issue 15 - september / october 2005

New York City’s Free Independent Beer Magazine
The Gotham
IMBIBER
Issue 15
September – October 2005
The Hop Devil Grill, St. Marks Place, Manhattan.
In This Issue:
City Beer Happenings
Beer Calendar
See The Light, Drink The Mild
Beerman & Firkin
Amazing Graze!
Doing the Funky Belgians
Photo: Bill Reichenbach
4
6
8
9
10
11
www.cask-ale.co.uk
for
The Gotham Imbiber (including all back issues);
New York City Cask Ale & Good Beer Bar Guides;
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and much more about good beer in the US and UK!
The Gotham Imbiber
Is published every two months at the
beginning of January, March, May,
July, September, and November.
Editor/Publisher:
Alex Hall
The Gotham Imbiber
43 St. Marks Avenue
Brooklyn
NY11217-2403
U.S.A.
Tel. +1 917 957 7623
Email:
Mission: The aim of The Gotham Imbiber is to
promote awareness of microbrewed beers and
where to obtain them in and around New York
City, especially cask-conditioned ales which are
sadly only available in a handful of outlets
citywide.
The Gotham Imbiber magazine originated as a
sister publication to the U.K. beer magazine ‘The
Independent Imbiber’. Be aware that English
spellings may crop up within these pages!
This is a magazine, unlike others, where lovers of
microbrewed beers can submit articles for
publication.
Intending writers please note that this magazine
is about commercially-available beers, the
microbreweries that produce them, and even the
people who drink them. It is not intended to
promote home-brewing in articles on these pages
(sorry!), as that would be 'preaching to the
converted' as such - and would reduce the space
available for microbrewery-related material.
Disclaimer: Although accuracy is checked as far
as possible, no responsibility can be taken by
The Gotham Imbiber for false, misleading, or
inaccurate information. This magazine is entirely
independent, and is not associated in any way
with any organisation, brewery, or bar. All
opinions expressed are those of the individual
contributor concerned, and not those of The
Gotham Imbiber. Any resemblance between real
life characters and those appearing in fictional
stories or cartoons in this magazine are purely
coincidental.
Deadline for issue 16 is Monday 17th October
2005 for publication in early November 2005.
Acknowledgements: Thanks to Felice Wechsler,
and all who contributed.
City Beer Happenings
Compiled by Alex Hall
I have to start this column with some
news that is poised to be a potentially big
blow to New York City’s craft beer scene.
Please sit down if you’re not already
doing so. News has reached me that The
Blind Tiger Ale House (518 Hudson
Street, Manhattan) is likely to lose its
lease
later
this
year,
and
will
consequently have to close. Already the
upper floors of the building have been
gutted, and the bar is marooned inside a
jungle of scaffolding. However, the
dedicated people behind this awesome
beer bar are already looking for another
location in the vicinity to start a new,
apparently larger, version of the revered
Tiger – The Gotham Imbiber sincerely
hopes the flow of quality beers will
continue in the West Village once a new
location is found. Meanwhile, make the
best of the Tiger’s remaining days while
you have the chance – she’s not quite
dead yet.
To elaborate on last issue’s column,
Standings
(41
East
7th
Street,
Manhattan) is not a third bar on that
location but a renaming of Brewsky’s now
that it is under new ownership. The only
major change apart from that is the
installation of television screens to enable
sporting events to be shown.
Puffy’s Tavern (81 Hudson Street,
Manhattan) has been on the up recently.
Former Sparky’s Ale House beer hero
Gerry Campbell is now on the team, and
has wasted no time introducing a limited
but diverse range of bottled beers such
as Aventinus, Smuttynose IPA, Sam
Smith’s
Nut
Brown,
Duvel,
and
Theakston’s Old Peculier. On tap is
Brooklyn Lager plus a rotating guest,
currently Sierra Nevada Summerfest.
The Hop Devil Grill (129 St. Marks
Place, Manhattan) is now fully open for
business with the opening of their Belgian
room, though final touches still have to
be made to the cask cooler.
Up in the Theater District, The House of
Brews has opened its second location at
302 West 51st Street (just off 8th Avenue).
The beer range is much the same as the
original venue just five blocks away – so
is definitely worth a visit.
