BREWERY REVIEW: Randolph Beer

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

I remember the first time I visited The Randolph. Back in 2011, it was a very under-the-radar spot in Nolita that was a cozy coffee bar during the day and a cocktail bar at night. It felt like someone’s living room and they were not serving your usual coffee. My iced coffee with malted milk powder and Oaxacan chocolate is still memorable all these years later.

Times have changed. The Randolph on Broome Street no longer opens for coffee in the morning and now that one location has spawned a craft beer bar next door, another in Williamsburg, and a full-on brewery in Dumbo. Alcohol sells more than coffee, I guess.

And just like they were innovating coffee back in the day, their brewery set-up is quite different than most.

Over the years, their beer bars have become known for a self-serve machine where you take a card and it keeps count of how many ounces of beer you have had. And then you pay by the ounce.

I was in heaven at Randolph Beer when I discovered I could have an ounce of this and an ounce of that. It enabled me to try their entire line-up of house made beers, spend less than $15 and walk out of there still relatively sober.

Their brewpub is in a quickly changing area of Dumbo away from the park and behind the highway. These are all new buildings and the people who come around seem mostly from the tech start-up world that operates around here.

I was impressed by the size of the space with different areas ranging from communal picnic tables to an industrial bar to a few nooks and crannies with tables to an area overlooking the actual brewhouse. They serve a pretty decent menu of comfort food with a surprising amount of healthy options (bowls, salads, etc.)

But of course, I was mostly here for the beer. I purchased a card from the bartender and he walked me through the system. You should check the prices because some of the beers are pricier than others. I have read some complaints about this complicated and seemingly expensive system. I think it works best when you use it to taste a little bit of a few different beers rather than fill up an entire pint.

If you know what beer you want, it’s cheaper to purchase one from the bartender. It might not be as fun, but the beer is just as fresh and you save some money. I wanted to drink everything so the self service system worked well for me. Especially since they don’t offer a traditional flight.

They have seven of their own beers which are brewed just below the bar and then a great selection of other interesting local craft beers. I had to resist working my way through all 24 tap lines.

I started with their pilsner. Right off the bat, I realized this method would be a little difficult because I already wanted more than the 1.5 ounces I poured myself. It was a very fresh clean pilsner with tight carbonation and a hoppy aroma. Very easy to drink.

Following that, I moved on to their Saison which again was very light and easy to drink. I wonder if they do that on purpose? The farmhouse ale tasted a bit like Christmas actually with subtle clove and spice notes. I like how the body was so light and essentially disappeared but the yeasty peppery flavors remained.

The pale ale had more body and color than the last two but still more tame than is sometimes expected nowadays. It was a balanced tropical medley of mango-like hops with a crisp juiciness.

So far the beer was tasty but rather accessible and safe. La Grosse Pomme (The Big Apple in French) is a biere de grade, which is a French farmhouse style that isn’t as easy to find as others. It was definitely one of the more unique house brewed ones on their line-up. It smelled like red fruits and tasted quite fruity. It’s not a true fruit beer, but would be appreciated by those who like strawberry juice, bright cherries, and stewed plums. The hop content is quite low and despite all the fruit, it’s rather dry. I really loved it and could have stopped right here.

But I was only halfway done with their current rotation. The last few beers headed to the dark side – starting with their American Porter. It was wonderfully light but had a bold roasted bean flavor – both coffee and cacao lingered on the tongue. It was a nice one for a brisk spring day.

Even better (and perhaps my favorite of the afternoon) was the Spiced Porter. It didn’t have the expected spices of clove and cinnamon, but rather flavors of roots. It certainly smelled like Root Beer and had some of those notes but without the soda’s usual corn syrupy flavor. It would work as a wonderful digestif – loaded with bits of licorice and sarsaparilla along with hints of fresh herbs. Underneath it, the roasted coffee flavors held on.

The Flexible Flyer was a big bold way to end the tasting. The strong ale certainly smelled strong with big whiffs of alcohol and raisin. Amazingly, it too had a rather light body. Flavors of candied figs and alcohol soaked chocolate cherries were present and it was dangerously easy to drink.

To be honest, my expectations were not so high for Randolph Beer. They have kept to themselves in terms of distribution and some of the feedback I have read has been less than stellar. But I really loved it and found it one of the more unique brewery experiences in the city. The self service option is not for everyone but if you are up for trying different beers and can restrain yourself from pouring too much, then go for it.

For now there are no tours available, but you can look down at the brewing from above. Or you can head to a corner with a date or you can party with work friends at one of the large tables or you can have a quiet solo beer at the bar during the day. There truly is a little something for everyone. Can’t wait to see what The Randolph does next.

Is Randolph Beer the best brewery in NY? It’s not your traditional brewery but rather a fun brewpub with different activities and high quality brews. So for beer and space alone, this place gets an  8 out of 10.

Is Randolph Beer’s Pilsner the best beer in NY? It’s too easy to drink while maintaining flavor and freshness which is worthy of an 8 out of10.

Is Randolph Beer’s Saison the best beer in NY? I reward it an 8 out of 10 for a  very light easy-drinking body but a peppery and baking spice sensation.

Is Randolph Beer’s Pale the best beer in NY? It’s juicy and tropical with a balanced fruity hop character. Just as you expect a Pale Ale to be.  Also 8 out of 10.

Is Randolph Beer’s La Grosse Pomme the best beer in NY? I really loved its red fruit aroma and flavor without much sweetness. Refreshing and fruity but also bold and complex. It gets a  9 out of 10.

Is Randolph Beer’s Porter the best beer in NY? Typical roasted coffee and cacao beans in the flavor equal an 8 out of10. A perfect porter for when you’re craving one.

Is Randolph Beer’s Spiced Porter the best beer in NY? It was my favorite of the bunch so I give it a strong 9 out of 10. I’m still thinking about the roots and herbs in the flavor like a less sweet Root Beer.

Is Randolph Beer’s Flexible Flyer the best beer in NY? This is a dangerous 9 out of10 since the balanced alcohol flavor hides a little too easily behind raisin, fig, and cherry notes.