Beer

A HIDDEN GEM (Brooklyn Brewery’s Winter Ale at One Mile House)

I really feel like I stumbled on a little gem of a bar in an area that’s sort of in between neighborhoods. I was trying to pass some time one early evening and I was looking for a craft beer bar to taste a local brew between Soho and the Lower East Side. Thanks to BeerMenus.com, I stumbled upon One Mile House and had a wonderful time at this little find.

It’s located right next to the Bowery Ballroom so their clientele could be rowdy stoned, music fans, but this is a much classier joint than that with a speakeasy feel, an impressive craft beer list, and a grown-up food menu.  I was most tempted by the Bacon and Cheddar Matzoh Balls. I almost ordered the $11 appetizer, but I knew it would just kill my appetite for dinner. So I stuck with the beer.

 

The space is quite spacious (including two symmetrical bar areas and a dining room) which was most evident when I arrived on a weekday evening at 4:00. I quickly struck up a conversation with the bartender and the only other customer in the place. It ended up being a fun time and I got to sample one of their rotating seasonal beers, which is in addition to their regular list of 20 tap beers.

I chose the Brooklyn Winter Ale, which is about as seasonal as you get. Brewmaster Garrett Oliver changed the recipe a few years back and this Scottish-style Ale now surprisingly doesn’t feature any spices whatsoever. It’s just malts, hops, and yeast.

The beer poured pretty dark, but with an amber hue and a tight creamy tan head. The nose was quite aromatic with sweet nutty malt aromas. The beer had a rich creaminess to it, but still felt light and mellow on the mouth with a medium body and a very clean finish. I got some nice bready and nutty flavors with hints of toffee and smoke. It made for a very pleasant, warming beer.

It was truly the perfect beer to enjoy in a place like this. The entire atmosphere (including the service) felt warming and welcoming and along with a solid, flavorful beer and some nice company, it made the winter day just a little more tolerable.

Is Brooklyn Brewery’s Winter Ale the best beer in NY? It’s a smooth beer with rich flavors and a wonderful balance. It gets a 9 out of 10 for being a perfect winter beer – just as advertised.

BROOKLYN BREWERY
brooklynbrewery.com
ONE MILE HOUSE
10 Delancey Street (between Bowery and Chrystie Street),
Lower East Side
(646) 559-0702
onemilehousenyc.com

AboutBrian Hoffman

Brian Hoffman is a classically trained actor who is now a full-time tour guide, blogger, and food obsessive. He leads food and drink tours around New York City, which not only introduce tour-goers to delicious food, but gives them a historical context. He has written food articles for Gothamist and Midtown Lunch in addition to overseeing this blog and a few food video series, including Eat This, Locals Know, and Around the World in One City. His latest series is an international cooking show with his son which can be found on this site.