in NYC, I joined other NYU Alumni for a great night of networking for a true culinary experience hosted by Tara Hankinson, one of the co-founders of this women-owned brewery.     Along with LeAnn Darland, the other co-founder their combined namesake is the inspiration for their brand TALEA.     Talea was in the middle of breaking ground on their first location right in the middle of covid in 2020, and had its opening delayed until March 2021.       They are now rolling with having added their 4th location next to Bryant Park, earlier this winter.   They now have 2 locations in Brooklyn (Williamsburg and Carroll Gardens), and two locations in Manhattan (West Village and Midtown) as they pass their 6-year anniversary.   The Williamsburg location is where all their production takes place, and is a vibrant part of the North Brooklyn craft beer scene.  In their...

Brooklyn's Craft Beer brand Sixpoint now has a new taproom in Downtown Brooklyn (City Point) and in Brookfield Place in Lower Manhattan.  Sixpoint was established in Red Hook Brooklyn back in 2004, and is entering their next phase of their craft journey with this new expansion.  This tourist accessible venue located near the 9/11 Museum and WTC Tower, is also a great place for New Yorkers to enjoy some great craft beer.   As part of the new Artisanal Brewing Ventures Group, regional offerings from Southern Tier, Victory, and Hard Rock Cider are all available at the taproom and in to-go cans.   Southern Tier also has a separate distillery brand that offers RTD cocktails, spirits, as well as a dynamic inspired cocktail menu to pair with a great American style comfort food menu.  I visited on a weekend afternoon this past month in celebration of National Beer Day, and the kid friendly atmosphere is a great place to watch a game!  You can also enjoy some of Six...

As one does on the NYC craft beer trail these days, is pay a weekend visit to Brooklyn.   Endless Life just celebrated their 3 year anniversary, founded by long time Brooklyn resident Jeff Lyons in Crown Heights (right off Atlantic Avenue).  Endless Life had the honor of hosting one of the final events of the 2024 NYC Beer Week, with the Ruppert's Cup Awards.  Endless is one of the smallest microbreweries in the city, and has a commitment to use locally sourced NY State ingredients (Hops and Malts) including Malts from New York Craft Malt from upstate New York.  One of the best entries is the lambic inspired sour oak barreled aged Satellite Are Spinning which comes in at 5.6% ABV.   They also carry Fort Hamilton Distilled spirits on hand for some nifty cocktails.  If you are feeling hungry after a couple pints, you can order from Memphis Soul and they will delivery tasty chicken and snacks directly to your barstool (from their Lincoln place location just a ...

Sweet Action is one of the core year round ales hand crafted in Brooklyn by Sixpoint.  There are tasting notes all over the map from bitter to sweet.  Officially now a pale ale, Sixpoint has been brewing this one for almost 20 years, truly a NYC classic.  Tasting notes range from citrus to floral with a nice medium hop bitterness with a peachy aroma.  The haze is helped by the Canadian white wheat, along with some Simcoe hops.   This is a great session beer for all seasons and will remain one of my fridge beer staples.  Exclusively available in six packs of 12oz cans when you can't enjoy on draft.  The skinny cans have been retired for this one.   Back in 2014 this used to be considered a cream ale (skinny can below) with a slightly different recipe, and has evolved in the 20 years since its arrival.  Sixpoint now has a tap room in downtown Brooklyn in the City Point Development (next to Trader Joe's) https://taprooms.sixpoint.com/sixpoint-at...

Are you ready for a Summer Session Sour?  Dogfish created this one back in 2016 and it is now in the year round production cycle.  Aroma and taste have a heavy sour lime profile, created by the inclusion of some non traditional ingredients like middle eastern black limes, and sea salt.  This is also a triple sequence of production stemming from a traditional Kolsch fermentation, then Gose yeast after a day of fermenting, and then Berliner Weiss to finish it off with the sea salt and lime added.  The yeast strains themselves bring a salty lime sourness, so this one is an intense exploration in craft beer experimentation.    The mouthfeel is surprisingly light, given the tartness.   The color is in the 2.5 SRM range. IBU is a 10.  You really must enjoy this on a boat while sailing the high seas.   Maybe the pirates can drink this to escape scurvy.   Great to pair with seafood and oysters 4.9% ABV 9 out of 10 Salty Dogs https://www.dogfish....

