“People want to see hard work, they don’t want to see a new brewery show up. They want to see something that grew from a seed,” says Rich Castagna, founder, owner and brewer of Bridge and Tunnel Brewery in Queens. This philosophy could not be more true in his case. Castagna and his family have…
Continuing our Good Beer Seal bar posts is Pacific Standard in Park Slope. Pacific Standard on Fourth Avenue in Park Slope is a haven for west coasters, specifically from Berkley and Oakland. The bar is covered with Cal Berkley and Oakland A’s memorabilia. The bar regularly has cask ale and a draft list that features west coast brewers like Green Flash and 21st Amendment alongside local brewers like Carton and Sixpoint. It’s comfortable to hang out in – the back portion of the bar has a bit of a dorm room feel to it, with bookshelves and old couches. If…
Brouwerij Lane in Greenpoint will host a saison weekend with a mix of American craft beers and imports. Their backyard should be a good place to spend one of the last weekends of summer if the rain holds off. Recently saisons, a Belgian farmhouse style, have been among the most popular new beers from breweries. Here is the beer list: Cigar City Table Saison Victory Helios Perennial Saison De Lis Brasserie Dupont Foret Nogne-O Bridge Road India Saison Stillwater Kopstootje
This Sunday Zum Schneider in the East Village celebrates its 12th anniversary (impressive in a city where there’s constant bar turnover). There will of course be traditional German beers like Schneider Weisse and Reissdorf Kolsch to pair with Bavarian foods. A live oompah band will play and a pig will be roasted on a spit.
The steady march of Sixpoint beers into cans (or, as Sixpoint calls them, NanoKegs) will continue with Brownstone, a well-balance and smooth brown ale. While Brownstone is not as easy to find on tap as Bengali Tiger or Sweet Action, it is a favorite among craft beer bars in Brooklyn who undoubtedly love the name’s reference to the historic Brooklyn homes. As fans of canned beer and of Brownstone Ale we are excited to see how this turns out. Cans have been vaunted for their ability to protect hop character in styles like Pale Ales and IPAs but have not…
This weekend Mugs Alehouse in Williamsburg is bringing out some of the most highly rated beers from RateBeer.com and BeerAdvocate.com (two consumer beer rating websites). All beers will be rated as either an A or a 90 and above. Not surprisingly, there are some serious beers on this list, like Ithaca Brute, Brooklyn Blast, Firestone Wookey Jack, Allagash Odyssey, and Jolly Pumpkin IO Saison.
Idle Hands on the Lower East Side is one of the few places in New York celebrating International Beer Day on Sunday, August 5. All craft beers normally priced $8 and under will be $3 from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. International Beer Day was founded in 2007 and is run by Jesse Avshalomov and Even Hamilton. It was created to help celebrate and appreciate brewers and bars that help bring drinkers quality beer. 334 celebrations in 193 cities in 46 countries are scheduled this year. So this Sunday, wherever you are, enjoy a pint (or four!).
Next up in our series of Good Beer Seal bar posts: The Double Windsor in Windsor Terrace. The Double Windsor has quietly built a well regarded reputation in the craft beer community. We were not disappointed. As with many of our favorite bars on our beer adventure, The Double Windsor doesn’t look like much from the outside, but inside it was a nice and pleasant surprise. The hook-shaped bar houses a solid rotating draft line up from mostly local and regional brewers like Barrier, Carton, and Victory. The decor is wooden, vintage and comfortable, with long, shared tables. You can…
Continuing our series of Good Beer Seal posts is Lucky Dog in Williamsburg. With all the great craft beer bars in Williamsburg, Lucky Dog wouldn’t be our first choice for a night out. The bar can get packed quickly and we had a hard time getting a beer even when we made it to the bar. That said, Lucky Dog’s main attractions are the back patio and shuffleboard (which seems to be a trend at bars in Northern Brooklyn). There are some solid beers on tap from local breweries like Troegs and Brooklyn (along with some macros) and some craft beers…
Up next in our Good Beer Seal bar series: Barcade in Williamsburg. Barcade is one of our favorite bar concepts: arcade plus bar. How can you go wrong? You can indulge your inner child playing Paper Boy or Contra while you enjoy some serious craft beer. Upcoming events over the next month include Dogfish Head night, Flying Dog night. It’s has never seemed too crowded when we’ve been there (even weekend nights) so you won’t have to fight to get your beer (or wait too long to play a game). Their beer menus are among the more helpful around with…
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