Since 1988, the Brooklyn Brewery has been a long-running favorite watering hole and microbrewery for those living in nearby Williamsburg rentals and global fans alike. Unlike many other craft breweries that often stick to their local region in terms of distribution, the Brooklyn Brewery found a formula for success that has resulted in their beer being available in 20 countries and 25 states!
Not bad for what was just a hobby for the founders. A brewery that has primarily grown through word of mouth as opposed to other marketing methods, Brooklyn Brewery is well worth a visit at their Williamsburg location where it all started.
The History of the Brooklyn Brewery
Co-founder Steve Hindy served five and a half years as a Middle East Correspondent with the Associated Press – during his time there he befriended numerous diplomats and others who lived in countries where alcohol was not readily available. They became experts at homebrewing, so they could continuing to indulge in their favorite beverage and passed along their secrets to Steve.
Hindy later became one of the biggest influences on the craft beer revolution that eventually resulted in thousands of regional microbreweries sprouting up all across the United States (today there are over 6,300). He later enlisted the help of his neighbor, banker Tom Potter and famed graphic designer Milton Glaser (creator of the I Love New York campaign).
So, what made the Brooklyn Brewery different? They commissioned brew master William M. Moeller who relied on the brewing logs of his grandfather in order to develop the recipe for their signature Brooklyn Lager. The recipe incorporated “dry-hopping” or a process of adding hops during the maturation process which resulted in a robust, tangy aroma.
Soon after the launch of their signature product, they were competing with the likes of Coors, Miller and Budweiser locally – an impressive feat for a small company that was competing with long-time domestic favorites.
Brooklyn Brewery Today
Brooklyn Brewery has a location in Williamsburg at 79 N. 11th St, moments from 402 Kent and Domino Park. and have been a key attraction in the local community since 1996, providing local pubs and bars with their popular craft beer selection.
Tours are available of the brewery almost every day of the week, with a reasonably priced tasting room where you can try pretty much any of their beers at just $6 for drafts and $11 for pours from special cellar bottles.
The menu includes the popular Brooklyn Lager, Black Chocolate Stout, Stonewall Inn IPA, Winter Lager, Pale Lager, R&D Kappa IPA, the Brooklyn Pilsner, and several other IPAs, Ales, Stouts, and Lagers. Small batch tours which are 45 minutes in length are also available Monday through Friday around 5 p.m. each evening.
Events at the brewery are frequent and include skee-ball tournaments, guided tastings, holiday events, trivia night, concerts, and a NYE event. The founders and employees have an authentic appreciation for the music and art-centric culture of Williamsburg and it’s clearly imbedded in just about everything going on at the Brooklyn Brewery.
Make one of the luxury Williamsburg waterfront rentals at 420 Kent your home and enjoy the immensely popular craft beer of the Brooklyn Brewery at their location nearby or at dozens of bars in the area.