Events

Events •

Brooklyn Homebrew Tour: Fort Greene and Clinton Hill Edition
May
4

Brooklyn Homebrew Tour: Fort Greene and Clinton Hill Edition

New York City homebrewers refuse to let space limitations detract them from their mission: crafting some of the city's best beer. On this tour, you'll venture inside the homes of three of the city's best up-and-coming amateur brewers. They'll display their setups, discuss their craft, and open up their stash of excellent beer.

Today's walking tour will take you around Brooklyn's Fort Greene and Clinton Hill neighborhoods. We'll first meet Kari Vaughn, who grew up in North Carolina, lived in Chicago after college, and moved to New York during the pandemic — all incredible places for beer. Her love of cooking, desire to know how things work, and stubborn proclivity to make things herself contributed to her homebrewing in 2019. The president of the Brewminaries, NYC's largest homebrew club, loves porters and witbiers, which she'll be serving today.

Next, we'll head to the apartment of native New Yorker Alex Kalaf, who began his journey down the beer rabbit hole at Peculier Pub, where he had his first encounter with craft beer. Alex started homebrewing in December of 2011 and loves to drink and brew clean, crisp lagers as well as mixed-fermentation sour ales. He'll be serving a märzen, rice lager, and assorted bottled sour ales.

Lastly, we'll meet veteran brewer Ben Kainz. The film producer started homebrewing after receiving a Brooklyn Brew Shop starter kit eight years ago, beginning a fun hobby bordering on obsession. Ben loves to brew everything—except the same beer twice—and today he'll serve the Crowd Pleasuer double IPA, Mosaic Star mead (featuring star thistle honey), and Wort-Share Lite, an American light lager.

Eat a big lunch. Your guide for this tour is the always excellent Brett Vanderbrook, a veteran Brooklyn homebrewer.

NOTE: Only 30 tickets are available.

P.S. You can sign up for my mailing list too. The link is right here. No spam ever!

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A Little Book Signing
Nov
11

A Little Book Signing

A flyer for Josh Bernstein's book event at Little Fish Dayton Station

Renowned beer journalist and author (and our personal friend) Joshua M. Bernstein is returning to his hometown of Dayton, Ohio, to promote the tenth-anniversary edition of his bestselling book, The Complete Beer Course. Come meet Josh and maybe pick up a book or three, and he will happily personalize them for ya. After all, the holidays are right around the corner!

Little Fish also designed a little “book, food, and beer pairing” for the event. Since the first edition of the book came out in 2013, so much has changed over the last decade of American craft beer, including a rise in American spontaneous sour beer brewing. (You can read all about it in the book!). For $20, get a pour of our Appalachian Spontaneous Ale, Batch 1 and an individual charcuterie plate to pair perfectly with this book’s pages.

Don’t miss this chance to meet Josh. He’s a wealth of craft brewing industry knowledge and a ton of fun to kick it with!

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A Lager-Filled Boston Evening at Trinktisch
Oct
11

A Lager-Filled Boston Evening at Trinktisch

A flyer for an event with Josh Bernstein in Boston

Longtime friend and beer author Joshua M. Bernstein has released the second edition of his The Complete Beer Course. Books will be available for sale the night of the event or you can snag one early, here. There's no doubt Josh has been educating and entertaining beer lovers for many years with his whimsical writing style. We can't wait to welcome him to Trinktisch on Wednesday, October 11.

Alongside the smell of new books, we've put together a panel of some nerdy people that are sure to get you ready for the read. Josh will be moderating the discussion on beer-style evolution and brewing innovation, with some reference to lagers, perhaps?! Joining him on the are a few other down right beer geeks: Notch's Chris Lohring, Sacred Profane's Brienne Allan, and our very own Suzanne Schalow!

Tickets are just $20. You can grab them here.

P.S. I’ll also have books for sale at the event. The price will be nice!

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Auria's Malaysian Kitchen 10th-Anniversary Backyard Bash
Sep
30

Auria's Malaysian Kitchen 10th-Anniversary Backyard Bash

  • Address in Flatbush, Brooklyn, to be disclosed upon ticket purchase 11210 USA (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

You too could be eating all this food!

Tickets: $75. Here’s the link.
Note on tickets: There will be two seatings at 4pm and 7pm. If you've got young kids, hired a babysitter, or just like an early bird dinner, 4pm is for you! If you want to stay up later, the 7pm seating is ideal. Please select your preferred seating when you grab your tickets. There are 40 tickets per seating.

Time sure flies when you're making sambal! On August 1, 2013, Auria Abraham stepped foot into a commercial kitchen with two friends and 120 pounds of red Fresno peppers that became 40 cases of sambal, the complex and fiery Malaysian condiment. Auria's Malaysian Kitchen was born.

"We had no idea what we were doing," Auria says "We did not wear gloves and didn't think anything of the heat of the peppers. Our hands burned for days after!"

Call it culinary baptism by fire. That early misstep was actually the first step to starting a successful business. Ten years later, Auria's Malaysian Kitchen encompasses a growing collection of condiments and spice mixes. And that's a pretty good reason to party.

This afternoon and evening, we're returning to Auria's private backyard for a celebration of beer and Malaysian food that's 10 years in the making. We're going to eat spinach and chickpea fritters with mango sambal, beef rendang with butterfly pea coconut rice, and pandan coconut candy for dessert. (There will be a vegetarian option as well. Please let us know after purchasing a ticket.)

