It’s Wednesday, June 20th. Here’s our list of recommended beer-related events in and around New York after work tonight:

• It’s Anderson Valley Night at The Double Windsor (210 Prospect Park West, at 16th St., Windsor Terrace) starting at 7pm. Try an impressive lineup of brews, including the Sour Stout, Mexican Dark Lager, Boont Amber, and more - and all for $5 a pour!
  
  
• If you’re on the other side of the Hudson, The Iron Monkey (97 Greene St., at York St., Jersey City) celebrates the Summer Solstice with Anderson Valley, pouring - appropriately - the Summer Solstice Cerveza, plus Brother David’s Triple Abbey, the Bahl Hornin Mowkeef saison, and more starting at 6pm.
  
  
• Visit Dive 75 (101 W. 75th St., at Columbus Ave., Upper West Side) tonight at 7pm for a Troubadour tasting. Sample beer from this upstart Belgian brewery and meet brewery founder Stefaan Soetemans!
  
  
• Heavy Seas pays a visit to Idle Hands Bar (25 Avenue B, at 2nd St., East Village) for their weekly $10 Bourbon and Beer Tasting Series. Enjoy beers like the Loose Cannon and the Plank II! From 7-10pm, $10 gets you 2 full beers, a 3-beer tasting flight, a taste of whisky, and an order of tater tots!
  
  
• Have a $5 pint of Blue Point Summer Ale or Toasted Lager tonight from 8-10pm at Slainte (304 Bowery, at 1st Street, NoHo).

For more updates, follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and check us out on Foursquare for our lists of beer bars, stores, and breweries!

We’re still playing catch-up from our little beer adventure to Chicago this weekend (gratuitous beer picture from The Map Room above), but here’s a few pieces of New York beer news worth a mention…

GREENWOOD PARK CLOSE TO OPENING

The massive Brooklyn beer spot Greenwood Park (555 7th Ave., at 19th St., South Slope) is getting mighty close to opening. They got their liquor license last week, so opening day can’t be too far off. Other signs: they’re hiring staff and pictures on Facebook show tables and fixtures are already in place. The long-awaited 13,000 square foot beer garden sits on the site of an old car repair shop and promises 40 beers on tap, food, and a fire pit. We’ll keep you updated when we hear more on an official opening date.

ROCKAWAY BREWING BREWS FIRST COMMERCIAL BATCH

The first brewery to open in Queens since the 1950s, Rockaway Brewing, is weeks away from releasing their first beer. On Friday, they brewed their first two-barrel batch at their Long Island City brewhouse, a Summer Ale that they’ll serve at the Rockaway Beach concessions starting later this month. They’re also going to start filling growlers at their brewery soon. Rockaway is one of three  brewers expected to set up shop in Queens this year. Bridge and Tunnel Brewery just received conditional approval from the State Liquor Authority, and Singlecut Beersmiths in Astoria is in planning.

GET ON THE BUS TO THE FESTIVAL

We told you back in March that The Festival was one of the most anticipated beer events of the summer. This Saturday, June 23rd, beer importing powerhouses Shelton Brothers and 12 Percent Imports come together for this international celebration of beer in Worcester, Mass. Local brewers like High & Mighty and Pretty Things will join overseas brewers like Denmark’s Mikkeller, Norway’s Nøgne-Ø, Japan’s Baird Brewing, and Belgium’s Cantillon for a 3 1/2-hour tasting session on Saturday that you can join simply by hopping the bus with Get Real and Alewife. $110 gets you a ride on a luxury liner, beer and food on board, and a ticket to The Festival. This is a great deal, especially when you consider the festival admission alone is $60. The bus leaves at 8am on Saturday, and there are only 50 tickets available, so get them before they’re gone!

It’s Tuesday, June 19th. Here’s our list of recommended beer-related events in and around New York after work tonight:

• Dogfish Head takes over the taps at Mission Dolores (249 4th Ave., at Carroll St., Park Slope) starting at 7pm. Enjoy beers like Palo Santo Marron, Urkontinent, and the brand-new Positive Contact, a spiced ale with apple cider brewed in collaboration with musical act Deltron 3030. They’ll also have some Dogfish Head hop pickles and Dogfish Head spirits, too!
  
