Guide to New York Beer Week 2015
Somehow, the NYC Brewer’s Guild managed to make New York Beer Week — their 10 day long celebration of suds — even more appealing this year, by adding keynote events like the Ruppert’s Cup (a battle for the title of best brewery), and debuting SMASH beers, made with only locally-grown malt and hops. And then there’s the regular roster of tastings, pairings, dinners and more, held at over 80 establishments throughout the city. So in the interest of pacing yourself (and goodness knows, you’ll need to), check out a few of the most exciting events on tap!
St. Anselm Wine Beers (Feb. 20th): All week long, the modern Williamsburg steakhouse, St. Anselm, owned by prolific restaurateur Joe Carroll (Spuyten Duyvil, Fette Sau), will offer rare and obscure craft brews, involving wine grapes, yeast or barrels. And just like fine wine, they’ll pair beautifully with St. Anselm’s smoky grilled eats, such as Eggplant with onions and fried goat cheese, Roasted Bone Marrow, and Butchers Steak with garlic butter.
Jimmy’s Homebrew Jamboree (Feb. 21st): For the third edition of “Jimmy’s Homebrew Jamboree,” 16 talented, amateur brewers have created special beers just for the event. And for only $35, attendees will be treated to all-you-can-drink tastes of homebrewed IPA’s, Belgian ales, saisons, stouts and sours, as well as a smorgasbord of goodies from Jimmy’s, including cheeseburger sliders, soft pretzels, grilled cheese, veggie tacos and more.
Yoga Beer Brunch (Feb. 22nd): Don’t generally associate beer drinking with the downward facing dog? If you rise and shine at 11 am to join the open-level Vinyasa yoga group at St. Gambrinus Beer Shoppe, you’ll be well rewarded for your stretching and posing. Immediately following the class, there will be a spread of complimentary bagels and cream cheese from Court Street Grocers, and St. Gambrinus’ will offer happy hour prices until 3pm, on all of their craft brews, beer mimosas and wine.
Brewers Choice (Feb. 24th): A marquee event of New York Beer Week, $65 tickets to “Brewers Choice” include tastings from more than two dozen breweries, including special “SMASH” beers, fabulous food from a number participating restaurants (including a raw bar!), keynote speakers and “New York State of Beer” updates, and the annual “Local Beer Hero” Awards, celebrating the unsung heroes of craft beer.
Colicchio & Sons Anniversary Ale (Feb. 25th): To honor Colicchio & Sons fifth birthday, Empire Brewing Company has created a unique, dry-hopped, custom cask beer called Anniversary Ale. Celebrations will take place in Colicchio & Sons‘ Tap Room from 9:30 pm to 12 am on Wednesday, February 25th, with complimentary sweet and savory snacks, tastings of Anniversary Ale, and limited Empire brews for only $5.
Winter’s Grind at Arrogant Swine (Feb. 28th): To combine two of life’s greatest pleasures — beer and barbecue — acclaimed brewer Chris Cuzme will join Tyson Ho at his new Bushwick smokehouse, Arrogant Swine. Ho will be hand-cranking eight different all-you-can-eat sausages, such as Oak-Smoked Bratwurst, Northern Thai Turkey and Chicken Tikki Masala, and Cuzme has already selected nine of the city’s top homebrewers, as well as 14 of NYC’s best breweries, to supply drinkers with the finest February-friendly beers for only $40!