Well it’s official. We are now in October, the first full month of fall- synonymous with pumpkin-flavored everything, football Sundays and cold weather jackets being plucked out from the back of our closets. But with autumn’s return comes one of its most celebrated annual traditions, spawned in Munich, but celebrated around the world. Hosted by Edible Brooklyn, the now yearly “Edible Oktoberfest” returned to Williamsburg’s Brooklyn Brewery on Wednesday night with an authentic feast of German fare and delicious beer to satiate a hungry New York City crowd.

After a brief chat with author and Chef Casey Barber, serving up some savory “Reuben Pierogis” and showcasing her recently released book “Pierogi Love: New Takes on an Old-World Comfort Food,” we grabbed a communal seat at one of the Brewery’s large wooden tables. To prepare the Bavarian-style feast, Chef Emily Petersen of the Astor Center would be tapped to cultivate a traditional menu to pair with the more than ten different styles of beer being poured for the evening. In family style fashion, many of the dishes were laid out on tables for arriving guests to help themselves. Despite the absence of some German oompa music, the sights and smells inside the Brewery space made for a truly festive affair.

The menu selection was both vast and diverse. We were greeted with multiple styles of sausage, chilled cucumber salad, and sauerkraut with apples, each of which quickly made their way to our empty plates as we slugged down pours of “Brooklyn Blast” alongside each bite. Chef Petersen’s rich potato salad was perhaps the evening’s highlight. Candidly, we re-fueled on the mixture of delicious potatoes, cilantro, onions and bacon probably more than we should have, but the finished product was especially tasty as an ideal complement to the array of sausages being served. A selection of mustards surrounded bowls filled with piping hot links of “Weisswurst, Bratwurst, Bockwurst and Bauernwurst.” The salty casings snapped with each passing bite, exploding with savory and mouthwatering flavor.

As we ate the glorious food and got to know our new friends through delightful conversation, we continued to frequent the bar for some of Brooklyn’s finest beers. We had the tried and true options of the “Brooklyn Lager” and the “Brooklyn East IPA” but also found it fitting to try out their “Brooklyn Oktoberfest,” a crisp and refreshing beer that was unbelievably easy drinking given the season. Similarly tasty was the “Brooklyn Defender IPA,” named as the official beer of New York Comic Con, another fall rite of passage in New York City. Closing out a boozy evening, we grabbed a final pour of the subtle and sweet “Post Road Pumpkin Ale” before waiving the white flag on our evening of gorging. We happily lost count of just how many beers were guzzled.

With our bellies so full of salads, beers and sausage, it actually took us awhile to notice that plates of cured rolled ham and pickles were carefully placed all around the brewery as well. The perfect end to our meal was a delicious apple strudel, baked with sweet berries and loaded with a vanilla custard. Though we haven’t booked our airfare to Munich yet, Brooklyn Brewery and Edible Brooklyn once again collaborated on a traditional feast that had us reveling in the October weather rather than dreading the drop in temperatures. Savory sausage and delicious beer leave us in love with fall, and we’re glad that Brooklyn’s finest Brewery does too.

- Jackie Benavides

More than one hundred different craft beers will be on display for the tasting on Saturday, September 26th at one of the season’s most diverse and exciting booze-fueled festivals. The Brooklyn Expo Center in Greenpoint plays as the newest host to the Village Voice’s 5th Annual ‘Brooklyn Pour,’ a fall classic that combines suds, eats and festivities for three action packed hours. If you’ve never had the opportunity to experience any of the event’s previous happenings- well, you’ve still got time to pick up some general admission or VIP tickets to the smorgasbord for beer lovers.

