New York City

Otto and the little’un set off to the “Big Apple” yet again in search of America finest brew’s and were not disappointed. In my own opinion the USA is at the forefront of the Craft Brewing scene at the moment, they brew more styles than any other country at the moment and are not afraid to experiment, or use Hops! To get a real full bodies IPA you need to visit America! They have taken the style and kept to the original recipe and they have improved on it as well.  Some of the best examples were from the Stone Brewery, Dogfish Head and Russian River. As we were there in November, not only did we sample the hoppy delights of IPA, but most of the breweries were now brewing my favourite style of ale, need I say more, the dark stuff, Stout & Porters were on offer, mmmm

The state of New York has over 100+ breweries and brewpubs. We were based in Brooklyn which is home toGreenpoint Beers Works/Kelso, Sixpoint Craft Alesand not forgetting the famousBrooklyn Brewery. The as you cross over the Brooklyn Bridge into the Big Apple its self, there are 5 Heartland Brewpubs (although all beers are now brewed atGreenpoint),Harlem Brewing CompanyandChelsea brewery,were they brew some of the best stouts, and porters we have ever tried! We first sampled there beers 10 years ago now and they just get better.  So let’s start with the low down on the breweries in NYC; {updated July 2022}

NYC travel; The best way to travel is to get a Matro Card, these come in a number of forms, sadly the day pass is no longer available? We usually get a 7 day unlimited ride pass for around $30. Any way its up to you how you choose to travel, follow the link to the MTA site for more details. MTA Travel.

For a brief history of New York City please follow link: The Big Apple A History

SERRA by Birreria, 200 5th Ave, New York

A scenic rooftop setting for elevated Italian cuisine, house brewed ales and high-end imported beer. It's a bit of a challenge to find the entrance but we did. Really nice restaurant, smart decor, loud bar area and more formal dining but probably a little to crammed in. An impressive terrace with a view in one of the trendiest and most touristy places in town.

Torch & Crown Brewing Company, 12 Vandam St, New York

A big new facility in SoHo, exciting that Manhattan finally get a production brewery and a good one at that. Space is large and modern, with two outdoor options to choose from. Food is outstanding.

Death Ave, 315 10th Ave, New York

A rustic-chic spot with a comfy rear patio offering Greek-style food, cocktails and house-brewed beers. This brewpub has two parts with separate entrances. One taproom and one restaurant. They had a different beer selection in both places! No flights. Beers are super expensive!

The Bronx Brewery & Empanology, 856 E 136th St, The Bronx

Located a few blocks from the Cypress Ave station on the 6 line. Located in an industrial area in an old converted warehouse it appears. Clean, industrial modern look inside with a few high top tables and a few bar stools. The brewing area is open as well with a few tables located there as well. Have about 8 or so of their own on tap, moderately priced for NYC and cans and growlers are available.

Gun Hill Brewing Company, 3227 Laconia Ave, The Bronx

A bit of walk from the nearest subway stop, and in a pretty unassuming area. A small brewery next to car repair shows at an area I wouldn't want to be after dark! They have set up barrels and a few tables outside. They have 6 beers on tap with one guest beer. Outdoor seating is noisy, due to the location at the intersection of several busy roads. Indoors would probably be better. Beers are good, especially at the darker end of things.

Harlem Brewing Company360 W. 125th Street NYC.  

The brewmaster or brewster, as Beatty calls herself started  making experimental batches of brew in her apartment on West 123rd Street back in the ’90s. After spending time in breweries throughout New York State and over in Europe where some brewers spoke of age-old recipes born out of Africa she founded the Harlem Brewing Company in 2000.  No tours available at present? 

Finback Brooklyn, 545 President St, Brooklyn

Brewery has expansive beer and mezcal offerings. Massive space with high tops and regular tables, and even quieter section on the side for privacy. High ceilings with strong air conditioning for the hot NYC summers.

Sixpoint Craft  40 Van Dyke St Brooklyn.

We were lucky enough to arrange to visit this little brewery and the bar it is connected to, which seems like it is on the edge of the world with NYC in the distant background. After sitting at the bar and tasting a pint of the brewery’s finest. We were took upstairs to sample some beers and have a potted history of the brewery with 2 other guest. Afterwards we were introduced to Shane and Andrew who led an interesting tour through their brewing and storage areas. The tour is very informative, thorough and intimate. You get to see all types of malts hands on and see the actual brewing room. I also got to sample the Brown Stone Ale straight out of the fermenter, that was awesome.

