For the third straight weekend I found myself walking across the Pulaski Bridge from Long Island City into Greenpoint and beyond.
And for the third straight weekend I was heading to something vaguely resembling an Oktoberfest.
What dragged me out into the grey and the damp (light showers they said!) was the promise of sampling a cask from Strong Rope at the annual NYC Blocktoberfest; I didn’t know what the cask was going to be until after I purchased (late again) my ticket, but I just knew that they would be bringing something along.
Alright, so it wasn’t just the allure of a potential cask sighting that summoned me over to Brooklyn Brewery in sunny (ha!) Williamsburg, it was the fact that the event was actually going to be held in Brooklyn Brewery, and I hadn’t been inside in over twenty years; yeah, I know, shame on me.
Back in the late ‘90s when it was the only game in town, other than the early brewpubs, I used to get the L-Train out to Bedford Avenue on a regular basis and walk the few blocks to 11th Street North, where I would find the street at Brewers Row closed off to traffic, so that folks could hang around outside drinking beer, chewing on ribs/sausages and engaging in all of the fun/strange things that Williamsburg had to offer, which was usually just some variant of people-watching.
Even then, the L-Train was crowded and not very reliable, so I would either have to walk home over the Williamsburg Bridge or get the equally unreliable (if not worse) but always empty and scary fascinating G-Train up to Court Square and civilization; I hear that the G has improved somewhat but the L not so much.
But this past Sunday, I did not have to worry about the L-Train at all (just as well), as I took my usual ferry ride into Long Island City and set off on foot.
Did I mention it was raining?
Well it was, although it was more of a scotch mist when I left Whispering Towers, so I thought I could get away with a lightweight jacket with one of those fold-up hoods that I could drag over my head if it looked like I was going to get my hair wet; I hate getting my hair wet.
And it was standing up to the light but persistent drizzle very well, until I got to the Pulaski Bridge and the heavens decided to empty a water-cooler over my head.
I still had over an hour before the pubs/breweries/blocktoberfests were going to open up, so all I could do was drudge power on and hope to find some shelter at the other end of the bridge; no such luck.
I was considering a diner or coffee shop on Manhattan Avenue in Greenpoint, as a place to drip-dry and grab a bite and a coffee, thinking that I would have the avenue all to myself due to the adverse conditions.
But no.
Those places that did not have lines of folks with umbrellas (urgh, instruments of the Devil) taking up valuable sidewalk space, had similar clumps of soggy humanity crammed inside, blocking and filling the entrances.
What is wrong with you people?
It is raining, you don’t have to be seen every Sunday morning, couldn’t you have just stayed home for once and boiled an egg?
So finally, I came to the corner of the park at Lorimer and Nassau/Bedford, only ten minutes from my destination, with thirty minutes to spare and found a sparsely occupied awning that I could stand under and drip for a while.
Which I did, wringing out my jacket sleeves and hem, until I was rewarded by a break in the weather (it went back to persistent drizzle) and a quickly-approaching opening time.
The VIP line at the brewery was short, only two other diehards had made the effort to open the place, proving once again that beer-drinking folks are much more sensible than brunching folks, and just like that, I was in.
Having gotten wet on the outside (outside) I was now ready to get wet on the inside (inside), although I was giving off drowned rat vibes and felt a little self-conscious that I was going to be leaving a dangerous slippery trail of water all over the venue.
Remarkably, that didn’t happen, or maybe folks were just too nice to mention it.
Once inside, I instinctively headed to the left towards the bar area and found Strong Rope immediately, and sure enough there was a pin of their Condzella wet hop APA parked on the table and calling out my name.
A brilliant beer, with the gentle earthy hoppiness typical of a wet hop brew and an unexpected and intense fruitiness, all balanced by Strong Rope’s signature malty base.
The Strong Rope crew were gracious enough to point out that their neighbors Grimm Artisanal had also turned up at the event with a cask, in this case their Festooning Oktoberfest/Marzen, a classic of its style and well-suited to cask dispense; I had tasted it on cask before somewhere in Manhattan and it was a little muddy (end of the cask), but here it was in perfect condition and tasting great, despite the plastic drinking vessel that we were all asked to consume it from.
But before I got to that, I wandered off to the other end of the brewing complex to scope out all of the other offerings, having made the decision early on that I wasn’t going to spend much time standing in place, to avoid any large puddles that may have formed around my feet.
And that was how I spent the three plus hours that I was on site, pacing back and forth like a caged tiger soggy moggy, willing my clothes to get dry and my wrinkled fingerprints to return to normal, so that I could log into my phone again, without having to remember the passcode or pattern.
