NYC Beer & Brewery Blog

Perhaps you’re looking to impress co-workers, drinking buddies, or even a date. Build your beer knowledge with this list of surprising facts compiled by the beer expert guides at The New York Beer and Brewery Tour, and impress away! Found at German beer halls, the boot-shaped glasses hearken back to the practice of German soldiers drinking beer from an actual boot in the trenches of World War I. The alcohol sanitized the boot, we hope. Beer is the third-most popular drink on Earth, after water and tea. The least popular drink, we think, is Zima. Vikings believed there was a giant goat in Heaven named Heidrun whose udders provided an unlimited supply of beer, which sounds udderly disgusting. Ancient Babylonians were so serious about brewing beer that if anyone brewed a bad batch, they would drown him in it as…

The New York Beer and Brewery Tour’s Summer Guide to IPAs All New Yorkers know it: in a city that sometimes feels like it was built just for culinary and day-drinking convenience, summertime belongs to the IPA. Best of all, it doesn’t take a connoisseur to find some of the best seasonal brews – they’re…

What with the American brewing landscape having been dominated by the Midwest for many decades, few know of New York City’s rich brewing history and former status as the brewing capital of the United States. But it’s true. From the early 19th century all the way to the 1950s New York City dominated the brewing industry and in 1898 boasted 45 breweries in Brooklyn and Queens alone, including 11 on one 12 block stretch in Williamsburg and Bushwick. This interesting bit of forgotten history is perhaps made even more interesting by the reasons behind the city’s breweries’ demise. A huge dent was inevitably put in that 1898 number by Prohibition, the 14-year period when alcohol was illegal in the US between 1919 and 1933. At the onset of Prohibition, there were 23 breweries operating in Brooklyn, but just 9 reopened…

Thanksgiving is almost upon us,and you know what goes great with turkey and stuffing? Beer! Luckily, the Huffington Post has a handy guide to what beers to pair with your Thanksgiving dinner. This guide comes from Brendon O’Brien, the bar manager at New York’s DeCicco & Sons, so you know it’s legit. What beer are you serving at the table this year? Check the article out here. Happy Thanksgiving! By Nick Whitmer

Drinking in New York Before It Was New York The history of New York City is surprisingly intertwined with the history of brewing beer in New York City. From the earliest Dutch settlers, who came to make a profit selling beaver pelts in the mid 17th century, the capitalistic atmosphere and the lack of prominent…

It’s coming! It’s coming! ‘Tis the season for holiday spirits, every day. Whether you love the holidays (“Welcome home, Favorite Child!”) or dread them (“When are you going to get a real job?”), you can impress the masses with some classy pairings. Craftbeer.com has put together a beer/food pairing list so you can extract as much flavor (out of both) as possible.  Check it out here! Tasty brew of the week: Birra del Borgo Hoppy Cat, Black IPA, 5.8% ABV Found on tap at: Birreria Happy drinking! By Seth Zakula

#ThrowBackThursday! In 2014, The New York Beer and Brewery Tour was featured on travel blog CN Traveler’s list of the best guided drinking tours in America! By Seth Zakula

Yesterday marked the 95th anniversary of the beginning of Prohibition. Can you imagine the horror? (Maybe some of you can!) Truth be told, most New York drinkers didn’t pay too much attention to this law and were able to acquire their libations quite easily. But the unsung heroes, the brewers of the 20s, had an extremely hard time making ends meet. Some survived by using their machinery to make other products, like soda and ice cream, some survived by producing near-beer, and some just had to close their doors forever. We at the New York Beer and Brewery Tour love this article at welcome2thebronx.com. It’s a lovely tribute to the old Bronx breweries and includes some great historical pictures of old-timey Bronx breweries and underground beer-storage caves. (And a pretty sexy ad from 1904.) The effects of Prohibition on the United States…

Head on over the Huffington Post to check out the list of the heaviest beer-drinking countries in the world. The top 10 might surprise you! Even better, the information is present in an awesome interactive globe graphic that’s just fun to play with, especially after a couple beers. Enjoy! By Seth Zakula

It’s perhaps a bit early to be doing any Christmas shopping, but if you’re absolutely stumped we can’t recommend our tour enough. Neither could the New York Times, who featured us in their holiday gift guide a couple of years back. The tour has only improved since then and we can’t wait to see you on our next one! By Seth Zakula

People tend to feel more generous around the holidays, and that goes for Gun Hill Brewery in the Bronx, too. Bring them (unwrapped) toys for tots, and you’ll be rewarded with $3 tasty pints. What a deal! Read more about this glorious and good-willed day right here. What: Holiday Toy Drive Where: Gun Hill Brewery, 3227 Laconia Ave., Bronx, N.Y. 10469 When: This weekend, Friday, 12/12 until Monday, 12/15. Fri. 1-10, Sat. 12-10, Sun. 12-8, and Mon. 1-9. *Extra points if you dress up like an elf.* **Not really. But tell your friends that and then send us pictures.** By Seth Zakula

Who likes a shot and a beer? According to this article in the New York Times, boilermakers are back in a big way, and not just at your local dive bar. Upscale establishments are getting onboard with this classic combo, using interesting juxtapositions of beer and liquor to make it new all over again. This is good news as far as we’re concerned! Whiskey is our favorite drink around here… after beer of course! See you guys in the bar! By Seth Zakula