Drinks-wise, we'll have a broad selection of summer-friendly beers from Brooklyn's Interboro Spirits & Ales. Your host will be beer journalist and author Joshua M. Bernstein, who will be reaching deep into his beer cellar to serve some delicious deep cuts. (We'll also have cider and cocktails on hand too.)

Auria's husband, DJ Mush1—a trumpeter, reggae producer, and member of Top Shotta Band—will keep the good times going with a garage sound system pumping out the best ska and reggae this side of Kingston.

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Beers & Books: A Very Philadelphia Evening With Josh Bernstein at Love City Brewing
Sep
23

Beers & Books: A Very Philadelphia Evening With Josh Bernstein at Love City Brewing

A flyer for an event featuring Josh Bernstein at Love City Brewing

Do you remember a world without hazy IPAs and pastry stouts? Back in 2013, Brooklyn-based author Joshua M. Bernstein wrote The Complete Beer Course. It became a best-selling success, surprising his parents. But 10 years later, the world of craft brewing has completely changed. To chronicle the shifts and create a compass for the next decade, Bernstein totally revised and overhauled the book, which was just released this summer. And that deserves a beer. Or maybe three?

Tonight, join Josh in Philadelphia at Love City Brewing’s leafy refuge, Love City Gardens, for a meet-and-greet book signing filled with endless rounds of lagers and casual conversations around the state of craft beer. Wish brewers made more West Coast IPAs? Wondering why a festbier isn't amber? Come curious and thirsty.

Josh will have books on hand for purchase. It’s never too early to grab a signed book for the holidays!

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Brooklyn Homebrew Tour: Greenpoint and Williamsburg Edition
Sep
9

Brooklyn Homebrew Tour: Greenpoint and Williamsburg Edition

WHAT: Brooklyn Homebrew Tour: Greenpoint and Williamsburg Edition
WHEN: Saturday, September 9, 1 p.m.
TICKETS: $40. They go on sale Tuesday, August 8, at 12 p.m. Here is the link.

New York City homebrewers refuse to let space limitations detract them from their mission: crafting some of the city's best beer. On this tour, you'll venture inside the homes of three of the city's best up-and-coming amateur brewers. They'll display their setups, discuss their craft, and open up their stash of excellent beer.

Today's walking tour will take you around Greenpoint and Williamsburg, Brooklyn. We'll first meet Darren Price, who has homebrewed since 2020 because it gives him an outlet to be creative and experimental. At his stop, we'll be trying three beers that are the same, except for the most important ingredient: the yeast. You'll be able to compare a crisp American wheat beer, a fruity German hefeweizen, and a peppery Belgian witbier.

We'll next visit Galen Stops, who grew up in London with the traditional European view on American beer: that it's watery swill. Upon arriving in the U.S. in 2013, he discovered the growing craft beer scene and decided to begin homebrew. He enjoys conceiving flavor combinations and then works backward to create beer recipes. Today he'll have a fragrant Belgian witbier and a bourbon vanilla porter.

Lastly we'll meet Vinnie Laraway, who started homebrewing in early 2021 when his parents gifted him a one-gallon starter kit for Christmas. The hobby became an obsession, and Vinnie has since upgraded to a five-gallon system and has brewed more than 40 batches of beer. You'll enjoy four beers, including a British brown ale, Oktoberfest-friendly mräzen lager, and two different New England IPAs dry-hopped with distinct tropical and citrusy varieties.

Eat a big lunch and dress for the weather. Your guide for this tour is the always excellent Brett Vanderbrook, a veteran Brooklyn homebrewer.

NOTE: Only 30 tickets are available.

P.S. You can sign up for Bernstein's mailing list too. The link is right here. No spam ever!

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The Complete Beer Course Conversation at Oyster Bay Brewing
Jun
12

The Complete Beer Course Conversation at Oyster Bay Brewing

Join us for an evening at Oyster Bay Brewing Co. with food and travel journalist Joshua M. Bernstein as he talks about the history of the beer industry and how it's changed (especially in the last few years since the pandemic), and of course, his book, The Complete Beer Course: From Novice to Expert in Twelve Tasting Classes.

Bernstein will be joined by a panel of pros. from Oyster Bay Brewing Co. to talk about their roles in the brewery and what goes into making some of Long Island's favorite brews.

Tickets: The link is right here!

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The Complete Beer Course Boston Launch Party
Jun
7

The Complete Beer Course Boston Launch Party

The revised edition of The Complete Beer Course

The night will offer the chance to learn more about how the beer industry has changed since the 2013 bestseller was published from a variety of perspectives including the book's author Joshua M. Bernstein. We’ll have books for sale.

  • 6 to 6:30 Mingling with beer industry professionals

  • 6:30 to 7:15 Panel discussion moderated by Rob Day, Vice President of Marketing, Jack's Abby; featuring Joshua M. Bernstein, Journalist & Author; Jack Hendler, Co-Owner & Chief Production Officer, Jack's Abby; and Jeff Johnson, National Accounts Director, Jack's Abby

  • 7:15 to 8 First tastes of Jack's Abby's weekly release of Beer Hall Exclusives and mingling with beer industry professionals

Tickets: Free. Reserve them here.