  
• It’s a Green Flash takeover tonight at One Mile House (10 Delancey St., at Bowery, Lower East Side) starting at 7pm. They’ll be pouring the Le Freak, Hop Head Red, the new Founders collaboration, Lynchpin, and more!
  
  
• Blue Point is at Good Beer (422 E. 9th St., btw. 1st Ave. and Ave. A) tonight starting at 6:30pm. They’ll offer up discounts on pints and growlers of beers like the White IPA, Toxic Sludge, No Apologies imperial IPA, and more!
  
  
• Stone pays a visit to Queens with an event at Sunswick 35/35 (35-02 35th St., at 35th Ave., Astoria) tonight starting at 7pm. They’ll have the 2011 vintage of Double Bastard, plus the Smoked Porter, Imperial Russian Stout, and more on tap!
  
  
• Brush up on your Boontling and head to Bierkraft (191 Fifth Ave., at President St., Park Slope) for a free Tuesday Tasting of beers from Anderson Valley with the brewery’s East Coast Manager Charlie Carson. The tasting gets underway at 7:00, but get there early for a seat!
  
  
• The weekly Ten Buck Tasting at Jimmy’s No. 43 (43 E. 7th St., at 2nd Ave., East Village) digs some beers out of Jimmy’s secret stash. You’ll get six tastings of brews for $10, including the Maine Brewing Co. Zoe, Dieu du Ciel! Equinox du Printemps, and Nebraska Brewing Co. Fathead. The tasting gets underway tonight at 7:30pm.

Follow us on Twitter for ongoing updates, like us on Facebook to spread the word, and check us out on Foursquare for great lists of beer bars, stores, and breweries!

Are you hungry for beer and good food? Well, there are two great beer dinners this Thursday Night that might be of interest to you: the Kings of Funk Beer Dinner at Alewife (5-14 51st Ave., at 5th St., Long Island City) and the Ultimate Mahrs Brau Beer Dinner at Jimmy’s No. 43 (43 E. 7th St., at 2nd Ave., East Village). Both feature some remarkable beers, great food, and a meet-and-greet with some of the world’s best brewers.

Keep reading

It’s Monday, June 18th. Here’s our list of recommended beer-related events in and around New York after work tonight:

• Wechsler’s Currywurst (120 1st Ave., at 7th St., East Village) hosts a Germany-USA beer battle tonight from 7-9pm. In the German corner, Kostritzer Schwartzbier, Apostelbrau Pale Ale, and Ayinger Celebrator! In the American corner, Full Sail Session Black, Sierra Nevada Torpedo, and Troegs Trogenator! Get a flight of six ounces of all six beers for just $20.
  
  
• KelSo hosts a tasting tonight at Brooklyn Fare (200 Schermerhorn St., at Hoyt St., Downtown Brooklyn), pouring samples of uber-fresh beer brewed just a few blocks away at the store’s growler station from 5-7pm.
  
  
• Blind Tiger Ale House (281 Bleecker St., at Jones St., West Village) taps their weekly Very Special Keg tonight at 5pm! Each week, grab a glass of something rare, delicious, and… very special.

Follow us on Twitter for ongoing updates, like us on Facebook to spread the word, and check us out on Foursquare for great lists of beer bars, stores, and breweries!

Last year, Heartland Brewery held a homebrewing contest that allowed its fans to craft the next great beer to be served on tap. 78 entries were reviewed before the 2011 winner, Peter Cowles, got to brew his Black IPA Sir Blackheart at Heartland’s brewery with brewmaster Kelly Taylor. It eventually appeared on draft at Heartland locations across the city. Not bad for an amateur… albeit a very well-trained amateur.

So, do you think you’ve got what it takes to make the next beer to serve to the beer-drinking masses?

Keep reading