Winter is coming, so the light water beers you guzzled all summer to help get you through the heat are distant, regrettable memory.
Cold weather means rich, dark, heavy beers that'll warm you to the bone.
It’s the perfect time to try something a little out of the ordinary when it comes to one of America’s favorite libations.
And New York City is far from short of different ways to enjoy a good draught.
Whether it’s a dinner pairing, a festive flight or just an overall all-out brewfest, you might want to consider these when you’re looking for a great spot to try out and in the mood for some beer.
1. DBGB (299 Bowery Street)
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Among the gastronomic wonders that can be found at this East Village eatery is their impressively large beer list, which complements their just as massive food menu.
Serving up French favorites with a fusion of Thai and Gaelic influences, DBGB’s menu perfectly pairs with a number of the unique brews you can get here from all over the world.
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One of their recommended selections is a rich and chocolaty St. Bernardus Tripel from Belgium or Britain’s zesty pale ale, Bitter and Twisted, to go along with a cheese-stuffed pork sausage or lamb merguez on a fluffy bun.
2. Manhattan Brew & Vine (998 Columbus Avenue)
mbv_manhattan Come enjoy our Morning Side Sliders! Just one of the items on our $10 Lunch Special served Mon-Fri from 11a-3p.
Bringing an upscale dining and nightlife experience to the Upper West Side, Manhattan Brew & Vine brings both an extensive assortment of craft beers and unique dishes to pair your palette with.
Executive Chef Denzell Washington, (no joke) formerly of the sushi paradise Morimoto, was brought on board to create the New-American food menu with signature dishes, such as their Amsterdam Cockerel with amber honey and roasted garlic.
The 29 craft beers options to choose from can seem daunting, but a safe bet would be their bold Speakeasy Big Daddy from Cali or the caramel-coated Lion’s Stout from Sri Lanka.
3. Café D’Alsace (1695 Second Avenue)
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The spacious and French-inspired Café D’Alsace is more than just an escape for the taste buds. Traditional favorites such as escargot and duck à l'orange are crowd pleasers for sure, but the real star here is the beer.
Over 130 different beer brews are methodically sorted into 18 styles, from lambics to pilsners. One of their more interesting choices is the light but pricey Deus Cuve Prestige, a champagne-like brew that combines the best of both libations.
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And if you need help traversing the extensive menu, wave down a beer sommelier to make sure you get the best pairing possible.
4. Brooklyn Brewery (79 North 11th Street – Brooklyn)
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One of NYC’s most beloved local beer sources does more than just give tours! Every month, Brooklyn Brewery takes a night or two and throws a NY Beer Dinner Party where their best brews are paired with various cuisines and dishes to create a brewery experience like no other in the city.
Sometimes hosted right at the brewery or other times held at a partnered restaurant, these five-course dinners are nothing to sneeze at either, especially when washed down with their Brooklyn Blast Double IPA or their classic American Pale Ale. Make sure your bellies come hungry and beer-ready!
,5. Strong Place (270 Court Street – Brooklyn)
The very name warns you before you walk in. There are no watered down Coors Lights to be found here. Instead, this Cobble Hill hotspot pushes the darker side of beers your way, not to mention some hardy food down your hatch.
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One of their most ordered pairings are the braised beef brisket with a malty Belgian-style dark ale. A pint of the slightly bitter Captain Lawrence Kolsch pairs well with any order from their extensive raw bar, such as a plate of their East Coast ocean oysters or shrimp.
6. Resto (111 East 29th Street)
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A cross between a trendy eatery and a Belgian pub, Resto covers all the bases when it comes to beer and food, from the easy and greasy to the refined and gourmet.
Over 140 bottles and seven drafts dot the eatery’s cultish offerings, a number of which are served in “large-format” in 750ml (or more) bottles like the complexly strong Piraat and the rich noir Chimay Grand Reserve.
Here the food also gets the beer treatment, serving up dishes including the brown-ale-braised beef cheek and bacon, often paired with a Flemish stout like the Troubadour Obscura, which compliment’s the meat’s deep flavor with hints of coffee and dark chocolate.
7. Zeppelin Hall (88 Liberty View Drive – Jersey City)
Yes, it's in Jersey City. We know. You thought it was all about NYC, and normally, you wouldn't be wrong. Keep calm. Drink on.
For those not above taking the semi-quick trek over to Jersey City, the titanic of a biergarten Zeppelin Hall is going all out for October, festively decorated in blue and white with the staff decked out in colorful Bavarian costumes, not to mention tons of traditional Oktoberfest grub.
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The biergarten strictly follows the standards for beers compliant to the Reinheitsgebot, with a minimum of 13.5% Stammwurze (or roughly 6% alcohol by volume) that have been brewed within Munich.
Zeppelin Hall proudly serves a number of these authentic brews, which include Hofbrau, Paulaner, Spaten and Hacker-Pschorr, with more than 50 European and American craft beers additionally tap.
Check out 8 Screaming Good Halloween Cocktails in NYC.
[Feature Image Courtesy Instagram]