Spread the Pils, Spread the Love
Two big June beer fests in NYC and a visit to a beloved Pils maker
It’s going to be a busy weekend if you’re into beer here in New York (if you’re not, I’m really not sure why you’d be reading this). First up, all weekend long, Finback Brewery is celebrating its Tenth Anniversary with three days of events across their three taprooms: a bottle share at their Long Island City location on Friday night, a festival at their Brooklyn location on Saturday afternoon, and a celebration of their local friends at their Glendale location on Sunday. Then out on Long Island on Saturday, there’s a lovely celebration of lagers from New York State at Plattsdeutche Park in Franklin Square called Das Bock! Back in the city, Torst is celebrating its 11th anniversary this weekend with an absolutely bonkers draft list, glassware giveaway, a lineup of cans from The Alchemist and bottle pours from 3 Fonteinen, and lots more on Sunday starting at noon.
That enough beer events for you? No? Don’t worry, we’re just getting started…
Pils & Love is coming to NYC for 2024
Pils & Love, the annual celebration of all things Pilsner spearheaded by Birrificio Italiano’s Agostino Arioli (of Tipopils fame), is coming to New York City on June 29th, hosted by Threes Brewing at their Gowanus taproom. The event will feature over 50 breweries all celebrating their love for Pilsners in a walkaround event held in two three-hour sessions, from noon to 3pm and from 4 to 7pm.
The stateside version of this event started in 2017, and has been held previously in Somers in Westchester County at DeCicco’s, Firestone Walker’s Venice Beach, California taproom and Oxbow Brewing’s Portland, Maine location. This will be its first time in New York City. The previous hosts will be in attendance, along with a bunch of other high-quality pilsner makers, like Bierstadt Lagerhaus, Dovetail, Fox Farm, Good Word, Halfway Crooks, Live Oak, North Park, pFriem, Schilling, Suarez Family, Von Trapp, Wayfinder, and many more.
The $70 tickets (plus taxes and fees) are on sale now, and include unlimited tastes and a commemorative glass, and a portion of the ticket sales will support The Bowery Mission.
Other Half’s Green City returns
And if that’s not enough June beer event news for you — hop heads, rejoice! Other Half’s Green City festival is back for 2024. The annual festival returns to the brewery’s Gowanus taproom and will feature over 40 breweries from across the country pouring their green goodness on a Saturday afternoon in June. While the festival was scaled back last year and remains smaller than it once was, the lineup of breweries still packs a punch, with heavy hitters like Bottle Logic, Cellarmaker, Drekker , Great Notion, Jackie O's, Ology, The Veil, and WeldWerks all making appearances at the event. The beer lineup will include some special collaborations and they’ll have cool merch, food, and other surprises lined up for the event.
Green City will take place from 11am-3pm on June 22th, with the first hour reserved for VIP ticketholders. VIP tickets have already sold out, but general admission tickets are still available for $65 plus taxes and fees.
Brewery Tracker
Total brewery count: 3,415
Total breweries visited in 2024: 131
Total breweries visited in the United Kingdom: 186
Brewery Visit of the Week
Brewery #1330, Lost and Grounded Brewers, Bristol, England (Visited 9-Nov-2018)
I’m heading back to Bristol, England next week for the third time, and there’s one beer in particular from the city that I always look forward to sipping: Lost and Grounded’s Keller Pils. It’s, in my opinion, the best-brewed lager I’ve had in England, and it’s been incredibly consistent over the years that I’ve been drinking it. I actually became familiar with their Keller Pils on a visit to Manchester a year earlier, and the beer was a motivating factor in visiting Bristol the first time. The taproom is more function than form, but you’re not here for the ambiance — you’re here for the incredible beers, starting with the lagers inspired by German tradition and ales inspired by Belgian tradition, then moving onto more new-world stuff like the Running with Sceptres India Pale Lager and the Wanna Go to the Sun Pale Ale.
It’s not just the beer that’s good here; it’s the people. I’ve run into co-founders Alex Troncosco and Annie Clements on countless occasions at both the taproom and beer events across England and they are truly kind souls. On my first visit, Alex saw me come in on CCTV, recognized me, and immediately came down to the taproom to greet me. I think I had met him twice at this point. It always feels nice when the people behind the beer are as good as the beer itself, and it’s part of the reason I keep coming back here on each visit to Bristol. And it’s why I’m excited to pay them a visit again next week.
The Doom and Gloom Tracker
At least 2 breweries I’ve visited closed or announced their closure this week:
Brewery #3136, Labyrinth Forge Brewing Company, Portland, Oregon (Visited 30-Jul-2023)
Brewery #3314, Temple Brewing Co., Brunswick East, Victoria, Australia (Visited 18-Jan-2024)
The Weekly Reader
Get to know fonio, a sustainable grain celebrated by Brooklyn Brewmaster Garrett Oliver [PIX 11]
What’s next for New Jersey’s brewers after taproom reform? [Brett Johnson, ROI]
Visualizing the states with the most breweries (New York is #2) [Olivia White, VinePair]
Is the NEIPA to blame for craft beer’s stagnancy? [Stephen Beaumont, Just Drinks]
One Last Thing
Just when I thought I was over beer festivals (especially considering I’m going to one every Saturday in June), there was news this week about the return of a beer fest that was popular in the late aughties and early teens that got me pretty pumped: Brewery Ommegang’s Belgium Comes to Cooperstown is returning this September. For many years, the trek up to Cooperstown to camp out for a weekend full of beer events was an annual tradition for both beer industry folks and beer drinkers around the region. In fact, it may be the only reason I still own a tent and sleeping bag, both of which have sat in my closet untouched since the last BCTC I attended back in 2016. Guess it’s time to dust them off again!
Cheers,
Chris
