The Beer Friends

Fresh off our first annual successful Beer Friends Holiday party you might be wondering – what events could possibly get my attention this week?  Well, I’ll tell you one thing: they will never be as exciting as a Beer Friends party.  However, life must go on as it always does and you’ll probably need another cocktail once your hangover fades by Tuesday.  Check em’ out…

Tuesday, December 21 – Lagunitas Night @ The Pony Bar, Manhattan: Nothing says the ancient tradition of the Winter Solstice more than Lagunitas.  Or really by just saying the words ‘Winter Solstice.’  Lagunitas definitely gets second place though and you should celebrate with them tomorrow at the Pony Bar in Hell’s Kitchen.  There will be plenty o’ taps including special appearances by Maximus, Hop Stoopid and the Censored copper ale.  All of which have been steadily creeping up one of the Beer Friends favorite beers lists.  I’ll give you a hint on who’s list:  It’s this one. (more…)

Hello all you Beer Friends.  The weekly NYC Craft Beer Events are still cooking in their holiday oven and will be coming out soon.  In the meantime we wanted to showcase a special event occurring this evening!  The amazing brewers over at Victory Brewing Co. out of Philly will be bringing their liquid craft to the Pony Bar tonight.  Expect all the taps to be taken over with some of our favorite Victory Brews – Prima Pils, Hop Devil, Storm King Stout – as well as some delicious cask offerings.

If this doesn’t spell Victory for all of us, then I don’t know what would.

See you there!

The Pony Bar is located on the corner of 45th Street and 10th Avenue.

Well it’s official.  We’ve been fighting it for awhile now, but winter is finally here.  The snow flurries on the way to work this morning were evidence enough that the coldest season is now upon us.  The biting wind on Sunday is also evidence that winter protection gear is now needed.  You could go with the usual cold weather gear – gloves, hats, scarfs, yhatta, yhatta, boring – or you could go for a delicious winter seasonal brew or a dark, malty barley wine.  Probably not on the way to work though.  Or maybe.  The cold makes one bend the rules.

If you’re more inclined to have your craft brews after work, then you can check out these craft beer events:

Tuesday, December 7 – 1st Annual Winter Beer Festival @ The Village Pourhouse Restaurant Row, Manhattan: The holiday season is a great time to hit up Broadway and as we all know when you’re heading to a show you walk on over to Restaurant Row for some pre-theatre prix fixe dining.  Well, now you have another reason to head to the Theatre District.  Ditch the stage this Tuesday and head over to the Village Pourhouse for their 1st Annual Winter Beer Festival.  A $35 ticket gets you admission, samplings of over 30 different winter brews, half-off pints from 8:30 – 10:00 and a few bites to eat.  Make sure you sample all thirty (plus).

The Village Pourhouse Restaurant Row is located at 366 W 46th Street between 8th and 9th avenues in Hell’s Kitchen/Theater District, Manhattan.

Wednesday, December 8 – L’asso Pizza Harpoon Dinner @ L’asso Pizza, Manhattan: Harpoon is great for your winter chills.  Head on over to L’asso Pizza to melt the ice off your bones with Harpoon IPA, Oyster Stout and their famous Winter Warmer.  And pizza is everyones favorite winter food.  And summer food and spring food and fall food…

L’asso Pizza is located at 192 Mott Street in between Kenmare and Spring in Soho, Manhattan.

Wednesday, December 8 – Sixpoint Craft Ales Bash @ The Blind Tiger, Manhattan: Holy Sixpoint!  Sixpoint is throwing a party this Wednesday at the Blind Tiger!  Here at the Beer Friends we love Sixpoint.  We also love the Blind Tiger.  If that isn’t enough of an endorsement then I don’t know what is.  If you need more, well the fact that whenever Sixpoint throws a bash they always bring out their rare and delicious stuff.  Close your eyes and let your mind wander through all of Sixpoints offerings – Gorilla Warfare, Bengali Tiger, Dr. Klankenstein, Old Krusher, Otis – now open your eyes and head to the Blind Tiger.  Wait til’ Wednesday.  Order Sixpoint.

The Blind Tiger Ale House is located at 281 Bleecker Street between 7th Avenue and Jones Street in the West Village, Manhattan.

Update:  Here’s the Official Sixpoint Bash Beer List!

Draft: Signal, Belgian Rye, Atlantic Amber, Sweet Re-Action, Otis, Belgian IPA, Pumpkin Brewster, Dr. Klankenstein, Autobahn, Missionary, Gorilla Warfare, Old Krusher, Sweet Action, Apollo Wheat, Brownstone, Righteous, Bengali Tiger, The Sehr Crisp Lager and the Mad Scientists #1 (Super Rare and New).

Quite Rare Sixpoint Enterprise Brews: Slow Drag Saison and Oaked Pig Porter.

Sixpoint Firkins:  Righteous Rye, Chocolate Rye Porter and Brownstone.

Sweeeeeet Sixpoint Action!!!

Thursday, December 9 – Anchor Brewing Company Event @ The Gate, Brooklyn: Anchor Brewing Company deserves a lot of love.  They were one of the first craft breweries to come on the scene in the craft beer revolution and they have a range of great products.  So if you’re in Brooklyn this Thursday then you should head on over to the Gate in Park Slope and have a few Anchor Brews.  Look out the winter and pretend instead of a snowy Brooklyn sidewalk, pretend you’re sipping a brew while gazing out at the Golden Gate Bridge.

The Gate is located at 321 5th avenue between 3rd and 4th streets in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

Friday, December 10 – Christmas Beers!!!! Event @ Artisanal Premium Cheese Center, Manhattan: It’s Friday in December, maybe there are snow flurries in the air, you just got your holiday bonus, you get in the Christmas mood and all of a sudden you develop an intense craving for Christmas beer and artisanal cheeses.  Well you’re in luck – for $85 you can head over to the Artisanal Premium Cheese Center from 6:30 – 8:30 for an informative, and generously proportioned session on Christmas Craft Brew and the accompanying Artisan Cheese selection that would work best for any Christmas Eve spread.  Certified Beer Instructor Candela M. Prol will lead your palate on an intense trip through the orange peel, cinnamon, corriander, malt and cheese tastes of Christmas.  Afterwords you’ll feel as jolly as St. Nick.  I think you know what we mean by “jolly.”

Artisanal Premium Cheese Center is located at 438 10th Avenue at the corner of 10th Avenue in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan.

Saturday, December 11 – Holiday Blood Drive @ Kelso of Brooklyn, Brooklyn: Alright, so I guess not everything in the world has to revolve around craft beer.  I suppose.  Get in your holiday spirit of giving and head on down to Kelso Brewery to donate some blood.  The Blood Bus will be there during the afternoon into the early evening.  The holidays are a very important time for donating blood and your gift is greatly appreciated.  There will be juice (not a codename for free beer), cookies and coupons for free beer (codename for free beer) from participating craft beer venues handed out post-donation.  Huh, I guess it all does revolve around craft beer.  Just try not to have too much craft beer the night before.  Although…IPA blood transfusion doesn’t sound like an altogether terrible idea…

Register at this website: www.nybloodcenter.org/donate-homepage.do?sid0=2

Kelso of Brooklyn will be hosting the event at 529 Waverly Avenue between Atlantic Ave and Fulton Street, Brooklyn.

Alright boys and girls.  Forget the scarfs, hats and gloves.  In fact, here at the Beer Friends, we love craft beer so much you’ll know us by our shorts and t-shirts.  See ya at the bars!