Heartland Brewery continue to roll out
their tasty seasonals, supplemented by
some small-batch special brews only
available at the Empire State Building
location. Currently on tap there is OakAged Bourbon Stout (6.0% ABV), but
note that it is word-of-mouth only due to
that outlet’s huge turnover that would be
too demanding of the small batch sizes
produced. Regular seasonals in all outlets
will include Smiling Pumpkin Ale (5.5%
ABV) which is brewed with real pumpkin,
cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg;
this comes on tap in early September.
Mid-September will see their 6.5%
Octoberfest, a smooth, crisp brew made
with German malts. A month later, look
out for Bavarian Black Lager (6.5% ABV).
Matrimony Ale, a tasty saison-style brew,
is available through September at the
Empire State and South Street locations
only. And to follow the Bourbon Stout, the
Empire State Heartland plans to have a
small-batch hop-infused nitro IPA called
Indie 500. Also, Head Brewer Kelly Taylor
has begun holding beer classes at the
Empire State outlet on the first
Wednesday of each month.
The Brazen Head (228 Atlantic Avenue,
Brooklyn) has started hosting monthly
gourmet food and craft beer pairings in
conjunction with Graze Catering, as
documented elsewhere in this issue. $4
pints with free gourmet hors d’oeuvres,
plus a raffle with prizes from the featured
brewery, is great value and a good way to
learn about beer and food pairing. Also,
the Brazen Head’s 7th Cask Festival is
scheduled for the first weekend in
November.
Finally, looking very out of place in the
‘new beers’ section of the menu at The
Ginger Man (11 East 36th Street,
Manhattan) in August was 1996-vintage
Kulmbacher Eisbock! This 9-year-old
certainly packs a punch!
Beer Calendar
Recommended microbrew events over the next two months…
LOCAL EVENTS IN NEW YORK CITY
Saturday 10th September 2005, 1pm: Brooklyn Brewery Block Party. Brooklyn Brewery, 79
North 11th Street, Williamsburg, Brooklyn. $35/$45. For further details: 1 718 486 7422,
https://www.brooklynbrewery.com/
Wednesday 14th September 2005, 7.30pm: Malted Barley Appreciation Society of NYC.
Monthly meeting, Mugs Ale House, 125 Bedford Avenue, Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
Further details: http://hbd.org/mbas.
Saturday 17th September 2005, 5pm: Ithaca Brewery Beer and Food Pairing. The Brazen
Head, 228 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn. Four delicious Ithaca beers paired with four
delicious
foods
prepared
by
the
outstandingly
good
Graze
Catering.
No entrance fee, $4 Ithaca pints (4 different beers). Full details: 1 718 488 0430 or see
http://www.brazenheadbrooklyn.com.
Thursday 22nd September 2005, 6pm: Microfest Charity Beer & Cheese Tasting. Bierkraft,
191 Fifth Avenue, Park Slope, Brooklyn (at Union Street). Featuring representatives from
HeBrew, Dogfish Head, Sixpoint, Rogue, Spanish Peaks, Doc’s Cider. 20 beers and ciders
available 6pm to 9pm, unlimited tasting. $40 in advance or $50 on the door, proceeds to
charity. Further details: 1 718 230 7600; http://www.bierkraft.com
Monday 26th September 2005, time to be announced: The Goose Island Challenge. d.b.a.,
41 1st Avenue, Manhattan. Featuring Brewmaster Greg Hall (no relation to your editor
that I know of). $25. Details: http://www.drinkgoodstuff.com or phone 1 212 475 5097.
Wednesday 28th September 2005, 6pm: Stone Brewery Promotion. The Blind Tiger
Ale House, 518 Hudson Street, Manhattan. Free entry. Details: 1 212 675 3848;
http://www.blindtiger.citysearch.com
Saturday 8th October 2005, 1pm & 6pm: Beer on the Pier 2 – Beer Fest 2005. Pier 54,
Manhattan
(at
West
13th
Street/West
Side
Highway).
$41.50 per session. Details:
http://www.beeronthepier.com
Wednesday 12th October 2005,
7.30pm:
Malted
Barley
Appreciation Society of NYC.
