NYCGuide
The Best Breweries In NYC
photo credit: Kristina Drager
Breweries are fun places to hang out and drink something tasty, whether or not you're the kind of person who thinks Oktoberfest is for amateurs and overuses the word “juicy" instead of talking about your feelings. From a spot in the Bronx that's perfect for an outdoor party to a few exciting options in LIC, here are our favorite breweries around NYC right now. They're great for birthdays, day drinking, game nights, and more.
THE SPOTS
Serious beer people will love hanging out at Other Half’s Gowanus taproom, where you can try beers from their extensive draft list or grab cans and bottles to go. The space is pleasantly sparse, keeping the focus on the quality of the beers rather than the "curation" "of" "a" "vibe." Incidentally, this creates a party-like vibe. Expect long lines on weekends and a more relaxed atmosphere on weekdays.
SingleCut in northern Astoria isn’t just a great brewery, it’s also an excellent music venue. They frequently host live shows, and there's a large collection of vinyl behind the bar that you can request to hear. During the day, they might be playing mellow David Bowie records, but later there’s enough of a scene to have a Friday night out. Expect a ginormous variety of beer, including banana-forward hefeweizens and several IPAs. Another nice thing: you're welcome to bring in your own food, though their soft pretzels have a really great dappled and craggly crust.
Try Grimm for your next daytime hang in the East Williamsburg area or if you're excited to try New Haven-style pizza while you drink. This brewery makes all kinds of double IPAs, imperial stouts, and sour beers (among many other things). They have a big, bright indoor space that feels like a minimalist loft apartment, and there's a heated outdoor patio as well. If you get hungry, pair your hoppy pilsner or key lime beer with some coal-fired pies from Lala’s Apizza, which operates on Grimm’s rooftop.
photo credit: Noah Devereaux
This Park Slope brewery's big, gravel-filled backyard is one of the better places in Brooklyn for a daytime situation with 18 friends who collectively are responsible for nine babies. Focus on lagers here. Threes does crisp, snappy beers very well. They also serve food from Super Burrito (their Greenpoint outpost has food from Gotham Burger Social Club). And if beer isn’t your thing, you can get wine or a cocktail.
If you know the technical differences between dry hopping and wet hopping, you probably already know about Evil Twin’s taproom in Ridgewood, a block from the Halsey L stop. It’s a great option for a birthday party when you don’t know how many people will actually show up. They host constantly rotating food pop-ups, but you can bring your own snacks (a whole pizza, for example) or stop by the taco truck parked out front. When it’s warm, step outside of the greenhouse-like space and take advantage of the picnic tables.
photo credit: Monika Davis
If you need—not want, need—to drink a beer by the water, head to Strong Rope in Red Hook. The brewery has a massive patio with picnic tables, views of the Statue Of Liberty, and groups comparing flights on Saturdays in the summer like they get paid to debate the intricacies of sour IPAs and summer ales. Plan a Red Hook excursion, and then spend several hours here. Strong Rope also has a bring-your-own-food policy, so pick up some Defonte’s sandwiches on your way, or go eat some seafood at Brooklyn Crab.
Focal Point, the LIC brewery formerly known as ICONYC, is an excellent place to hang with a group of pretty much any size. And you’ll always find a supply of community water bowls in the taproom, because your dog wants a drink, too. There's also a ton of outdoor seating (some of which is covered and heated in the winter), including a large pedestrian plaza with lots of picnic tables. We love the crisp Super Clutch Kölsch and the citrusy Lemon Drop Pils, but if you’re lucky enough to catch the uncannily refreshing Cucumber Saison when it’s on the menu, don’t think twice. There are also solid tacos right next door at Sobremesa and pizza around the corner at Lupo Rosso.
photo credit: Noah Devereaux
KCBC beer is a brewery and taproom on Troutman near the Jefferson stop. You’ve probably seen their beer in bars around the city, but the taproom has some interesting ones you won’t find elsewhere. On weekend nights, it gets pretty packed here, but the quieter weekday atmosphere is ideal for dogs, children, and fully grown adults alike. Be warned: the Scrabble board is missing several pieces, so all games here end with an asterisk in the W column.
If sours are your thing, then Talea should be on your list. They’re growing rapidly, but the original taproom in Williamsburg is the one to visit if you want a large outdoor area and patio, and a rotation of pop-ups and food events. Like most breweries, they do flights, but unlike most breweries, you could do a full flight at Talea with a different sour in each slot, where each is nuanced and not overly fruity or sweet. Throw in an impressive roster of to-go cans and a short walk to McCarren Park, and we’re sold.
photo credit: Dane Isaac
The Bronx Brewery has a big backyard where you can hang out with friends, listen to live music, and eat some empanadas from Empanology or pizza from Empie. There's also a taproom for anyone who'd rather drink inside, and you can book a space on the brewery floor if you'd like to mingle around giant metal vats of beer. Beverage options change often, but expect to find everything from imperial stouts and various IPAs to hard seltzer and pumpkin beer. There's always an interesting lineup, and the cans look pretty cool, too, in case you want to take a four-pack home.
photo credit: Daniel Isaac
If it’s warm outside and you're compelled to drink beer on a roof in Greenpoint, head over to Greenpoint Beer & Ale Co. This brewery sits at the far northern tip of the neighborhood, and the space has some big communal tables and garage doors that open up when the weather’s nice. They serve a bunch of beers that are brewed in house (from triple IPAs to fruited sour ales), and there are some bar snacks like fried pickles, mozzarella sticks, and a hot chicken sandwich. But the real selling point is the roof. Walk up a set of stairs, and you’ll find a big open-air patio with picnic tables.
In case the drip paint murals along the outside walls didn’t clue you in, Interboro isn’t really going for a beer bro vibe. This East Williamsburg spot is both a brewery and a distillery, and they have a cool white-brick taproom that features art from local artists. Come by for a beer or a cocktail when your favorite band is playing in the garage.
With its disco ball and hot pink neon sign behind the counter, LIC Beer Project feels sleeker than your usual taproom. It tends to be full of 30-somethings gathered together for trivia or live music, and there's a great collection of IPAs to carry everyone through the night. You can also come by during the day if you just want to sit at a picnic table and take it easy while you drink your farmhouse-style ale. Either way, be sure to hit the meat vending machine when your group gets a hankering for an entire roll of dry salami.
