While 2020 might be … unusual, to say the least, there’s one thing that’s just as reliable and awesome as always: Goose Island’s Bourbon County Stout. I think I say this every year, but this is one of the best BCBS lineups yet. I had two main takeaways from this year’s variants: First, I’m really…
The plan for EBBS was to open a tasting room and bottle shop right off the L train’s Bedford stop, in Williamsburg. Like so many things, the global Covid-19 pandemic put New York City’s newest brewery’s plans on hold. But that didn’t stop them from making great beer. The team, including co-founders Tomas Larsson and…
Timber Ales’ first release is dropping in NYC this week and you won’t want to miss it. Maris Goes to Oceanside, brewed at Twelve Percent Beer Project, in North Haven, Connecticut, is a decadent barleywine. It was brewed in collaboration with Horus Aged Ales, from California, and Mindful Ales, from New Jersey. For this version…
Congratulations to Other Half on yet another great year of releasing some of the best beers in New York City … and the world! Tomorrow, February 8, at 10 a.m., they’ll release their new anniversary beers. I can’t believe it’s been more than six years since I first tried Green Diamonds on tap at The…
It’s an age-old tale in the craft beer community: A homebrewer makes the beer they want to drink, “beer people” find out that the homebrew is so outstanding that it’s deserving of more, and seemingly overnight, a new brewery is born. Enter Jason Stein’s Timber Ales, from New York City. For years, he’s been regularly…
It’s that time again! Black Friday is approaching and that doesn’t just mean deep-discount sales on video game consoles, TVs, and Furbys … do those still exist? Goose Island’s Bourbon County Brand Stout is back and will surely be on most beer nerds’ shopping lists. I’ve had the chance to taste the whole lineup during…
Bell’s Two Hearted India Pale Ale is one of those beers that almost everyone has tried and almost everyone still loves, year after year. It’s also one of the beers that triggers the ol’ nostalgia nerve whenever it’s brought up. Can you remember the first time you tried one? I can! And just like all…
If you’re looking for a new type of beer experience in NYC, look no further than Izakaya Juraku! This Japanese restaurant and bar in the Lower East Side has the largest selection of Japanese beer in New York State. And let me tell you, they all pair amazingly with their delicious and fun food menu,…
There’s a new brewer in town! Little Blind is the brainchild of Drew Bombard, a new gypsy brewer in the booming New York beer scene. Bombard started off as a microbiologist, but soon took his science skills to Colorado’s world-famous New Belgium Brewing. Now he’s using his love and knowledge of microbes to brew his…
The newest Toppling Goliath drop in NY was the one everyone was waiting for . . . because it included King Sue! When I first heard that Sarene Craft Beer Distributors would start distributing here, I couldn’t wait to finally try this legendary Imperial IPA. As an added bonus, we also received cans of another…
Last Saturday, Hudson Valley Brewery (HVB) held a can release at As Is NYC, in Hell’s Kitchen. The Problem of Other Minds—a sour IPA with wheat and malted oats, milk sugar, black currant puree, vanilla beans, and hopped with Mosaic hops—was only sold at the bar (but not at the brewery’s taproom in Beacon, New…
I discovered craft beer about a decade ago when a local bottle shop opened near my apartment. During those formative years, I had no idea which beer I liked, so I would just indiscriminately pluck random bottles of all different styles from the shelves to create a random mixed six. One of the first beers…
Other Half’s Pastrytown was probably the most anticipated beer event to ever hit New York City—and it exceeded my expectations. One of the trendiest styles of beer—the pastry stout—was in the spotlight for one glorious and gluttonous day at Industry City in Brooklyn. Beer blogger Alex Kidd of DontDrinkBeer famously coined the name for the…
