A PINT FOR HERE OR TO GO? (Kelso of Brooklyn’s Nut Brown at Breukelen Bier Merchants)

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

SADLY, BREUCKELEN BIER MERCHANTS IS NOW CLOSED.

It seems an obvious combination – drinking and shopping. In other retail worlds, you can usually sample what you’re getting before you make a purchase. Dressing rooms in clothing stores are a given, you get to test out furniture before you buy it, and ice cream shops give out free tastes ad nauseum.

But it wasn’t until recently (in NY anyway) that you could drink in a beer store. You actually need a special license to both sell bottles and serve draft beer. Brouwerij Lane in Greenpoint has one, Good Beer in the East Village has one, and now Breukelen Bier Merchants in Williamsburg has one. They’re the newest beer retail shop that specializes in selling craft beer, but also offer growlers to go and pints and samplers to enjoy while you browse.

The shop is very clean and set back a little bit when you walk in. There are a few tables up front and more in the back that give drinkers ample room to hang out (and there are even board games scattered about for optimal socializing). The refrigerators are on one side with a decent selection of beers for sale (it doesn’t quite rival some other beer stores in the borough) and the small bar is on the other side, where they pour from 16 taps (which is just as many as some local bars).

My Craft Beer Week passport coupon entitled me to a Kelso of Brooklyn Nut Brown Lager. Kelso is another Brooklyn brew that I really love. Their Pilsner made my Top 100 last year and I’ve been wanting to try their other offerings. I took the beer and headed to the tables in the front (I thought it would be weird to play some board games by myself), where I also explored their list of monthly events. This place sure knows how to bring on the fun.

As for the beer, it was very different than I expected. It had a light brown ruby color with virtually no head. The nose was quite aromatic with notes of cedar, molasses, and toffee. The taste was quite strong, with rich deep malt flavors and a balance of hops. The molasses was pronounced throughout and it finished with a slight bitter note. It reminded me of a barley wine, but without the high alcohol content (this was 5.4%). The carbonation was low and the mouthfeel was very light, like most lagers.

It didn’t have the nutty, vanilla notes I come to expect from a nut brown, but this is a lager instead of an ale, which must have contributed to the difference. Kelso keeps making quality beers and they don’t bottle them yet. So, that means, in order to get some, you need to come to a store (or bar) that does more than just sell groceries. And why not play a board game while you’re here?

Is Kelso of Brooklyn’s Nut Brown Lager the best beer in NY? It has delicious deep molasses flavor with a hint of smoke that earn it a solid 8 out of 10.