That's terrible news. Probably started going there in '99, they certainly had the best tap list in the area. Mug's, Teddy's and Brooklyn Ale House were my regular spots while I lived in Williamsburg in the early 2000's. That was a good era.
Damn. One of the first places I went to in NYC, spent many an afternoon watching sports and drinking good beer here. The Skull Splitter Saturdays I've had here the past couple years have been really great, introducing people to a variety of big beers. Will be a sad day walking pst there when it's no longer Mugs. I would hope for it to maintain its status as a beer bar, but given the neighborhood and how expensive it must be to rent a place right on Bedford, seems hard.
I lived in Brooklyn from 1994 to 1999, and this was my favorite Brooklyn bar. In those years, the draught list always included a lot of Garrett Oliver's work. One notable aspect of the bar in those years was the meticulous care of the draught lines. Plus, the juke box had lots of non-rock music options, something that greatly appealed to me. I was never there at night, but it was a wonderful place in which to spend an afternoon.
NOOOOOOOOO!!! I've been going there almost every week for the last 18 years. First bar where I grew to truly love craft beer. I always thought they would survive the death of Williamsburg, but alas nothing lasts forever. Rest in Peace Mug's. I will make many visits this month before it closes.
This is really sad news. I have been going to Mugs for almost twenty years now, and back before Williamsburg got rezoned it used to be just one of the few commercial establishments located on Bedford Avenue on the walk between the L train subway station and Brooklyn Brewery. I will miss their annual Split Thy Skull strong beer festival.
Had my first beer in Brooklyn at Mugs in 1996. It's been many years and many beers since. Boy oh boy have things changed. As others have said, this place was OG craft beer in Brooklyn. So long old friend. I'll be back at least once more to say goodbye, hopefully with Sweet Hoe in hand.
Bummer! I was hoping this would be one of those places that never leaves. Many, many good memories here. A no bullshit bar. Spent many an afternoon in a window seat watching Williamsburg walk by.
This is killing me. Not only do I pay my rent at the bar (really!), but it's one of the few genuine beer-nerd havens in a rapidly vanishing neighborhood. What are we gonna do without the annual Split Thy Brooklyn Skull festival?
I’ve only been to Mugs once, and it had to be before ‘08 because I was still renting at the time, but (I had come from Brooklyn Brewery, I was pretty toasted) the one thing I remember about the bar was that their jukebox was amazing. Like I dropped $20 into their jukebox and geeked the fuck out amazing. Rip. It always sucks when a neighborhood institution gets priced out...and the eventual bullshit shill place replaces it. Booo
Bummer, lots of good memories, however the last few times I went you could tell they were not cleaning the lines.
Split Thy Skull down here in Philly shut down last year. A spring institution, always held the Saturday of Easter weekend. Good times, talk about drunken debauchery.
