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A great bar has to have several pieces of the puzzle fit just right in order to succeed-- fun atmosphere, knowledgeable staff, good crowd-- but in this city, with its exploding craft beer movement, we think a great beer bar should also support local brewers.
Come on, really, is there any other way?
So we asked Jimmy Carbone of Jimmy’s No. 43 to recommend some of the best bars stocking local favorites and breweries’ latest experiments.
One way to know you’re in the right joint is the Good Beer Seal, which tells you if a bar is independent or not and if it also keeps the high standards of quality and cleanliness needed to do craft beer just right.
Want to know another way to tell if you're in the right craft beer bar? Keep on readin' and take some notes on these 5 bar names!
1. Spuyten Duyvil (359 Metropolitan Avenue - Williamsburg, Brooklyn)
This establishment defines a Good Beer Seal bar: a carefully curated, always rotating selection on just six taps, so no mega-drafts need apply.
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Because it keeps things simple and highlights various selections, it’s one of the bars where new beers are first debuted in the city.
There’s also a deep list of specialty craft bottles, all served in an atmosphere inspired by a country Belgian bar. You can even take your brew to their backyard garden.
2. Mugs Ale House (125 Bedford Avenue - Williamsburg, Brooklyn)
You can trace the history of New York City's craft beer via the mugs at this pioneer of the craft bar scene, as it started more than 20 years ago.
This was the first place to pour some of the modern classics like Sierra Nevada and Anchor Liberty Ale.
Their events are not for the faint of heart, with names like Split Thy Skull (strong beers), and an annual Belgian beer fest in December. They also nurture home brewers, hosting monthly meet-ups of the Malted Barley Appreciation Society.
3. Jimmy’s No. 43 (43 East 7th Street)
A former Ukrainian social club built in the ‘80s, it opened as a basement Belgian bar in 2005. With a full menu, it’s a restaurant as well, hosting dinners, authors and foodie pop-ups.
Look for a new spring/summer menu coming in May curated by a guest chef. Breweries like Finback, Other Half, Bridge and Tunnel and others have come to Jimmy's to pop their Manhattan cherry, so drink it here before it's everywhere.
They were on the sour beer trend before it became big, and have hard cider and whiskey menus, too.
4. Mission Dolores (249 4th Avenue - Park Slope, Brooklyn)
Owners the Wiley brothers have a roster of craft beer bars around the city-- Bar Great Harry, Glorietta Baldy, and The Owl Farm-- but Mission Dolores is Carbone’s favorite.
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Amid the quirky decor, the place always has a great draft list across its 24 taps. Get “stranded” in this part of Brooklyn to have a great excuse to spend some quality time at this bar.
5. Crescent & Vine (25-03 Ditmars Blvd. - Astoria, Queens)
The bar manager here, Daniel Bronson, is the new force on the city’s craft beer scene, according to Carbone, spearheading Queens Beer Week, which returns for its second year next month.
A neighborhood bar with global ambition, it’s got great drafts-- and great wines, too. Queens has more breweries than any other borough, and Crescent & Vine always serves its neighbors’ stock.
By: Eva Kis, Metro New York
If you enjoyed this article, check out 7 Hidden Bars & Restaurants to Discover in NYC!
[Featured Image Courtesy: Jaryl Cabuco]