LET’S BREW IT ALL! (Singlecut Beersmiths)

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

Breweries are opening up so quickly in the New York City area that it is almost impossible to keep track. And they’re not just confined to the hip areas of Brooklyn anymore. Singlecut Beersmiths popped up last year, seemingly out of the blue, and started brewing lots of different beer styles in Astoria, Queens.

When Bronx Brewery launched a few years ago, they focused on one style and perfected it before putting new spins on it. Others, like Singlecut, fill their plates with all sorts of different styles and put them all out there for the world. The result in this case are uneven beers – some work beautifully while others fall a little flat.

Regardless of the beers, the tap room is a fun place to hang out. It’s in a quieter area of Astoria that allows for more industrial space. I lived in Astoria for close to 11 years and I never found myself anywhere near where this new brewery resides. It’s a good 15 to 20 minute walk from the last, most northern stop on the N train. I’m amazed anyone in Astoria has any idea it exists. And to be honest, I think it’s still somewhat of an exciting secret for most in the neighborhood.

The space is quite ambitious with communal counters and stools among all the brewing equipment. It’s spacious and comfortable and has a rock and roll motif throughout (down to the guitar-shaped tap handles). When the tap room is open during the weekends (along with Thursday nights), a bartender fills growlers, pours pints and flights, and even offers a limited food menu of beer friendly dishes (like meat pies, pretzels, and sausages). I was here before dinner on a Friday night, so I missed the live music and free tours (only offered on Saturdays and Sundays).

I did get to purchase a flight of 6 beer samplers for $10. I always think that’s a great way to try as many brews as possible and get a sense of the range of a brewery. The tasting room wasn’t crowded, despite being prime beer dinking time, and I was able to get a corner stool.

First up was their signature 19-33 Queens Lagrrr! The number refers to both their street address and the year that Prohibition was repealed (a very happy year indeed, I’m sure). The straw-colored effervescent pilsner had a very strange nose. I got a bit of fresh bread, but also an overwhelming scent of what I can only describe as wet dog. It was an earthy, funky smell that didn’t really make me want to taste it. But I did and it was slightly better than the nose indicated. The flavors were muted and light with some spicy hops and a good level of malty sweetness. Certainly not as bad as the nose indicated, but nothing too special either.

The second (of three lagers) on the sampler platter was named Hank The Strand Lagrrr! All the lagers here are spelled with a healthy dose of angst. This one is brewed specially for a local BBQ spot. Funny, I went to The Strand earlier in the night and was disamyed by their lackluster barbecue, but impressed by their craft beer list. Hank had a bronze hue with very little head. The nose here was jammy and sweet. The flavor also leaned on the sweet side with some crispness but very little hops. I found it fruity for a lager and sort of flat tasting with very little carbonation or complexity. I guess it pairs well with mediocre barbecue.

If I was hard on the first two lagers, the third one was a winner. I had actually tasted the Jan Olympic White Lagrrr! at Barcade Brooklyn a few months ago and got very excited about this brewery. This unique white lager has an opaque, unfiltered peach color and smells citrusy and sweet (almost like a glass of Sprite). It’s brewed with Szechuan peppercorns which brings a unique flavor profile to the beer. Instead of a numbing heat, the distinct peppercorns impart a lovely floral quality which mingles nicely with the citrusy, gingery flavor of the yeast. 

Singlecut is one of the few craft breweries that devote as much production to lagers as they do to ales. The first ale I tasted was the Hank SW4 English Pale Ale. This beer had a pleasant malt flavor with not much hop. Honey, caramel, and malt were the major players, while the grassy hop was very subtle on the back end. It was easy drinking.

For their IPA, they named it Billy 18-Watt (all these male names refer to semi-obscure guitarists). It has large, smelly aromas that almost made me think of body odor. Funk is probably a better word for it. The orange-hued brew tasted better than it smelled – with raw pink grapefruit being the major flavor component. It was definitely a unique, bone-dry experience and unusually low in alcohol content for an IPA (5%). And while the body odor reference turned me off at first, I eventually got funky with the funkiness.

And finally we come to the Dean Pacific Northwest Mahogany Ale. The color spoke for itself and matched the name. Scents revealed on the nose included nuts, burnt coffee, and earth. This is considered a red (or mahogany) ale, yet it tasted almost like a hybrid with a nut ale. It was less roasty than I would have expected, but mild nut and coffee ground flavors were present, while a caramel malt flavor helped things go down smoothly. It was interesting and flavorful – mild and subtle.

Singlecut is definitely doing things a little differently. Many of their beers are interesting and I would certainly seek out again. But, sadly, I do think some get the short end of the stick. I imagine they will continue to experiment with new and seasonal concoctions, but as long as they continue to perfect their core styles, I think they will be a welcome addition to the NY craft beer scene for years to come.

Is Singlecut Beersmiths the best brewery in NY? They’re putting out some creative beer, while the space itself is comfortable and probably lots of fun when lively. They also get points for serving tastings and food in the brewhouse itself. 8 out of 10.

Is Singlecut Beersmith’s 19-33 Lagrrr! the best beer in NY? It gets a 7 out of 10 because it had an off nose, but a crisp and light flavor.

Is Singlecut Beersmith’s Hank the Strand Lagrrr! the best beer in NY? Sweetness and jamminess overtook any refined complexity of this beer. 6 out of 10 for having a lack of balance.

Is Singlecut Beersmith’s Jan Olympic White Lagrrr! the best beer in NY? It was one of the most unique and delicious ones I’ve tried in a while. The addition of floral Szechuan peppercorns gave it a distinct flavor and balanced the gingery yeast. 9 out of 10.

Is Singlecut Beersmith’s Hank SW4 English Pale Ale the best beer in NY? This one is easy drinking and gets an 8 out of 10 for having a nice balance of malt and hops.

Is Singlecut Beersmith’s Billy 18-Watt IPA the best beer in NY? I struggled a bit with the harsh funky flavors, but after some persistence, they mellowed out to reveal a bitter dry pink grapefruit flavored hop component. 7 out of 10.

Is Singlecut Beersmith’s Dean Pacific Northwest Mahogany Ale the best beer in NY? Here’s another interesting beer that gets an 8 out of 10 for being a flavorful hybrid of a roasty red ale and a nutty complex brown ale. It’s a mahogany ale!