A commemorative tasting glass gets you in on the action- where your outstretched arm will lead your journey through the jam packed festival. Whether you’re a more casual or expert beer drinker, a lover of microbrews or more traditional varieties, ‘Brooklyn Pour’s’ got a cavalcade of different options for any taste. Local breweries like Coney Island Brewing, Queens Brewery, Sixpoint Craft Ales, Alphabet City Brewing Company and Brooklyn Brewery join international beermakers Asahi, Krombacher and Weihenstephan just to name a few brands slated to be poured on site. And if you’re not typically a beer fan? No problem. ACE Premium Hard Ciders, Angry Orchard, Downeast Cider House and Rekorderlig Cider and Crabbie’s Ginger Beer are some delicious alternatives should more traditional beers not be your thang.

Aside from the sea of suds slated to fill the Expo Center, Q104.3 on air personality Jonathan Clarke will DJ and emcee the afternoon as games and photo booths are sure to fill the remaining open areas of the sizable venue. Tickets for the 5th Annual ‘Brooklyn Pour’ are available now. Don’t get shut out, because an event of this size and caliber goes down but once a year.

- Jane Van Arsdale

For a fifth year of gluttony the annual “Beer, Bourbon and BBQ Festival” decadently paraded through New York City on Saturday, with two four hour sessions of all you care to imbibe craft beers and tasty bourbons. Succulent pulled pork, sweetened strips of tender bacon and all the customary barbeque accoutrements that one would desire allowed the smells being charred to perfection inside west side space The Tunnel to waft far outside of the venue’s front doors and into the waiting nostrils of the line of hungry guests, eager to enter. The evening portion, dubbed “The Whole Hog Pig Pickin’ Session” boasted four whole hogs being served from the bone and naturally, that’s where LocalBozo.com was meant to be.

With some upbeat tunes provided by rockabilly trio Brambling being performed in the background, the entire space was abuzz with the true spirit of the south. Speaking of spirits, we counted more than forty different varieties from the likes of Fireball and Four Roses to Elijah Craig and Evan Williams. Our mouths watered for a local favorite – Hudson, whose ‘Four Grain Bourbon‘ perpetually ranks atop our very favorite tastings, partially because it can be fairly difficult to find. Definitively rich in taste, the whiskey drinks remarkably smooth with a fairly sweet nose. Now candidly, we don’t spend much time sipping on bourbon with dozens of craft beers in the house, so we capped our bourbon tastings at three before heading on our journey to suds supremacy.

As we often do at beer tasting events, we immediately sought out our friends at The Bronx Brewery who were pouring their American style “Pale Ale” and their “Black Pale Ale,” which offers plenty of coffee meets dark chocolate bitterness from the masters of the genre. Mild in smell and medium bodied in taste, the American “Pale Ale” might just be getting a run for its money from this newer entry. The many rooms of The Tunnel were surrounded by the familiar names in the craft brew game – Samuel Adams, Sierra Nevada, Magic Hat, Abita and Smuttynose were each pouring notable selections. But we supremely enjoyed some of the ‘lesser known pours from the likes of Southern Tier Brewing Company’s ‘Live’ (a light bodied, slightly sweet IPA), Greenpoint Harbor Brewing Company’s ‘Spring Turning Rye Saison’ (a wheat flavored hoppy golden masterpiece), and 961′s ‘Black IPA’ (a serviceable malty, balanced beer that’s never overwhelming).

With some of these pours now slugged down, we made our way toward the back of the main room for plates of ‘Bourbon Flavored Bacon‘ and ‘Apple Cinnamon Bacon.‘ Smoke arose from our plates with the piping hot cuts of fatty pork tasting delectably sweet and savory. Fortunately the staff wasn’t shy about doling out samples as we returned time and time again for more thick cut slices of tender deliciousness. We were pleased to see the return of Laurel, Maryland’s Kloby’s Smokehouse to the Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival with their outstanding mason jars filled with tasty hunks of pulled pork, cole slaw, baked beans and some tangy barbecue sauce.

