Great South Bay (Guest Post - Camera Man)

In the back streets of North Bay Shore lies a hidden gem: Great South Bay Brewery. As a former resident of this neighborhood, let me just say, this is a surprise. The brewery is located in an area where the community has undergone constant change and been home to a number of different commercial industries. So how did the Curly Brewski team come across it? Earlier last summer we attended the release of their Field 5 IPA after seeing the news of it on Instagram. Since the discovery, it's been fun telling people about it and seeing their reaction: "A brewery? In this neighborhood?" Yes. Yes there is. 


The tasting room is a welcoming location with ample seating and standing space (big enough for private events), as well as some entertainment (live music, projected NFL games, cornhole and foosball). The brewing systems are visible and it's likely you'll see the brewmasters skating around. Thursdays provide an opportunity to enjoy a flight, learn the different beers and possibly develop a new appreciation. 


I'm a Marauder Bourbon Barrel Aged Scotch Ale fan. The aging process adds an interesting and flavorful complexity. I've also enjoyed the Basil in the Rye IPA which delivers intense notes of citrus and spices. The basil is definitely noticeable in both smell and taste. Their 4 year anniversary brought the release of a particulary special brew. Using the Dirty Deeds Russian Imperial Stout recipe and aging it for 8 months in Apple-Brandy barrels, a sipping beer was born. At 10% ABV you can enjoy a beer that could very well be confused for a carbonated fine brandy. I made sure to purchase 2 bombers/ 22 oz. bottles to enjoy at a later date. Cheers to many more years and great, innovative beers.


With signatures like Blood Orange Pale Ale, Massive IPA and Robert Moses Pale Ale, GSB has established a reputation of consistency and quality. With the cold weather here, I am looking forward to trying Sleigh Ryed Winter Ale and Snaggletooth Stout. Be sure to check them out on March 7th, 2015 for the Hog Cabin Beer, Bacon & Cornhole Extravaganza for bacon (!!!) and the release of their Hog Cabin Maple Bacon Porter. Craft beer and bacon? Yes, please!

Gun Hill Brewing - 6 Month Anniversary

As a [South] Bronx native, I'm both excited about and overly critical of anything that associates itself with the Bronx. As such I was naturally curious about Gun Hill Brewing and set on paying them a visit after I got a taste of their Void of Light Stout at the Bacon and Beer Classic. Void of Light, by the way, was voted Best Beer at the Bacon and Beer Classic and it's no surprise as to why.

The day I went to visit was their six month anniversary event. I was sold on the look and feel of the brewery immediately. Formerly a warehouse or garage, they perfected the industrial with the Yeah, I need to hang out here. With actual tables for seating when you first walk in, hanging out there is not hard to do. 

I'm not sure how large the crowd gets on a normal day, but they certainly had a full house for their anniversary. This was cause for concern. Aside from being a sucker for great ambience, I'm an even bigger sucker for good service and a lot of people often times equates to a long wait for beer -- no one likes that. The staff at the brewery handled the crowd like pros, however. We were greeted as soon as we walked up to the bar. I asked for a flight but they weren't serving flights that particular day due to the amount of people. No worries though -- they offered me the option of purchasing half pints instead so that I could taste more beers for the same price. Well done, friends. They didn't neglect to tell me about each beer as they served it either. Well done, again. 

As for the beer itself, there was a lot to try (they were serving some old favorites for the special occasion). This post would be way too long if I tried to describe everything. My experience with the Pomegranate Wheat sums it all up though. Now, rare is the day I ask for a fruity or sweet flavored beer. It's just not my thing. I prefer beer to taste like beer and not juice. I guess everyone else is doing it wrong because when I tried the Pomegranate Wheat I could (surprisingly) picture myself reaching for one at a BBQ or on any ol' hot day. I could definitely taste the pomegranate but it wasn't overpowering or unbearably sweet. It was refreshing and a great balance of fruit and wheat beer. I knew I'd like everything else if they mastered this one. And I did -- their IPA, Void of Light Stout (again), Schulyler's American Wheat, and the Kraftwerk Alt. 

Gun Hill Brewery knows how to make a good beer. It was evident not only by the Pomegranate convert they made out of me, but by the enthusiastic regulars present in the diverse crowd. We drank well, felt good, and appreciated the awesome service. I didn't get to take advantage of the taco trunk they had parked outside (man did that smell good!) but I follow them on social media and so I know I can always come back for that or any other awesome pairing of coolness they provide - beer school (starting September 9th), Yoga (11am on September 6th), and who knows what else?! 

