Greenpoint is becoming an essential stop for beer snobs. We’re looking forward to this opening from Momofuku alum Daniel Burns!
Before working as the head of research and development for the Momofuku restaurants, chef Daniel Burns cooked at The Fat Duck in England, and he built and ran the pastry program at Noma in Copenhagen. Somewhere along the way, he connected with Jeppe Jarnit-Bjergsø, an acclaimed Danish brewer who has created beer for some of the world’s best restaurants. Now Daniel and Jeppe are teaming up to open a new Brooklyn project that they hope will be the best beer bar in the country.
The bar is called Tørst (the Danish word for “thirst”), and it will open at 615 Manhattan Avenue in Greenpoint, just around the corner from the Nassau Avenue G-train station.Jeppe is curating the beer list, which will feature about 20 beers on tap. Jeppe owns both a brewing company, Evil Twin Brewing, and a beer distribution company, so he has deep connections in the world of European craft beer. The menu is still a work in progress, but expect a few selections that have never been served before in the United States. The bar will also have a special beer storage system, where the ales will be kept at different temperatures — serious beer nerd stuff.
In addition to the barroom up front, the space will also have a 25-seat restaurant in the back called Luksus (the Danish word for “luxury”) where Burns will serve a menu of Scandinavian-influenced American fare, all paired with beer. Burns notes: “We want to focus on food that will go well with the beer.” The restaurant will open a few months after the bar up front
And, after two years of conducting interviews, director John Weber is ready to tell the story.
“There were close to 90 breweries at the turn of the 19th century,” he said.
“Brooklyn was known as the beer capital of the world… and it went from 90 to zero in the 1970s.
“As things have turned around in Brooklyn it’s the beer industry that’s helping to lead the renaissance.”
Weber — a New Jersey native who decided to make the documentary along with Kim Bjorheim and Bennett Aube after a Brooklyn beer tour — said he was shocked the “fascinating story” had not yet been filmed.
Weber’s team interviewed Columbia University historian Ken Jackson, Brooklyn Brewery founder Stephen Hindy and local homebrewers as he sought to understand the dramatic evolution of beer in the area.
He even spoke with a former “Miss Rheingold,” the title given to the winners of Rheingold Beer’s bygone beauty pageant used to select a model who would appear on its cans.
“The Miss Rheingold contest could take a girl from the sticks and make her into a superstar,” said Celeste Yarnall, the 1964 winner who acted with Elvis Presley after her victory in the pageant.
“More people voted for Miss Rheingold than for the presidential elections in the New York area,” said Weber of its popularity.
On Sunday, December 2, the Roberta’s crew will host the third annual Beer Masters event at the Warsaw, in Greenpoint. The event will feature twelve teams competing in a beer-drinking competition, plus food from Roberta’s as well as “rad prizes.”
Can’t wait to try The Defender and we love the new superhero designed by FREEwilliamsburg favorite Tony Millionaire:
Comic-Con season is nearly upon us, and to celebrate this most imaginative and animated occasion we’ve tapped into our inner nerd (didn’t have to dig too far) and brewed up a limited-edition draft-only hoppy amber IPA named The Defender. The liquid portion of The Defender was designed by Brewmaster and certified Sci-Fi geek Garrett Oliver, the logo by vintage DC Comics logo designer Milton Glaser, and the hero himself by Tony Millionaire. Best known for Drinky Crow and the Maakies comic series, Mr. Millionaire’s first regularly published strip was in the “The Waterfront Week”, a Williamsburg-based newspaper well known in our north Brooklyn neighborhood. Years after doing us the honor of making our first neighborhood map, Tony has returned to grace us with The Brooklyn Defender personified, a masked hero come to rescue us from the brewing Megaliths.