After we filled our bellies, it was time to resume making a dent in the list of beers and Ommegang’s ‘Rare Vos’ has been among our craft beer staples for the past few years. The Belgian style pale ale is amber in color with delicate notes of caramel and a crisp sweetness that exudes from each medium bodied sip. Their ‘Three Philosophers’ meanwhile yields a much fruitier nose and an array of different flavors in taste, but is far too malty for our palates, despite its substantial critical acclaim. Cisco’s ‘Whale’s Tale IPA’ was another new taste for us and the session pale ale did not disappoint with its drinkability as a mild ale. The taste was decisively hoppy and smooth without being overbearing, and delivered as solid a first impression as we could have hoped for.

Whether you gorged on bacon grease and chunks of tender hog or you overindulged on some terrific southern bourbons, the Beer, Bourbon, & BBQ Festival once again delivered an outstanding event to masses of New York City locals. The selection of participating breweries and vendors was diverse and often, quite delicious. And by the time we stumbled back out into a snow-covered Manhattan night with trace amounts of sweet red sauce on our cheeks, grease on our fingers, and spilled beer staining our shirt we realized at that very moment, that we were completely satisfied, courtesy of another festival celebrating some of the few guilty pleasures that we enjoy in life.

Community. It’s the glue that holds us all together. And in a city where everyone seems to be moving at the speed of light and sound it’s important to take a step back and appreciate those who are tying neighborhoods together. The Greenwich Village Chelsea Chamber of Commerce or GVCCC for short, has been working tirelessly to provide dynamic civic and leadership to the businesses who make up this historic neighborhood.

On Thursday evening, the GVCCC took to the rooftop of Chelsea’s Gem Hotel for a member and guest attended mixer to open up a platform for networking and to kick back on one of those rare cool summer nights. Shortly after 6pm we hit the Gem Hotel’s beautiful roof deck, which features breathtaking panoramic views of the neighborhood and of the Empire State Building. Right from the word go, the friendly staff of the GVCCC welcomed us giving us the lay of the land for the evening. As the guests began to arrive we made our way to the open bar for crisp cans of beer and ice cold white wine. With a drink in hand we decided to sink our teeth into the taco bar courtesy of neighborhood newcomer Tres Carnes. Heaping platters of pork and beef tacos were on hand and ready to be devoured. If that wasn’t enough there was a seemingly endless selection of toppings that included fresh guacamole, corn, pico de gallo and pickled onions just to name a few. Needless to say we tried a few mouthwatering tacos with a combination of these delicious ingredients.

After getting plenty to eat and a few drinks later, the roof deck filled up quickly leading to some fantastic networking opportunities. Guests of the mixer represented a virtual cornucopia of businesses on every side of the spectrum. We spent some time chatting with tax lawyers, various consultants and webmasters but one of our stand out chats was with the owners of the up and coming glass blowing business named, “Karen Curtis.” Founded by the wife and husband team of Karen Curtis and Aaron Niemczyk, the business creates stunning hand-crafted jewelry, home accents, chandeliers and art glass. Our conversation with them revealed how dedicated they are to the craft and a perfect example about how fruitful these types of mixers are for discovering new exciting businesses.

Do yourself a favor, even if you live nowhere close to Chelsea or the West Village check out all the outstanding work the Greenwich Village Chelsea Chamber of Commerce is doing to advance our community on a daily basis. There are plenty of events upcoming to wet your whistle and your palate.

The Edible magazine franchise has expanded to Queens, one of New York City’s fastest growing boroughs. And with that they have fabulously continued the tradition of producing some truly fantastic seasonal events. On Thursday in the late afternoon we made our way to the neighborhood of Sunnyside for the newly launched magazine’s very first Queens oriented event, aptly named “Summerbeat: Eat Meat, Drink Beer.” We did both, eating and imbibing, as our full coverage below will attest.