Monthly meeting, Mugs Ale House,
125 Bedford Avenue, Williamsburg,
Brooklyn. The guest speaker will
be Kevin Love of Smuttynose
Brewery.
Further
details:
http://hbd.org/mbas.
Above right: The very rare Dogfish
Head Chateau Jiahu headlined the
sampling at the Malted Barley
Appreciation Society’s August meeting
at Mugs Ale House, Williamsburg.
Photo: Alex Hall
Friday 4th – Sunday 6th November 2005: 7th Tri-Annual ‘Cask Head’ Real Ale Festival. The
Brazen Head, 228 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn. Free entry. Full details: 1 718 488 0430 or
see http://www.brazenheadbrooklyn.com nearer the time.
Saturday 12th November 2005, 12.30pm & 6pm: Brewtopia World Beer Festival. Pier 60,
Chelsea Piers, Manhattan. Now in a new, even better location than the previous
Metropolitan Pavilion venue which hosted the initial two fests. $32.51 ($30 plus taxes) in
advance, or $40 on the door if available.
See http://www.brewtopiafest.com
EVERY TUESDAY, 7pm: Bierkraft, 191 Fifth Avenue, Park Slope, Brooklyn
(at Union Street). Weekly beer tasting and cheese pairing, sometimes featuring a
guest speaker from the trade. Details: 1 718 230 7600; http://www.bierkraft.com.
EVENTS OUTSIDE NEW YORK CITY
Thursday 8th September 2005, 7.30pm: Meet the Brewer – Flying Fish Brewery.
Barrow Street Bar, 292 Barrow Street, Jersey City, NJ (near Grove Street PATH station).
Thursday 29th September – Saturday 1st October 2005: The Great American Beer Festival.
Colorado Convention Center, 700 14th Street, Denver, CO. Entrance fees vary. Details:
http://www.beertown.org/events/gabf/index.htm
Saturday 22nd – Sunday 23rd October 2005: Cask Days. Bar Volo, 587 Yonge Street,
Toronto, Canada. 13 brewers, 13 cask-conditioned ales. CAN$15 in advance or CAN$20
on the door. Details: http://www.barvolo.com/ or phone 1 416 928 0008.
Saturday 22nd October 2005, 1pm: 2005 Chesapeake Real Ale Festival. Wharf Rat
(Camden Yards), 206 West Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD. $20 online in advance or $25 on
the door if not sold out. Details: http://www.spbw.org/
Saturday 29th October 2005, 12pm & 6pm: 6th Washington Cask Beer Festival. Fisher
Pavilion, Seattle Center, 305 Harrison Street, Seattle, WA. $35 per session. Details:
http://www.washingtonbrewersguild.org/
Saturday 29th October 2005, 1pm & 6pm:
Beer Advocate’s New England Beer Festival. The
Cyclorama, Boston Center for the Arts, 539
Tremont Street, Boston, MA. Join The Alström
Bros for their New England Beer Fest, a
celebration of the local New England Beer
Scene, featuring tasty craft brews from
Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New
Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. Plus
plenty of beer education, BeerAdvocate.com-style! $22.50 online in advance or $30 on
the door if not sold out. Details: http://beeradvocate.com/fests/
See The Light, Drink The Mild
by Alex Hall
Light (adj.) Containing a relatively small
amount
of
a
potentially
harmful
ingredient, such as alcohol, fat, or
sodium: light beer; light mayonnaise.
Mild (adj.) Moderate in type, degree,
effect, or force: a mild pipe tobacco; a mild
sedative.
Source: http://dictionary.reference.com/
What is it with these times that brands of
(to quote Greg Koch) fizzy yellow beer
with
the
word
‘Light’
(or
the
grammatically awful ‘Lite’), the bottom
rung of the ladder for lager and ale,
outsell everything else? Paradoxically, the
traditional British style of
mildly-hopped ale – Mild –
gets a unanimous shunning
from the general public
when that word is appended
to the brewery or beer name
as a description of style.
Very commendably, New
Jersey’s
Heavyweight
Brewery
have
recently
brewed a delicious Britishstyle Mild Ale, and have
stuck with tradition by using the
apparently cursed moniker as the name.
Priase
goes
to
Tom
&
Peggy,
Heavyweight indeed against the hype.