As the craft beer industry grows larger, more breweries have focused on serving their local community and fans, rather than looking to distribute far and wide. That presents a problem for craft beer nerds … cough, cough … enthusiasts who have an insatiable appetite and are always looking to try the newest and tastiest brews…
Ever since I first tried a beer from Toppling Goliath Brewing Co., from Decorah, Iowa, I’ve been hoping for the day when their beers would become available in New York. And that day has finally arrived! Thanks to Sarene Craft Beer distributors, I got to try some super fresh cans and bottles of some of…
It’s hard to believe that five years have passed. I’ll always remember the first Other Half beer I ever had the pleasure of drinking. It was at Pony Bar, in the Upper East Side. I walked up to the bar and saw “Other Half – Green Diamonds” illuminated on the digital menu board. I asked…
It’s not often that a brewer in New York City releases a barleywine. So when I heard that Long Island City’s Big Alice Brewing released a bourbon barrel-aged barleywine, called Valley of Ashes, I knew I had to try it—and I’m really glad I did! This 12.8 percent beast was aged for one year in…
One of the best parts of the growing national beer scene is getting to try beers that were once only available at breweries. We’re very lucky in NYC to have a huge distribution network that just keeps getting bigger. I’ve wanted to try Bells Bourbon Barrel-aged Expedition stout since it was first released in 2016…
Black Friday is almost over. We just shared our Bourbon County reviews with you, but saved one more beer from Goose Island: Sofie Pardisi. We used to seek out this super refreshing saison back in 2012 and 2013, when it was commonly featured during Goose Island tap takeovers around the city. We loved enjoying it…
This year’s Goose Island’s Bourbon County Brand Stout release is the biggest ever with eight (!!!) different variants. Other notable differences include a hiatus for the hugely popular coffee stout and barleywine. Subbing in are a new coffee barleywine and wheatwine. This is also the second time that there’s a “Reserve” variant—this year’s version is…
One of the coolest and most positive parts of the craft beer community is how beer lovers give back to society through amazing charity events. We were fortunate to attend a fantastic event a few weeks ago in Beacon, New York, at Hudson Valley Brewery: Melesa’s Wings, benefiting cancer research at Memorial Sloan Kettering. The fundraiser was organized…
Zwanze Day at Spuyten Duyvil NYC is always a blast! This year was the best yet.
NYC Beer Week 2018 started off with a huge, sold out bash last Saturday night at the Brooklyn EXPO Center. With so many new and growing local breweries, it seemed like there was a never-ending list of must-try beers to sample. Add that to an amazing group of guest brewers from around NY State and…
Stout season is going strong across the country and one of the best annual local releases is always Finback’s BQE. I think their barrel-aged version is consistently the best stout brewed in NYC, period. This year, they gave us a second variant: Salty Caramel, which I am drinking right now as I write this post…
Black Friday is coming up fast so here’s the info for Top Hop’s (94 Orchard St, New York, NY, 10002) annual Black Friday event! SAVE THE DATE. It’s here! Once again, Top Hops is your NY home for the 2017 bottle release for Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout. The All-Important Details! – At 9…
Black Friday is almost upon us and for beer nerds that means Bourbon County Brand Stout time. We got a chance to try this year’s lineup and we’re excited to share our reviews. Spoiler Alert: These beers are awesome! 2017 Bourbon County Brand Stout, 14.1-14.7% BCBS is back and once again it’s as incredible as…
Goose Island Migration Week 2017 is upon us! That means if you attend any one of these events, you’ll get a chance to try some of the rarest and tastiest offerings that Goose has to offer. We can’t wait to check out as many of these amazing events as possible and we hope to see…
The Wilky (108 Patchen Ave, Bed Stuy, Brooklyn) is celebrating All Things Chicago on Saturday 5/20 starting at 2pm ✓ Delicious Chicago Beers ✓ Chicago-Style Dogs ✓ Italian Beefs ✓ Shots of Malort Tap list so far: ★ Goose Island -2013 Bourbon County Brand Stout- bourbon barrel-aged stout from 2013 -Lolita- Belgian-style ale aged…
