BEER REVIEW: Other Half Brewing’s Motueka Pale Ale at THE JEFFREY

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

For years, I used to hang out in that strange neighborhood in the shadow of the Queensboro Bridge, Just around the high 50’s and low 60’s on the east side. Some call it the Upper East Side, some call it Sutton Place, some even still call it Midtown. I was there all the time because I worked at two different restaurants in the neighborhood and the nearest subway stop (at 59th and Lexington) was my subway stop back home to Queens.

Back then, we hung out at local dive Irish bars and ate at take-out sushi restaurants. There was nothing even remotely as cool as The Jeffrey.

The brand new craft beer bar is owned by the same folks behind Alewife in Long Island City (just a river away) and before I even stepped foot inside the bar/restaurant/coffee shop I knew things were going to be good.

It’s also a temple for craft beer with an impressive roster of local and rare beers. I was hoping for an offering from one of NYC’s newest breweries (and there are many of them) and I was in luck.

Other Half in Carroll Gardens specializes in hop-forward pale ales and I’ve tasted a number of their brews featuring a different combination of hops from all over the world.

At The Jeffrey, I got to try the most difficult one to pronounce – the Motueka. It’s named for a New Zealand hop that gives off strong tropical fruit notes. It’s one of three hop varieties featured in the heavily laced golden beer of the same name. It did give off lots of grapefruit and grassy aromas on the nose. I began to think I was in NZ (isn’t that what it smells like there?) Up front, there was a clean, bitter taste finishing with an almost rich, chocolatey quality. The mouthfeel was a little meaty and thick, giving the drinker something to chew on.

I was impressed the alcohol content was quite low (5.6%) and yet it was full of strong flavors and a significant body. Other Half is definitely a brewery to watch and if you find yourself in the neighborhood, The Jeffrey might just have the barstool to do it from.

Is Other Half Brewing’s Motueka Pale Ale the best beer in NY? 8 out of 10 for the rich and chocolatey finish coming after the initial tropical fruit hop blast, giving the lower alcohol beer some serious body.