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Beer (Book) Bash: The Release Party for the Complete Beer Course
May
18

Beer (Book) Bash: The Release Party for the Complete Beer Course

Flyer for the Complete Beer Course launch party

Do you remember a world without hazy IPAs and pastry stouts? Back in 2013, Joshua M. Bernstein wrote a little book called The Complete Beer Course. It became a best-selling success, surprising his parents. But 10 years later, the world of craft brewing has completely changed. To chronicle the shifts and create a compass for the next decade, Bernstein totally revised and overhauled the book. And that deserves a beer. Or maybe three?

Tonight we're taking over the production space at Kings County Brewers Collective in Bushwick, Brooklyn, and partying amid the towering fermentation tanks. There are two ticket levels:

1) The Book Package ($45): Attendees will receive an autographed copy of the Complete Beer Course (a $35 value), plus two pints, a special-edition can of beer, and a custom-designed sticker pack.

2) The I-Don't-Need-Two-Books Drinks Package ($20): Coming with your partner and don't need two books? All good. We'll have a very limited number of drinks tickets. Attendees will receive two pints, a special-edition can of beer, and a custom-designed sticker pack.

We'll have a pilsner, IPA, and fruited sour ale on tap for the event. We will also pop special bottles in back because, well, rare beer is better with friends. KCBC will also have its full bar open for additional pours, and we'll have special deals for additional beers. Hungry? Kings Kolache will be on hand with its savory and filling Texas-style kolaches.

Tonight's party is 10 years in the making. Grab some tickets and book it in the calendar now.

Grab tickets here. P.S. Find out about the event through my website? Huzzah! Use the code BEERANDBOOKS to save $5 off the book package.

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Homebrew Tour: Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, Edition
May
13

Homebrew Tour: Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, Edition

WHAT: Homebrew Tour: Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, Edition
WHEN: Saturday, May 13, 1 p.m.–5 p.m.
WHERE: Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn
TICKETS: $40. Includes unlimited beers. Tickets go on sale Tuesday, April 4, at 12 p.m. Buy them here! UPDATE: Unfortunately, we’re sold out. We still have tickets for my book party on May 18.
NOTE: Only 30 tickets are available. This will be our last homebrew tour before taking a break for summer.

New York City homebrewers refuse to let space limitations detract them from their mission: crafting some of the city's tastiest beer. On this tour, you'll venture inside the homes of three of the city's best up-and-coming amateur brewers. They'll display their setups, discuss their craft and, most importantly, open up their stash of excellent beer.

Today's walking tour will take you around Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn. We'll first meet veteran brewer Nick Meyer. He started homebrewing around 20 years ago in San Francisco before moving to NYC. The professional chef has a dedicated brewing space outfitted with handcrafted equipment, and he'll be serving a Vermont-style pale ale with tropical, grapefruit-y Riwaka hops plus a New World pilsner featuring Australian and New Zealand hops. "Lately my brewing has been focused on unlocking techniques to make great lagers," Meyer says.

We'll next meet John Scott, who tends to brew German styles and IPAs. "That's just what I've done for this tour— from my 70-square-foot balcony brewery," he says. You'll sample his traditional strong Maibock lager to celebrate spring season as well as West Coast–inspired IPA loaded with Centennial, Amarillo, and Simcoe hops.

Lastly, we'll venture over to hang with Rob Jenkins. "I fell in love with brewing eight years ago after receiving a Brooklyn Brew Shop kit as a present," says Jenkins, who enjoys brewing all varieties of IPAs, Belgian-style ales, and crispy lagers. For the event, he'll serve a saison, British-inspired best bitter, and a fruity pale ale.

Eat a big lunch. Your guide for this tour is the always excellent Brett Vanderbrook, a veteran Brooklyn homebrewer.

P.S. You can sign up for Bernstein’s mailing list too. The link is right here. No spam ever! 

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Park Slope Homebrew Tour
Feb
11

Park Slope Homebrew Tour

WHAT: Park Slope Homebrew Tour
WHEN: Saturday, February 11, 1 p.m.–5 p.m.
WHERE: Park Slope, Brooklyn
TICKETS: $40. Includes unlimited beers. Tickets go on sale Wednesday, January 4, at 12 p.m. Buy them here!

Today's tour will take you to meet three homebrewers around Park Slope, Brooklyn. We'll meet veteran brewer Matt Fricovsky and sample his schwarzbier and dark saison, plus small servings of his sour and mixed-fermentation ales.

We'll also mosey over to meet Colleen Davy, who has been brewing for almost 15 years. "My boyfriend at the time got me two gifts for my birthday: a one-gallon Mr. Beer homebrewing kit and my cat, Thor," says Davy, who plans to make an American wheat and New England IPA. "The boyfriend is long gone, and so is the Mr. Beer kit, but my love of brewing and Thor live on."

Rounding out the tour is Laney Vela. She started brewing in 2017 after finishing grad school and finding herself with "too much time on my hands," Vela says. "I tend to brew ales and wheat beers with crazy adjuncts like fruit and waffle cones. I’m always trying new things, and don’t often brew the same beer twice." Vela brewed an orange cranberry witbier, and is looking to use kveik yeast to create a pseudo-lager.

Eat a big lunch. Your guide for this tour is Brett Vanderbrook, a veteran Brooklyn homebrewer. Tour founder Joshua M. Bernstein will likely pop by to share a beer too.

P.S. You can sign up for my mailing list too. The link is right here. No spam ever! 