Evil Twin Brewing NYC - DUMBO, 43 Main St, Brooklyn

A roomy, bohemian brewhouse with a diverse beer menu, plus coffee and homemade pastries.

Randolph Beer DUMBO, 82 Prospect St, Brooklyn

Modern and quite big place. Little hard to find the entarnce as it was at streetlevel and only sign on the door is to some cafe. But the stairs led to the bar on first floor. Modern, wood, steel, a few pinball machine, table soccer etc. This one has more of the Randolph beers than the Williamsburg location, presumably as this is where the brewery is.

Wild East Brewing Co. 623 Sackett St, Brooklyn

Outstanding beers with a friendly and extremely knowledgeable staff. Exceptional service, great beer, comfortable taproom. This place is hard to beat! Multiple industry workers pointed me towards this place, and for good reason. Saison, Kolsch, Pilsner, IPA, everything was awesome.

Finback Brewery, 78-01 77th Ave, Queens, New York

Singlecut Beersmiths, 19-33 37th Street, Queens, New York

Fifth Hammer Brewing Company Tasting Room, 10-28 46th Avenue, Queens, New York

A large and spacious brewpub with a fairly hip industrial/warehouse atmosphere.

Lic Beer Project, 39-28 23rd Street, Queens, New York

Evil Twin Nyc - Ridgewood, 1616 George St, Queens, New York

Rockaway Brewing Company - Lic, 5-01 46th Ave, Queens, New York

A mall rather raw garage look / feel to it. A bar in the first room to the right as you enter, a few benches and tables to the left. Pet friendly. 8 beers on tap, 4 pcs flight available at a fair price.  Loved how the music was provided by vinyl records.

Big Alice Brewing, 8-08 43rd Rd, Queens, New York

A small brewery with a very nice atmosphere that contrasts with the industrial neighborhood were it is located. The tasting room is one quarter of the surface, then the tables and seats continue into the brewing room, which is nice. Beers are good.

Bridge And Tunnel Brewery, 15-35 Decatur Street, Queens, New York

Queens Brewery, 1539 Covert St., Queens, NY

A Big place with games,good for groups. Easy yo get to via the nearby "L" line.(Halsey St. Station). There are 16 taps. I really like this place and recommend it highly. Great big communal tables to drink and converse at. A coffee bar upfront with window service.

Brooklyn Brewery 79 North Eleventh Street Brooklyn.

Home to Brewmaster Garret Oliver. The brewery is open Friday evening and Saturday afternoon of tastings and tours.  It's smaller than I thought and in the middle of nowhere Brooklyn, since they needed a big warehouse to do the job. A quick walk from the subway. The beer is fresh and very good, but the prices have picked up since the last time I checked on the place - $4/beer or $20/6 beers - not bad compared to what you'll pay at bars. Good people to meet and greet with. The tour was, however, well below par. The girl giving it could barely be heard as she giggled her way through her very-had-to-hear speech. Also there was no tour. We stood in one room the entire time. It was all about the founding of the company and the initial founder and the real estate of the building...boringgg. I would have loved to hear more about their seasonal brews, the brewing process and their history.  Back in the tasting room the staff are more than friendly, the beers is great, and the atmosphere a bit like Oktoberfest. This is a great place to while away a couple hours. Order pizza from one of the local Brooklyn pizza places, or head down the street into the Williamsburg district for a great meal or slice!

Grimm Artisanal Ales, 990 Metropolitan Ave, Brooklyn

Not only do they make some of the best beer in the city, they have the best tap room and the friendliest staff. Taproom is nice and open with good music playing. Dog friendly. Their beers really do stand out, and as somebody who frequents breweries all over the world believe me when I say you won't be disappointed. You must stop in, to visit

Other Half Brewing Company, 195 Centre St, Brooklyn

Other Half is an icon in the industry and a must visit for any beer afficianado. The Centre Street Brooklyn location is the original location. Its usually pretty busy. The beer is excellent and they usually have things you can't get at the other locations. You can order beer for pickup ahead online. Definitely a must visit!

Other Half Brewing - Domino Park, 34 River St, Brooklyn

Other Half Brewing - Rockefeller Center Taproom, 600 5th Ave A2, New York

Kings County Brewers Collective, 381 Troutman St, Brooklyn

A pretty large taproom in quite hip neighborhood. Nice large, high ceiling tasting room, with community style seating arrangement. The front facade is all glass from floor to teh ceiling. Filled with youngish hipster crowd. Nine beers on tap and a few cans are available. There seems to be a rotating food vendor on the corner, only a few choices of course.

