BREWERY REVIEW: ICONYC Brewing Company

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

I didn’t realize exactly where I was going when I made my way to the tasting room of IcoNYC Brewing Company. It wasn’t until I stepped off the subway and started walking to the strange little mini-shopping plaza that I realized I was in my own former neighborhood.

One of the lesser known breweries in the city, IcoNYC has actually been brewing here for a few years. Shortly after they released their first beers, they opened this teeny tasting room a few blocks from where the beer is actually made in a commercial facility.

Talking to one of the owners behind the bars, I discovered that there is an in-motion plan to move the production and tap room together in a new location deeper into Long Island City. This room was on a strangely residential street in an area I always considered Astoria. Somewhere nearby the border of Long Island City begins.

Until this trip, I never got too deep into their beers, which are mostly available in large format bottles and in some local craft beer bars. I was pleased to try a flight. I was tempted by the $5 Wednesday special (yes, all beers are just five bones on hump day), but chose the flight because I wanted to limit my beer intake due to some responsibilities later in the night, This was purely for scientific purposes.

But the beers were all so good it made it difficult not to keep ordering them. I was very impressed.

I started my tasting with Strawberry Puff, a surprisingly transparent golden beer that had beautiful strawberry and cream aromas. The taste had a bit more sour notes to it which I enjoyed. The acidic opening finished with those expected sweet creamy strawberry flavors. It was a wonderful not overly sweet beer that I could have kept drinking all night long.

Next up was the ruby red Hip Hob which had smells of hibiscus and clean grains, When tasting it, the layers deepened. The front featured tart hibiscus but then floral, grassy, and even briney flavors opened up. I actually got some lovely dill notes and a hint of funk. They use the Sorachi ace hop in this beer which is known for its lemongrass qualities so that may have been what I tasted. But I liked the idea of dill.

I moved on to the most attractive of the beers. The Plum Saison has an opaque pink color and a tight head. You’d expect this to have a creamy mouthfeel but it had a nice and clean body with sour funky notes and a big burst of juiciness.

I ended with a beer of theirs that I remember tasting years ago. Vexed is a big bold stout but with  a yeast that emulates a saison. It’s an interesting beer with dark cola color and a vanilla coffee aroma. The flavor is more in the oaky boozy world with subtle notes of cocoa and a mellow yeasty backbone.

IcoNYC is doing some really cool (and delicious) beers and more of the city (and the world) should know about it. Their expansion will surely help, but I imagine many of the locals who stop by here will have a bittersweet feeling when they move on. I know I would if I still lived nearby.

Is ICONYC Brewing Company the best brewery in NY? Their current public space isn’t really a brewery so I can’t fairly rate that experience. However as a tasting room with excellent beer made close by they earn an 8 out of 10 and when they open a more brewery-like experience, they’ll get rate e bit higher no doubt. 

Is ICONYC Brewing Company’s Strawberry Piff the best beer in NY? The clear beer plays with the sights and senses and since I love that situation it gets a9out of10also because it is utterly drinkable with light strawberry flavors and a clean creamy finish without the mouthfeel.

Is ICONYC Brewing Company’s Hip Hob the best beer in NY? It also earns a 9 out of 10 for being an incredibly complex beer layering notes of tart, floral, grassy, and even brine. 

Is ICONYC Brewing Company’s Plum Saison the best beer in NY? Funky and sour with plenty of juiciness, this beer is for those who like their sours glowing pink.8 out of 10.

Is ICONYC Brewing’s Vexed the best beer in NY? It’s also complex mostly resembling a big bold stout with cocoa and vanilla notes but ending a subtle yeasty backbone. It gets an 8 out of 10.