On Tuesday, September 25 from 7:30-10:30pm, in league with the New York chapter of Comic-Con, we’ll be launching The Defender here at The Brooklyn Brewery Tasting Room. Open bar and swag giveaways. Costumes encouraged! Space is limited, so RSVP to reserve a spot. This party is for 21+ only. (more…)
In case you needed another occasion to drink, Smorgasburg will be selling alcohol beginning this Saturday. Gothamist has the pricing: beer for $6, wine for $11, booze for $12. Grub Street has more info: there will be a roped-in area – SmorgasBar – that features a changing lineup of local alcohol producers like Brooklyn Brewery, Kelso, and Sixpoint.
Thirsty? If it’s beer you crave, then you’re in luck! This Saturday, June 16, is the Waterfront Brooklyn Beer Festival, held at 5 North 11th Street.
This beerfest includes lots of food (The Morris Truck, Cornelius, Cool Haus, Sheep Station, The Brooklyn Star, Sigmund’s, and South Brooklyn Pizza) and live music (The Nepotist, The Suit & TYree & BiggThurrsty, Isle of Rhodes, In Like Lions, and Vinyette).
Also, this Sunday, June 17, is Father’s Day. If you didn’t know that already (you’re welcome for the reminder), you probably haven’t gotten him a gift yet. So, this could be your answer – spending quality time downing beers with Dad will probably make him much happier than a new tie or the classic “World’s Best Dad” mug.
Tickets are on sale now, with two sessions and three different ticket packages. Happy Beer Day!
From the established craft brewers to the mid-majors and up-and comers, the diversity and creativity of the Craft and Specialty Brewing Community has proven to be limitless. For our Grand Tasting, we will be featuring an extensive variety of these artisanal creations from the worlds Top Breweries. Participating breweries from across the country are each expected to showcase 2 to 4 of their finest offerings with a strong emphasis on their Limited Release and Seasonal selections. Taste the flavors of the Summer season in liquid form.
Hours
Session I
VIP/Connoisseurs: 12:30 PM – 4:00 PM
General Admission: 1:30 PM – 4:00 PM
Session II
VIP/Connoisseurs: 6:00 PM – 9:30 PM
General Admission: 7:00 PM – 9:30 PM
In case you haven’t heard of Steve Duncan, he’s a “guerilla” historian and photographer who has made a name for himself exploring parts of New York City that you probably didn’t even know existed. In the latest installment of his Undercity documentary series with filmmaker Andrew Wonder, Duncan hops over a barbed wire fence, pries open a manhole, and climbs down to the ancient sewage extension tunnels below Bushwick.
Well, the tunnels aren’t quite “ancient,” but they date back to the bygone days before brunch at Northeast Kingdom and whiskey shots at Tandem, before Brooklyn was even a part of New York City. In the 1880s when the sewer extension was built below Knickerbocker St., the area was known for its breweries. The tunnels carried wastewater from the breweries to the East River, Duncan explains in the clip, ankle deep in (clean) sewage water.
The whole outing is illegal, but Duncan provides a special view into our historic city. More on Gothamist.
The Reverend Vince Anderson and his Love Choir have become an institution, holding mass every Monday night at Union Pool. Self-described as “dirty gospel,” the Rev. gives a soulful, optimistic and uplifting performance every week. This past Monday, to celebrate his birthday and toast his relationship with Union Pool, Vince teamed up with SixPoint Brewery to create his own beer. Here is the making of SixPoint Instant Pentecostal Apostle.
We’ve already been infinitely impressed this summer by Smorgasburg, the Brooklyn Flea‘s weekly event bringing a bazaar of delicious food to the Williamsburg Waterfront. Now – perfectly timed but not affiliated with the NYC Craft Beer Week - the Flea (along with the DUMBO Improvement District) is putting on this food- and beer-centric event, Under the Archway.
From 12-9 today, head down to DUMBO, to the Archway under the Manhattan Bridge to enjoy food from Mile End Chinese Food, Rachel’s Pies and more. More importantly, though, wash this food down with delicious craft beer on tap from Stoudts and Sixpoint.
According to the Flea’s site, “We’re going to activate this unique public space and help knit together the neighborhood by getting residents and workers out for a fun Friday hang.” If you’re in the area for lunch, food starts at noon. For the after work crowd, the beer will start flowing at 3, and the whole event will keep going until 9 pm.