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Let's Chaat Dog
Nov
5

Let's Chaat Dog

WHAT: Let's Chaat Dog: An afternoon mash-up of Endless Life beer and hot dogs piled high with American-Desi street snacks.
WHEN: Saturday, November 5, 12 p.m.–3 p.m.
WHERE: Endless Life (585 Franklin Avenue, Crown Heights, Brooklyn)
TICKETS: $30. The inclusive price includes food, two beers, custom hot sauces and surprises! NOTE: Only 50 tickets are available.
TICKET LINK: Tickets go on sale Friday, October 14, at 12 p.m.

Hot dogs are a plump canvas for your wildest condiment desires. Perhaps you like ketchup and onions, or maybe it's mustard and plenty of sauerkraut. Today, we're taking toppings on a trip to South Asia with Chaat Dog, Pervaiz Shallwani's inaugural food popup.

This afternoon, the journalist and chef will be taking over Endless Life Brewing to create a trio of hot dogs piled high with chaat, a savory street snack that's sour, bright and spicy all at once. The hot dogs will be finished with aloo chaat (potato, onion, garlic, green chutney, tamarind, plum chutney, and more), as well as riffs including roasted corn and poblano peppers and raw apples.

"They are hearty toppings that cut nicely through the fat of the hot dog, complemented by a ghee-toasted bun," says Shallwani.

You'll get to try the trio of hot dogs, plus a special sampling of Anarchy in a Jar's custom hot sauces that will bring the heat. To cut it, Jeff Lyons of Endless Life will be creating a custom beer designed to complement the chaat-topped hot dogs, as well as a nonalcoholic seltzer flavored with cardamom and citrus.

Each ticket will include two beers, as well as endless seltzer. Additional beers will be available for purchase for the discounted price of $5. (We'll have a gin-and-seltzer cocktail if you don't want beer.)

Note: Since this is a daytime event, kids are free to attend. We'll have à la carte hot dogs for purchase. Additionally, extra Chaat Dogs and bottles of Anarchy in a Jar hot sauce will be available for purchase.

Second note: With advance notice, we'll be able to accommodate vegetarians. Hot dog party for all!

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The Schooner the Better: Schooner Apollonia Sail Freight Panel
Oct
21

The Schooner the Better: Schooner Apollonia Sail Freight Panel

Learn about sail freight, local grains, and a life on the Hudson River! The night features a panel starring friends of The Apollonia Schooner, which

Moderated by Joshua M. Bernstein (that’s me!) and featuring: Evan Koepnick, head brewer at Five Boroughs Brewing Co.; Matt Curtin, master brewer and co-owner of Sing Sing Kill Brewery; and Jason Sahler, the founder of Strong Rope Brewery.

Live music from The Barge Rat Band (6pm–7:15pm) followed by Brooklyn's own DJ Walt Wiz to roll into the night (7:15pm–10:15pm).

Tickets are just $15. Here’s the link!

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Laksapalooza: Reggae Beats, Malaysian Noodle Soup & KCBC Beer in a Brooklyn Backyard
Oct
1

Laksapalooza: Reggae Beats, Malaysian Noodle Soup & KCBC Beer in a Brooklyn Backyard

WHAT: Laksapalooza: Reggae Beats, Malaysian Noodle Soup & KCBC Beer in a Brooklyn Backyard
WHEN: Saturday, October 1, 6 p.m.–9 p.m.
WHERE: Flatbush, Brooklyn
TICKETS: $75. The inclusive price includes dinner, dessert, unlimited drinks, and boozy surprises. NOTE: Only 40 tickets are available.
TICKET LINK: Tickets go on sale Thursday, September 1, at 12 p.m.

Deep in Brooklyn's Flatbush neighborhood, Auria Abraham cooks some of the most complex Malaysian food in New York City. Her company, Auria's Malaysian Kitchen, specializes in spicy sambal and other Malaysian condiments and spice mixes.

Tonight, we're returning to Auria's backyard for our annual celebration of beer and Malaysian food. We're going to eat sweet 'n spicy ikan bilis (a beer snack of tiny fish, peanuts and shallots) and massive bowls of laksa (rice noodles in a mild coconut curry broth) customizable with chicken curry, fish tofu, fish balls, tofu puffs and yardlong beans. On the side: plenty of fiery chili sambal. For dessert, we're going to have sago pudding with gula melaka (palm sugar) and coconut milk.

Drinks-wise, we're going to have a broad selection of beers from Kings County Brewers Collective, including pilsners, peanut butter-packed stouts, hazy IPAs, fruited sours and more. Your host will be beer journalist and author Joshua M. Bernstein, who will be reaching deep into his beer cellar to serve some delicious deep cuts. (We'll also have cider and wine on hand too.)

Oh, and Auria's husband, DJ Mush1—a trumpeter, reggae producer, member of Top Shotta Band—will be keeping the good times going with a garage sound system pumping out the best ska and reggae this side of Kingston.

The tunes will be choice. The food will be nice. The drinks: unlimited. Surprises: many!

We're keeping the crowd small, capped at 40 guests, to ensure everyone has space to spread out and feel comfortable.

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Malt House Dinner
Sep
24

Malt House Dinner

Join Adventure Dinner and our special guest Joshua Bernstein, noted author of five beer and brewing books, for a seated multi-course dinner featuring the best local beers. Guests will have the opportunity to sample a half dozen beers (or more!) with an expert as they tour a unique property and private malt house!