Aside from Heavyweight, upstate New
York brewers Southern Tier have been
brewing a Mild Ale – but sales suffered
from the curse of the ‘Mild’ name and it
has almost been discontinued (if not
totally by now). As for English imports,
the main one regularly available is
Moorhouse’s ‘Black Cat’ – Supreme
Champion Beer of Britain (in cask form)
at the 2000 Great British Beer Festival in
London. It was formerly known as ‘Black
Cat Mild’ but, even in the U.K., sales
suffered from the inclusion of the word so
it was dropped from the name.
So why is ‘Mild’ a marketing albatross
that fails to attract while ‘Light’, broadly
similar in meaning in this context, is the
flame to the moth? Mild Ales are usually
delicious, light lagers are not. Has the
imbibing world lost its marbles?
Sales of global giant Anheuser-Busch’s
miserable Bud Light brand overtook its
almost-as-miserable
non-light
counterpart some time ago – as bland as
Budweiser is it is incredible that an even
more watery version has taken the crown
off the rice-laden head of the so-called
“King of Beers”. Why is it that most of us
can’t deal with even a hint of traditional
beer maltiness and hoppiness?
It seems that many people are scared of
beer as it should taste and go for the
lowest common denominator which
would be a ubiquitous light lager. And
probably more common is lack of
awareness of craft beer coupled with lack
of
adventure
for
trying
something different. Not to
mention the ‘sheep factor’,
where tired old “this makes
you seem sexy” insinuations
in brainless light lager TV
advertisements
have
the
brainwashing
effect
on
gullible disciples of the
corporate world.
Mild
Ale
was
never
widespread here but it would
have been brewed by many American
brewers with British ancestry prior to
Prohibition.
I will gladly imbibe a Black Cat or any
other craft-brewed Mild Ale any day. As
for mass-produced light lagers, let them
stay in the metaphorical sea of
blandness. And I urge everyone with taste
to do the same.
BeerAdvocate.com Top Mild Ratings
(as at 22 August 2005):
Dark Milds
1. Merrimack Mild – The Tap/Haverhill, MA
2. Dark Mild – Victory Brewery, PA
3. Harbor Lighthouse Ale – Bar Harbor, ME
Light Milds
1. British Mild Ale – Portsmouth Brewery, NH
2. Mild Ale – Southern Tier Brewery, NY
3. Battle Creek Special Reserve – Arcadia, MI
To learn about the British roots of Mild Ale,
see http://www.allaboutbeer.com/features/
mild.html
Beerman and Firkin
by Felice Wechsler
We are online at www.cask-ale.co.uk
including all Gotham Imbiber back issues
Amazing Graze!
“Craft-brewed beers couldn't be better suited to food pairing”
by Alex Hall
Quite a bit of positive publicity has been
flying around these circles on the merits
of pairing quality beers with quality foods
so
that
their
respective
tastes
complement each other on the palate.
The common false assumption that only
wine can realistically be paired with
gourmet food is waning.
Brooklyn
Brewmaster
Garrett Oliver can largely
be credited for getting the
snowball rolling a couple of
years ago with his acclaimed book, ‘The
Brewmaster’s Table’, which is devoted to
quality food and beer pairing. Now, a
specialist catering operation has emerged
in Brooklyn; their aim is to cater quality
beer-related events (plus wine and spirit
events) and also to provide regular
educational pairing promotions. Two such
beer events have already taken place,
Brooklyn’s Brazen Head bar being the
chosen venue. The first was in July when
four Sixpoint beers were paired with four
delicious hors d’oeuvres (two vegetarian); a
month later it was the turn of four Magic
Hat brews to be paired up. Saturday 17th
September (5pm) will see the matching of
beers from Ithaca Brewery.
The specialist company offers an
innovative range of cuisine that embodies
influences from all over the world. The
menus are designed to reflect a passion
for food and originality. The recent Magic
Hat pairing featured Batch 370 (a spicy,
fruity Hefeweizen) paired with antipasto
on a stick; Blind Faith (a bold Americanstyle IPA) with vegan chile verde; Fat
Angel (a classic British-style Bitter), with
Gomashio seared tuna on cucumber; and
#9 (apricot pale ale) with
almond macaroons.