At 5:30pm, the exclusive event kicked off inside of a beautiful community park where the event was being held on this humid July evening. And as soon as we arrived, the energetic spirit of the neighborhood could be felt almost immediately. With summertime in full swing, we decided to kick off this evening of imbibing craft beer and smoked meats with some dessert to cool us down. Luckily for us the folks at Malu Ice Cream were more than happy to oblige. This local creamery came with a truckload of especially sweet eats, but we opted to begin with a Shiraz wine infused chocolate variety. The first bite yielded a wonderful chocolate and nut flavor with a jolt of the popular red wine quickly to follow. As the cold dessert quenched the humidity, it was time to focus strictly on the brews and meats. The Bridge and Tunnel Brewery brought a cavalcade of cool t-shirts and were pouring a “Dunkel” that managed to be brilliantly dark and frothy while at the same time light enough for a summery picnic. A few steps away we encountered the recently opened Big Alice Brewing Company, a relative newbie to the brew business pouring cups filled with a “Sour Cherry Ale” that crammed everything we love about local farmers markets and highly drinkable beers into one glass. Needless to say we returned for repeat pours and also to check out the owner’s killer moustache.

After throwing back several pints, it was time to fill our stomachs. Our first foray into satiating our appetite came from the inventive folks at the LIC Market, who were roasting a duck on a spit to produce a tremendous “Pulled Duck Slider.” Topped with a sweet sauce, the rich flavor of duck meat paired admirably with the fresh bun as we gulped down our remaining suds to wash everything together. Next up was Astoria’s own Ovelia, an outfit that was similarly roasting an entire lamb on a spit. Once we sunk our teeth into a generous slice, we were simply blown away by its juiciness. With all this delicious saltiness under our belts it was time yet again to fill up on beer and the perpetually talked about Rockaway Brewing Company happily poured us a tall glass of their “Summer Ale” which was crisp, light and extremely flavorful, making it a terrific session beer at the beach, pool or wherever.

Whoever said, save the best for last must have foreshadowed the experience at Edible Queens’ “Summerbeat.” The park’s farthest corner housed the table from Arrogant Swine, the traveling Queens BBQ mavens who systematically and deliciously prepared a whole hog, pulled North Carolina style. And in a way to show some neighborhood unity, the group shared a smoker with Jackson Heights’ own Alchemy, Texas. The Alchemy crew cowboyed up with some seriously tender “Smoked Beef Brisket,” carved directly off the bone. The blissful meat was plated next to fluffy slices of white bread and a fiery ghost pepper infused barbecue sauce. Tangy and immensely spicy, the combinations proved outstanding at these dueling ‘cue stations manned by expert pitmasters.

After a few fun-filled hours of soaking up the remaining daylight and spending some time sampling all the delectable eats these great local businesses had to offer, it soon became time to call it a night. If Edible Brooklyn and Edible Manhattan’s history of pulling of fun and innovative events is any indication (and it should be), the Queens iteration is certain to be the next borough to be undertaken by Edible’s massive umbrella. Long gone are the days of visiting Queens for the Mets or for an old-fashioned beer garden. Long Island City and Astoria are just two of the areas exploding in the borough, but we’re certain that the folks at Edible will once again expose us to some new restaurants we’ve never heard of, in places we’ve never been. Follow the magazine’s constantly growing empire and everything they touch at ediblequeens.com.

- Jay Rubin

Alphabet City Beer Co.
96 Ave C, East Village, Manhattan
646-422-7103
Getting There: L to First Avenue

Do you realize that the East Village’s Avenue C used to be nicknamed “Caution” in the not so distant past? Alphabet City was once a very shady area where most city dwellers didn’t dare travel to. Needless to say, a lot has changed in the last ten years. Avenue C and this area in general has been morphed into a thriving headquarters for commerce and cool. The “Drink Here Now” crew loves it when a neighborhood truly comes into it’s own and becomes a place prime for some serious imbibing. With Alphabet City Beer Co., we find ourselves inside of an extremely laid back craft beer store, bar and specialty shop. We stopped by “ABC” on a recent weeknight for a few delicious pints and some rest and relaxation.

