Craft Beer Week Wrap-up
The second annual NYC Craft Beer week ended yesterday with a big blow-out celebration at Studio Square in Long Island City, Queens. In addition to the large selection of different craft beers, a number of bands provided entertainment in the outdoor beer garden all afternoon and into the evening. Indoors there were a number of events for beer lovers to take in.
At 4:30 and 8:00, a screening of the pilot of a new beer series “Beer Quest” took place. Chronicling some of the best that Brooklyn has to offer, the pilot explored the brewers, bars and people that make the craft beer scene in New York City the success it is. I sincerely hope that this is only the first of many. The host, Steve, is entertaining without assuming the audience is stupid (something that is missing from a lot of these drink and travel-type programs). It gives a good overview of the brewing scene in Brooklyn and is genuinely entertaining.
Representatives from Sam Adams were also inside, conducting taste tests for their next seasonal brew. One was a fairly uninspired, albeit clean, pilsner and the other was a biscuity amber ale. I can’t really understand why they would push two such limpid brews as an example of the kind of brewing they can do. Neither were bad, but it isn’t as though there aren’t already a million beers exactly like these two on the market. On the other hand, next door to the sample/polling table, Sam Adams was selling one ounce pours of 2007 Utopias (a steal at three bucks) with a raffle for an unopened bottle on offer as well. I didn’t manage to win the bottle, but I felt like a winner with this beer in front of me. Thick, rich and incredibly complex, it was the beer of the day for me.
Not that there weren’t a number of rare and unique brews in here for the tasting. Blue Moon had two pilot beers here, their Chardonnay Blonde and a Peanut Butter Ale. The first was fairly light and tart and tasted like a cross between a tart, fruity chardonnay and light american wheat ale, while the peanut butter beer was a surprisingly tasty brew. Managing to combine light peanut flavour with a bit of herbal hoppiness, it isn’t necessarily something I’d want all the time, but it is something I’d try again.
Kelso of Brooklyn also had their Newtown Kriek pouring here. Bright and fruity with a distinct citric tartness and a lingering wild funkiness that evokes some young Cantillon. This is definitely a beer that I’d love to sample again to see how it develops.
In addition, Brooklyn Brewing was pouring their latest Brewmaster Reserve beer, Manhattan Project. A deconstructed riff on the Manhattan cocktail, this is an 8.5% rye ale. 30% of the blend was aged in Rittenhouse Rye barrels. The beer is also infused with herbs that are normally used in bitters and sweet vermouth. A touch of cherry juice is also in here in order to give it that light maraschino finish that defines the Manhattan cocktail. This beer was a delight, with the bright spiciness of the rye and the barrel really complementing the light herbal bitterness and the spicy/herbal sweetness of the botanicals used in here.
My trip here was also notable for it being the first time I’d been to Studio Square since it opened in May. The entry way has a full bar pouring a selection of 19 beers. The larger back bar also has the same selection of beer pouring. There is a small deck off to one side that gives a substantially quieter and more intimate experience (if that’s what you’re after). One odd thing I noticed inside is an odd smell that reminds me of anatomy class… it’s not really strong, but it’s definitely there and quite off-putting. Hopefully it will dissipate as the place ages.
I had heard through the grapevine that this place was big, and despite knowing that, I really wasn’t prepared for just how big it is. At 18000 square feet, the beer garden could hold my entire apartment 20 times over (with room inside for 10 more). There is a third bar outdoors on a second level just above the beer garden. Next to this is a grill station serving a selection of burgers and wurst that smelled amazing. A large firepit added a bit of ambience after dark to the somewhat sterile environment.
The somewhat sterile ambiance notwithstanding, this was a very well-executed event. Lots of great beer, a good crowd and plenty of beery events to keep people happy. I’ll be looking forward to next year’s NYC Craft Beer Week when we can only expect more greatness from New York’s brewers and craft beer enthusiasts.
