Good News for People Who Love Bad News

Four more beer events before September ends and a taste of a Bitter Buffalo

It all started with a text in a group chat with my buddies from college:

Out of curiosity, I did some digging and found there are seven breweries in Lubbock, Texas. And then after checking airfares, I found a reasonably-priced weekend trip could get me there when Texas Tech’s football team would be playing at home — just two blocks from my hotel.

So yeah, I went to Lubbock, Texas last weekend. And probably most noteworthy about the trip was that there was not only beer offered at the Texas Tech football game, but even local beer. That beer would not have been possible just three years ago. Two Doc’s Brewing Company’s Raiderland Red is labeled as “the official NIL Craft Beer of Texas Tech Athletics.” The deal was announced over the summer, and a percentage of the sale of the beer will go toward a NIL (name, image, and likeness) collective like those that many universities have set up to compensate student athletes. It’s kind of murky waters to associate a beer brand with a university, but this setup is strangely allowed. And not surprisingly, given the spirit for the Texas Tech Red Raiders at their home stadium, I saw a lot of people drinking the beer at the game.

There was another highlight from that trip to Lubbock, and you’ll see it later on in the newsletter.

September’s Not Over: Four More Beer Events This Month

There are two weekends left in September and they’re chock full of beer events in New York City. I’ve mentioned some of these in past newsletters, but here’s a rundown of what’s coming up in the next ten days.

Let’s start in Queens, where Beer Town in Ozone Park is hosting their second annual Beer Towne Block Party this Saturday from noon-5pm. The event, thrown by one of the borough’s best beer shops, will feature beers from a host of different breweries, including locals like Kills Boro, Finback, Other Half, Transmitter, and KCBC, and visits from Lawson’s Finest Liquids, Narragansett, and more. They’ll also have games, food, raffles, and more. Tickets start at $50 and are still available.

This Sunday from 2-7pm is the Hop Growers of New York’s Wet Hop Festival at Torch & Crown Union Square. You can spend the afternoon enjoying beers using the freshest of fresh hops grown right here in New York State at this first-of-its-kind event in the city. A $20 ticket gets you a stainless steel tasting cup, 3 tasting pours, and a ballot to vote in People's Choice Competition for the best Wet Hop beer. You can use the code BIG25NYC for 25% off tickets to the event.

Next Saturday, Brooklyn-based homebrew club Brewminaries will hold the World’s Brewfair, a walkaround tasting featuring homebrews inspired by ingredients from across the globe. The event, which will run from noon to 4pm at Farm to People in Bushwick, will feature raffles, collectable merch, amusements, and of course, plenty of beer. 10% of the event’s proceeds will benefit The Lovibond Project, an organization that promotes inclusivity and diversity in the beer industry. Tickets are $45 and available to purchase now.

Finally, cap off the month with an annual tradition: the New York City Brewers Guild’s annual fall fundraiser: Blocktoberfest. On Sunday, September 29th from 1-5:30pm, join a celebration of New York City beers, held this year for the first time at Brooklyn Brewery in Williamsburg. As always, the party will feature a long lineup of locally-brewed beers, food pop-ups, and tunes spun by DJ Minister Maestro. And yes, don’t worry, they’ll have football on in the taproom. It’s a different indoor setting this time around, and that includes a behind-the-scenes peek into Brooklyn Brewery’s production space. Tickets start at $40 and are available now.

Brewery Tracker

Total brewery count: 3,538
Total breweries visited in 2024: 254
Total breweries visited in Texas: 81

Brewery Visit of the Week

Brewery #3532, Good Line Beer Company, Lubbock, Texas (Visited 13-Sep-2024)

When I was researching breweries in Lubbock before my trip, I did a double-take when I learned one of the breweries was on Hop Culture’s Best New Breweries of 2022 list. I remember reading that list (which inspired a lot of brewery visits — I’ve been to all but three breweries on the list since it came out), but I guess Good Line slipped my mind — probably because I thought I’d never find myself in Lubbock, Texas.

Good Line quickly became one of my favorite new breweries on my personal list for this year. The taproom was really welcoming, full of regulars and families and even staff who love the place so much they drink there when they’re not working. The beer names were clever, relying mostly on song names and song lyrics (there were two Modest Mouse references on the menu, and several of their lager names pull from lyrics in “Loser” by Beck — a truly wonderful repository of weird word combinations like Beefcake Pantyhose). There’s also really neat artwork for each of their beers that they hang on the wall next to the beer menu.

But what stood out most was the beer itself. Nothing was particularly over the top or gimmicky, and everything was delicious. I particularly enjoyed the Dry The Rain Wet Hop Pale Ale (with wet hops from Billy Goat Hop Farm in Montrose, Colorado), the easy-drinking American Football (a pre-prohibition lager with locally-made corn tortillas), and the Part-Time Model (a hazy IPA hopped with New Zealand hops). I also liked how they coined the term “Dust Coast IPA” for their Bitter Buffalo, a straightforward, clean-drinking, bitter IPA.

I really don’t know if I’ll ever find myself back in Lubbock, but if I do, I’m definitely stopping at Good Line again. And it’ll be my third visit — I went back for another round on the second day of my trip.

The Doom and Gloom Tracker

At least 3 breweries I’ve visited closed or announced their closure this week:

• Brewery #2163, Weathered Souls Brewing, San Antonio, Texas (Visited 29-Apr-2021)

• Brewery #2593, Elsewhere Brewing, Atlanta, Georgia (Visited 5-Mar-2022)

• Brewery #3094, Vinyl Brewing, Hammonton, New Jersey (Visited 27-May-2023)

The Weekly Reader

• Press for Bridge & Tunnel’s struggles in Queens [Anthony Medina, QNS.com]

• Small Things in Big Countries captures more attention [Ruvani de Silva, Porch Drinking]

• When it comes to fresh hops: hot side or cold side? [Jeff Alworth, Beervana]

• The craft beer shakeout, from a Massachusetts perspective [Jon Chesto, Boston Globe]

One Last Thing

It’s been a rough week for the beer industry in New York City. Word hit late last week from former staffers that Torch & Crown had laid off its production staff at its brewery in the Bronx and will shift to contract brewing. Then news hit the trades on Tuesday that Bronx Brewery would merge with Captain Lawrence and move its production to Westchester County. And Greenpoint Beer & Ale Company’s building has been sold to new owners who have applied for a liquor license to turn it into a bar, meaning they will wind down production as well.

This city is definitely not immune to the challenges that the beer industry is facing in general. And in a contracting industry, that means some very talented brewers will be looking for work in a field where there’s increasingly less work available. My heart goes out to everyone impacted by these tough decisions, and I’ll delve deeper into the implications in next week’s newsletter.

Cheers,
Chris