Michigan’s Perrin Brewing Company will start distribution in NYC next week! I’ve heard a lot of good things about their beer—especially their No Rules bourbon barrel-aged imperial porter, brewed with coconut and turbinado sugar. I can’t wait to try their stuff! Check out a list of their launch beers below. We’ll be posting some reviews…
Go To Jester King Brewery By Eric Sturniolo Photos by Annie Shustrin and Eric Sturniolo When in Austin, eat tacos, eat breakfast tacos, eat BBQ, and go to Jester King Brewery. About a 30 minute drive southwest of Downtown Austin, into the Texas Hill Country, sits Jester King. Founded in 2010, Jester King focuses on…
The Wilky in Bed Stuy is turning one! The Wilkyversary festivities are this weekend, Saturday-Sunday January 14-15, starting a 2PM. Their 18 taps will be filled with rarities, awesomeness, and one-offs- including KCBC Wilkyversary #1, a pomegranate sour brewed with The Wilky team. There will also be free bottle pours and free presents given out hourly…
Top Hops in the Lower East Side will be celebrating its 5th Anniversary this coming Friday, January 13! Big Surprise! … they will have some amazing stuff on tap—including the debut of Top Dollar, the new Mosaic-hopped IPA that Barrier is producing exclusively for Top Hops—only available there and at Barrier’s tap room in Oceanside.…
There’s a great new brewery out in Bay Shore, Long Island, called Destination Unknown Beer Company. They just began canning recently and I was lucky to get to try their Imperial IPA Sore Thumb. With all the hazy, hop bombs out there, this was a classic (but fresh!) retreat to the West Coast IPAs that…
Once again, Top Hops is the place to be in NYC to get your bottles of Bourbon County Stout. They’ll have by far the biggest allotment in the city and if you can roll your turkey-stuffed body out of bed to get some, they’ll have it! For our reviews check out our post here. Check…
Bourbon County Brand Stout Just like 2015’s vintage, this year’s BCBS is very smooth for being so young. A fresh bottle tastes as if it was already aged in the bottle for a year or more—the alcohol is very well hidden and there’s no barrel heat—just delicious vanilla notes from the bourbon barrels that complement…
Hudson Valley Breweries in 6 Easy Steps By Eric Sturniolo We live in the golden age of New York City beer, but don’t forget there’s lot of great stuff being brewed just north of us in the Hudson Valley. Here are 6 easy steps to help you on your Hudson Valley beer adventure: Step 1:…
Best of the Homebrew Takedown By Eric Sturniolo Remember the local craft beer scene in New York City five years ago? Brooklyn Brewery, Sixpoint… it’s a pretty short list. Today, craft beer and local breweries are exploding in the city, and much of it is thanks to homebrewers. Some of my favorite new breweries (Grimm…
Best of the Bottle Share By Eric Sturniolo We recently hosted a bottle share at The Wilky, a new (and great) craft beer spot in Bed Stuy, Brooklyn. We were lucky to have a lot of cool people bring a lot of amazing bottles. The standouts, whether for pure quality or uniqueness, are below.. happy…
Jack’s Abby Coming To NYC! By: Eric Sturniolo We are thrilled to announce that Jack’s Abby will soon start distributing both keg and package in New York City. Launch events are currently being set up for Mid-April at the best beer bars in the city. We’ll keep you posted on the wheres and whens! Jack’s…
Goose Island Barrel Aging Lecture & Tasting at Bitter & Esters By Eric Sturniolo and Isabelle Rojo Goose Island’s Bourbon County series, one of the original and most prolific barrel-aging programs, has influenced brewers worldwide. But like most things, nothing can quite match the progenitor; hence, why we were so excited to attend Goose Island’s…
Black Friday’s Goose Island Bourbon County release has come and gone and everyone survived the mayhem! This year’s event at Top Hops in the Lower East Side was by far the most popular beer drop of 2015, with hundreds of people showing up to grab the prized bottles released only once a year. The newest…