This unique evening will begin with a scavenger hunt leading guests to tasting stations around the farm, each holding a specially selected Vermont beer. With each sample, guests will learn and converse on the past, present, and future of beer while learning about malting and regenerative agriculture happening right here in Vermont.

Our table will be set against the background of the Malt House on the farm, where guests will enjoy a multi-course dinner prepared by Adventure Dinner Exec Chef James Kitchens and paired Vermont beers selected by our special guest.

After dessert and one final beer pairing, guests will go out into the crisp September night for our ceremonial sparkler send-off.

Tickets are per person ($167, includes tax) includes: four courses, four beer tastes and four paired beers, scavenger hunt and property tour, conversation with Josh Bernstein, sparkler closing ceremony.

https://www.adventuredinner.com/shop/p/malt-house-dinner

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Boats, Buses and Kills Boro: A First Look at Kills Boro Brewing’s New Staten Island Brewery
Jun
25

Boats, Buses and Kills Boro: A First Look at Kills Boro Brewing’s New Staten Island Brewery

Fine beer drinkers!

It's been a few months, huh? I'm s-l-o-w-l-y starting to wade back into the waters of event production, starting with a beer-filled seafaring journey to Staten Island. Care to join?

WHAT: Boats, Buses and Kills Boro: A First Look at Kills Boro Brewing’s New Staten Island Brewery
WHEN: Saturday, June 25, 12:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m. NOTE: We're catching the 12:30 p.m. ferry to Staten Island.
WHERE: 814 Richmond Terrace (at Tysen Street), New Brighton, Staten Island. NOTE: Attendees are welcome to meet us directly at the taproom at 1:15 p.m.
TICKETS: $35 (includes a boat-ride beer, bites, and unlimited beer at the event). NOTE: The event is limited to 100 people to keep crowds at a minimum. The link to buy tickets is here.

WHY: Over the last several years, the team at Kills Boro has hardly been killing time. The Staten Island brewery has diligently worked toward opening its brand-new brewery, located beside the Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden. The taproom will open to the public early next year, but we’re opening the brewery’s doors early for a first taste of the brewery’s latest pilsners, fruited sours, well-hopped hazy IPAs and more.

But how will we get to the brewery? Great question! Your guides will be beer journalist and author Joshua M. Bernstein and Kills Boro head brewer and co-owner Sean Torres. We’ll meet in Manhattan and ride the Staten Island Ferry to Staten Island, a can of cold Kills Boro beer in your hand. From there, we’re going to board a bus and take a quick 10-minute ride to the brewery. (If the weather is nice, we might include a walking option for intrepid strollers: It’s a bit less than two miles to the brewery.)

Once there, we’ll open the doors to the production facility—it will feature extensive lagering and barrel-aging programs—and the taps to its IPAs, fruited sours, and German-style pilsner. To keep hunger at bay, Kills Boro will also serve, pulled-pork egg rolls, brisket empanadas crispy pulled-chicken “wonton” tacos, and Asian vegetable wraps.

Boats, buses, endless beer: It’s a stellar way to spend a summer day.

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Beer Bible 2: New York City Launch Party
Oct
6

Beer Bible 2: New York City Launch Party

Tonight, I’ll be a panelist for the Torch & Crown launch party of Jeff Alworth’s updated edition of The Beer Bible.

$125 ticket includes the following for the evening.

  • Welcome Beer

  • Signed copy of The Beer Bible 2

  • 3-Course Pig Feast Dinner with Beer Pairings

  • Panel Discussion & Conversation

Strictly limited to 50 tickets in our Brewer’s Cellar at Torch & Crown Brewing Company.

Buy tickets here.

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Ring-a-Ding-Rendang: Malaysian Eats, Reggae Beats, and Wild East Beer in a Brooklyn Backyard
Sep
18

Ring-a-Ding-Rendang: Malaysian Eats, Reggae Beats, and Wild East Beer in a Brooklyn Backyard

This fall, I'm looking to start slowly bringing back events, focusing on small-scale outdoor gatherings, following New York State guidelines and requesting that guests be vaccinated.

First up, we're going to return to one of my favorite places in Brooklyn, the private backyard of Auria's Malaysian Kitchen. Tonight, Auria is inviting dinner guests into her spacious backyard for a multicourse feast featuring beef rendang (slow cooked in coconut milk till tender), coconut rice, cool cucumber salad, and pai tee cups--savory pastry cups filled with jicama, cucumbers, and sweet hot sauce. Dessert will be black glutinous rice with sweetened coconut milk. (The vegetarian option will be tofu rendang.)

To drink, we've tapped our friends from Wild East Brewing, who will be supplying all the pilsners, IPAs, and more that you might need to cut the heat of Auria's hot sauces. We'll have at least three beers available, and I'll be digging into my personal vintage cellar for other treats.

Oh, and DJ Mush1 will be keeping the good times going with a garage sound system pumping out the best ska and reggae this side of Kingston. 

We're keeping the crowd small, at 25 guests, to ensure everyone has space to spread out and feel comfortable. Questions? Concerns? Please send me an email.

Tickets: $75 (includes dinner, dessert, unlimited beer, and boozy surprises). Tickets go on sale Tuesday, August 17, at 12 p.m. Here is the link.

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NYC Beer Week Panel at the Well
Feb
23

NYC Beer Week Panel at the Well

RSVP here! It’s free!