As we passed through the glass door to travel inside, our initial thought was that this place was purely a shop selling the sweet hoppy nectar we adore so much. The wood adorned space has two hulking refrigerators on both sides, housing an intimidating yet impressive selection of bottled beers to be purchased as single bottles or combined into makeshift six packs. The establishment has upwards of 350 bottles to choose from, giving you a selection that blows any local bodega completely out of the water. Growlers are also available to fill any huge thirst needs. But just be forewarned, patrons aren’t allowed to actually consume bottles or growlers in the store due to policy. So stock up on the good stuff and bring it home to impress the ones you love to booze with. Don’t worry friends, the good people at “ABC” aren’t going to let you go home thirsty. This innovative bar-shop has plenty to drink while kicking back within their warm walls. Alphabet City Beer Co. has 12 constantly rotating taps to please any taste.

I opted to grab my pints at their bar which also doubles as a counter to order specialty meats and cheeses. The wood theme continues in a bold way, making one think they are in some rural joint and not the middle of New York City. In the back of the house, guests can cozy up at several chairs and a long bier hall style table. Luckily for us, our visit fell during Happy Hour where tap brews were $1 off. Typically pints will run you on average between $6 and $8 dollars, so we were thrilled about the value. We asked for caramel styled beers and were advised to try the “Greenport Harbor Havre Rouge,” a brown ale loaded with crisp, semi-sweet flavor which perfected satisfied our thirst. Next we opted for a serious pilsner and we were presented with an “Oskar Blues Mama’s Little Yella Pils.” This brew is perfect for summer sipping with it’s slightly sour flavor and light body. So if you want to kick back with a fine beer in a great space while getting some shopping done at the same time then we wholeheartedly believe you should “Drink Here Now” at Alphabet City Beer Co.

Bar Type – A hybrid craft beer store and bar with a seemingly endless selection of outstanding ales to enjoy inside or in the comfort of your own home.

When to Visit – If you are into kicking back and letting your worries melt away, then head over on a weekday in the late afternoon. You and your friends will have plenty of space to relax and try twelve tap beers while you munch on delicious cured meats.

Value – Craft beer in general is not cheap. But “ABC” offers a great $1 off Happy Hour that allows patrons to drink what they like without worrying about spending too much cash.

The Lowdown – The crew and I have been to several bars that pour some of the best craft beers in the country. Yet there is something about the charm of Alphabet City Beer Co. that makes the drinking experience that much more enjoyable. From the beautiful space to the friendly and knowledgeable staff they truly have a lot going in their favor and you will definitely see us in there again in short order.

The Keg Room
53 West 36th Street, Midtown West, Manhattan
212-643-1400
Getting There: B,D,F,M to 42nd Street-Bryant Park

The “Drink Here Now” crew knows that navigating Midtown Manhattan is often a daunting task. With so many restaurants and bars based solely on the tourist trade, a New Yorker has to be very discerning on where they spend their hard earned cash. But breathe easy New Yorkers, that’s why you’ve got us. Enter “The Keg Room,” a gigantic craft beer centric sports bar located smack in the middle of the Midtown crush, but without any of the pitfalls one would usually encounter in this area. On a recent weeknight the crew and I wanted to grab some pints, some wine and some grub, so we stopped into The Keg Room’s massive space for a bit of all three.

Opened in December of 2012, the less than a year old bar has plenty to boast about even in it’s early age. As we entered the front door our jaws nearly hit the floor when we spotted the huge rectangular bar which has been noted as one of the biggest in the city. This bar literally covers so much square footage that no one will go thirsty. Add to that to the fact that The Keg Room is outfitted with over 43+ beers on draft, 37 bottled beers and several rotating seasonal beers. As customers hang around the giant bar they will have absolutely no reason to be bored, as almost every wall is plastered with oversized HDTV screens. Sports fans’ mouths will water as they capture all the action any place in the house. As far as bars perfect for watching “The Super Bowl,” The Keg Room has it nailed.

