Welcome to Brew-klyn!
New York City Beer week starts this Saturday! The annual celebration of suds, sponsored by the New York City Brewers Guild, will feature dozens of tap takeover and beer releases in all five boroughs, but as usual, the best events are happening in the County of Kings. Here are the events you shouldn’t miss:
Beery beginning
The New York City Beer Week Opening Bash is the official kick-off event for eight days of fun in the suds. The Bash brings together 32 breweries from all five boroughs — 15 of them from Brooklyn — each pouring unlimited samples of at least two different beers. In addition, the organizers have invited another 40 or so of the best brewers from around the country (and a few from Europe) to show off their ales, lagers, and stouts. A food court outside the Expo Center will provide tasty meals to soak up some of the booze during each of the three-hour tasting sessions.
Opening Bash at the Brooklyn Expo Center (72 Noble St. at Franklin Street in Greenpoint, www.nycbr
Sweet and sour
The Folksbier brewery in Carroll Gardens will unveil five varieties of its fruited sour beer series Glow Up at this afternoon’s party. The beer flavors include Watermelon and Satsuma Mandarin, Morello Cherry and Lime, Stonefruit, and Green Yuzu, among others.
Glow Up Party at the Folksbier taproom (101 Luquer St. between Clinton St. and the BQE, www.folks
Curds and whey-sted
Word is out that beer and cheese make a gouda combination! Three events this week will pair rinds with rye beers. First up is a free tasting with Matt McCall, Coney Island’s Head Brewer, at the Whole Foods in Gowanus on Feb. 24.
NYC Beer Week Cheese and Beer Tasting at the Roof at Whole Foods Gowanus [214 Third St. at Third Avenue in Gowanus, second floor, (718) 907–3622, www.whole
Second, the Brooklyn Brewery will join forces with Murray’s Cheese for a tasting of rare vintages and delicious cheeses on Feb. 27.
Beer and Cheese Pairing Class at Brooklyn Brewery (79 N. 11th St. between Berry Street and Wythe Avenue in Williamsburg, www.brook
Finally, Grimm’s head brewer Otto Berkes will team up with Caroline Hesse, cheese monger for the Crown Finish Caves, for a guided tasting of four beers and cheeses on Feb. 28.
Grimm Artisanal Ales [990 Metropolitan Ave. between Catherine Street and Morgan Avenue in Williamsburg, (718) 564–9767, www.grimm
Bubble talk
Bushwick beer bar The Well will host two special podcast events during Beer Week. Each will start when the bar opens at noon, pouring beers from five carefully chosen breweries from across the country. Then, at 5 pm, the heads of those beer companies will discuss their craft with the podcast Good Beer Hunting.
Good Beer Hunting podcast at the Well [272 Meserole St. between Waterbury Street and Bushwick Place, (347) 338–3612, www.thewe
Mega Mermaid
Coney Island comes to Williamsburg for one night! The Coney Island Brewing Company will bring a troupe of stilt-walkers, sword swallowers, and other sideshow performers to strut their stuff at Clinton Hall, while the beer hall’s taps will pour nine Coney brews, including the brand new Chocolate Ryezome, Midnight Troller, and Brut IPA, each with a recommended food pairing.
Mega Tap Takeover at Clinton Hall Williamsburg [247 Metropolitan Ave. at N. Third Street in Williamsburg, (929) 419–6988, www.clint
Number of the yeast!
Greenpoint metal bar St. Vitus will host some of the country’s most metal breweries at its Bangover party, including Nightmare Brewing, Sing Sing Kill Brewery, and locals Finback Brewery, Kings County Brewers Collective, Barrier Brewing, and Alewife Brewing. A ticket, which costs $26.66, will get you two hours of unlimited pours from all six. Afterwards you can catch a metal show featuring the metal bands Kings Destroy and Forming the Void, among others.
Bangover at St. Vitus (1120 Manhattan Ave. between Clay and Box streets in Greenpoint, www.saint
In your Cups
Close out Beer Week by helping choose the winners of the Ruppert’s Cup! Each year, members of the city’s brewer’s guild compete to make the best beer out of New York State-grown malts and hops. You can sample all of the “Smash” brews at the serve-yourself beer wall at Randolph Beer in Dumbo, then vote for your favorite!
Ruppert’s Cup Competition at Randolph Beer Dumbo [82 Prospect St. between Pearl and Jay streets in Dumbo, (646) 383–3623, www.rando