***

NYC Beer Week is upon us once again, and we are completely thrilled to be kicking things off on Sunday 2/23 with these 5 incredible breweries! Civil Society, Dancing Gnome, Interboro, Modist, and Rockwell will be here under our humble roof, and they are bringing some of their renowned beer with them.

We'll also be hosting our annual LIVE PANEL at 5pm in our side room with the owners/brewers! Join us and esteemed beer journalist Josh Bernstein for a conversation/Q&A with the people behind the beer! It's not every day you have a chance to be part of such a cool chat between industry insiders, so COME BE PART OF RECORDED HISTORY and let's get these heroes of the beer world pull back the curtain a little! Capacity is limited to 100, so get here early!

And Lager Dog will be here slinging fine gourmet hot dogs!

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Crown Heights Homebrew Tour
Feb
23

Crown Heights Homebrew Tour

Tickets: $35. They’re available Friday, January 17, at 12 p.m.

Despite New York City's gnat-size apartments, NYC homebrewers refuse to let space limitations detract them from their mission: crafting some of the city's tastiest beer. On this tour, you'll venture inside the homes of three of the city's best up-and-coming amateur brewers. They'll display their setups, discuss their craft and, most importantly, open up their stash of superlative beer.

Today's tour will take you around Crown Heights, Brooklyn. First, we'll meet Esaú Lozano, a restaurant-industry veteran who digs the DIY-science aspect of brewing and the fact that he's "working with a living entity." He'll be serving a lime saison and witbier spiced with orange peel and chamomile.

Next, we'll meet software engineer Roman Goyenko who has finally embraced his fermentation heritage: his mom ran a lab at bread-making factory, while his dad made wine at home. Goyenko started brewing three years ago, marveling at the magic of "creating your own universe with billions of living beings that produce beer." Expect to drink a few of Goyenko's favorite beers, including stouts, hop-forward ales, European lagers and maybe a mead or cider.

Lastly, we'll meet Eric Harvey Brown, a dedicated bicycler and photographer who started brewing after attending the tours a few years ago. "I found out it was totally doable, even in a NYC apartment," says Brown, who plans to serve a floral IPA, chipotle-spiced dry stout and a lemongrass witbier.

Eat a big lunch. Your guide for this tour is Brett Vanderbrook, a veteran Brooklyn homebrewer. Tour founder Joshua M. Bernstein will likely pop by to share a brew too

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Light the Torch: An Early Look at Manhattan’s Torch & Crown Brewing Company
Feb
15

Light the Torch: An Early Look at Manhattan’s Torch & Crown Brewing Company

Tickets are $35. Grab them here!

At last, Manhattan’s biggest, newest and most ambitious brewery is ready to spark to life. (Yes, we said Manhattan, not Brooklyn or Queens.) You’ll get an early entrance pass inside Torch & Crown Brewing’s long-awaited taproom.

Over the last year-plus at its Bronx production facility, the brewery has laser-focused its lineup of aromatic IPAs, crisp lagers and other fine fermentations, found at the New York City’s better beer bars and bottle shops. Now, Torch & Crown’s long-awaited brewery is close to opening.

You’ll be New York City’s first beer drinkers to step inside the handsome 4,000-square-foot space, its kitchen commandeered by carnivorous charcuterie specialist Christian Papanicholas, formerly of The Cannibal and Resto here in NYC. Attendees will be treated to fresh tastes of Torch’s latest and greatest beers, plus complementary bites. You’ll also get behind-the-scenes looks at the brewery, led by cofounder John Dantzler and the afternoon’s host, beer journalist Joshua M. Bernstein.

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Drink Better Beer: A Night with Joshua Bernstein + Rob Burns
Jan
23

Drink Better Beer: A Night with Joshua Bernstein + Rob Burns

Do you like to drink good beer? Do you want to know how to Drink Better Beer? Are you curious about how and why Night Shift has expanded in to the world of lite beer, hard seltzer, and various other beverage options?

Find out all of the answers and more with beer expert and author of Drink Better Beer, Joshua M. Bernstein, and Rob Burns, the President + Co-Founder of Night Shift Brewing through a discussion, Q+A, and meet and greet.

We will spend the night focusing on the evolution of the craft beverage company and the process and decisions behind it. We will discuss, sample, and explore what it means to be a beverage company in today's world, and what expanding your clientele can really do for your brand.

Tickets are here! They include:

-Discussion, Q+A, and meet and greet with Joshua Bernstein, Rob Burns, and Head Brewer Joe Mashburn

-Welcome beer, as well as a special samples and pours throughout the night

-Light Bites provided by Night Shift Eats

-A copy of Drink Better Beer by Joshua Bernstein (A $25 value!)

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Drink Better
Dec
9

Drink Better

Join us at the Hopewell Brewing Company taproom for an evening with Joshua M. Bernstein, Half Acre Beer Co, Hopewell Brewing Company, Hop Butcher, and Whiner Beer Co. We'll be covering topics ranging from cocktail-inspired beers to distribution and the latest trends in beer.

Ticket price includes a copy of Drink Better Beer by Joshua M. Bernstein, beer (duh) and food from L'Patron.

Grab your tickets here!