Threes Brewing, 333 Douglass St, Brooklyn

This cool, taverny spot in Park Slope not far from Atlantic Center and Barclays it has solid food, good ambiance, strong drinks, and solid, personal service. Nice dark vibe, with the feeling of a dive but the quality you want from a finer place. A great buzz, loud but chill. A sweet spot for a beer.

Strong Rope Brewery, 574a President Street, Brooklyn

Keg & Lantern, 97 Nassau Ave, Brooklyn

Five Boroughs Brewing Company, 215 47th Street, Brooklyn

Big Alice Brooklyn Barrel Room, 52 34th Street, Brooklyn

Circa Brewing, 141 Lawrence St, Brooklyn, New York

Coney Island Brewing Company, 1904 Surf Avenue, Brooklyn

Talea Beer Co. 87 Richardson St, Brooklyn

Threes @ Franklin + Kent, 113 Franklin St, Brooklyn

Transmitter Brewing, 141 Flushing Ave Building 77 , Brooklyn

Brooklyn Kura, 68 34th St, Brooklyn

Daleview Biscuits And Beer, 1170 Nostrand Ave, Brooklyn

Endless Life, 585 Franklin Ave, Brooklyn

Non Sequitur Beer Project, 8 Wilson Ave, Brooklyn

18th Ward Brewing, 300 Richardson St, Brooklyn

Greenpoint Beer And Ale Co, 1150 Manhattan Ave, Brooklyn

All-wise Meadery, 96 N 13th St., Brooklyn

Kills Boro Brewing Company, 62 Van Duzer St, Staten Island

A solid neighborhood brewery. Drop in here for a drink and bite to eat after a bike ride along the boardwalk! A neighborhood pub feel with great food and friendly service. Beers are excellent, flights available, a reasonable range of styles for a trendy NYC brewery. If you're doing the touristy free ferry to Staten Island then you might as well get a few tasty ticks out of it.

The Flagship Brewing Company, 40 Minthorne St, Staten Island

A fantastic tap room, a great size with room for live entertainment and televised events, decorated with a fair amount of assorted bric-abrac!. The bar staff are helpful and informative, and the beer itself is incredible. Located about a 10 to 15 minute walk from the ferry terminal, this brewery in a large warehouse makes visiting Staten Island worth the effort besides the view of Manhattan from the ferry.

Now for some great pubs/bars

Mugs Ales House @ 125 Bedfors Ave.

They take beer seriously here with over 30 taps and 2 cask pumps, quite close to the Brooklyn Brewery so if you do the Brewery tour first you can finish the day off here supping some serious ale and eating some descent snap. One of  the top-five spots in NYC for beer lovers. Its great every now and then to just settle in with a high-quality beer. 

The place has lots of wood and a comfortable pub-style feel. Good jukebox, pinball machine. Knowledgeable and friendly staff, lots of frequently rotated taps and food specials, and a bunch of room in the back, so you can even invite those friends who have small, wiggly children (those friends who can rarely manage to break free for a beer anymore.) Mugs tends to be kind of a testing ground for the Brooklyn Brewery, which is just up the street, so they often have the Brooklyn beers that nobody else features. They also have a shockingly extensive list of interesting-sounding Scotch and other hard liquors. Also on the first Wednesday of every month the Malted Barley Appreciation Society meet to discuss and taste beers. We have been to one of their meetings and it was awesome, they usually have a guest brewer who gives a talk and then you get to sample form very good home-brews.

TØRST, 615 Manhattan Ave, Brooklyn

A really cool beer bar, a Hip wood-clad Danish bar doing boutique beers and a compact food menu. Fairly small and cozy. Quite a selection of taps that focused mainly on stouts, sours, barley-wine and Belgian styles. The bottle list has the same focus. Located about 50 mtr from the subway line G.

Brazen Head at 228 Atlantic Ave, Brooklyn;

Usually they have 2 cask ales and 15 taps all with craft beers on.  The festival was set up by Alex Hall; check out his web www.cask-ale.co.uk/us/ for a hoard of useful information on a trip to the USA. There were 30 beers on over the weekend. Needless to say we got talking to Alex and the owner Lou and ended up serving on the cask bar, awesome. The Brazen Head is a wedge shaped bar in downtown Brooklyn, right on Atlantic Ave. It's an old place with a painted tin ceiling and brick walls adorned with old beer signs and baseball memorabilia (mostly Ebbets Field and Brooklyn Dodgers related). Also there is a small courtyard to the rear were you can sit outside.

