37. Back in a New York Groove with NYC Beer Week
What to expect from NYC Beer Week and its Opening Bash; check out Hugging the Bar on The Fingers Podcast; tarot for a future glow-up, and more.
The New York City Beer Week Opening Bash is Back (and Yes, Better Than Ever!)
This week’s issue is going to be a little short and sweet and NYC-based. That’s not an apology because, you know, ain’t nothing wrong with that. Just a heads up.
Short and sweet because I just got back from Vegas and have had a day to catch up on Everything—I’ll be writing a bit about that trip next week. NYC-based because—drumroll, please—this weekend kicks off New York City Beer Week.
Gather round, all ye youths, and listen to your old craft beer hag recall a time before NYC Beer Week was NYC Beer Week—it was “NY Craft Beer Week,” this Complex article says, and that sounds right to me, as I remember the title being clunkier and using “craft.” NY Craft Beer Week, or whatever, and then NYC Beer Week, under the tutelage of the NYC Brewers Guild, was always instrumental in forming my connection with craft beer in this city. And I know I’m far from alone there. You know I love to wax poetic about craft beer’s earlier days in this city, and from the get, Beer Week was a motivation to travel to different hallowed beer bars every night of the week and discover new beers or celebrate favorites and have some chats with brewers and fellow beer lovers.
If you’re not in New York, I’m curious: How integral is your own city’s beer week to how you relate to local beer, if your city does indeed have one? I’m just realizing I’ve never set about planning a trip elsewhere timed for that location’s beer week, and that now seems necessary.
If you are in New York, the big question is, am I going to see you at any of this coming week’s events? Namely, the Opening Bash this Saturday the 26th?
The Opening Bash is the NYC Brewers Guild’s festival to kick things off. This always served as an exciting alarm clock, signaling the week’s start and bringing beer lovers together, all fired up for over seven coming days of beer geekery. It’s always been an important gathering, showcasing the best of New York City beer and why it’s great—plus it extends past NYC since every NYC brewery invites another brewery that could hail from the immediate suburbs, California, or anywhere in between.
This year, however, the Opening Bash feels more charged up than ever. In February of 2020, the OB is the last beer festival many of us in New York attended before the world ended, so to be able to return to this event in 2022 feels like some sort of victory. We’ve all been through hell, and it’s not even over, but ffs, how lucky are we that we get to come together again and celebrate our local beer scene?
What I really appreciate about the NYC Beer Week Opening Bash and the other Beer Week events is that there are no delusions of normalcy. It would feel so mad to dive head first into a week of festivities if they all ignored our current reality. But because said reality is addressed, it feels like we can in good conscience indulge in a little escapism and community.
Indeed, the Opening Bash is Covid-safe—you have to show proof of vaccination to attend or work the event, and mask protocols are in effect. (This also stands at any Beer Week event, since everything will be held at a brewery or bar where everyone also has to show vax proof and ID.) And, it is also dedicated to providing safety for attendees and vendors when it comes to discrimination and harassment. Versions of these measures were in effect before last year’s wake-up call, demonstrating that it’s been a priority of the NYC Brewers Guild. But personally, I really appreciate that with every event, the guild continues to think about how it can best and most effectively ensure safety and a welcoming atmosphere for all. This is not something we can take for granted. Look back at the newsletter’s series on festival safety with Women of the Bevolution founder Ash Eliot and you’ll see that’s it’s unfortunately not uncommon for festivals to only instill performative procedures or ignore the fact that any are needed all together. That willingness to tune out reality is shocking, potentially harmful to attendees and workers, and should serve as a signal for what events to avoid.
The NYC Opening Bash, rather, is a good example for other fests to follow. There’s a code of conduct on the event page. The guild has partnered with OutSmartNYC, and there will be trained safety advocates on site. These advocates can recognize potentially problematic situations and intervene, and can also be approached by anyone in need of assistance.
The Opening Bash is also happening in a unique location this year, a draw for even the most casual fan of New York City history. Breweries and food vendors will set up in the sprawling interior of building 269 in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, aka the Agger Fish Building. The ceilings are 50-60 feet high and you get, “Ooh, I bet stuff happened here” vibes just looking at photos. It’s been used for ship building, as well as (maybe?) barrel-aging for Brooklyn Brewery, media camp during a Bernie v. Hillary debate, and, uh, raves. Do not bring your rave energy to this casual, convivial, safety and moderation-promoting festival, friends. Time and place.