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Let's Go to the Market (Garden) and Drink Better Beer (Cleveland, Ohio)
Nov
29

Let's Go to the Market (Garden) and Drink Better Beer (Cleveland, Ohio)

Did you know I’ll be in Cleveland for Thanksgiving? I will! Shake off that turkey coma and get yourself to Market Garden Brewery on Black Friday to cross a couple crucial items off your to-do list: drinking beer and buying Drink Better Beer. Today, I’ll be at the brewpub, signing copies of his latest book, Drink Better Beer. He'll have handy gift packages available (holiday shopping done easy!) and will answer all of your pressing questions about beer. Is hard seltzer a fad? Is the hazy IPA here to stay? And why are breweries installing slushie machines?

Want Facebook event details? Here they are!

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All the Rice Moves: Blurring Fermentation’s Borders
Nov
25

All the Rice Moves: Blurring Fermentation’s Borders

Brooklyn Brewmaster Garrett Oliver, Brooklyn Kura head brewer Brandon Doughan, and Joshua M. Bernstein, the author of the just-released Drink Better Beer, are getting together for a spirited discussion on the boundaries between some of our favorite beverages.

Where does beer end and sake begin? What happens when wine enter the discussion? Can a beer make a “true” cocktail? And does any of this matter as long as you’re drinking something tasty? Grab a beer or two for yourself and see where these borders truly lie, if they exist at all.

We have limited seats for the evening, but plenty of beer to explore during the discussion. Entry and your first beer are $7, or pick up admission, a beer, and a copy of Drink Better Beer for just $20. Bring a drinking buddy or two and prepare to explore some new frontiers.

Get your tickets here!

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Drink Better Beer: A Talk With Joshua M. Bernstein & Paul Schneider (Pittsburgh)
Nov
21

Drink Better Beer: A Talk With Joshua M. Bernstein & Paul Schneider (Pittsburgh)

With thousands of breweries creating a bewildering array of beers each year, learning from the experts is practically a necessity for the modern beer lover. Luckily, beer guru Joshua M. Bernstein is here to tap their wisdom for you, with sage advice about which brews to buy, how to taste your beers, and what to eat with them.

Join Josh and our head brewer at Cinderlands Warehouse for a flight of brewery-exclusive beers that use our House Kveik yeast and a talk on the vast, fast-evolving industry of craft beer.

General Admission: $15

• Intimate talk with Joshua M Bernstein and Paul Schneider, Cinderlands Head Brewer

• Flight of four brewery-exclusive beers that use Kveik yeast

Book Package: $30

• Intimate talk with Joshua M Bernstein and Paul Schneider (Cinderlands Head Brewer)

• Flight of four brewery-exclusive beers that use Kveik yeast

• Copy of Drink Better Beer (a $25 value!)

The talk will be followed by a meet-and-greet in the first floor dining room at the Warehouse. Space is limited so grab your tickets now.

Tickets are here!

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Drink Better Beer: A Talk With Joshua M. Bernstein and Sam Adams Brewers
Nov
18

Drink Better Beer: A Talk With Joshua M. Bernstein and Sam Adams Brewers

Craft beer is booming and selecting your favorite style has somehow become a daunting task. Joshua M. Bernstein, author of Drink Better Beer, is here to help! Join Josh and one of our brewers in our Barrel Room for a flight of brewery-exclusive beers and a talk on the vast, fast-evolving industry of craft beer. They’ll discuss how to navigate new styles and pairings, the quest for freshness and consistency, and the eternal question: Can an IPA ever have too many hops?

Ticket link!

General Admission: $15

• Intimate talk with Joshua M Bernstein and one of the Samuel Adams brewers

• Flight of four brewery-exclusive beers

Book package: $30

• Intimate talk with Joshua M Bernstein and one of the Samuel Adams brewers

• Flight of four brewery-exclusive beers

• Copy of Drink Better Beer (a $25 value!)

The talk will be followed by a meet-and-greet in the Tap Room. Space is extremely limited so grab your tickets now.

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The Future of Craft Beer at Captain Lawrence Brewing
Nov
17

The Future of Craft Beer at Captain Lawrence Brewing

With more than 7,000 craft breweries in the United States, there’s never been a better time to be a beer lover. The rebirth of classics like goses and zwickelbiers, combined with constant stylistic innovation in the form of pastry stouts or rosé ales, means that there’s no shortage of choices when deliberating your next sip. Consumers rejoice!

But what about the breweries? How are they adapting to this ever-changing landscape? What are some trends to be on the lookout for when scanning the shelves? Is this latest craft beer bubble about to burst?

We’ll be discussing these questions and more over a pint with acclaimed beer journalist Joshua M. Bernstein. Josh, whose work has been published in The New York Times, Men’s Journal, Bon Appétit and Wine Enthusiast, will also be holding a Q & A and signing copies of his latest book, Drink Better Beer.

Tickets are free, but be sure to reserve your spot today!

Looking to grab a copy of Drink Better Beer and drink a better beer while perusing it? Preiorder a copy for pickup on November 17th and we’ll throw in a free pint of your favorite Captain Lawrence brew for only $25!

Link: It’s here!

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Drink Better Beer and Eat with Bryan & Josh
Nov
14

Drink Better Beer and Eat with Bryan & Josh

For today’s craft beer drinker, the expansive universe of beer is evolving at lightning speed! Like trends of any kind, it’s one day you’re in and the next day, you’re out.

