A night on the town never comes cheap. But if you’re drinking Baladine Xyauyu, you could bust your budget on just one drink.
At $95 for 17 ounces, Baladine Xyauyu is one expensive brew, available only at Beer Table [427 Seventh Ave. at 14th Street in Park Slope, (718) 965-1196]. For the beer gourmet, though, the Italian barley wine might just be worth it.
“You’re getting a truly hand-crafted product instead of an industrial one,” said Beer Table owner Justin Phillips. “It’s something that’s made by one man over two-and-a-half years. It’s a totally different animal.”
Not that every brew there will set you back a student loan payment.
“That one’s really far away in price from the others,” said Phillips. “Currently, we have a $5 Weinbacher Blanche. It’s a daily list that rotates all the time.”
The gourmet guzzler said he could even find drinkable ales at his corner bodega.
Since GO Brooklyn is slow in both putting down drinks and picking up tabs, we decided to eschew the high-class hooch and head in the opposite direction. Here’s every penny-pinching beer sippers’ must visit list:
Smith’s
Grabbing a drink at this Park Slope mainstay, open since 1931, takes less quarters than doing your laundry. Here, a pint of Budweiser goes for $1.75 — practically a Depression-era deal, as mixed drinks cost a very modern $7.
Smith’s has no happy hour specials, but with extra-long hours and the low price of its beer, it has become a tried-and-true bar for Slopers nonetheless. There’s no mystery to it, according to manager Jerry O’Brien; he explained to GO Brooklyn in a deadpan voice that the bar’s popularity was due to one thing: “We have the cheapest beer in town.”
Smith’s (440 Fifth Ave. at Ninth Street in Park Slope) accepts cash only. The bar is open Monday through Saturday, from 8 am to 4 am, and Sundays, from noon to 4 am. For information, call (718) 788-9363.
The Levee
The closest thing that Williamsburg has to a club house, The Levee opened in 2005 — in the space that once housed the notorious Koke’s Bar — and has been packed with locals playing pool, pinball and video games ever since.
It’s not just the grown-up game room vibe that keeps people coming back; from 5 pm to 8 pm daily, it’s the $1 cans of Carling Black Label lager. Considering the free cheese puffs that dot the bar and the $4 “Sportsman Special,” a can of Carling and a shot of Evan Williams whiskey, taking your dinner at The Levee seems downright economical.
The Levee (212 Berry St. at North Third Street in Williamsburg) accepts American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa. The bar is open daily, from noon to 4 am. For information, call (718) 218-8787 or visit www.theleveenyc.com.
Floyd
Brooklyn Heights isn’t where most folks go to have a good time on a budget, but dropping into Floyd is a good way to start. The four-year-old bar, famous for its bocce ball court and the locals who bring their dogs in for an afternoon drink, offers the “Crapacopia,” a mixed-bag bucket of six domestic beers for the bargain price of $12.
Paired with a deep-fried candy bar from the neighboring Chip Shop, there’s no better way to start your night. If you’re not ready to commit to six, you can snag the day’s special — a different can of beer is featured every day — for only $2.
Floyd (131 Atlantic Ave. at Clinton Street in Brooklyn Heights) accepts American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa. The bar is open Monday through Friday, from 4:30 pm to 4 am, and weekends, from noon to 4 am. For information, call (718) 858-5810.
Habana Outpost
There’s nothing more exciting about summer in Fort Greene than brownstones and Sweet Action. We’re talking about beer, of course. At three-year-old summer hotspot Habana Outpost, both Brownstone Ale and Sweet Action ale — crafted by the borough’s own Sixpoint Brewery — are available for $2.50 a pint.
Considering that a frozen mojito runs $8 — heck, even a smoothie is $5 unless you blend it yourself — grabbing a table outside and knocking back the cheap suds is a fun and frugal way to enjoy a summer afternoon.
Habana Outpost (757 Fulton St. at South Portland Avenue in Fort Greene) accepts cash only. The restaurant is open Wednesday through Monday, from noon to midnight. Closed Tuesdays. For information, call (718) 858-9500 or visit www.ecoeatery.com.
Palace Cafe
The charm of the Palace Cafe, which sits on an unassuming corner across from Greenpoint’s Monsignor McGolrick Park, is that, well, it doesn’t have any. Known locally for the heavy metal music that pours out of the door at all hours, and a bartender who might close up for the night on a whim, the bar stays packed with adventurers and locals alike who appreciate the $1.50 mug of Bud or, if you’re a real high roller, the $3 mug of Stella Artois.
The smart thing to do is hit the Palace in the evening, when the stained glass windows are still catching some sun, and enjoy some cheap drinks before venturing further into Greenpoint to enjoy some different, albeit more expensive, watering holes.
The Palace Cafe (206 Nassau Ave. at Russell Street in Greenpoint) accepts cash only. The bar opens at 11 am, Monday through Saturday, and at noon on Sundays. For information, call (718) 383-9848.
— Additional reporting by Kate Ray