"We are always seeking
opportunities
to
encourage people to try different styles of
beers with unique food," said Nikki
Persley, Graze’s co-owner and operator.
Co-owner and executive chef Jason
Bartis, who also conducts beer-tasting
seminars, commented: "For centuries
beer was an every meal staple for
noblemen and peasants alike. Today,
mainstream beers are fine when you're
thirsty – but craft brews can make the
dining experience memorable and truly
belong at the table."
Graze are also ready, willing, and able to
cater wine and spirit events – again at
The Brazen Head – plus parties, wedding
receptions, etc., but their main focus has
so far been on beer and food pairing.
Graze Catering – nikki@grazecatering.com
Tel/Fax: 718 596 4835 Mobile: 917 892 6137
Doing the Funky Belgians
A Mass Horizontal Tasting of US-Brewed Belgian Styles
Reviewed by Alex Hall
The evening of 20th August saw an
ensemble
of
Belgian-style
beer
enthusiasts meet up at Barcade for a
private session comparing the various
American takes on the Belgian styles.
Many thanks to Warren Becker and Bill
Coleman for hosting a fabulous and
innovative tasting session. Here is a
synopsis of what your editor thought of
many of the goodies on offer…
Anderson Valley ‘Brother David’s Tripel’
(10.0%, from California): Tripel style.
Clear golden with a malty aroma. Smooth
and slightly sweet on the palate, some
alcohol notes present. Rich and very
drinkable. Verdict: Outstanding.
Elysian ‘Saison Elysee’ (5.8%, from
Washington):
Saison
style.
Golden,
slightly hazy, spicy (cumin), grassy
aroma. Dry and tart, clean-tasting with
some spiciness. Moderate sour mouthfeel
Alesmith ‘Horny Devil’ (10.0%, from
California): Belgian Strong Pale Ale style.
Hazy orange colour, intensely strong
citrusy aroma. Fruity taste, very citrusdominated; hints of vine fruits and
coriander too. Finish is a bit dryer.
Verdict: Very big on fruity mouthfeel,
highly recommended.
Allagash ‘Curieux’ 2004 (10.0%, from
Maine): Tripel style, aged in Jim Beam
Bourbon barrels. Pale, hazy, with a
musty, woody, slightly grassy aroma.
Tasted very smooth with alcohol notes
Tangy. Rounded mouthfeel, dangerously
drinkable. Oaky, alcoholic finish. Verdict:
Excellent, high marks for drinkability.
Anderson
Valley
‘Brother
David’s
Dubbel’ (9.0%, from California): Dubbel
style. Clear brown with a light tan head.
Malty aroma. Well-balanced with a slight
sweetness that becomes more apparent
at the finish. Verdict: Excellent.
and a dry finish. Verdict: Very good to
excellent.
Goose Island ‘Matilda’ (7.0%, from
Illinois): Belgian Pale Ale style. Clear and
golden with a spicy aroma. Very dry
tasting with vinous hints and underlying
spices; a slight tartness is detectable. Dry
finish. Verdict: Recommended, very
enjoyable.
Goose Island ‘Pere Jacques’ (9.0%, from
Illinois): Dubbel style. Clear amber; the
rich aroma is predominately candi sugar.
Malty, quite rounded and sweet with
candi sugar there. Verdict: Enjoyable and
recommended.
Heartland ‘Grand Cru’ (8.0%, from New
York): Belgian Strong Pale Ale style. Clear
copper coloured with a good head and
decent glass lacing. Moderate fresh
grassy aroma. Malty on the palate with
alcohol notes and a slight sweetness;
warming to a degree. Finish is
moderately malty. Verdict: Excellent.
Heavyweight ‘Saison de la Soeur
(Golden)’ (5.8%, from New Jersey):
Saison style. Cloudy amber colour, aroma
was tart and estery with clove and
banana hints. Very dry and quite spicy on
the palate. Big
mouthfeel,
dry
finish
with
enduring hints of
clove.
Verdict:
Another
outstanding
masterpiece from
the recipe book of
Tom Baker.
Heavyweight
‘Saison
de
la
Soeur
(Black)’
(6.2%, from New
Jersey):
Saison
style. Dark with a
tan head. Musty,
grassy
aroma.