The holidays kick off on Black Friday, and craft beer lovers will be lining up around the country for one of the best beers on the planet: Goose Island’s Bourbon County Brand Stout! We’ll be at One Mile House (10 Delancey Street) on Wednesday, November 25, where they’ll have almost a dozen Goose Island taps,…
Beer Hero: Ambulance Brew House By Eric Sturniolo Ah, suburbia. Strip malls, white picket fences, and now a bar with one of the best tap lists in the NYC area. There’s a lot that makes Ambulance Brew House great, and one amazing thing that makes it immediately worth the trip up to the ‘burbs: a…
New York City, a brewing wasteland just a few years ago, is now brimming with awesome, city-made beer. To celebrate this, the Brooklyn Local Craft Beer Festival has brought together 14 of the NYC area’s best up and coming brewers. There will also be local food trucks like Carpe Donut, Bill’s Balls, and Sweet Chili.…
Our next, and best, event will be held at the awesome bar Hops Hill, located in Clinton Hill. It consistently has one of the best tap lists in the city, and they are putting up a really great one for us. They also have a pretty gigantic bottle list. Please join our group and RSVP…
Not Your Father’s Root Beer… Floats! By: Eric Sturniolo We never thought it possible, but Not Your Father’s Root Beer by Small Town Brewery is now available in New York City! It’s still hard to get, but if you put some work in, you’ll be able to snag a bottle or two at the better…
Our meetup.com group is having our next event at Threes Brewing on Friday July 10th, starting at 7pm. Please join our group and RSVP here: http://www.meetup.com/Downtown-Brooklyn-Craft-Beer-Meetup/events/223139229/ Threes is an actual working brewery and bar, and although less than a year old, they’re already making some of the best beer in NYC. They always have a…
Drie Fonteinen Oude Kriek By Eric Sturniolo Ah, spontaneous fermentation. The trademark of Brussels-area breweries like Cantillon and Drie Fonteinen. Drie Fonteinen produces their own wort (about 70% of their total production) and buys the rest from different breweries in Belgium. After the wort is cooled in a…coolship, it’s left exposed to the air, allowing…
Hair of the Dog – Bourbon Fred – 2013 Edition by: Eric Sturniolo One of my favorite breweries ever (and certainly the most unique) is Hair of the Dog, and after aging this for two years, I couldn’t wait any longer to open Bourbon Fred. “Regular” Fred is aged for 6 months in oak barrels.…
Three Floyds – Space Station Middle Finger By Eric Sturniolo Hard to find in New York City (ok, maybe a bit impossible), I was lucky to get my hands on Three Floyds Space Station Middle Finger, one of the best pale ales I’ve ever had. It’s what every good pale ale should be. Hoppy (but…
This may be hard to believe, but after 2 years of aging, Hill Farmstead Clara is still… amazing! The brewery describes this beer as a grissette, which is a French style extremely similar to a saison: crisp, low-alcohol, summery, wheaty. Clara hits all the marks and more. Tastes of wheat, lemon, and yeast, with a…
This Saturday, May 16th will be a good one for NYC sour beer lovers. One of our favorite bars, One Mile House, will have a truly epic tap/bottle list starting at 3pm. Details below! Tap List Cantillon Brewery Iris Bell’s Brewery, Inc. Wild One Allagash Brewing Company Century Ale Allagash Currant Affair Barrier Brewing Co.…
Our meetup group is having our next hangout on Friday May 1st, at Top Hops Beer Shop, starting at 7pm. Please join and RSVP here: http://www.meetup.com/Downtown-Brooklyn-Craft-Beer-Meetup/events/221537750/ Top Hops is both a bar and store, with 20 taps and a great selection of bottles to buy (http://tophops.com/). It’s located on 94 Orchard Street (between Broome…
Not Your Father’s Root Beer – Small Town Brewery By: Eric Sturniolo Ah, Small Town, USA. Sitting on the front porch on a Spring eve, basking in the glory of one the most unique beers we’ve ever had. Well, actually, we were sitting in a NYC apartment. Wauconda, Illinois based Small Town Brewery specializes…
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