LIVIN’ LA VIDA LOCAL (Kelso’s Spring Saison and Greenport Harbor’s Hoppy Stout at 61 Local)

My search for the best beer in New York continues….

SADLY, 61 LOCAL IS NOW CLOSED.

I can officially say 61 Local is my new hang out. We’ll be hosting the premiere of the beer episode tonight at 7pm at this wonderful new public house in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn because their community ideals are very similar to what I try to do in finding iconic local food and their upstairs private event space is pretty awesome. I had peeked my head into the bar on a very busy Saturday night once, but never spent much time here. Thankfully, that’s all about to change.

As of this writing, I’ve been there 4 times in one week. First was to check out the place and taste some beer. I’ll get to those in a minute. The next was to interview Dave, the owner, and Kris, the event manager in anticipation of the Neighborhood Eats Tour, the latest tour I’m giving with Urban Oyster. Then I brought a group by on my inaugural tour. And yesterday I visited in the morning to do a sound check for the big night. If you come by tonight, you’ll understand why this is the kind of place you’ll want to visit again and again.

It’s open practically all day – weekday mornings at 7am when they serve pastries, coffee, and bites. Then the local craft beer comes out as they host events and meetings throughout the day and into the night. It’s a wide open space that’s warm, comfortable, and full of great local brews. Definitely my kind of place.

I had a difficult choice in choosing which two beers I wanted to try. They offer sampler sizes, fortunately, so it made my decision slightly easier. Usually Barrier Brewery is represented heavily on the menu (the owner used to work at Sixpoint with the owners of Barrier), but the Long Island Brewery is in the process of moving and has paused their production.

So I started with Kelso’s Spring Saison, which is appropriate because it’s spring and Kelso is represented in the upcoming beer video. It’s a fresh seasonal beer that had a hazy unfiltered appearance to its golden peach colored hue. Grassy and bready notes made up the nose. It had a light body with wheat-like banana and yeast flavors at first strengthening to a spicy citrusy hop finish. The buzzy carbonation made it a thirst quenching and delicious seasonal.

Greenport Harbor is not featured in the video (the Long Island based brewery is a bit of a commute), but I’ve liked most of their beers in the past. Their Hoppy Stout sounded so interesting and got my hopes up for something along the lines of a black IPA. It was quite a bit more unique than that.

The dark brown chocolate color and tight tan head was quite appealing. A hoppy beer didn’t come to mind when I took a whiff and got smoky, sausage hints on the nose. Umami flavors continued upon the first sip with a subtle grassy hop character finishing with usual stout characteristics like coffee and chocolate. It’s not as smooth or sweet as a typical stout, but instead balanced a little more strongly in the bitter corner. That’s what made this stout so unique.

Needless to say, I’ve fallen in love with this place – and coincidentally, with the two beers I tasted here. I invite you all to join me tonight (May 9) at 7pm to celebrate local craft beer and find out just how cool this place really is. Below is a trailer for the episode (which is going to be awesome), just to give you an extra incentive to come out to this free event. Hope to see you there!

Is Kelso of Brooklyn’s Spring Saison the best beer in NY? It has a wheat beer-like flavor that’s refreshing and light with a spicy hop flavor  making it a very drinkable 8 out of 10.

Is Greenport Harbor’s Hoppy Stout the best beer in NY? I found it even more unique and subtle than a black IPA so it gets a 9 out of 10 for having strong smoky umami notes balanced by a hoppy bitterness.