NYC Has Become A Craft Beer Lovers Dream



Beer taps galore. Image courtesy of this site

By Jonas Barnes

When people think “New York City”, they think of lights, Broadway, subways, The Empire State Building, and Rockefeller Center. But this wonderful pile of shit that so many of us call home, has much more to offer than most people know. From the artistic subcultures to the ever evolving culinary scene, NYC has a myriad of attractions to take in.

From the artistic subcultures to the ever evolving culinary scene, NYC has a myriad of attractions to take in besides the neon hell of Times Square. One of the most interesting things to happen in NYC in recent years is the craft beer boom.

All over the country, craft beer has gathered an almost cult like following, and NYC is no different.

For quite some time, the thought of “craft beer” in NYC meant you were going to Brooklyn and getting in scowl fights with attitude-filled hipsters to get a fix from some microbrewery built into a warehouse somewhere. Nowadays, NYC has breweries in every borough and Brooklyn may, actually, have fewer than some.

You no longer have to worry about beard hair in your brew, so rejoice! You can go into any neighborhood in Manhattan now and enjoy a local craft brew at most restaurants, which is a stark contrast to what people assume “craft beer” culture would represent.

One example of a great local brewery is “SingleCut Beersmiths” in Astoria, Queens.

SingleCut Beersmiths in Astoria. Image via this site.

This small brewery is the epitome of a local spot. Off the beaten path, you’d have no idea they existed if you didn’t live in the area or if you hadn’t looked them up. They’re constantly revolving taproom features new brews every week or so, along with a different eatery supplying pub food at the bar. They also feature local events, such as comedy and music, in the taproom, on weekends they spice up the area a bit.

If you happen to be walking around Whole Foods, you may see a vendor for a local NY brewery, “Smart Beer” as well.

Picture via this site

They’re the first all local, all organic craft brew in NY and supply most of NYC with organic brews.

 If you really want to get into the craft beer scene in NYC, however, I cannot recommend the beer festivals enough. If there is one thing that NYC knows how to do, its party.

A few times a year, you can go to Manhattan and take part in a 2-3 day festival known as The NYC Craft Beer Festival.

Picture courtesy of this site

The event changes location, but recently it has called The Metropolitan Pavilion in Manhattan home. Brewers from all over NYC and the rest of the country set up shop for a weekend and sample beer out for hours. Along with local food vendors, entertainment hawkers, snack stands and more, these events are like an adult Disney World. You’ll be sampling from over 100 breweries at any given time so make sure you strap on that pretzel necklace and pack the antacids because we’re getting drunk. You’ll also want to check out the multiple other beer festivals around NYC like The Beer & Bacon Classic.  It’s craft beer and bacon related foods all shoved inside Citi Field so you can’t really go wrong.

 My final say on this is, if you’re a lover of beer and you’re coming to NYC, do the research on the scene.

I promise you won’t be disappointed. And if push comes to shove, go to one of the many food fairs I’ve talked about before and you’ll get awesome local grub and maybe a craft brew or two there. They seem to go hand in hand and you may just be able to run across a few of them when you’re out getting your summer grub on.


Image courtesy of this site