The number of breweries in New York State continues to grow. New York now ranks fourth in the nation in number of breweries, according to the Brewers Association. The BA reported that over 60 craft breweries opened in 2016 in the state. And what’s noteworthy is that they’re small: while New York is fourth in number of breweries, it’s ninth in production. That means we’re making a little more than two gallons of craft beer for every person of drinking age in the state. So naturally, there’s more work to do. And damn, are the state’s fledgling brewers doing it. By our count today, there are 337 brewing licensed facilities in New York state, including brewpubs. Another 46 have pending licenses, meaning they should be open soon. That’s up from 275 at this time last year, when we first brought you this map.

Excited about all these breweries? Well, time to set your trail. Below is a map of every place where brewing happens in New York State, based on information from the New York State Liquor Authority’s database of brewery licenses. A RED spot indicates a brewery that’s open to the public – with a taproom or a restaurant or another place where you can buy a pint or bottle or fill a growler. A YELLOW spot indicates a brewery that’s licensed but closed to the public. Many of these are small farm breweries that sell at farmer’s markets; others are just not quite ready to fire up the brewhouse or open their taproom. An ORANGE spot indicates a brewery with a pending license, meaning they’re most likely going to happen, but just haven’t finished construction yet.

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Cans from the forthcoming Five Boroughs Brewing Co. in Brooklyn (Photo: Chris O’Leary)

Five Boroughs gears up for summer launch

One of the new breweries set to open in New York City this summer is going to make a splash on the city’s beer scene. Brooklyn’s Five Boroughs Brewing Co. is already brewing beer, and will begin sending beer into the market soon, with a taproom opening slated for late next month. The brewery, situated in an old steel fabrication plant that railroad cars would roll through, boasts a 30-barrel brewhouse, a sprawling production floor, and a beautiful taproom with high ceilings and plenty of seating space. It’s set about four blocks from the 45th Street subway stop on the R train in Sunset Park. The brewery will initially launch with a lager-heavy lineup, including a Pilsner and Hoppy Lager, plus a Gose and IPA. Look for their beers on tap in Brooklyn soon, expanding beyond their home borough shortly thereafter. If you can’t wait for the taproom to open and want a sneak peak, Josh Bernstein’s will host an event at the brewery to preview the space and the beers on Saturday, July 8th. Tickets are $30, includes a tour, food, and beer.

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The terrace at Treadwell Park Downtown is ready for your outdoor drinking enjoyment (Photo via Treadwell Park)

Your Newest Drinking Spots

The weather is finally heating up, and it’s shaping up to be a summery weekend. Even better, there are new spots to drink good beer this year. Clinton Hall has opened a pop-up location at South Street Seaport (19 South St, Financial District), perfect for summertime drinking or a pre-ferry beer. There’s a new downtown location of Treadwell Park (301 South End Ave, Battery Park City) that’s got tons of outdoor space and the same great beer selection they offer on the Upper East Side. And in the Broadway Bites pop-up market (Greeley Square, 32nd St at Broadway, Midtown) is a temporary location of Top Hops Beer Shop, offering beers to drink in the square alongside a variety of food vendors. For those really hot days when you need to escape the heat, Milk & Hops has opened their newest location uptown (1159 1st Ave, Upper East Side) and Craft Culture has opened their bar and beer shop hybrid in Queens (59-04 Myrtle Ave, Ridgewood).

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Judges, along with Gov. Andrew Cuomo, pose for an announcement of the winners of the first Taste NY Craft Beer Challenge last week (Photo: Chris O’Leary)

And The Winners Are…

The first-ever Taste NY Craft Beer Challenge held its final judging at Pier A in Manhattan last week. The furious blind tasting session featured five beers, and the scoring resulted in a tie between Brewery Ommegang of Cooperstown and Roscoe Beer Company of Roscoe in Sullivan County. The panel of judges included chef Mario Batali, NFL Hall of Famer Thurman Thomas, and two well-known faces of the New York beer scene: Anne Becerra of Treadwell Park and Mary Izett of Fuhmentaboudit! on the Heritage Radio Network. The celebration of New York craft beverages continues at Pier A this week with the Taste NY Experience on Wednesday evening, May 24th. The tasting features New York-made beer, wine, cider, and spirits served along with New York food purveyors. Tickets start at $75.

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Summer is the perfect time for visiting farm breweries, like Tilted Barn in Exeter, Rhode Island (Photo: Chris O’Leary)

Summer is just around the corner, and you’re probably already plotting your escape from the heat and the humidity of this concrete jungle. As seasoned travelers to beer destinations around the country and the world, we’ve got plenty of ideas on where to head for rest, relaxation, and plenty of delicious beer. You’ve heard of both Portlands, Asheville, Denver, Vermont, and San Diego, and they’re probably already on your Beer Travel To-Do List. So instead, we’re highlighting some places with great summer weather and surprisingly good beer scenes that are a train ride or direct flight from New York City. Pack your bags!

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There’s a new brewery taproom is now open on 34th Avenue in LIC (Photo via ICONYCbrewing on Instagram)

ICONYC’s Taproom: Now Open

ICONYC Brewing Company has been making beer in Queens for over a year now, and they finally have a spot where you can drink their beer. Their new taproom (45-13 34th Ave, at 46th St, Long Island City) opened last weekend and will be open every Wednesday through Sunday. It’s a pretty utilitarian spot – 12 tap lines, a bar and some stools for seating, and a restroom. But their beer takes center stage, with creative, unique offerings that the brewery doesn’t bottle, like The Gold Standard, a golden ale fermented with brett, pedio, and lacto, and Pecan Porter, a porter mashed with pecans. The taproom isn’t on the brewery premises (they’ve got a small space a few blocks away on Northern Boulevard that’s not open to the public), but you can thank the state’s 2012 farm brewery law for making this taproom possible. That law allows registered farm breweries to open up to five “branch offices” where they can serve their beer, a benefit never before extended to New York’s brewers.

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