Brooklyn Brewery is located in the Williamsburg neighborhood in the borough of Brooklyn. The brewery brought craft beer production back to Brooklyn in 1996 when they converted a matzo factory into what is now a world-famous destination. Today, a diverse team of employees from unique backgrounds report to the brewery to produce some of the best craft beer in the United States. There are many things to see and do in a visit to New York City— a visit to Williamsburg and a tour of the Brooklyn Brewery followed by a visit to the tasting room should be on the top of your list!
Now That’s Cool: Garrett Oliver is the brewmaster at Brooklyn Brewery and has won a coveted James Beard Award. Steve Hindy, another co-founder of the brewery, is an author and beer industry commentator. It all makes sense… these gentlemen are good.
The Portfolio of Beer
The selection of beer brewed here is exceptional. With national and international distribution, it’s fairly easy to find beers from the Brooklyn Brewery. The portfolio is categorized as Perennials, Seasonals, Big Bottles, Broolyn Quarterly Experiment “BQE”, and Brewmaster’s Reserve.
Some of our favorites are:
– Brooklyn Lager (5.2% ABV) – it’s hard not to order the flagship beer and patriarch of the portfolio, the one that seems like it’s found in almost every bar and restaurant in New York City.
– Black Chocolate Stout (10.0% ABV) – a Russian imperial stout, best enjoyed between November and March, a great beer for the winter months.
– “K” is for Kriek American Wild Ale (10.1% ABV) – Kriek means “cherry” in Belgian, this one is ale brewed with honey, dark candi syrup & orange peel, aged in bourbon barrels on whole cherries.
– Rosé de Ville (5.8% ABV) – sours continue to gain popularity; this limited release was brewed with raspberries to achieve the right balance of sweet fruit with tart acidity.
There’s always something exciting happening at the brewery, from the new seasonal beers coming on tap to the release of a new BQE. Check the website, it’s the best resource for the goings-on at the brewery.
Tasting Room
At the Brooklyn Brewery Tasting Room there are over a dozen Perennials and Seasonal beers, as well as five from the Cellar. You will also find locally produced hard cider and wines.
– $6.00 Draft beers (unless otherwise noted)
– $11.00 Pours from Special Cellar Bottles
Tables in the tasting room are available on a first come, first served basis—There are no table reservations. You can bring your own food or order from one of the local restaurants. Every weekend a variety of food trucks visit the brewery to serve customers.
Tours
Public Tours take place on Saturday & Sunday, every half hour 1:00pm to 6:00pm. The tour is free and takes 25 minutes. This tour does not include a beer tasting, but you can bring a beer from the bar with you on the tour. Tickets are released for the free weekend tours on a first come, first served basis at the Company Store. Advance reservations are not available, tickets are released one hour before the tour with a maximum of two tickets per person.
Small Batch Tours are very popular and require a reservation. The tours last 45 minutes and you’ll learn about the history of the brewery, see the brewhouse and packaging hall, and finish with a few stories and a guided tasting of four Brooklyn Brewery beers. Tour hours are Monday through Friday at 5:00pm, 5:45pm, 6:30pm and 7:15pm. Small Batch Tours cost $18 per person and can be purchased on the website.
Brewery Events
There’s always something fun on the calendar at Brooklyn Brewery, check the events calendar before you visit.
Here are a few upcoming events:
– Total Red Hook Immersion – August 3 (Saturday @ 12:00pm)
– SecretFormula Sing-Alongs at The Brooklyn Brewery – August 6 (Tuesday @ 8:00pm)
– Brewery Technical Tour: Sensory Development Workshop – August 8 (Thursday @ 7:00pm)
– Grapes, Grain & Barrels Technical Class – August 14 (Wednesday @ 7:00pm)
– Beyond the Beer World – August 16 (Friday @ 2:00pm)
Summer Hours & Getting There
The tasting room summer hours are:
– Monday to Wednesday from 5:00pm to 11:00pm,
– Thursday from 2:00pm to 11:00pm
– Friday from 2:00 pm- 12:00am
– Saturday from 12:00pm to 12:00am
– Sunday from 12:00pm to 8:00pm
The brewery is accessible by train from any of the boroughs. You can also take the East River Ferry. Check the website for assistance if you are not familiar with the subway system, connections might be required depending on your location. Have a great time meeting some new people and the amazing staff. Cheers!
Did You Know? In 2014, the Brooklyn Brewery team began working with the Culinary Institute of America, in Hyde Park, New York. The Brewhouse is in the Egg Student Center. You can make a reservation at one of the great restaurants at the CIA, have a look around the brewhouse, and then spend a day visiting a few of the breweries in the Hudson Valley.
Brooklyn Brewery
#1 Brewers Row
79 North 11th St
Brooklyn, NY 11249