Taste is smooth
and complex with
hints of citrus fruit
and toffee. Wellbalanced. Verdict: Interestingly different
and very enjoyable.
Jolly Pumpkin ‘Calabaza Blanca’ (4.8%,
from Michigan): Belgian-Style Witbier.
Cloudy amber as expected from a wheat
beer such as this. Grassy, banana aroma.
Tasted of citrus (probably from orange
peel) and a bit of clove. Highly
carbonated with citrus and banana to the
fore. Dry finish. Verdict: Very enjoyable.
Jolly
Pumpkin
‘Biere de Mars’
(7.0%,
from
Michigan):
Biere
de Garde style.
Cloudy,
golden
coloured. Hints of
candi sugar on the
aroma.
Tasted
sweetish
but
balanced,
candi
sugar there getting stronger on the finish.
Smooth and quite slick. Verdict: Very
enjoyable.
Jolly Pumpkin ‘Maracaibo Especial’
(7.5%, from Michigan): Dubbel style.
Clear brown with a tan head, malty
aroma with some fruitiness. Spicy
(cinnamon), slightly chocolatey taste; fullbodied. Balanced spices and sweetness
dominate the finish. Verdict: Excellent.
LaConner
‘Trippel’
(8.0%,
from
Washington): Tripel style. Pale and
turbid. There’s a big citrusy, yeasty
aroma with a whiff of ripened brie. Taste
is very fruity, tangy orange notes
dominating. Finish
is a fading dryness.
Verdict: Excellent.
Midnight
Sun
‘Monk’s
Mistress’
2005 (Oak Aged)
(9.5%,
from
Alaska):
Belgian
Strong Dark Ale
style. Clear ruby
coloured
with
a
bready, chocolatey,
rich vinous aroma.
Flavour
is
very
complex, chocolate,
vine fruits, rich port
and
malt.
Huge
mouthfeel, then a
smooth,
wellbalanced finish with
malt and hints of
chocolate lingering
on the tongue. Verdict: Absolutely
exceptional, Christmas pudding in a
bottle!
New Belgium ‘La Folie’ Wood Aged 2002
(6.0%, from Colorado): Flemish Sour
style. Cloudy brown in colour, musty,
fruity, vinous aroma. Smooth, dryish but
fruity and vinous with a woody texture.
Mouthfeel big on vine fruits. Dry, long
finish. Verdict: Excellent.
New
Belgium
‘Tripel’
(7.8%,
from
Colorado):
Tripel style. Hazy
gold, white head.
Smelled slightly of
candi sugar with
some
citrus.
Flavour
was
rounded and malty
with hints of candi
sugar. Dry, slightly tart aftertaste.
Verdict: Good, enjoyable.
New Belgium ‘Biere de Mars’ (6.2%,
from Colorado): Saison style. Slightly
floral nose. Mellow on the palate, hints of
tartness and spices. Smooth and easydrinking; flavoursome with a smooth
finish. Verdict: Good drinkability.
New Holland ‘Black Tulip’ (9.0%, from
Michigan): Trippel style. Golden, slightly
hazy; aroma not very bold. Malty tasting
with a very slight sourness. Mild, rounded
mouthfeel lead to a slightly tart finish.
Apparently contains Tulip petals. Verdict:
Enjoyable though outclassed by others here.
Pizza Port ‘Mother of All Beers’ (11.5%,
from California): Quadrupel style. Hazy
dark brown, moderate grassiness and
some vine fruits in the aroma. Smooth
on the palate – vinous, rich to the point of
being almost chewy. Mouthfeel is portlike, very apparent and with an underlying
sweetness. Finish predominately vinous.
Verdict: Outstandingly good.
Pizza Port ‘Cuvee de Tommee’ (11.5%,
from California): Fruit beer. Cloudy dark
brown, alcoholic and rich on the nose –
Christmas Pudding. Rich, oaky, very
complex flavours mingling with sour
cherries and Brettanomyces giving a
balancing tartness. Big, bold, chewy
mouthfeel; alcohol and vine fruit
dominating. Verdict: Outstandingly good.
Russian River ‘Damnation’ (7.0%, from
California): Belgian Strong Ale style.