The world of craft beer used to be all about high-ABV brews, 750ml bottles and aggressively hoppy IPAs. Who cares about calories? Cans—meh. Light beers…no thank you! But now, craft beer lovers are actively seeking low-calorie and canned options. They’ve got the CRAZE-ies for those hazy IPAs! And they love sours—the more mouth-puckering the better! With time, consumers’ tastes and preferences have, and will, continue to change. In response, brewers must push the boundaries on aroma, taste and ingredients to try and remain relevant.

Join Dogfish Head Brewing Ambassador Bryan Selders and our pal Joshua M. Bernstein, one of America’s foremost beer journalists, at Dogfish Head’s Chesapeake & Maine on Thursday, Nov. 14, for a night of craft beer and culinary excellence. Throughout the evening, Bryan and Josh will chat about the evolution of craft beer, speaking in-depth about various industry trends, as they guide guests through an unforgettable five-course sensory experience. Each of the five small plates served will be thoughtfully paired with a deliciously off-centered ale, and each pairing will bring to life a topic for tasty discussion. Josh will also share points from his new book, Drink Better Beer, as Bryan discusses Dogfish Head’s place in the current craft beer landscape and explains how consumers’ ever-changing preferences affect Dogfish Head's off-centered ales.

Tickets are just $50 per person and include five small plates, five preselected beer pairings, one beer-cocktail pairing AND a copy of Josh’s book Drink Better Beer. To get your tickets, click HERE!

Course 1: Buffalo Monkfish Bites with diced celery and house ranch
Pairing #1 - 90 Minute IPA - Our most critically-acclaimed beer and one of America's first Imperial IPAs. This continually hopped Imperial IPA has a powerful malt backbone and pungent, but not crushing'y bitter, hop flavor. - 9.0% ABV
Pairing #2 - Horkin' Heapload - This cask-conditioned imperial IPA was brewed with Delaware-grown barley malt and flaked corn. Atop its base of soft, pillowy malt are massive amounts of fragrant, American hops for resinous, citrusy, piney and tropical sensations in every sip. To make this Dogfish Head Brewpub exclusive, we needed a whole lot of everything ... you might say a Horkin' Heapload. - 8.3% ABV

Course 2: Indian Brown Ale Stuffed Mushrooms with bell pepper, Chapel Hill aged cheddar cheese and herbs
Pairing - Indian Brown Ale - Brewed the way we used to make this off-centered ale back in 2003, this boisterous brown ale meets well-hopped IPA is chock full of aromatic dark malt and organic brown sugar, and is liberally dry-hopped for your imbibing pleasure. - 7.2% ABV

Course 3: Ocean City Seared Scallops over a fall orchard salad with roasted butternut squash, honey crisp apples, pickled red onion, almond, goat cheese, shallot and honey vinaigrette
Pairing American Beauty Hazy Ripple IPA - This Grateful Dead-inspired, unfiltered IPA is brewed with the ancient heirloom grain spelt to cast a ripple of haze and is dosed with a special yeast designed to liberate hop aromatics. - 7% ABV

Course 4: Wild Maine Blueberry Cobbler with house-churned vanilla ice cream
Pairing - Right Loose - In the recesses of our brewery lies the Sour Patch, where we cultivate our "Wooden... it be Nice" series. It's a brewer's playground for experimenting with wild yeasts, barrel aging and the infusion of culinary ingredients. Right Loose is a blend of a dark and a blond base beer that's fermented with Brettanomyces & Lactobacillus, and aged for 12 months in used red and white wine barrels. Finished with heaps of wild Maine low-bush blueberries, it is then bottle conditioned for a bright and effervescent carbonation. - 7.2% ABV

Course 5: Caramel Smith Island Cake
Pairing - Suddenly Pals - A beer cocktail made with a mix Dogfish Head Distilling Co.iAlternate Takes: Volume 2, Whiskey Finished in Palo Santo Marron Ale Barrels, Palo Santo Marron-Punkin Ale syrup and lemon juice, and finished with Suddenly Comfy, an Imperial Cream Ale made with all the trappings of a great apple pie


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Park Slope Homebrew Tour
Nov
9

Park Slope Homebrew Tour

Oh dang! Has it really been 10 years since I started the homebrew tours?

This fall is the tenth (!) anniversary of the homebrew tour, that little idea that's since become a tradition in New York City and elsewhere. I used to love (love!) running tours every three to four weeks in the heyday of 2010–2015, when we were visiting the homes of the folks that would go on to open up Strong Rope, KCBC, Finback and more.

But time is in shorter supply these days. Luckily, though, the excellent Brett Vanderbrook—brewer, actor and bartender extraordinaire—is going to help me escort folks to the next generation of brewers, starting on...

WHAT: Park Slope Homebrew Tour
WHEN: Saturday, November 9, 1 p.m.
WHERE: Park Slope, Brooklyn
TICKETS: $35. They go on sale Thursday, October 10, at 12 p.m.

This walking tour will take us across Park Slope, Brooklyn. We'll meet Terry di Paolo, who strives to create fresh, balanced beers. Expect beers such as hefeweizen and pale ale punched up with Citra, as well as surprises. Surprises!

Next, we'll meet Ken Zammito, who uses a tiny three-gallon (!) system to crank out a dizzying variety of beers, including wild-fermented ales and pale ales. Lastly, we'll visit Peter Alston, a Cleveland, Ohio, native who favors beers like well-hopped saisons and a nut brown ale that's perfect for fall.

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