The Bacon & Beer Classic - New York

Last week, at this time, I was recovering from the Bacon and Beer Classic at New York's Citi Field. As Charles Dickens would say - it was the best of times, it was the worst of times. 

The beer gods smiled upon me and granted me two free tickets to the evening session (check the first blog post). I got there a little after the 7pm start time. Since it was scheduled to last until 10pm, I wasn't really worried about the timing. I wasn't really worried about how many people would be there either. I thought,  It's a big stadium, there are a ton of vendors, there will be enough bacon and beer for everyone! 

Ok, so I probably should have worried a little bit more about the time and about the crowd this event would draw. There were so many people! Rightfully so, rightfully so. But the lines to get beer samples and bacon treats were definitely a bit overwhelming. After waiting longer than I wanted on a few lines, I decided it was better to go for the vendors with the shorter lines. 

Long lines aside, there really are a ton of restaurants/chefs and breweries there. If you don't mind waiting a bit and you're strategic, you can try bacon cooked in unusually cool ways and wash it down with beer you're probably not familiar with. It definitely introduced me to some breweries I'd like to visit over the next few months. Perhaps next year I'll try to get my hands on the VIP tickets. The VIP tickets get you in an hour earlier before the main crowd. My guess is that this allows you to try more food/beer with ease. And more is always better! At least when it comes to bacon and beer. 

How was your experience? Did you get to drink more beer than I did? If so, tell me your secret! 

Oyster Bay Brewing Co.

It was just another ordinary [summer] Friday. We weren't looking to review a brewery. We were, however, looking for some brews (aren't we always?). After a great flight at Oyster Bay Brewing Co., and a cool conversation with one of the owners, we knew writing up a lil' something was a must. 

Now, if your GPS is anything like ours, you may pass the brewery when you hear the trusty You have now arrived at your destination. Don't worry - it's there. You just have to turn into the block. 

I was pleasantly surprised by the welcoming and genuine atmosphere. You really feel like you're in a brewery when you're there - not just a bar that's making beers in some mysterious room you can't see. The guy I assumed was the bartender greeted us right away and asked which flight we'd like to try. We went with the 5 beer tasting - which I'd suggest to anyone who visits. It will give you a real feel for all they offer.

The flight goes in this order: Lawn Mower Ale, Honey Ale, Wheat, Amber, IPA. My favorite thing about this and this brewery? There is something here for everyone. Even that uncle who only drinks Bud Light will find a beer he can enjoy. In fact we had this exact conversation with the bartender who turned out to be one of the owners (how cool is that?). Ryan shared that this was actually the inspiration behind their Lawn Mower Ale. Not an IPA fan? Not sure what an IPA is? Is Bud Light all your taste buds can handle? Drink the Lawn Mower Ale and you'll be good to go. Rather, your uncle will be good to go while you indulge in something a little more intense.

By the time we got to the IPA, we learned that Oyster Bay Brewing Co. is a family run business, started by Long Island natives/friends, Ryan and Gabe. They, like many, found their passion for beer in college. A few homebrew kits later (plus some time spent at their cousin's brewery) and this awesome establishment was born. If you're lucky, you might even visit on a day when their wives are behind the bar. 

We left with a 32 oz. growler of their IPA (which tastes enjoyably bitter) and ate some oysters up the block. If that's not a great summer combo, I don't know what is. We won't be waiting until next summer to visit the area again though. Apparently there is some greatness called Oyster Fest taking place in the neighborhood in October. So, we'll be there. Eating oysters and visiting our friends at Oyster Bay Brewing Co. again.

Conclusion? Take a trip to Oyster Bay Brewing Co. They're family run, inviting, and you're sure to find something you'll enjoy - wherever on the spectrum of beer flavors you fall. If you're new to craft beer, even better. They're still small enough where you can ask a few questions and learn more about what kind of beer really suits you. They're not serving full pints just yet (it's coming any day now) but man do we look forward to when they do!

    

We won!

Though I never win anything, I decided to enter Yonkers Brewing Co.'s contest on Instagram for tickets to tomorrow's Bacon and Beer Classic at CitiField in New York. I was in the middle of a meeting (imagine a large boardroom, everyone on laptops, excel spreadsheets and caffeine galore) when I saw my phone flash with a message asking whether or not I still wanted the tickets. Endless craft brew and bacon creations? Hell to the yeah! Meeting adjourned!

The Bacon & Beer Classic has two sessions - one for brunch and one in the evening. We'll be hitting up the evening session from 7pm-10pm. Once we've eaten and drank all that we possibly can, we'll report back! Yonkers Brewing Co., thank you for these sweet tix! We'll see you tomorrow!