The Beer Friends

Tuesday, June 18 – Tuesday Night Tasting: Avery Brewery @ Bierkraft, Brooklyn:

Avery Brewing is one of Colorado’s most famous brewery’s and with roots in the early 90′s, one of the earliest.  From the very start they stepped away from the rest of the pack by amping up the hops and malts in even the most normal of their brews and becoming world renowned for their monstrous big beer series. Jen Dickey of Avery Brewing will be on hand to walk you through what is sure to be an intense beer journey.

Bierkraft is located at 191 5th Avenue between Berkeley and Union Streets in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn.

Tuesday, June 18 – Allagash Night @Rattle n’ Hum, Manhattan:

Last year this Beer Friend would have labeled Allagash as his favorite brewery of the year.  This year: the love hasn’t faded a bit.  They’ll be pouring 10 lines of their best American-Belgian brew.

Tripel

Four

Curieux

Bourbon Black

Black

Victor Ale

Victoria Ale

White

Dubbel

Odyssey

Rattle n’ Hum is located at 14 East 33rd Street between 5th and Madison Avenues in the Midtown neighborhood of Manhattan.

 Wednesday, June 19 – Smuttynose Night @ Beer Authority, Manhattan:

The Great State of New Hampshire is great for many reasons, it’s beer being near the top of the list.  The best New Hampshire beer?  Well, that’s up to you to decide and usually depends on which brewery you live closest to.  If you don’t live there, well, then it’s probably Smuttynose.  If you do live there, well, it’s probably also Smuttynose (or Tuckerman’s, love Tuckerman’s).  Either way, you should probably head on over to Beer Authority this Wednesday for the event.  Smutty will be taking over 10 tap lines.  That’s more than enough reason to get me over to that part of town.

Beer Authority is located at 300 West 40th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues in the Midtown neighborhood of Manhattan.

Thursday, June 20 – Meet the Brewer: Schlafly @ The Iron Monkey, Jersey City:

There are many states that are fiercely proud of their brewery reputation.  State’s like Colorado,  Oregon, Colorado boast hundreds of breweries.  Then there are the states that comparatively have very few.  Good thing for us quality and quantity are not usually related.  Missouri, a state you wouldn’t normally connect to craft beer is home to Schlafly.  Tom Schlafly, namesake and co-owner will be at the Iron Monkey in Jersey City on Thursday to explain why quality always trumps quantity.  Here’s the list:

Reserve Bourbon Barrel – Aged Imperial Stout

Belgian Golden Ale

Kolsch

Dunkel IPA

Export IPA

Dry Hopped APA

And a small selection of Schlafly Bottles.  Just a note – anything in their Reserve section is a must have.  So have it.

The Iron Monkey is located at 99 Greene Street between Montgomery and York Street in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Tuesday, June 4 – Belgian Beer Night @ One Mile House, Manhattan:

New York is known for it’s summer heat waves.  Belgium isn’t.  Their beer however, is very prepared to ease your suffering in our concrete sweat lodge of a city.  Head on over to One Mile House in the Lower East Side and have a go at summer refreshment  with their deep selection of Belgian brews.

Cazeau Tornay Tripel

Cuvee Des Jacobin Rouge

De La Senne Taras Boulba

De Ranke Guldenberg

De Struise Black Albert

Hof Ten Dormaal Blond

Kerkom Bink Blond

Liefman’s Gouldenband

Petrus Aged Pale

Rodenbach Grand Cru

Tire Hands Bittersweet Symphony

Tripel Karmeliet

One Mile House is located at 10 Delancey Street between the Bowery and Chrystie Streets in the Lower East Side neighborhood of Manhattan.

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There are more trends in craft beer each year than in a high school girl’s diary. This year’s: CANS! Those solid, lightless jail cells for delicious hops and malt are the perfect containers for delivering delicious debaucherous brew straight into your body. Sixpoint Brewery aptly used the term “nano-kegs” to describe their brew delivery system however it was not the first time these Beer Friends had heard that comparison.
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Tuesday, May 14 – French Beer Tasting and Disco Night @ Bierkraft, Brooklyn:

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Tuesday, May 7 – The Mega Barrel-Aged Night @ The One Mile House, Manhattan:

We all know what barrel aged means.  The “mega” in this event’s title however, well, that stands for many things.  The big-ness of the beers involved, the amount of big barrel aged beers involved and the beer community’s opinion of these brews.  The One Mile House hasn’t featured a beer event like this yet, but there’s no reason why that should stop you from pulling up a stool and getting into this in a real dedicated sort of way.  Check out this list: (more…)

You must have been quite panicked.  Frightened.  Devastated even.  We imagine that the only conclusion one could come to during our NYC Beer Events hiatus is that the city had completely run out of craft beer.  I know, a terrifying thought.   Let us relieve your worries – there is still craft beer and many events for you to get it at.  Even better than that news?  We’re back to bring it to you.

Tuesday, April 23 – Tuesday Night Tasting: Ballast Point @ Bierkraft, Brooklyn:

Craft beer, distilled spirits and San Diego?  Sounds like a great weekend.  You’re going to get it all in one night – minus the spirits unfortunately.  Ballast Point from San Diego has become very popular over the past 17 years – growing a huge following from the SoCal area to nationwide appeal and starting the first San Diego distillery.  You can grab their best brews for free tonight at Tuesday Night Tastings as well as meet representative Billy Denniston.  They won’t be serving the spirits, but your support will keep San Diego afloat in craft bourbon and beer.

Bierkraft is located at 191 5th Avenue between Berkeley and Union Streets in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn.

Wednesday, April 24 – Dieu du Ciel! @ The Blind Tiger Ale House, Manhattan:

The Dieu du Ciel! brewpub in Montreal has been heralded as one of the most unique brewpubs in the world.  The craft beer they produce is just as unique – styles that, when they first started brewing, were excitingly original as well as styles still unknown to anyone but them – black IPA, imperial coffee stout, kumquat IPA, imperial dark saison, india cream ale, absinth beer and more.

If you’re in the mood to get weird and wild then head over to the Blind Tiger on Wednesday for an event you will not soon forget and a brewery that you will always seek out.

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

Thursday, April 25 – Founders DOOMsday @ The Gate, Brooklyn:

If the apocalypse happened in a beer it would be this one.  Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial IPA by Founders.  They’ll be serving other Founder’s at this event – Double Trouble, Red’s Rye, Centennial IPA, Dirty Bastard 2011, Porter, All Day IPA.  But honestly, go for this one.  It taps at 9 pm.

The Imperial Stout 2011 taps at 7.  Kentucky Breakfast 2011 at 8.  But when the end of times sounds of Black Sabbath start filling your ears don’t get afraid, embrace the fear – cause it’s 9 pm and DOOM is nigh!

The Gate is located at 321 5th Avenue on the corner of 3rd Street in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn.

Thursday, April 25 – Abita Beer Pairing for Jazzfest @ Alobar, Queens:

We all wish we could be in New Orleans for the next two weekends.  Jazzfest is one of the finest music fests in the country.  Head out to Queens this Thursday for a beer pairing that lives up to New Orleans big brass itself.  You can pay the $50 and get 5 beers and 5 courses of New Orleans style food.  We’re talking Purple Haze, Spring IPA, Restoration Pale Ale, Jockamo and Turbo Dog alongside oysters, crayfish, andoullie red beans and rice, collard greens, pork loin and more.

OR – if you’re not into shelling out the dough for all the food and brew then we suggest popping in for a few pints at the bar and some good eats on your own.

Alobar is located at 4642 Vernon Boulevard in the Long Island City neighborhood of Queens.