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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
Our second beer share somehow surpassed the first one. We featured some great bonuses too, including a 4 course meal provided by http://www.relevanteventsnyc.com, and a mid-beer vermouth break provided by http://uncouthvermouth.com As for the beer, here’s the final list! Please let us know if you’d like to be included in the next one! Logsdon Peche…
We’ve been hoping for a long time that Boulevard Brewing Co. from Kansas City, Missouri, would come to NYC … and, finally, our wish has come true! And they’re making a big splash with a ton of awesome events this week starting TODAY! There are a ton of opportunities all over the city to…
What’s Brewing: Third Rail Beer By Eric Sturniolo I had my first taste of Third Rail beer at the Brooklyn Local Craft Beer Fest, and I’ve been hooked since. Third Rail Beer is an NYC-based brewery owned by a trio of native New Yorkers — Brewmaster Loren Taylor-Raymond and co-owner Larry Koestler grew up…
With the holidays fast approaching, we’ve found the perfect gift for the craft beer lover in your life (or for yourself!): The Case For Beer. Each box comes with 12 beers in custom packaging, with selections hand-picked by 9 different craft beer locations/bars throughout the United States. In New York City, the selection is curated…
Black Friday has become known as a day when Americans camp out for the cheapest TV or speaker system, but for beer lovers, it means the release of Goose Island Bourbon County Stout. Plus, waiting in a line for beer is always a lot more fun than in one for a TV. More…
It’s that time of year again—Bourbon County time! And this year’s 2014 Bourbon County line-up does not disappoint. Before we get to the reviews, we’d like to thank Goose Island and their great media team for sending us samples to taste and review ahead of the release. After a painstaking and scientific tasting…
Threes Brewing: Smite the Brite By: Eric Sturniolo You’re a new brewery in Gowanus with a sparkly new brewpub. You aren’t quite open to the public but have a lot of freshly-made beer ready to go. It’s a problem we’ve all had. What do to? For Threes Brewing… Smite the Brite! On Saturday, there was…
Made Of Beer Bakery By Eric Sturniolo I try not to just drink beer, but eat it too. I’ve had chocolate made with beer, beer made with dougnuts, and crackers made with beer and beer ingredients. An interesting new take on this concept is Long Island’s Made of Beer Bakery. This homegrown bakery uses spent…
We’re excited for another NYC Craft Beer Festival! What could be better than having it on Halloween?!? More details below. Experience Top-Shelf American Craft Brewing GRAND TASTING: From the established craft brewers to the mid-majors and up-and comers, the diversity and creativity of the Craft Brewing Community has proven to be limitless. For our Grand…
Almanac Comes To NYC By: Eric Sturniolo After loving them from afar, we are so excited to have San Francisco’s Almanac Beer available in New York City for the first time ever. The week of September 15th was a busy one, with release parties at Rattle N’ Hum, Blind Tiger, Bar Great Harry, Torst, Bondurants,…
Westbrook Mr. Chipper Mount Pleasant, SC Flanders Red Ale – 6.80% ABV By: Eric Sturniolo This Flanders red ale (named from the Flanders region of Belgium) is aged in red wine barrels for 2.5 years. It pours a hazy dark red, with a fizzy head that dissipates quickly. The taste is sour and very tart…
Prairie Artisan Ales Prairie Ale By: Eric Sturniolo Prairie Artisan Ales Prairie Ale Tulsa, OK Saison/Farmhouse – 8.20% ABV As their self-proclaimed biggest fans in New York, we’ve tried most of Prairie’s beer that’s available in New York City. Birra, Puncheon, Bomb!, Bible Belt, and now Prairie Ale. And…surprise! It’s amazing. I had a glass…
We had a blast at Growler & Gill’s Lower Hudson Valley Craft Beer Festival this past weekend! How could you not have a great time on a gorgeous 80-degree Saturday in the beautiful suburbs of Rockland County, surrounded by more than 50 of the country’s top craft brewers? (Click here to check out our “NY Bottles”…
Beer Hero: Beer Dreamer By Eric Sturniolo Note: FREE SHIPPING FOR OUR READERS!! Use discount code WTBNY Beer goes with everything. Ramen. BBQ. Cheese. German. Pie. Chocolate… With this in mind, Jordan Elpern-Waxman started Beer Dreamer, a company that mails subscribers the best beer and food pairings available. Think of it as a beer club,…
If you like sour beer, last weekend’s Wild Beer Festival at One Mile House (Lower East Side) was the best place to drink them. Some of the highlights included Ithaca Brute, Allagash Avance, Peekskill The Aristocrats, and Crooked Stave Surette (see full list below). We spoke with One Mile House’s owner Gerard Leary…
By Andrew If Growler & Gill was around when Eric and I lived in our hometown, Rockland County, New York, we would have been drinking like kings (see Eric’s Beervolution post). But whenever we’re back in town to visit our parents, we always make time to stop by what we believe is the best…
What’s Brewing: Stillwater Artisanal Ales By: Eric Sturniolo Brewer/founder Brian Stillwater’s brewery Stillwater Artisanal Ales, a Ratebeer top 100 brewery in the world 4 years in a row, combines beer, art, and music into one exciting brand. I got a chance to speak with Brian about his beer, his plans, and his gypsy brewer…
NY Bottles: St. Gambrinus By: Eric Sturniolo St. Gambrinus is known as the patron saint of beer and an icon of brewing. The bar, on Atlantic Avenue between 3rd and 4th Avenues in Brooklyn, does his name proud. With 16 taps, over 200 bottles, lots of seating, and some delicious snacks, St. Gambrinus is a…
Beer Audit By Eric Sturniolo It’s Tax Day. Time to count your money. But more importantly, time to count your beer. A few months ago, I cleared out a closet of old paint cans and random junk. Now it’s my beer closet, NYC’s version of a beer cellar. It’s filled with stouts, sours, old ales,…
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