The bar itself runs the better part of the length of one wall, and two large wooden booths provide additional seating by the Brazen Head's front windows. The crowd is very local. We were there for the cask beer, but the Brazen Head also offered an impressive selection of over two dozen tap beers that included offerings from Ithaca, Southampton, Chelsea, Abita, Long Trail, and, of course, the Brooklyn Brewery (among others). There was no real food being offered, but they didn't seem to mind if you ordered food into the bar. Again I would say this bar is in the top 5 bars in NYC.

Fools Gold NYC, 145 E Houston St, New York

A great beer selection of beers at this bar. If you like 'good beers' you won't be disappointed. At least 30 taps, plus good can selections to add to that. The bartenders are cool and easily approachable. A long single roomed bar located in the Bowery. Plenty of seating along the bar plus a few high tables. A cool retro wooden interior, more of an old school bar experience, sharp contrast with modern craft beer places like As If and Tørst. Additional amenities include TVs, Board Games, Dartboard and Dog-friendly.

Eleven Madison Park, 11 Madison Ave, New York

A world class restaurant!The dining room is a brightly lit, lushly decorated space. Beautiful views out the window to Madison Square Park. Beer selection is outstanding for such a restaurant; you can ask the sommelier for a beer pairing with any dish, even in the tasting menu, and he can suggest something excellent. The staff are super nice and friendly, and very polite and respectful. Food diversity the food is amazing with a ton of different courses. The true meaning of the art of culinary! The combination of tastes and the origin of the raw materials are truly magical. The Vibe, The environment is fantastic, pretty calm and relaxing. Also a lot of art work around. The music is very nice.

Spuyten Duyvil.359 Metropolitan Avenue. 

Voted No.2 Best U.S. Beer Bar for 2007, is both New York Magazine’s and Time Out. This unmarked, cosy and quirky bar with an antique gramophone and an ashtray collection on display. The decor is composed of a charming mishmash of old stuff. I really like the Apothecary chest.  It offers a stunning selection of obscure Belgian beers along with the crème de la crème of U.S. micros from Sixpoint Craft Ales and Southampton, among others. Better still, the food wonderfully complements the beer. The cheese and meat plate is to die for. There is a medium sized bar, plenty of tables and a comfortable out door area. The Bartenders play good music, are generally nice and very knowledgeable. They are happy to pour beers and slice up edible things when they have a chance.

Proletariat, 21 E 7th St, New York

Narrow St.Marks Place bar hidden behind Jane's Sweet Buns that specializes in unusual craft beers. A dimly lit bar, fairly small in size. 14 taps most of which seem to always have interesting stuff from up and coming brewers, along with edgy music and bartenders who really, really know their stuff.

Broadway Dive, 2662 Broadway, New York

In my opinion, Broadway Dive is hands down one of the best craft beer bars in all of NYC. The bar’s selection is vastly superior to Beer Run and Craft & Carry. Broadway Dive also has better prices! Further, Broadway Dive has a pleasant community crowd that frequents the place and the bartenders are mostly longtimers, so they are extremely knowledgeable, and are friendly and courteous. If you are looking for a solid whiskey and liquor collection and literally a vast selection of craft beers, you won’t be disappointed.

Fette Sau, 354 Metropolitan Avenue. 

A BBQ joint owned by the same folks as Spuyten across the street. Basically you line up and order your food by weight, with the bar offering an array of whiskey flights and a nice selection of well paired beer as well. You can get multiple sizes of beer - from half-pints all the way up to gallon growlers. Decor is a plus for me, white ties and butchers tools and animal butchery charts,  what with picnic tables, rolls of paper towels on the table, etc. The beer selection is also nice, with a couple of interesting beers made specifically for this place (Kelso Fette Sauv) and a nice array of beers that go great with BBQ. Always a smoked beer or two on tap. You'll get your beer in a jar generally, not the snifter you may have been hoping for, but I honestly don't have a problem with that. It's a BBQ joint, dig in and stop worrying.

Beer Run, 203 W 19th St, New York

Beer run is a little gem with a nice curb side bar. A small, dark beer bar and bottle shop. Twelve rotating taps, featuring a number of NYC-based breweries. Excellent if you like stouts. Its a small bar with a lot of stouts too choose from, perhaps too many for those who suffer from decision fatigue. The staff are outstanding.

