Guide to New York Burger Week 2015

Frankly, we don’t need much of an excuse to eat hamburgers.  So when Schweid & Son’s announces that it’s officially New York Burger Week (now in its fourth gut-busting year), we’re more than happy to go with the flow.  And if you’re equally willing to gorge on beef patties for the next seven days, you’ll want to check out our run-down of spectacularly scrumptious events, from a Blind Burger Tasting to a Boozy Burger Brunch.

2nd Annual NY Burger Feast (5/1): Held at Hudson Common, this opening party features music by Lily Vanilli, beers from local craft breweries and, most importantly, delicious bites from seven of New York’s best burger restaurants, including Hard Times Sundaes, Black Iron Burger, Ramen Burger, Genuine Roadside, Hudson Common, Ainsworth and Heartland Brewery.

Burgers for Barkers (5/2): Eating burgers to raise money for pet rescue?  This one’s a no-brainer. Especially since the incredible, Mill Basin-based food truck, Hard Times Sundaes, will be parked in front of the (infinitely more accessible) NY Distilling Company in Williamsburg, giving out free burgers but accepting cash donations, with 100% of the proceeds going directly to the New York Bully Crew rescue organization.

The Beer Culture Boozy Burger Brunch (5/3): It’s never too early for whisky — or burgers.  Held at Beer Culture, this afternoon event will include tastings of three mini hamburgers, made with three different kinds of certified angus beef from Schweid & Sons, as well as two specialty craft beers from Two Roads Brewing, and sips of Elijah Craig 12 & Rittenhouse Rye Whiskeys from Heaven Hill.

May the 4th Be With You (5/4): Celebrate your inner nerd at this sure to be well-attended event, dedicated to Star Wars-themed burgers and beverages.  The Chelsea gastropub, Pounds & Ounces, will be transformed into Mos Eisley Cantina for the day, serving Kobe-Wan Wagyu Burgers, Dark & Storm Troopery cocktails, and Intergalactic Battered Fries.

Genuine Superette Blind Burger Tasting (5/5): The recently-opened Genuine Superette is teaming up with Joios (a collaborative tasting community), and Burgerator (an app that helps you find, rate and share the best burgers) to blindly compare and contrast three mini burgers; two of which will be off-menu creations by consulting chef, Brad Farmerie.  Will you be drawn to Schweid’s special secret blend, their CAB USDA prime chuck, or (gasp!) commodity ground beef?  Buy a ticket and find out.

Beer Authority Beer Burger Dinner (5/6): What goes better than burger and beer?  Not a whole lot, according to Beer Authority, which is why they’re hosting a mouthwatering pairing dinner, featuring a Pastrami Burger on a pretzel bun, a Spicy Burger piled with pepper jack, habanero coffee barbecue sauce and bacon, and The Good Ol Boy; a chicken-fried burger topped with country ham and pimento cheese on a black pepper biscuit, and alternately accompanied by Allagash’s Monmouth Red, Current Affair and Golden Brett beer.

Burgers and Bubbly Pairing Dinner (5/7): Pinkies-up hamburger aficionados can close out New York Burger Week in high style, at this champagne-focused pairing dinner.  Expect Chicken Minis sided by bubbly cocktails, made with Cuvee des Barons Blancs de Blancs, an avocado and blue cheese-crowned Tribeca Burger paired with Prosecco Di Maria, Thousand Island dressing-soused Chelsea Burgers with Antech Emotion Blanquette de Limoux Rose, and a zesty Chorizo Burger, accompanied by Jaillance Cuvee Imperial.