There will be music you can bop to, however: NYC beer celebrity, BierWax owner Chris Maestro will be DJing. Food vendors will include Empanada Papa, Stuf'd Truck, Miss Holly's Smokehouse, Secret Vegan Kitchen, Flatbush Oyster, and more.
The star of the show is obviously the beer. There will be over 70 breweries, of course creating an all-star lineup of fantastic NYC-brewed beer. Expect your favorites from Alewife to Wild East—I’m excited to try Back Home Beer, a newer operation with an important story and beers that already sound incredible. As far as breweries from outside of NYC, this will be my first time getting to try Denver’s Bierstadt Lagerhaus as well as upstate New York’s Fidens Brewing—you can also look forward to Prison City, Return Brewing, and The Seed.
Grab tickets here, and don’t forget to plan the rest of your NYC Beer Week. There are honestly too many musts to name, but standouts include a beer and food pairing at DaleView Biscuits & Beer, an evening celebrating women in beer with Brews with Broads’ Hannah Kiem at St. Gambrinus Brew Shoppe, and Metal Night at BierWax.
Listen to Dave Infante and Me Talk About Wild Drinking Games in History on The Fingers Podcast
I was honored and excited to join drinks writer and author of the Fingers newsletter Dave Infante on The Fingers Podcast, where we talked about drinking games and rituals throughout history. We came to some conclusions, like that people in certain eras seemed to confuse “fun” with things like “communal vomiting” and “stabbing your friends.” In other examples, though, it’s also pretty crazy to be reminded that people basically haven’t changed at all, ever.
You can find the podcast and an edited transcript here. These are previews unless you sign up for a paid subscription to Fingers. I think you should do this not only to hear this truly wild history, but also because at $8/month, a Fingers subscription is a steal for all the comprehensive drinks industry coverage, commentary that is both smart and full of lols, great interviews, and much more. And lucky you, because if you’re not already a subscriber of Fingers, Dave has generously extended a whole month-long free trial for Hugging the Bar readers. You have this week, aka the next six days, to sign up here.
Beer Tarot!
I pulled the Two of Wands.
The suit of Wands speaks to intuition, communication, and travel. This particular card speaks to planning, making decisions, and making progress. The Two of Wands represents a middle step. First, you decided on something you want to move toward. Next, you will take the first step on that path. But right now, this card signals you are or should be taking a moment to plan, to chart your course. You want a different career, or something different out of your current career? You want a different living situation? You want to be closer to your family—or heck, further away, maybe? Whatever it is, you’ve realized recently what’s important to you. And you know it’s going to take work to get to that rewarding destination. So now, you’re making the to-do lists and timelines for that work, whether that’s a literal or more mental, emotional endeavor.
When you do this, make sure to firmly keep in mind what’s going to best for you. What will truly help you get where you want to be, but also, what is realistic for you? Where is that happy medium between pushing yourself and not ripping away every trace of safety net and comfort? You want to make moves, but you also want to be kind to yourself, or else you may end up accidentally sabotaging your plans.
For this whole mood, bask in the warmth of what tomorrow may bring, and all of what excites you about your plans, with Future Glow. This is a session IPA from Burlington Beer Co., fruity, floral, and full-bodied yet easy-drinking. Sounds like a lot of good balance and different flavors to keep in mind when making your plans.
Ex-BEER-ience of the Week
I drank a lot of great beer in Vegas last week, which you’ll soon read about, but my favorite beer by far was the simple Stone IPA I drank while watching “RuPaul’s Drag Race Live” at the Flamingo. It’s my second time seeing the show and my second time crying at it. But I cry even when watching the TV series because drag is fucking incredible. I mostly have a cold dead little heart but watching very talented people just shatters me.
Trinity K. Bonet forever.
This Week’s Boozy Reading Rec
This week’s rec is actually one you read with your ears. Some of you may call that “listening,” idk. But Beth Demmon interviewed Brienne Allan for the Good Beer Hunting podcast, making it obviously the most important podcast to listen to all week. They spoke about the past almost-year since Brienne’s Instagram question sparked a revolution, from the effects in the beer industry to the impact on Brienne’s own life. They also speak about spots of hope, work that still needs to be done, and more, including a very exciting announcement from Brienne and her fiance and partner Michael Fava.
*PS: In light of the nightmarish inhumanity, discrimination, and denial of rights happening in Texas, please consider donating to the Transgender Education Network of Texas.*
Until next week, here is a picture of Darby—no beer, just naps, because I think she looks like a sweet baby angel here.
