Best Breweries In New York City
New York City is known for its parties and good drinks but not necessarily for its beer. This list of breweries is changing that perception. In celebration of American Craft Beer Week May 11 through 17, these are the top five breweries in New York City.
Brooklyn Brewery
79 N. 11th S.
New York, NY 11249
(718) 486-7422
www.brooklynbrewery.com
Located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, this brewery is a perennial favorite among all New Yorkers. Before opening in 1996, this area was a street full of warehouses. Now, the area is a destination for New Yorkers and tourists alike. One of the largest breweries in town, beers on tap here include the smooth flagship Brooklyn Lager, the hoppy East IPA, or the stronger Brown Ale. Traditional creation methods are followed, although new tastes are produced consistently. Tours around the facilities and a tasting room plus gift shop are all part of the experience.
Recognized by its iconic slender silver cans with a six-pointed star logo on the top, Sixpoint Brewery is a favorite of craft beer enthusiasts. Located in the Red Hook area of Brooklyn, the brewery has been around since 2004. Touting their "Beer is culture" mission, the brewery is all about the history of beer and the love for brewing since ancient times. Their beers, which include their core Bengali, Sweet Action, Crisp, and Resin, can be found in many major stores including Whole Foods.
Bronx Brewery's beers are only pale ales made either yearly, seasonally, or specially aged. Their year-round beers include Bronx Pale Ale, Bronx Belgian, Bronx Rye, and Bronx Session IPA. Created in 2010 and only in their current location since 2014, the Bronx Brewery was founded by native New Yorkers whose pale ales have seen a big jump in distribution. The brewery has a tasting room that hosts special events and sports viewing and also offers tours.
This Queens brewery is also a newcomer to the New York brewing scene, with its first beer brewed in 2014. From a 20-barrel brewhouse comes draft beers that span the spectrum of hoppy to smoky and everything in between. Currently the brewery self-distributes to bars around town and no tasting room at the brewery is available yet. There are currently 10 draft beers available including Finback IPA, Double Session, Marduk Red IPA, Lazy Imperial AX, and Sunday Fieldtrips Saison. The brewery has produced over 20 beers in total.
The only brewery in Staten Island, Flagship is open late every weekend and is located a block away from the ferry station, making it easy for both locals and visitors to stop by. Flagship's motto is "Unforgettable beer brewed in the forgotten borough." Flagship's beers include an APA, American Wit wheat beer, Dark Mild and Metropolitan Lager. To entice more visitors, the tap room features live music every Friday night.
Related: 5 Best Brewery & Winery Tours In NYC
Jennifer Eberhart is a writer, reader, crafter, traveler and New Yorker. She works in midtown New York City for non-profit organizations. Her degrees are in communication studies and art history.You can contact Jennifer on Twitter at @egyptologist. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.