District Tap House, 246 W 38th St, New York

Located 500 meters away from Penn Station. A dark long bar, with a restaurant area and a second bar for privat events at the rear. A great beer selection, with many rarities from NY, VT and other Eastern states. One of the best beer bars in Manhattan. The bartenders and staff are knowledgeable and super friendly.

Barcade, 388 Union Avenue, Brooklyn.

Barcade is basically a big open room which is very dark with a large bar on the right and a bunch of classic arcade games lining the walls. Above the bar is the tap list which is usually very impressive and on the opposite wall is a chalkboard with the video game high scores. In the entrance one wall is covered in a mural made up of bottle tops.

This place has a really cool vibe and as a lover if video games(especially classics like Mrs. Pacman, Tapper, Marble Madness, etc.) I really loved this place. They allow dogs as well which is a nice touch.

The selection here is awesome and they often have special events. They have about 25 taps with revolving selection of craft beers at reasonable prices. There are plans to open another location over on Manhattan Island.

Haymaker Bar and Kitchen, 252 W 29th St, New York

A winning combination, great food and an even better staff. A large, spacious, clean and shiny place with a long wood top bar, a dozen or so tables and a large space for hanging out. Soft rock music, and no TV screens. 20 taps with quite good selections. The prices are high of course.The whole team is fantastic. They really know the menu inside and out, and they go the extra mile for the guest. It’s hard to find a place “where everybody knows your name” in NYC, but it looks like this one fits the bill.

Valhalla NYC, 815 9th Ave, New York

A low-key, urban-rustic tavern offering a robust menu of microbrews on tap bottle. Inside tables for about 60 people and long wooden bar, 46 beers on tap, mix of local and Westside beers. The prices were normal for Manhattan. Great beer, good crowd, nice bar, stop in!

The Blind Tiger Ale House @ 281 Bleeker St.

This place is a Mecca for beer lovers. It is a very unassuming corner pub from the outside. It has an old time tavern kind of feel, dark wood walls, small tables, very cosy. A “Z” shaped bar serving more beers than one can count. The staff are friendly and helpful. If I lived in New York City, I would be a regular. On our visit they were having a Goose Island sampling with over 38 offerings on tap from the one brewery!

Bronx Alehouse, 216 W 238th St, The Bronx

Located very near to the 235th street 1 train station, a large bar with rustic decor with a sports bar vibe with 16 well selected draft lines, primarily focused on local offerings. Great vibes a popular locals spot. Inside and outside dining available, very spacious. There's happy hour which is 2-4. Nice place with great service. Definitely recommend.

“Burp Castle” 41 E. 7th St.

Immediately yes. Monastery theme with huge painted murals. Bartenders that keep the place quiet and meditative? This is a very strange and very cool-looking place.  The front door opens to the floral carpeted bar area, which is enclosed in but a single room (excluding a small, gated outdoor patio). The bar itself is on a corner, and creeps around the room at a ninety-degree angle. Seating between twelve and fifteen, the bar is wooden, with ornately carved structural elements of support, and accents of patterned metal shapes. The rest of the room is taken up by roughly fifteen two-person wooden tables, which each have a thick lip, so as to, presumably, curb any spillage. The walls are decorated in sweeping frescos of various scenes, including a Belgian beer cellar with monks and patrons, and a shipwreck scene. The wall behind the front door is painted in castle stones, with a small stone gargoyle sitting in the only window. Decoration is otherwise sparse, with a placard behind the bar reading, "No loud talking allowed. -Whispering Only- By Order of the Brewist Monks." The lighting is moderate, with low hanging lanterns, lamps on the bar, and candles on the bar and tables, bringing light to the space. It has a decent selection of  Belgians and Belgian style beers.

Stout NYC @ 133 W. 33rd St.

With 24 stouts on offer including Oatmeal, Cream, Dry, Sweet & Imperial and 4 on draught, including Young’s Chocolate stout form the UK. Need I say more we were in Nirvana. They also have a further 18ish taps and a large bottled range. When you walk in, you're shocked at how big this place is. The ceiling in the main area must be at least 30 feet high. The bar is on the left and it's extremely long. Above the bar and/or on the pillars in the middle of the room are what I counted to be 7 big screen TV’s and 3 big screen projectors, making this place easily the best sports bar in NYC for a beer lover. Above these TVs there is a large stage, where bands play most notably Scythian who are a great Irish rock band.

