Beer DISH OF THE WEEK

DISH OF THE WEEK: Shore Shaker from BARRIER BREWING COMPANY

Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City

Shore Shaker from BARRIER BREWING COMPANY

There was a time not that long ago that I decided to review breweries not just within the five boroughs but the surrounding New York City area. That was because the number of breweries within the city limits at that time was less than five.

In retrospect that was actually a very long time ago. Almost ten years later and I’m having a hard time staying on top of all of the breweries within the city’s limits and the dozens and dozens of beers they each produce.

And that is a big reason I haven’t had a beer from Barrier Brewery in a while. They’ve always had a special place in my heart and now that I recently picked up one of their special release cans I’m regretting that I haven’t stayed more on top of this Long Island-based brewery.

The Shore Shaker is reminiscent of their Unimperial IPA which I had many years ago and fondly remember for its big juicy hop flavor with a low alcohol content. It was the first real session beer I discovered and it was amazing!

Since I wasn’t awarding a Dish of the Week back when I discovered that in 2012, I felt like I should make up for it with this post.  

Shore Shaker lies somewhere between the popular New England-style IPA and a true session beer. It has a very fresh aroma with notes of grapefruit and peppery hops but goes down like the smoothest IPA I’ve ever had. There is no harsh bitter finish but instead a sweet and juicy backbone with all those hoppy subtleties you expect from this style. And at 4.2% ABV, it’s a flavor bomb I could drink all day long.

Even though Barrier technically makes their beer outside of the five boroughs, they can be found and appreciated all over NYC. And while we have some incredible beer being made from the Bronx to Staten, it’s worth taking a trip just outside the city limits from time to time.

BARRIER BREWING COMPANY
3001 New Street Unti A2,
Oceanside, New York
(516) 594-1028
barrierbrewing.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.