No trip would be complete without a few words about the
local craft brew scene.
I’m going to
focus on a couple of places within easy walking distance of where we stayed on
the Upper West Side, as well as a couple of others.
First is
George Keeley.
This is a lively place in evenings and weekends as it tends to attract a
younger crowd who are there to catch a game on TV.
It’s got a solid selection of around a dozen
local brews as well as a couple from as far away as San Diego.
We didn’t see anything from the Northwest
though.
The beer was good and the pub
food pretty decent.
A solid choice if
you don’t mind being in a place that’s a bit on the noisy side.
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| A Nice Day on Amsterdam Street: Jacob's Pickles |
Our favorite was
Jacob’s Pickles, which we originally
thought was called “Beer, Biscuits and Pickles” as that’s what the big sign out
front said.
True to their word, they
have great biscuits, some excellent uniquely flavored pickles, and the best
selection of beer we found on this vacation.
Their Bronx Rye IPA on cask was tasty after a long day of walking and
riding in subway cars.
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| The Busy Biergarten at The Standard Hotel |
For those interested in German style beer gardens there is a
large tent in the Chelsea neighborhood near the southern terminus of the
High Line where you can get some satisfaction.
It’s called the
Biergarten at The Standard Hotel.
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| Another Happy Customer Leaving McSorley's |
One unique old tavern that’s worth a visit is
McSorley’s Old Ale House near Greenwich Village.
This place
has been around since 1854. And it was one of the last establishments to have successfully banned women. They managed to keep the ladies out until 1970. You don't go their for the beer, as they're now owned by
Pabst and essentially serve pedestrian light and dark lager. You're there for the atmosphere, history and the cheese plate which consists of cheddar cheese, saltine crackers, raw onion, and pub mustard. Besides, it's very cool to hang out in an establishment that both
Abraham Lincoln AND
Hunter S. Thompson used to frequent.
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| The Spartan Cheese Plate at McSorley's |
Craft beer in New York is really just getting off the
ground. I think it’s where Seattle was
around 20 years ago and it’ll only get better as local brewers will eventually
convince the masses that whatever they’re producing is far better than the
industrial stuff that you can buy anywhere.
Some of our favorites included:
Harpoon IPA (from Massachusetts)
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| A Final Toast from McSorley's Old Ale House |
Yup, it worked, Joe. I'm thirsty!
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