There are a lot of tables and booths around the main room. At the end of the main room lies another room (seats about 50 I'd guess) will low ceilings that they usually use for private parties. There also a second balcony level on 2 sides of the main room. I haven't been up there but it looks like there’s a fair amount of seating up there too. 

There are 18 taps and 2 cask engines. When I was there they had 2 casks listed on a chalkboard above the bar. The service is kind and attentive, but they are your basic Irish pub staff and not knowledgeable beer guys. The food menu is well above average. They serve 8 varieties of oysters and they always have a special of a half dozen oysters (the variety changes daily) and a Bluepoint Oatmeal Stout for $10. Nice. They serve good French fries with a choice of 12 different dipping sauces.

I highly recommend this place as a sports bar destination with some good stouts and great food.. It does get pretty packed very quickly at lunch times and early evening.

Arts and Crafts Beer Parlor, 26 W 8th St, New York

Loved the Beer Parlor! Really intimate vibes and chill atmosphere paired great with the large beer menu. This place is located just below the street level. A long wooden bar top and a few tables, a few paintings on the wall.; 24 beers on tap with interesting choices, and a few bottles, knowledgeable bartender, small food menu.

Rattle & Hum  NOW Claddagh Irish Pub  W. 33rd St,

Apporx 30 draught beers and 2 cask, all micros no National Blands here! We have visited this place a few times originally just after it had opened in 2008 when they just had a banned over the door and the guys were just measuring up for the sign. Back then the inside walls were covered in murals that were quite inspiring. But now all that has changed and it is full on beer, they even have a brewers wall of fame as you enter.  The bar itself is long and slim, with a nice big mural to the left with some words from many top guns at several breweries. Your standard beer bar deco throughout, signs flags and all hanging from the ceiling and walls. It's not rowdy in spite of being at let's say at 80% occupancy  most of the time and the music is suitable for the environment, you want to enjoy, but still focus on the beer. The setting is in general very informal, not trying to be anything it isn’t cut out to be. I would say it’s defiantly in the top 5 NYC beer bars.

Zum Schneider 107 Avenue C  [on the Lower East Side]

Just by chance we happened along; wait for it; a bar with old German heritage serving nothing but classic German brews. The selection is small 15! But consists of tasty traditional German beers: Allgauer Buble and Weltenburger Anno, anyone? This pace has charm and lots of history. Zum Schneider’s less-packed archival German bar.

Loreley Beer Garden 7 Rivington,

Has another good selection of German beers with traditional robust German food, the sausage platter comfortably feeds two; it's a classic composition of three kinds of wurst, mashed potatoes and shreds of red cabbage simmered in vinegar, makes a perfect meal with a tall, cloudy Weiss bier, what more could Otto want? Even a bowl of oniony potato soup comes with a sausage perched on the side! 

Yonkers Brewing Company, 92 Main St, Yonkers, NY

A reasonable sized brewpub near the train station. The outside facade is extremely attractive. The interior is very decent looking with the brewery in the back...in fact you can see 3 of the fermenters under the large American flag. Fairly standard brewpub feel. Service is friendly and helpful. Beers are fine, though for some reason they do not print the beer menu and so when sat outside the staff just recite them all off in a big list which is quite intimidating. One or two guest options, but mostly their own beers. Inside, they are on a board, which is easier. Food is definitely to be tryed.

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Yonkers, 2548 Central Park Ave, Yonkers

Super cool, great food, and great vibes. You’re greeted by the wonderful staff. When you enter the cinema, great videos about the movie you’re about to watch are played. The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema is an American cinema chain founded in 1997 in Austin, Texas, which is famous for serving dinner and drinks during the movie, as well as its strict policy of requiring its audiences to maintain proper cinema-going etiquette. The service is quick and the staff are friendly. It’s the best experience eating good food and watching a movie. I would recommend writing down everything you really want at the start so you can get your food quickly. Any orders made while the movie is playing tend to come out slower. I assume because the staff don’t want to run back and forth as much and risk disrupting the movie. There are few arcades games. After the movie you are thanked by the staff for visiting, but you will truly want to thank the staff more.

Yard House, 237 Market Street, Yonkers

A high-end sports-bar chain with a huge menu of New American fare and an extensive list of draft beers. It's a Yardhouse so there's always a large selection of beer and the food is good.

I hope you found my guide to the brewpubs and bars in New York City useful?

Now you just need to get yourself out there and start the beer adventure for yourself!

Go grab a locally brewed pint (or 2) and support your local brewers!

R.I.P.