On this particular night standing at the bar wasn’t our forte. The crew and I quickly secured a table near that back of the house for waitress service. We grabbed some pints of Sam Adams’ Spring seasonal ($7) and glasses of Pinot Noir ($9). Since drinking goes best with eating, the Buffalo style “Wings” ($10) were ordered as well to munch on. And even though the bar was hopping during this time, our drinks and wings came out fairly quickly. The beer was crisp, without the slightest taste of bitterness while the wings were seriously the cherry on top. We ordered them medium spiced and they arrived steaming and saucy. Each bite yielded a truck load of meaty flavor.

The crew and I are thrilled whenever we find a bar in Midtown worth patronizing. The Keg Room satisfies this simple goal and so much more. From the tasty brews, tons of space and killer television sets we’ve found a real winner here. It’s the upscale,classy sports bar that even a non-sports fan can identify with.

Bar Type – Gigantic Midtown West sports bar with a seasonal craft beer menu on constant rotation. 

When to Visit – Any day of the week is fine but we recommend heading to The Keg Room directly after work and during big games to experience this joint at it’s full capacity. 

Value – Most domestic beer bottles will run you between $7 to $8, about par for the course in the heart of Midtown. Craft brews may run you slightly more but nothing that will break the bank. 

The Lowdown – Boasting some incredible square footage The Keg Room has room for literally everyone. Be it watching the big game, having a quick meal or grabbing pints of cold brews, they have something for every taste. Sports fans mouths’ will water at the hulking HDTV screens outfitted throughout the bar. They seriously pepper in enough of these so each patron pretty much has their own TV for whatever game they came for.

On Friday night the stage was set for a pure metal meltdown, hosted inside Brooklyn’s own Saint Vitus Bar. The watering hole for all things heavy would host a major league lineup that would include the likes of Jungle Rot and headliners Suffocation. Both of these bands played killer sets and can easily play whole shows on their own. But on this night we were here for San Jose, California Gore-Death Metal legends Exhumed. And after a weekend of recovery, we are still shaking the chill off from the outstanding show.

Shortly after 11pm the men of Exhumed took the stage to a gigantic applause from the completely sold out room. Exhumed is still hot off their latest album “All Guts, No Glory,” and the lion’s share of the set reflected this in an extremely satisfying way. And with little dialogue with the crowd they launched into an early set that included pure death face melters like “The Beginning After The End,” “Dis-Assembly Line,” and “Through Cadaver Eyes.” The expert speed-death instrumentation paired brilliantly with the flawless sound proofing and design from the venue which drove the capacity crowd into a frenzy, yielding one of the best mosh pits this writer has seen in years.

With each song clocking in at right around three minutes, Exhumed was easily able to overload their set time with nearly twenty songs, providing the faithful with a palpable cornucopia of career spanning nuggets.  “Limb From Limb,” “Under The Knife,” and “Funereality” clearly showed how well these guys can satisfy the hunger of true blue death metal fans while at the same time throwing the thrash metal community tons of love. As a fan of both genres I was blown away hanging on every sweet lick from Bud Burke and Matt Harvey and double kick drum beat perfectly produced by Michael Hamilton.

As a horror fan like myself, you can really connect to many of the over the top gross imagery the band overstuffs into each track. The cover of 2011′s “All Guts, No Glory” has the boys donning zombie like make-up as they pretend (we hope) to rip flesh from bone. This gore themed frenzy carried well into their set as they chucked huge chunks of figurative meat into the crowd with pulse pounders like “Slaughtercult,” ”Casketkrusher,” and of course the title track to “All Guts, No Glory.” The horror-slasher vibes continued as they had a Leatherface dressed guy wield a chainsaw on stage. It doesn’t get better than that folks! Needless to say we were glad a bar was mere steps away to provide us with plenty of cheap cans of brew to mellow us slightly after an insane and intense set. It seriously looks like metal is back and taking no fucking prisoners.

