Hi, It's been a decade since I last was in NYC, and we'll be there Wed - Sat this week. I can use the simple ratings to identify the better beer bars overall (like Torst), but I am looking specifically for places to get some of the newer/smaller regional beers on tap (or bottles) that I cannot get in Chicago. Of particular interest are citrusy/tropical IPAs, sours and wilds, and other more innovative local beers. Bars, brewery taprooms, and restaurants are all welcome. Basically, places that are too new or too locally focused to likely make a top 10 list. Anywhere the trains go to is an option. Thanks in advance.
Proletariat will have all you need as far as IPAs and wilds. Always on point. You should say where you are staying for better advice (neighborhood and borough). Seek out Singlecut's IPAs and Berliner Weisse for sure. Other Half brews about a million IPAs too, almost all good.
@Kanger also has a link he created that lists all the bars and breweries and stores and such. Just search NYC in the forums.
Yeah where are you staying? For Breweries: Other Half, Singlecut, Transmitter, Finback, Threes, Third Rail, Barrier, Flagship, Big Alice, Rockaway, Queens Brewery, Brooklyn Brewery, Bronx Brewery, Greenpoint, Grimm, Gunhill, and many more. For bars and bottle shops: too many to count, so where you're staying will help a lot. Use my craft beer map: https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=zwC6ezBHVgzI.kyMuRsydhsSU List here: http://bedstuybeerguy.com/portfolio/nyc-craft-beer-bar-restaurant-store-brewery-and-brew-shop-list/
In my opinion - Barrier is the best all around brewery in NY, look for their beers on beermenus.com. I've discovered alot of different beer styles from them - they rotate through more styles than anyone else and they do not put out a bad beer ever. and I recommend The Jeffrey on 60th between 1st/2nd as a great midtown beer bar, great food and good crowd.
All Green Everything cans are being released at Other Half on Saturday. The spot is a block away from the Smith-9th Street stop on the G line. They also had 7 IPAs when I was there on Saturday. I know you want lesser known places, but passing OH up seems crazy to me, considering what you could get a chance to try. (I had All Green Everything, G is for Green, [drinking Green Diamonds as I type this and damn!], Hop Showers, and more waiting in my fridge.) And with how many people there are paying attention to the scene in NYC, any brewery or bar that's doing something interesting will not stay under the radar for more than a minute.
Thanks for all the info so far. We are staying up on the upper-west side around 77th and Broadway, but I don't expect much up there. I suspect we'll spend most of our time in midtown, Williamsburg, Park Slope, and maybe Queens. Other Half is "lesser known" to us non-locals and was on our short list, so that sounds great and good to combine with Owl Farm, Delores, and BierKraft. Is Threes brewery worth visiting? What about Alewife? Also, SingleCut is way up there, without much else in that direction. Is it worth the trip? I do like well made lagers and a Berlinerweiss.
Don't write off that neighborhood. George Keeley's has lots of great beers on tap. Dive Bar on 96th and Amsterdam does as well. The Whole Foods at Columbus Circle can sometimes be worth a visit... never know what you'll find as far as bottles and cans. Plus the little bar they have in there sometimes has some good stuff on tap. Singlecut is awesome but definitely a trek. Nice thing about places like Pony Bar (not far from where you're staying either), Proletariat, etc, is that they keep lots of the local stuff (OH, Barrier, Singlecut, Gunhill) on tap. So even if you don't make it to any brewery, you'll still be able to drink lots of local---and good---beer. I'd say skip Bierkraft. Haven't been to Mission or Owl Farm but I follow them both on Twitter and always see good stuff on tap. Most people say Threes is worthwhile and close to Other Half. One warning on Other Half: it's tiny and not a place to go for ambiance.
I recommend Proletariat to everyone who visits NYC. East village at St. Marks between 1st Ave and Ave A. Great vibe, great beer, cool dudes. While you're in the area, pop into Good Beer one block north on 9th street. Bottle shop with good selection and you can have a pour of something whilst you browse.
It will be insanity on Saturday for the AGE can release, fyi. There is a dedicated thread to Other Half, if you are interested. A walk to Threes from OH took me about 25 minutes. I enjoyed the visit but it was very packed on a Saturday night. If I had a choice I would have visited at a less hectic time, but my time was limited. I visited Singlecut on a previous trip during the summer of '13. It's a cool enough spot with an industrial and functional vibe and the beer is good. It's a 15 minute walk from the N/Q subway, though I took a car because I was in a rush. If you have the time, I say go for it. Also, it's Queens Beer Week 5/8 - 5/17. http://www.queensbeerweek.com/ Supposedly LIC Beer Project (a new brewery) is opening during this time frame. Not sure what's going on with that though. By the way, they have a koelschip. A for real one.