I sampled fine offerings from Fifth Hammer, Endless Life, Back Home, Finback, Bridge & Tunnel, KCBC, Kato Sake Works, Gun Hill Publick House, Transmitter, and new kids on the block Spicy Moon.
I took countless notes, mental notes due to my swollen furry fingers:
- Fifth Hammer Short & Stout, an intensely flavored un-imperial stout at just 3.2%, roasty but not bitter, with notes of chocolate, coffee and licorice. My favorite non-cask offering. Hoping to see/taste this on cask, somewhere sometime soon.
- Endless Life Ryeply All, Fresh Hop Rye Saison, as delicious as it sounds and #2 for me for the non-casks.
- Finback Fields of Tall Grass, double hazy IPA, I was getting high on the fumes alone, before it even touched my lips.
- Back Home Beer Sumac Gose, always a go-to whenever I come across it.
- I can’t remember what I had from Bridge & Tunnel, must have been at the end of the session.
- KCBC, I went for two there, Zoktoberfest and Strictly Chronic Fresh Hop 2024; both excellent.
- Transmitter, two again, L4 Marzen and BNY6 Summer Ale; again, both excellent.
- Gun Hill Heart of Tartness, sour dark mild, intriguing description and taste.
- Spicy Moon Golden Dragon Japanese rice lager; spoke to the reps and not only are they finally brewing on their beautiful kit, but apparently the bar area itself is now open for us leaners.
- Two, or was it three sakes from Kato Sake Works, getting a little hazy here, but I remember Nigori and Doburoku; I love the milky goodness of the Doburoku.
- How the hell did I miss Wild East and Threes? Sorry folks.
I also gathered information on upcoming brewery moves and events:
- Speaking to Peter of Gun Hill, I got the latest on their move downstairs in Industry City, taking over the Big Alice Barrel Room space; happening right now.
- I was concerned when I found out that Endless Life were vacating their Crown Heights taproom, but happy to speak to Jeff and find out that Gun Hill has carved out space for him in their new larger home; two good reasons for a return trip to Industry City.
- I didn’t have the heart to approach the Torch & Crown folks, they were looking so isolated in the far corner of the warehouse.
- Fifth Hammer have a so far unannounced cask event coming up at the end of the month.
And that was it, I grabbed some empanadas as a late breakfast, tossed my plastic cup and did a quick final walk around to wave goodbye to folks, before heading out once more into the damp.
No need to walk over the Williamsburg Bridge this time, just a short stroll to the North Williamsburg ferry stop and a change at 34th Street.
I think it is safe to say that I am now Oktoberfested out …
… bring on the pumpkins!
Scorecard w/e 10/01/24
In the past week, The Cask Whisperer was dog-bound and did not manage to get to JWF at all, but did finally manage to escape and enjoy the following casks:
- Strong Rope Condzella Wet Hop Pale Ale @ Brooklyn Brewery
- Grimm Festooning Marzen @ Brooklyn Brewery
Upcoming Cask Events (Festivals and Otherwise)
10/5/24: Cask Day at Odd Bird Brewing in Stockton NJ
It looks like they are planning on having a handful of casks to sit alongside their handpump on the bar; a road trip is in the works.
10/11/24-10/13/24: 18th Annual Cask Days at Bar Volo, Toronto ON
Yep, I know it is a long way away, but it can be reached by public transportation (well, Amtrak). I was just about to put it into my calendar but a whole bunch of conflicting events came up, so for me, next year.
10/26/24: 9th Annual NYS Cask Fest at Woodland Farm Brewery, Utica NY
Dang, it looks like I am going to miss it this year, I will be down in Virginia for a family event the night before, and it will be a long haul and big ask to go back to NYC via Utica!
They just announced that they will have a cask of Grimm Double Negative.
10/31/24 – 11/2/24: As yet unnamed cask event at Fifth Hammer.
11/2/24: 20th Annual Blue Point Cask Ale Festival, Patchogue NY
11/8/24: Two Roads Cask Fest at Area 2, Stratford CT
4/2/25 – 4/5/25: 26th Annual NERAX will be held in Boston MA. Save the dates!
Upcoming Random NYC Casks
- None spotted so far, but still keeping an eye out for KCBC again; their Shadow Crypt Festbier is rumored to be coming out on cask, possibly this weekend.
NYC Cask Venues
Known Operational/Active Beer Engines
- Jones Wood Foundry (x2)
- Fifth Hammer
- Wild East
- The Shakespeare (x3)
- Cask Bar & Kitchen
- Drop-off Service
Occasional Pins (worth a follow on Instagram)
- Strong Rope
- KCBC
- Tørst
- Blind Tiger Ale House
- Threes Brewing
- Brouwerij Lane (They will be starting up their First Friday Firkins again in October)