- Jay Rubin

You love an ice cold brew right? Who doesn’t? But far too infrequently, we find ourselves perched atop a bar stool, ordering a variety of craft beer that we’ve never heard of or tasted, with our pursed lips bitterly disappointed with our selection. Luckily however, we happen to live in one of the greatest beer cities in the country, and as such, we are afforded an entire week filled to the brim with pure brew bliss! In celebration of all things beer, we find ourselves smack dab in the midst of “New York City Beer Week,” a ten day celebration throughout our area that runs through March 3, 2013. The overstuffed festivities feature different festivals, beer walks, beer dinners, specials and much more. On a mild Wednesday night, our crew made our way back out to City Winery for the fabulous “3rd Annual Brewers Choice,” one of the flagship events that really sends this outstanding week into orbit.

At 6pm with the afternoon sky still very much present, the doors to Soho’s City Winery swung wide open. Despite attending a tasting event here just one day prior, the winery’s main event room never ceases to amaze us with just how much they can pack into the highly ornate space. And after quickly grabbing a wine glass (classy) for pours, we headed to the tables where we immediately found one of our favorite and most innovative craft beer spots. Park Slope mainstay Bierkraft came to Brewer’s Choice locked and loaded. Ben Granger and his team brought what appeared to be a rocket launcher filled with hops and Buddha’s Hand, one of the strangest fruits on the planet. It’s odd appearance in the innovative contraption housed a Saison like none other, with a tap that poured fast and clean into our glasses. The beer was nothing sort of deliciously sour while being vividly complex. And after trying a second pour to capture it all, we tipped our caps to them and moved on down the line. The team from Cooperstown, New York’s Ommegang Brewery came to the event with the humorously named, “Gnomegang.” The Belgian strong pale ale is nearly 10% ABV, but is incredibly drinkable. Each sip yielded refreshing notes of citrus fruits and melons, making it a perfect summer brew that one can easily enjoy even during the dead of winter.

With a few prime brews in our bellies, it was time to move onto taste some of the food offerings. Just a stone’s throw from Ommegang sat the table of the West Village’s Blind Tiger Ale House, doling out huge chunks of pork belly slathered in a sour vegetable slaw, mixed with kumquats and doused in a savory sauce. On the upper level of the venue, the always fun and inventive team from Tchoup Shop served up a pork belly slider, topped with a ginger-sesame hoisin and handmade rice wine pickles. And to close up our eating adventure we headed over to one of beer’s best friends- the oyster. Eddie from Naked Cowboy Oysters was shucking a delightfully briny variety that tasted like a mouthful of the beach in the best possible sense of the word. If that wasn’t awesome enough, he even created a hot sauce that perfectly paired with the shelled fish.

After completing our decadent food tour, it was time to return to the tables and grab some pours to wash down all the savory pork. New Jersey’s Carton Brewing came across the river with two prime tasting selections. First up, their “Boat Beer,” a crisp IPA that transports you to the easy life was loaded with American hops and had a distinct grapefruit finish, while the “Gorp,” was a robust chocolaty porter that drinks like a meal. Their friendly representative informed us that the beer’s unique flavor comes from fermented raisins. And in keeping with the dark brews we spent a great deal of time hanging out at the Shmaltz table sipping their exquisite “Funky Jewbelation.” The old familiar faces were also out in support of the likes of Sixpoint Craft Ales, Kelso, Smuttynose, Allagash, Brooklyn Brewery, and our old pals at Bronx Brewery, each of whom was more than happy to kick around the beer related conversation with the excited drinkers gathered in front of each table.