Heartland Brewery SADLY ALL LOCATIONS NOW CLOSED 

Heartland Brewery - Midtown West

Heartland Brewery - Radio City/51st St

Heartland Brewery and Rotisserie - Empire State Building

Heartland Brewery - Union Square

Heartland Brewery and Chophouse - 43rd St

Heartland Brewery - South St Seaport

We first visited their Times Square location in 2003 and have since been to them all. Heartland’s beers run a tad toward the hoppy side, which we find very refreshing. Heartland continues to pour forth six beloved classic house beers: Indian River Light: With accents of orange blossoms, this refreshing, light pale ale is clean and smooth.  A subtle hint of coriander enhances the crisp finish. Cornhusker Lager: a crisp, light lager made from 2-row malt and flaked maize. A sweet malt flavour with a mild hop finish. Harvest Wheat: a pine-wood coloured ale made from 65% 2-row pale malt and 35% malted wheat. Relatively low bittering and aromatic qualities leaving a smooth finish of malt flavour on the palate. Indiana Pale Ale: a copper coloured ale of good strength. Effervescent bitterness, smooth malt flavour and a flowery hop aroma. Red Rooster Ale: a flavourful red ale with the addition of American Munich and crystal malts. Medium bitterness with a balanced aroma of malt. Farmer Jon's Oatmeal Stout: a hearty roasted stout with the hints of Java and a rich dark chocolate sweetness. Gold Medal Winner 1997 Great American Beer Festival. Bronze Winner 1995. Silver Medal Winner 1999. They also brew seasonal beers when we last went this was the Pumpkin ale and it was one of the best pumpkin ales we have has a dark cloudy orange colour full of pumpkin spice around 4-5%abv. Heartland is an excellent choice for a drink and a bite to eat when in New York  and good value as well. Their locations are all clean and spacious, and the Union Square Heartland is considered by some to have the most charm. The Seaport location is generally the least crowded, as they say Real Beer Here. Note once you’ve been to one of the Heartlands, you’ve been to ’em all.

When the first Heartland Brewery opened, it did so in an era where brewpubs were opening at a rapid rate in Manhattan. Of the slew of beer-centric restaurants that brewed on premises in 1995 and 1996 – spots like Nacho Mama’s Brewing, Yorkville Brewing Company, Commonwealth Brewing Company, Highlander Brewery, Typhoon Brewery, and Chelsea Brewing Company – all have now closed, with Chelsea the only other brewpub operating into the 2010s. A few of the keys to the survival of Heartland over others was its location, the consistent quality of the beer, and the smart business moves of its founder Jon Bloostein, who expanded into multiple locations in key tourist areas and diversified recently into his chain of Beer Halls, which includes Houston Hall in the West Village and Flatiron Hall on 25th Street. Heartland was proof that a brewpub could succeed in the cutthroat New York City restaurant business. The first major closures started in 2014 in the New York City beer scene.  Among the other victims: the previously-mentioned Chelsea Brewing, d.b.a. Brooklyn, Guilty Goose, and Brooklyn’s Waterfront Alehouse.

Chelsea Brewing Co, Bar at Pier 59, Chelsea Piers. CLOSED

This has a great ambiance overlooking the Hudson River. It turns out that CBC is a pretty big place, much larger than I was expecting. Very high ceilings and plenty of sunlight A large semi-ellipsoidal curved wooden bar sits in front of several highly polished copper clad vessels, whilst the Brewery itself is behind glass. The Bar looks out through an impressive two story high glass window frontage that affords some equally impressive views of the Hudson River. There is seating inside and out. All of Chelsea’s offerings are on offer; however we tend to enjoy their IPA products and the excellent dark ales especially the Oatmeal Stout. The 30 Barrel Brewhouse is Manhattan’s largest micro-brewery. It also has the capability to bottle its own brews, and has off-site storage, clearly Chelsea have the ability to be a prime mover when it comes to brewing in NYC. On our visit we were lucky enough to meet the brewer who gave us an impromptu tour of the kit. But this is certainly not a fur coat and no panties sort of place. As well as the looks, it also delivers the goods; both the beer and food are pretty good and above average. A great place to visit for scenic aesthetics!

The Ginger Man @ 11 E. 36th St.  CLOSED 2020?

