My search for the best beer in New York continues….
Wow, I have not put in a beer review in a long time. And that’s crazy because craft beer is more uniquitous to New York than ever before. There are now 27 breweries across all five boroughs and that number literally changes every week.One of the newest to open has been making quite a splash at craft beer bars across Brooklyn. It’s called Interboro Spirits and Ales and they are not only making craft beer in their Bushwick facility, but will also be distilling whiskeys as well.
One of these days soon I will have to pay a visit to their tasting room. But until then, I managed to find their beer in Park Slope at Owl Farm. This rustic bar is dedicated to craft booze and their 28 draft lines confirm that. They also have craft amaro on draft (I was so tempted by that) and lots of local spirits and wine. There’s even distilled beer offered, which is something I have yet to try.
I accidentally stumbled in during Happy Hour (an amazing deal) and I was quite pleased since the normally $5 Interboro beer was $1 off. That’s a total steal!
The beer in question was their Tastes Like Upstate, which fittingly tasted like the wet dampness of upstate in the fall. Hops used to be grown in NY state before a blight wiped it out in the early 1900’s and now that the craft beer scene has taken off, growers are producing the beer ingredient once again.
Four separate hops grown in the Empire State make up the spicy pale ale. It has a subtle rich sweetness that is matched with a burst of bracing bitterness. It grows more balanced and approachable as it goes.
It’s a nice use of local flavors and it’s thanks to brand spankin’ new producers like Interboro that I realize I need to step up my beer tasting game in New York City. Now more than ever!
Is Interboro Spirits & Ales’ Tastes Like Upstate the best beer in NY? This new brewery is using the local bitter hops to showcase the bold, bitter character of the nearby crop. It’s a bracing brew that gets more mild over time. 7 out of 10.
| INTERBORO SPIRITS & ALES |
| interboro.nyc |
| THE OWL FARM |
| 297 9th Street (between 4th and 5th Avenue), Park Slope, Brooklyn (718) 499-4988 |
| theowlfarm.com |