In all, ”The 3rd Annual Brewer’s Choice” featured upwards of 20+ brewers and let’s just say by the end of the evening, we were completely stuffed, a little buzzed and all around pretty happy. Hosted by the New York City Brewers Guild, “Brewer’s Choice” on its own is a fantastically executed event, but is truly just a part of the entire beer week. There are still a few choice days to celebrate “New York City Beer Week,” so don’t delay. Head to their website and see what tickles your brew fancy.

- Jay Rubin

Houston Hall
222 West Houston Street near Varick Street, West Village, Manhattan 
212-675-9323
Getting There: 1 to Houston Street

 

On the final weekend of a huge Northeastern cold snap the “Drink Here Now” crew was down in the West Village to drink in the day in only the way we know how. This imbibing trip would take us inside one of the city’s newest and most exciting bier gardens. It is true that during the winter months drinking outside is pretty much nonexistent. But one gigantic, brilliantly designed space in the Village is taking the party inside to give us jaded city folks something to be excited about. Enter “Houston Hall” a bier garden located in the former space once used to house illegal immigrants. But on this Saturday it was the ultimate melting pot of cultures, personalities and brews!

As you approach Houston Hall, its exterior signage and door will tantalize you before you even walk inside. The huge sign and pillars are only the first example of the meticulous architecture that went into re-designing this space. A huge red barn like door welcomes guests with it’s mysteriously oversized appeal. Once inside, we traveled down a small hallway which leads into what we would call one of the most insanely cool spaces in town. It was early in the afternoon and as such, plenty of seating was available at the first come, first served tables, which wouldn’t last for long. We quickly grabbed up seats and began to drink in the place even before the first beer was ordered. The mostly wooden and tiled space appears to retain much of it’s former residence’s charm- a naturally lit, industrial type feel.  One can easily tell that they added a huge layer of faux-historic pictures, knick knacks and paintings to really make you feel like you’re drinking in a world frozen by time.

But before we could get too deep into treating this place like a museum, our waitress came by to take our order. And even though the hall was starting to fill up, she took the time to go through the rather large menu with us. For beers we opted for the tasty “Patrick’s Belgian Blonde” and “Peter’s Pils” varieties in medium sizes running us both 8 dollars. The beers arrived quickly in classic German stein glasses. With lunch time approaching, we decided to order some hearty snacks off their highly eclectic menu. We went for the “Hurricane Wings” ($9.50), “Meat Board” ($17.50) and “Beef, Kimchi, and Smoked Bacon Potstickers” ($8). The menu is far more expansive than a traditional beer hall might suggest, and each of these options certainly hit the spot for us. Houston Hall appears to have a real love for food truck inspired food, making it a true friend to the current New York City eat-on-the-go scene. 

As the day worse on, the hall got more packed changing the vibe from relaxed to more of a party, which we were clearly all for. But during this time some chaos did occur. As we were getting into our third beer each the computer system went down which led to a bit of confusion and disconnect between the wait staff and the bar. But after a short while the internet returned and all was well. Trust us brew fans, this is a place you want to hit often and early in the day. Grab your marathon drinking buddies and mark your territory at one of their huge tables for a saucy afternoon you won’t soon forget. 

Bar Type – Gigantic German style bier garden taking up new residence in the form space used to detain illegal immigrants.

When to Visit – Saturday in the afternoon is hands down the time you need to be at Houston Hall. Arrive with a gang of friends and take over one of their huge wooden tables and spend hours drinking the day away.

Value – Each medium sized beer will run you roughly 8 bucks and the food prices are on par with the rest of the neighborhood. You won’t find cheap brews like PBR or one dollar hot dogs here, but it is the overall vibe of this indoor bier garden that you will truly value. 

The Lowdown – Even through the computers went down on our first visit causing some chaos, Houston Hall is one of the finest new bier gardens to come along in quite some time. The place is huge enough for you to spread out and enjoy beers and grub with your friends with also enough shared space for you to meet some strangers and make some new ones.

- Alex Corrine