A fantastic beer bar just south of Midtown with about 66+ taps. The largest in NYC, will dazzle you. And if you go in the middle of the afternoon, it is a quiet oasis after your shopping and sightseeing. A few beers on cask, and they are happy to give you advice. OK snack food and the beers were on top form. How I wish I had a pub like this in my town! Defiantly another top 5 NYC beer bar. This place is big and spacious, until you get reach the back rooms which are comfortable and cosy with plush furniture.They have 66 carefully chosen taps (unfortunately not self serve!) a huge bottle list and a few casks which included a gravity cask. The liquor selection is quite good featuring some excellent single malts.  The bartenders are knowledgeable and always nice. Especially Anne who is so knowledgeable and passionate about beer.

 “dba” 113 North 7th Street Williamsburg, Brooklyn CLOSED 2012?

Sister bar to the original which is situated at 41 1st Avenue New York NY.   We visited on a weekday afternoon. It was just us and a few scruffy regulars. Yet another quality beer spot in an area with an embarrassment of beer riches and options. It is just a short stroll from Bedford Ave and about 5 minutes from Bk00lyn Brewery and also Mugs. The rectangular room has a wooden bar to the left as you enter, with five or so table in the rear and a midsized garden out back, which is great in the summer. This place is very low key with dim lighting, music and a mellow feeling, similar to the city location with black boards listing beer options hung over and behind the bar, about 35 quality bottles and a good selection of quality beers in the 15 or so on tap. We had Stone IPA and Victory Hop Wallop on draft. Pretty cool place. 

Atlantic Chip Shop , 129 Atlantic Avenue. CLOSED 2020 ?

Not a big place, 10 seat "L" shaped bar to the right with arched mirrors on a dark wood bar back unit, tiered booze to both sides of center. Mugs, union jack flags, steins and other atop and a single TV mounted above in the front corner playing the Beatles "Help!". A small bar counter adjacent to the bar seats a handful, and to the rear, a dozen+ roundie and square tables done with small glass candles to 'em, and sharing common benches on the walls; one of red brick and the other in pressed tin, same as the ceiling. Drop cone glass lamps over the bar & bullet lamps throughout. British car signage adorns the walls, as do framed pics of the Beatles & John Lennon, a Quadrophenia movie poster (Schizophrenic? I'm Bleeding Quadrophenic), a London underground print, Who, Clash & Beatles posters, London Bridge pics, etc. A lip over the rear rear nook of the place holds plates, trays and tea set pieces. 

16 taps on a single tower on the bar. A half dozen micros, from near and far (Brooklyn Brown Ale & Lager, Magic Hat HIPA, Lagunitas Hairy Eyeball, Stone Arrogant Bastard and my old nemesis Anchor OSA), some imports and also, about a dozen bottles with a fairly good UK slant. Traditional English fare the Fish & Chips, are good.

Jimmy’s 43, 43 East 7th St. SADLY CLOSED 

Replaced by Paloma Rocket Also closed 2016?

This cavernous, subterranean haven for elves and dwarfs if ever there was one. A small 5 seat straight bar over in the front corner, with really no to-do in the way of a bar back or props. Beyond there, 4 low tables and a raised longer table forward a rear service bar and 4 tables in a small half room off of that. A side hallway serving as a gallery with displayed art, and then there's a party room behind the red curtain where they do movies and music. Paneled windows to the front offer staircase views. Archways cut through the walls done white stucco over dark wood paneled lowers beneath curved arched brick ceilings, rows of old casks on racks above the seating areas and the bar, large framed mirrors, a few prints and small pictures, and a pair of antlers here, a tap handle display there. Low lighting throughout with infrequent drop lanterns, but small glass candles on all the tables, bars, and wall mounted shelves lend pleasant ambiance.  All in all the last 3 bars make an awesome little beer crawl.

The Hop Devil Grill 129 St. Marks Pl.             CLOSED 2016

We got here for happy hour after going to d.b.a. Quality 20 or so on tap and a reasonable bottle selection and there’s separate Belgian focused bar. There’s a variety of places to sit, from up front and visible to some lost corners. Only had some fries - so can’t really speak to the food. Cool enough place though.

Waterfront Ale House, (Pete's) 155 Atlantic Avenue. CLOSED 2014

This is the a terrific neighbourhood bar, with excellent food and 18 taps offering a good range of micro brewed ales, also do Beer and food parings on the menu. A long bar on the right as you walk in and a bunch of tables opposite. There are also a few tables in the front near the windows. There's a popcorn machine you can help yourself to. Place is very old school. A bunch of chalkboards above the bar detailing the beer selection. There's a wide selection of sauces (mustards, curry sauce, steak sauces, hot sauces, etc) at each and every table.