On tap at Ambulance, light-bodied ‘Old World’ Nordic-styled farmhouse ale utilizes tropical Kveic yeast to set up floral-cologned grapefruit zesting, lemony pineapple tartness and mild lemongrass-chrysanthemum-lavender-daisy conflux over delicately dry raw wheat base.
An essential part of Williamsburg’s Renaissance, BROOKLYN BREWERY is located alongside Brooklyn Bowl and one block down from Mc Carren Park in the heart of hipsterville.
Opened during 1988 and gaining tremendous exposure from world renowned brewmeister, Garrett Oliver, Brooklyn Brewery makes one of the finest lagers ever invented – for starters.
During July ’19 on a sweltering Friday evening before my High Times softball game, I got to once again peruse the mighty warehoused pub. Inside a rustic brick-walled space with several community tables and a 30-seat U-shaped wood-top bar with silver mash frontage, this large watering hole features multiple draught taps. A makeshift stage area with colorfully painted mural fills the far left bar area.
Tonight, I grab the four-sampler package with previously untried suds (Petite IPA, Come As You Weary English Dark Mild, 1,001 Nights Saison and Stonewall Inn IPA) alongside a pint of complex Sherry-aged cocktail-styled barleywine, Capataz. All are reviewed at Beer Index.
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Soft-toned mandarin orange essence brings zesty pleasantry to mildly creamed clear-yellowed limited edition (2018) moderation. Sweet orange-peeled tangerine, clementine and grapefruit continuance gains mild floral sweetness to counter wispy Simcoe-hopped pining over delicate white bread base.
Sweet Kentucky bourbon licks subtly embellish medium-roast coffee theme that’s nearly overwhelmed by dark chocolate spicing and creamy vanilla sugaring. Try in lieu of cream-sugared coffee in the morning.
On tap at Valhalla, “pleasantly askew” Christmas-spiced moderation brings lemony green tea aspect to tingly nutmeg-cinnamon piquancy. Sugary vanilla-creamed corn malts provide sweet backdrop.
BROOKLYN’S BARCADE BRINGS GAMING TO SPECIALTY BREWS
The original BARCADE in Brooklyn’s hipster Williamsburg section brought arcade gaming to endlessly rotating American craft draughts in 2004. A caliginous North Side bar with a grimy dive feel and rustic furnishings, Barcade’s a genuine one-of-a-kind novel idea promoted mostly by Jersey-bred co-owner Paul Kermizian. Just around the corner from international beer haven, Spuyten Duyvil, this dank brick-walled industrial space has an enclosed front patio walkway that offers patrons the chance to take a break from the 24 taps and 35 games to sit and chat.
Serious craft beer enthusiasts with a hankering for vintage electronic games from Asteroids and beyond will go spastic over this place – especially the cheap quarter-priced video gaming fee. Loud rock music blasts from the speakers, echoing to the high warehouse ceiling.
Tonight’s Winter Beer Night at Barcade and the crowded bar is plush with young beer folk. Several locals bring their dogs here while imbibing some of the best suds found under one roof. One’s seated next to Climax Brewing owner Dave Hoffmann, whose father and I drove in with him this cold Thursday evening in early December ’11. Hosting boss Paul Kermizian chats with Hoffmann and I at the left side bar, chewing the fat over a wide variety of brews.
I usually sojourn to Barcade on the way to Williamsburg rock shows a few streets down, but tonight I’ll be drinking for four whole hours since I don’t have to drive home or attend a concert. There’ll be so much socializing going on I’ll forget to drop a few quarters in the ’70s/ ’80s-related video games. The beers discovered run the gamut from a cabernet-wined strong ale to two barleywines, two Baltic Porters, a honeyed pils and a rummy gourd-spiced elixir (full reviews given in the Beer Index).
As we settle in around 8 PM, I dig into Kelso Cabernet Quad Bock, an oaken Cabernet Sauvignon-soothed quadrupel with sharp-hopped raisin-plum dried fruiting, musky Muscatel wining and tart cranberry-raspberry recession. Probably more suited to a noir-ish nightcap, its eloquent warmth loosened me up right away.
Traditional Czech-styled moderate body, Fisherman’s Honey Pilsner, brought a raw-honeyed lemon pucker to grassy-hopped herbage and sourdough malting. Brewed by Cape Ann’s Jeremy Goldberg, one of the stars in the informal ’02 documentary American Beer (alongside Kermezian), put together a wholly successful Fisherman’s line of brews and each one’s specially priced when featured at this venerable Brooklyn hideaway.
Next came Harpoon Leviathon Baltic Porter, a chocolate-y full body aged two years for a deeper wood-smoked molasses sapping. Similarly styled Sixpoint S.M.P. Baltic Porter contrasted its dark chocolate, cocoa nibs, and coffee bean roasting with beechwood smoked nuttiness.
We stepped outside to get some air before I reached for a few high alcohol treats that’d put me to sleep on the way back to Hoffmann’s brewery.