Cloudy golden with aromas of banana
and a hint of pear. Dry and somewhat tart
leading to a long dry and slightly spicy
finish. Verdict: Enjoyable.
Sixpoint ‘Express’ (11.3%, from New
York): Quadrupel style. Dark copper
coloured with a mildly floral aroma. Wellbalanced on the tongue with an
underlying sweetness, full-bodied and
rounded. Malt and candi sugar notes on
the finish. Verdict: Excellent and
dangerously drinkable.
Photos: Alex Hall (page 11 and page 12
top); Bill Coleman (page 12 bottom).
CORRUPT EMINENT DOMAIN ABUSE THREATENS
BROOKLYN COMMUNITY BAR
Freddy’s Bar in Prospect Heights is up against the corrupt and taxpayer-money-wasting schemes
of property development juggernaught Forest City Ratner, who want to raze the entire
community to build a corporate concrete jungle – a small part of which is planned to be an arena
for the New Jersey Nets basketball team. Don’t believe the lies, this scheme is unjust & corrupt!
Directions to Freddy’s: 2 or 3 train to Bergen Street station, then walk round the corner to 485
Dean Street to enjoy a fine pint of Harpoon UFO wheat beer (or another of your choice) in
friendly surroundings. Links to websites detailing the current situation:
http://www.gotard.com/badd/
http://www.fansforfairplay.com
http://www.nostadium.homestead.com
http://nycbasketball.rivals.com
http://www.fairdevelopmentbrooklyn.net
Freddy’s own website can be seen at http://www.freddysbackroom.com
NEW YORK CITY HAS 4 CRAFT BREWERIES. SUPPORT
THEM OVER GLOBAL MASS-PRODUCING CORPORATIONS!
Write a Caption – Results
Last issue’s Write a Caption ‘victims’
were snapped in Barcade with some
unexpected companionship. Here is
a selection of the wittiest quotes, the
top entry (in bold, submitted by Beer
Advocate ‘RobBeer’)
winning a
branded glass from Bierkraft in
Brooklyn (winner collects)…
"A dog walked into a bar..."
"I may be smiling but if that thing
is eyeing him up for the main
course then I must be the
appetizer!"
"The lap dancers in here aren't
very attractive..."
"I'll be reading about *this* in a longwinded, rambling [BeerAdvocate.com]
Beerfly review on Monday..."
"The local Flying Dog rep takes his job a
bit too seriously..."
"I'll be ok,
samplers..."
it
doesn't
bother
with
"Don't do it, she may look good after a
few pints but you'll wake up with a dog in
the morning..."
"She's spotted in all the best places..."
"What do
Snack...?"
you
mean
I'm
a
Scooby
"I have a bone to pick... Oops!"
"The Hair of the Dog is a bit fresh
today..."
"My beer's fine, but his has a bit too
much bite..."
"You've changed Phil, you've changed..."
"See what happens when you don't tip the
bartender in here..."
"Dogs are free?"
"Who ordered the Flying Dog?"
SUPPORT CRAFT BEER,
ENJOY CRAFT BEER!
"Which one of you dogs farted?"
FOR SALE: Cask beer engines and all related cask equipment
including firkins and pins, taps, spiles etc. Also, pub and
restaurant furnishings and items suited to traditional-style
bars can be supplied. Contact Alex Hall at The Gotham
Imbiber for further information (see details on page 2).
THE GOTHAM IMBIBER RELIES ON ADVERT REVENUE,
OUR UNBELIEVABLY LOW PRICES START AT $45.
CONTACT DETAILS ARE ON PAGE 2. HELP US HELP YOU…
Bass – Beck's – Belle Vue – Boddingtons – Bohemia – Diebels –
Dinkel Acker – Franziskaner – Hoegaarden – Labatt – Leffe –
Löwenbräu – Mackeson – Rolling Rock – St. Pauli Girl – Skol – Spaten –
Staropramen – Stella Artois – Tennent's – Whitbread.
When you buy any of the above brands, you are funding the world’s biggest
brewing corporation - InBev (formerly Interbrew). The Gotham Imbiber says
InBev’s greedy, voracious fat cat directors and investors are fat enough.