The year round offering from Grimm has been seen all over the city, including some distribution at retail markets in Manhattan, especially on the UWS.   Offered in a 4 Pack of 16 oz cans (1 pint), this one is a stellar performer for all occasions.  Wavetable was on my beer menu for the big game party this year.  Great label design by Lauren Grimm.  Hop profile contains Strata, Mosaic (one of my favorites), and Citra, while the overall aromatic notes have layers of mango, guava, citrus, and cannabis.    The ABV is low enough to keep this Northeast-style session going strong all night.  Grimm has been operation as a brick and mortar location in Brooklyn since 2018.   6.7% ABV  https://grimmales.com/beer/wavetable/

This easy drinking delight showed up as one of my 24 NYS Beers of Holiday Cheer! from the New York State Brewers Association.  The lower ABV lagers are becoming more and more in fashion these days, especially as a premium fresh fridge beer to have on hand for session-able gatherings during the holidays.   A silver medal winner at the 2021 Great American Beer Festival, definitely delivers for anyone looking for a crisp, clean, smooth lager any time of the year.   Singlecut uses locally sourced malts, and classic noble hops from Europe in this Frequency lager.  Enjoy the NYC taproom in Astoria, Queens.  There are now new upstate taprooms in Syracuse and Saratoga.  ABV 4.7%  8.0 out of 10 MHz (Good ATSC 3.0 viewing pairing)  More info on ATSC 3.0 https://www.atsc.org/nextgen-tv/ Media Insights Posts  https://afordnycmedia.blogspot.com/ More on SingleCut  https://singlecut.com/

I discovered this entry from Big aLICe in the 24 NYS Beers of Holiday Cheers from New York State Brewers Association Advent Box.   This fruity powerhouse of tangerine and pineapple is a delight for any brunch, lunch or dessert.  It is definitely more of a sour, than a fruity IPA, but for me it sits in the middle of that spectrum.  Since it contains lactose and fresh fruit, it’s important to store and drink cold.  Big aLICe is an official licensed New York State farm brewery, which is a great incentive and agriculture boosting program for the state of NY.   Big aLICe began production in 2013 with a facility in Long Island City, Queens, then expanded to the new Industrial City Development in Brooklyn, and then opened a 3rd location in 2021 in the Finger Lakes (Upstate New York).  They have a great reputation and a strong following with the local craft beer scene in NYC and the region. The original taproom in Queens is now closed.   8.5 out of 10 Fruit Bo...

  Captain Lawrence Smuttynose New Belgium Voodoo Ranger Atomic Pumpkin Shipyard Flying Dog Five Boroughs  Southern Tier  Enjoy!   

Wow, talk about a unique entry into the crowded Pumpkin ale market!  This stellar creation from the folks at New Belgium offers some sweet heat from cinnamon and habanero chili peppers.   This one pours smooth, but the habanero is subtle in aroma and packs quite a wallop in the mouthfeel.  The delayed spicy aftertaste is similar to the slow creeper hot sauce that grabs you from a habanero chicken wing on Hot Ones.   Be careful to not let the creepers in, when not playing in peaceful mode!  Enjoy this and other Voodoo Ranger series of craft beers from Fort Collins, Colorado.  ABV 6.4% 9.5/10 Spicy Pumpkins  https://www.newbelgium.com/beer/voodoo-ranger-atomic-pumpkin https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/whered-you-get-those-creepers-63707339/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creeper_(Minecraft)

Flying Dog has done it again!  This very limited release seasonal puts a new spin on Pumpkin Ale.   Using Warrior and Willamette hops blended with dark malts like Cara-Brown, Midnight Wheat, and Chocolate, they have developed a rich and complex fall seasonal.  The brewers use local pumpkin puree mixed with a secret blend of spices, which allow tasting notes of graham cracker and chocolate to come through with every pour.  Since Flying Dog doesn't do anything quietly, they amped up this one to Imperial stature with a very high ABV, dark color and a complex thick heavier body similar to a stout.   Flying Dog brings new meaning to "Fear".  Celebrate your Halloween in style and ask yourself, what do you fear? 9.0% ABV 9.5/10 Michael Meyers "Fear" Masks https://flyingdog.com/beers/the-fear/ Halloween Theme Song https://youtu.be/iP-jYiuDD9g New 20023 Bottle Design