First up, excellent rum barrel aged Avery Rumpkin had a rum-spiced pumpkin pie sweetness sidled by red chery, bruised orange and candied apple illusions. As I sip this brandy-wined cognac-like strong ale, several new customers walk in and grab a few Middle Ages Dragon Slayer’s alongside Dogfish Head Faithfull. In town for the extended weekend, these twenty-something professionals admit revisiting Barcade time and again. And a few walk over to play Donkey Kong.
As my buzz thickens, I reach for some water before delving into two English-styled barleywines. A Challah-breaded almond toasting invited the dryer Pretty Things Our Finest Regards. But California’s sweeter Bear Republic Barrel Aged Olde Scoutter outdid its worthy winter-warming Massachusetts opponent. Its lilting bourbon lick recieved a brown-sugared fig-date conflux and oak-aged vanilla simmer.
Though Brooklyn’s Barcade may seem inconspicuous and inconsequential from the street, customers will be surprised by its tempting American craft beers as well as the large video game selection. Daily 5 to 8 PM happy hour offers $1 off well drinks. So double your pleasure and start gaming while fully imbibing with friends.
BROOKLYN BREWERY
The bulk of New York’s beer elite converged upon Williamsburg’s eminent Brooklyn Brewery early September to promote 2010’s 3rd Annual NY Craft Beer.
It’s no surprise Brooklyn Brewery held NY Craft Beer Week’s press party at the old matzo ball factory they’ve occupied since ’96. There are few national competitors that boast such an arsenal of finely designed brews. Gathering at the tasting room for the pre-festival jaunt were several industry hotshots such as Yankee Brew News editor, Gregg Glaser, Shmaltz Brewing entrepreneur, Jeremy Cowan, and our devoted toastmaster, Garrett Oliver.
Oliver alluded to Brooklyn Brewery’s inconspicuous opening after an informal meet-and-greet. The pioneering brewer recalled his days at a defunct Manhattan brewery a decade after New York’s stalwart Rheingold and Schaefer breweries shut down. Though humbled at being part of Williamsburg’s recent arts renaissance, the cordial Brooklyn brewer warrants merit.
Alongside an ascending indie rock scene that’s second to none, he’s clearly revived the Big Apple’s brew crew. In 1900, 48 breweries existed in New York City, but Prohibition reared its ugly head, by 1980, none were left. However, new-sprung brewers, Kelso and Sixpoint, have helped Brooklyn’s revitalization.
“In 1994, nobody was on the streets. Tumbleweeds were rolling by,” Oliver reminisces about the once-dangerous neighborhood that’s now part of north side King County’s booming reawakening.Entering via a side entrance door, large brew tanks welcomed guests to Brooklyn’s brick-walled taproom, where exposed wooden beams and ducts provide a rustic warehouse feel tripled by the recently acquired 14,000 square foot space next door (adjacent to prevalent multi-venue Brooklyn Bowl).
Getting to the event early, I casually relished four inaugural host brews before the mad rush began. My complimentary glass captured four excellent Brooklyn brews. Mexicali-styled orange-spiced wood-hopped Sabroso Light Pils, placed mild orange-oiled lemon zest above dark floral nuances and herbal spices. San Diego-styled pine-sappy red-fruited Detonation IPA retained a creamy brown-sugared red-fruited pine sapping reinforcing alcohol-whirred juniper-embittered pear-apricot-pineapple fruiting, tangy red apple juicing and herbaceous undertones. Dortmunder-like Octoberfest brought soured cocoa and roasted chocolate to vegetal fungi, sugared fig, orange compote, and marmalade illusions.
Perhaps best of all, Cookie Jar Porter deconstructed an oatmeal raisin cookie recipe. Frothy brown-sugared Baker’s chocolate sufficiency and soft-watered peat-malted rye wheat spine amplify scrumptious chocolate-milked cookie dough theme thickened by sharp hop-charred fig-juiced raisin-pureed burgundy-dried stewed prune depth.
After munching down a hot dog (supplied by nearby Meat Hook) and cheesy comestibles supplied by Murray’s Cheese, I quaffed several newly discovered brews soon to be featured at New York Beer Craft Week (and reviewed fully in Beer Index section).
First, representing the South was Florida’s Cigar City Jai Alai IPA, a pine-spruced pear-browned apple-spiced bitter. Out of the Midwest came Goose Island Fleur, a soft-watered prickly-hopped hibiscus-flowered high-end Belgian knockoff.
Exemplifying the Northeast were Pennsylvania’s Victory Saison du Buff (an herbal Stone-Dogfish Head collaboration delegate Bill Covaleski claims will take your mind on an excursion); Maine’s Allagash Black Belgian-Style Stout (a dramatic chocolate-spiced tar-charred espresso alternative); and Cooperstown’s Ommegang Cup O Kindness (a malt-smoked meat-cured Belgian-styled Scotch ale curiosity.
At the top of America’s current Craft Beer Movement, Brooklyn Brewery has just started returning New York City to the glorious pre-Prohibition beer hall days by educating locals about interestingly diversified libations. And there’s always a few limited edition specialty brews waiting to be quaffed at the commodious tasting room.