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That time is upon as again, when the city's beeriest citizens gather at various taps around town to revel in the best brews of the land. That's right, it's New York's 3rd Annual Craft Beer Week. This year's fest features over 110 participating bars and restaurants hawking beer from 50 of the country's finest craft breweries (with a few home brewers thrown in). There's a ridiculous schedule of tastings, beer dinners, guided tours and even a beer-fueled scavenger hunt planned. Below are some highlights to help plan your itinerary. Happy stumbling.
Freaktoberfest Beer & Music Festival | The Rock Shop
Sept. 24, 7 p.m.-12 a.m.
$50 per person
Kick off Beer Week with live music, burlesque dancers and, of course, beer with the festival's official opening party. Over 35 breweries will be pouring, including Captain Lawrence, Founders and event sponsor The Schmaltz Brewing Company—who will be unveiling their seasonal Coney Island Freaktoberfest lager. If that wasn't enticement enough, the event will be hosted by—follow us—"Donny Vomit" (of the freaky carnival troop the Coney Island Circus Sideshow).
Long Island City Craft Beer Festival | Water Taxi Beach
Sept. 25, 12:30 p.m.-4 p.m.
$45 per person
A beer festival inside a beer festival! LIC's Water Taxi Beach hosts their own sudsy mini-fest, featuring more than 25 of the country's top craft brewers (and over 50 beers), including plenty of "island" brews like Fire Island, Blue Point, Southampton, Long Ireland and Greenport Harbor. Seasoned sippers might also enjoy sampling Long Island new-comers the Great South Bay Brewery and Barrier Brewing. Expect all the samples you can handle.
Hop Pursuit by Beer Nation
Various locations
Sept. 25-Oct. 1
$5 per person
The folks at Beer Nation, a Web-based video series on craft beer and brewing, are sponsoring a weeklong beer-themed scavenger hunt in which participants must complete certain tasks at beer bars across the city. To avoid any cheating, most assignments will involve trivia based on clues found at the bar—or taking on-site photos of various goof-offs (i.e. playing shuffle board at Diamond Bar). According to Beer Nationite Seth Wright, "The task list will be so vast that no mere mortal should be able to answer every question, take every photo or visit every bar." Teams of two can register after 2 p.m. on Sept. 25 at Rattle-N-Hum. Good luck.
Cask Beer: Get Real NY | The Altman Building
Sept. 25-26
12 p.m.-3 p.m.
$65 per person
Cask purists take their beer maturation seriously. So-called cask—conditioned beer-often known as "real ale"—is unfiltered, unpasteurized, and partially fermented in the cask (it's like a smaller keg) for a natural, gentle carbonation and a more complex flavor. So no, it's not flat! At Get Real NY over 20 New York chefs will provide food to help soak up a variety of beer from a whopping 80 casks. Various beer experts will be on hand to talk pairing, home brewing and the general merits of cask beer.
Brewed In Brooklyn Tour
Sept. 25
12 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
$49 per person
Brooklyn was once home to over 45 breweries, many of which were operated by beer-loving Germans in Williamsburg. The Brewed In Brooklyn Tour is a great way for budding beer historians to wander through Brooklyn's rich brewing past, with stops at multiple defunct breweries along the old "Brewer's Row." You'll also get a private tour of the Brooklyn Brewery, scandalous tales of prohibition bootlegging and not-so-scandalous, but delicious, small plate bites and German brews at Huckleberry Bar.
The Ultimate Brewmaster's Degustation | Mas
September 29
7 p.m.-10 p.m.
$180 per person
For the beer geek who forays into foodiedom, the Ultimate Brewmaster's Degustation is a must. Six courses of refined farm-fresh fare will be served alongside an array of impressive brews, in a collaboration between Mas chef and owner Galen Zamarra and Sean Paxton (the "Homebrew Chef"). Beers will be provided by six craft brewers as Zamarra and Paxton attempt to find the perfect frothy complements to braised short ribs, orange glazed escargot and kobocha squash risotto with parsley, parmesan and truffle butter.
Brewer's Choice | City Winery
Sept 30, 6 p.m.-11 p.m.
$75 per person
Easily Craft Beer Week's most ambitious food-and-beer pairing, Brewer's Choice will gather fifteen respected brewmasters under one roof to pour alongside pairings from select chefs. Goose Island's Greg Hall will serve as keynote speaker and additional food will be provided by Sigmund Pretzels, Brooklyn Larder and Jimmy's No. 43, among others.
Brooklyn Brewery's Voyage of the IPA
Oct. 2, 4:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m.
$65 per person
The IPA is a storied beer and Brooklyn Brewery brewmaster Garrett Oliver is just the one to tell its story. On a boat! The style was originally brewed by the British for their troops stationed in India. Ample hops acted as a preservative during the long voyage, hence the style's now characteristic bitterness. For the details—plus six IPA samples—you'll have to join Oliver on a 158-foot schooner in New York Harbor. To make a reservation email: reservations@manhattanbysail.com or call 212-619-0907.
Brewer's Bash | Eleven Madison Park
Oct. 3, 3 p.m.-7 p.m.
$125 per person
When chef Daniel Humm embraces ale, you know beer has come a long way. The Swiss-born chef's impeccable classic-meets-contemporary French cuisine at Eleven Madison Park could not be more stereotyped to wine, yet Humm will close out Beer Week with a special beer appropriate feast. To complement the courses, expect beer cocktails, a cask beer tasting with Brooklyn Brewery's Garrett Oliver and pours from six craft brewers. Also, this might be the only chance to see Humm's haute-deco palace clear out for live music.
Pig Roast with Lagunitas | Sycamore
Sept. 26, 2 p.m.- 8 p.m.
$25 per person
On Saturday night, Farm On Adderley chef Tom Kearney will start roasting a pig in Sycamore's backyard. The next day we can enjoy said pig while sampling five brews from California's always impressive Lagunitas brewery. And rest assured locavores, our pot-bellied friend was sourced from Fleischer's Farm in Kingston, N.Y.
Bar takeovers
Various times and locations
Craft Beer Week always features a number of bar takeovers. The gist: A brewer is invited for an evening; they mingle, answer questions about hops; and take over X number of bar taps to pour their beer. Check the Craft Beer Week schedule for a complete list, but highlights include Kelso at Moonshine Bar, Left Hand at Rye House, Two Brothers at Sunswick 35/35 and—for the beerophile history buff—a Pretty Things beer release at Swift in which Edwardian attire is, somewhat jokingly, suggested.
Photo by Kelly Neal