REAL CASK ALE – T H E F U L L N Y C L I S T
This is The Gotham Imbiber’s free listing of all NYC bars that serve cask-conditioned ale.
Barcade, 388 Union Avenue, Brooklyn.
The Blind Tiger Ale House, 518 Hudson Street, Manhattan.
The Brazen Head, 228 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn.
David Copperfield’s, 1394 York Avenue, Manhattan.
d.b.a., 41 First Avenue, Manhattan.
George Keeley, 485 Amsterdam Avenue, Manhattan.
The Ginger Man, 11 East 36th Street, Manhattan.
Hop Devil Grill, 129 St. Marks Place, Manhattan.
The Lighthouse Tavern,243 Fifth Avenue, Brooklyn (cask available again soon).
Mugs Ale House, 125 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn (no casks in summer).
The Spotted Pig, 314 West 11th Street, Manhattan.
Spuyten Duyvil, 359 Metropolitan Avenue, Brooklyn.
Stout, 127-135 West 33rd Street, Manhattan.
The Waterfront Ale House, 155 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn
CASK COMING SOON: The Waterfront Ale House, 540 2nd Avenue, Manhattan.
WARNING: There are now at least three bars in New York City dispensing keg beer from fake
handpumps. If a bar you visit in NYC appears to have working handpumps and is not on the
above list, it is either very new to selling cask ale or it is filtered keg beer on a dispense method
that has been causing confusion. We suggest taking CAMRA’s initiative to “ask if it’s cask”…
_________________________________________________________________________________
Breweries: Heather Ales, Orkney, Moorhouse’s, Daleside, Darwin.
Legends’ brands are now available in cases, casks, and kegs in
New York City* via S.K.I. Beer Corporation, tel. (718) 821-7200.
*All NYC boroughs except The Bronx.
NYC stockists of Legends imported craft beers
A regular feature in The Gotham Imbiber is to list all known permanent outlets of Legends’ beers. This will be
updated every issue, and is a free service to stockists. Note that few outlets carry the entire range, and some
only carry one brand from the portfolio. Bars and restaurants are in bold, while shops and wholesalers are in
italics (ordinary typeface). Bars which will be taking kegs or casks on a one-off or occasional basis are excluded
from this list – sorry, it’s permanent outlets only.
Manhattan
Swift’s Hibernian Lounge, 34 East 4th Street 10003
Hop Devil Grill, 129 St. Marks Place 10009
Alta Restaurant, 64 West 10th Street 10011
B & E Quality Beverage, 511 West 23rd Street 10011
Peculier Pub, 145 Bleecker Street 10012
Jekyll & Hyde, 91 7th Avenue South 10014
The Other Room, 143 Perry Street 10014
The Slaughtered Lamb, 182 West 4th Street 10014
Hercules Fancy Grocery, 27 Morton Street 10014
Stout, 127-135 West 33rd Street 10016
The Ginger Man, 11 East 36th Street 10016
Waterfront Ale House, 540 2nd Avenue 10016
House of Brews, 302 West 51st Street 10019
David Copperfield’s, 1394 York Avenue 10021
House of Brews, 363 West 46th Street 10036
St. Andrews, 120 West 44th Street 10036
Brooklyn
The Brazen Head, 228 Atlantic Avenue 11201
Waterfront Ale House, 155 Atlantic Avenue 11201
The Levee, 212 Berry Street 11211
Spike Hill, 184 Bedford Avenue 11211
Eagle Provisions, 628 5th Avenue 11215
Total Wine Bar, 74 5th Avenue 11217 (soon)
Bierkraft, 191 5th Avenue 11217
Slope Food Market, 475 Bergen Street 11217
The Garden, 921 Manhattan Avenue 11222
Rogers Beer Distributors, 1167 Rogers Avenue 11226
Thrifty Beverage Center, 2115 Coyle Street 11229
American Beer Distributors, 256 Court Street 11231
East Coast Beer Company, 316 37th Street 11232
Key Food, 369 Flatbush Avenue 11238
Queens
B & B Beverage, 215-45 Northern Boulevard 11361
69th Street Beer Distributors, 5513 69th Street 11378
Home Service Beer Corp., 71-31 73rd Place 11385
YMK Fruit & Veg., 118-18 Liberty Avenue 11419