Blast off and send yourself into an early night dreamscape with this Belgian classic.  The Delirium has only been around since the late 80's, but it feels like an older tradition of Belgian expertise. How many pink elephants did you see?   I actually prefer the darker Nocturnum, even though the ABV is the same as the standard Delirium Tremens.  Also comes in a Christmas edition!  You might not be able to tell the difference between a pink panther or a pink elephant after a couple of rounds.  Movie Pairing:  Clockwork Orange or Vertigo 8.5% ABV 10/10 Deep Tracks of Peter Sellers https://www.delirium.be/en/beers?beer=14-Delirium https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/Pink_Elephants

The trees are turning colors and the pumpkins are getting ripe in the fields for Halloween fun!  The airwaves are filled with Sleep Hollow and crazy eyed Snickers starved headless horseman!  That means that it's that time of the year for Pumpkin spiced ale.   This returning staple from Shipyard has been a quality brew for a few years now.  Nice even balance filled with touches of cinnamon and nutmeg to blend in the fresh pumpkin flavor.    The nice golden color sits well in a tall pint glass, that must be poured down the side to unleash the spice.  The latest version comes in at 4.5% and is still a stellar entry in the crowed Pumpkin ale category.  4.5% ABV 7 out of 10 Ichabod Crane's https://shipyard.com/beer/pumpkinhead/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ichabod_Crane For anyone looking for some Hudson Valley Halloween Pumpkin thrills check out the famous Jack-O-Lantern Blaze and the Horseman's Hollow (Spirits of Sleepy Hollow) through end of ...

Hello Craft Beer Friends,  Here's some great detail on the new laws that went into effect January of 2023. Under the new law, in order to receive a Farm Brewery license in New York State, the beer must be made primarily from locally grown farm products. The schedule for the license is as follows: From January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2023, no less than 60% of the hops and 60% of all other ingredients must be grown in New York State. From January 1, 2024, no less than 90% of the hops and 90% of all other ingredients must be grown in New York State. Enjoy! https://newyorkcraftbeer.com/farm-brewery/

This is a nice change from the usual summer ales hitting the store aisles right now.  This is an intense but smooth stout, with a nice addition of brewers licorice.  A nice blend of dark roasts malts that offers taste profile of coffee, chocolate to bring this to the session-able 6.0% ABV.    Kalamazoo is home to one of the greatest Yankees as well as great beer!  6.0% ABV, 51 IBU's  8 out of 10  Hall of Fame Shortstops https://bellsbeer.com/project/kalamazoo-stout/

Its a little late in the season for fresh Pumpkin Ale but I was able to find some of the last batches left on the UWS of this entry from the Brooklyn based Five Boroughs Brewing Company. The Malt profile uses 2-Row German, Carared, and Carafoam all blends of 2-Row to provide extra body,  and the toasty red color.  The hop profile features Chinook and Cascade.   Fresh pumpkin is added to the Mash vs. the Boil according to Mat Johnson, Head of Brewing and Quality Management at Five Boroughs.   A fresh proprietary spice blend, which probably contains a blend of cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg.  This one is definitely a smooth, but not overpowering blend of pumpkin to make this a very sessionable fall ale.   Five Boroughs has developed a strong portfolio of year-round and seasonal beers in a short time operating out of Sunset Park, Brooklyn.  ABV 6.0% 9 out of 10 Pulpy Pumpkins Movie Pairings: The Nightmare Before Christmas, Halloween (Original 1978 Version...

'Tis the season for Christmas Ale, and DUBCO gives you a perfect pairing to your ugly sweater.   Packed with intense maple, orange peel, Demerara sugar, and cherries aged on bourbon oak this winter warmer does the trick. 9.3 ABV (Don't let Rudolph partake) 8.5/10 Christmas Vacations Movie Pairing:  Triple Feature- A Christmas Story, Lindsey Lohan's Falling for Christmas and The Shining https://destinationunknownbeercompany.com/

I returned to Ditmas Park, for another round of homebrew hosted by The Hoeffner's which is becoming annual tradition of excellence.   This year I focused in on a few new and returning favorites.   The new Kama Citra is a session citrus IPA, brewed with Centennial, Cascade, and Citra hops.   I found myself really loving the balance of tartness with the aroma of fresh citrus infusions, that was so crisp and powerful I think I might have had 3 without even blinking.   The other strong performer this year was the dark and medium/heavy "Hey Oh" Belgian Trappist style, which was the second strongest on the menu.   This ale took on some additional character with the additional aging from the 2017 batch.    Also the returning "Ramble On" gets an honorable mention for sparking a spicy but heavy Imperial Farmhouse Ale that was very drinkable.   Last year "Ramble On" was the darkest and last stop on the menu, but this year 2 others clocked in below it. ...