All signs point to a stroller-free weekend (photo via Brooklynian)

Despite becoming a hotbed of great beer bars in recent years, Park Slope is still Park Slope. And Park Slope’s parents will still, inexplicably, clog those beer bars with strollers as they keep their kids in tow while they down a hand-pulled cask ale.

As reported by F*cked in Park Slope, The Gate has decided that enough is enough, and has now banned strollers on weekends and holidays. Their large patio is crowded enough without strollers, they’ve decided. So, now you can sip your craft beer without the fear of tripping over a Bugaboo.

As an aside: FIPS also recommends The Double Windsor, another great craft beer bar a in Windsor Terrace, for its no-children policy after 5pm.

As it’s a holiday, it’s a bit quiet on the beer front - except for those bringing good beer to barbeques and picnics. However, at a few spots, Good Beer Month is in full swing:

• Swift Hibernian Lounge continues its salute to Pretty Things Beer & Ale Project by serving Jack D'Or today
• Waterfront Ale House in Brooklyn continues its salute to New York State Beers with locally-brewed beer on tap all month
• D.B.A. in Manhattan will serve free cheese plates today, which you could pair with a delicious Rogue Juniper Pale Ale, Southampton Keller Pils, Smuttynose Barleywine, or any of the other 13 beers they’ll be serving on draught today.

Don’t forget that Meatopia is just six days away, and discount tickets are still available using the promo code “SixPointBBQ”. Tickets are being snapped up fast for the Great Hot Dog Cookoff at Kelso Brewery on July 31st as well. In fact, there are only 36 tickets left according to the site’s latest update, so get ‘em while they’re hot.

It’s a holiday weekend! What better way to celebrate our nation’s independence than by drinking an American craft beer? And a personal favorite and truly American style of beer is the American Pale Ale.

Our recommendations: start with the Stoudts American Pale Ale, a beer that is so American that it’s served at the White House on Independence Day. Wildwood Barbeque has the beer in bottles (bottles adorned with an American Flag on the label), and what better food to eat on our nation’s birthday than barbeque?

Drinking beer out of a can is also something that’s part of the American experience, so reach for a Dale’s Pale Ale from Oskar Blues this weekend. You can reach for a six-pack of cans of this refreshing pale ale at Bierkraft, Whole Foods, and New Beer Distributors.

Another great American Pale Ale, which will be served at the wedding I’m attending this weekend in Syracuse, is Anchor Liberty Ale. Anchor, the brewery that helped launch the American craft beer movement, brewed this beer in 1975 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Paul Revere’s midnight ride. You can find it on draft this weekend at Spitzer’s Corner, Mug’s Ale House, and the Waterfront Ale House in Brooklyn.

If you’re looking for a special way to celebrate the Fourth of July, go to The Vanderbilt in Brooklyn on Sunday for their prix-fixe menu with Sixpoint beer. For $35, you get a three-course dinner, including your choice of fried chicken or Hampshire pork cheeks, salad, dessert, and all-you-can-drink beer from Sixpoint, including Sweet Action and Uncle Sam’s Lager, brewed on Sixpoint’s small-batch pilot system. They’re serving the menu on Sunday from noon until 10pm.

Have a great holiday weekend. Enjoy the beer responsibly, and don’t drink and drive… or drink and shoot off fireworks. Trust me, neither one will end well.

Meat! More specifically, hot dogs from last year’s Great Hot Dog Cookoff at Kelso Brewery (photo via laena on flickr)

It’s official: as of midnight, tickets for the 5th Annual Great Hot Dog Cookoff are on sale. For $35, you get to sample and judge 20 chefs to determine the best hot dog in New York. In addition, you’ll get beer from Kelso of Brooklyn, free ice cream from Adirondack Creamery, and a commemorative drinking cup. Plus, all proceeds go to benefit City Harvest, so you can feel slightly better for eating pig like a pig.

The cookoff is Saturday, July 31st from 2-6pm, and Kelso’s brewery in Clinton Hill will play host to the event. Tickets are extremely limited and have sold out every year, so get your hands on them quickly… while you still can!

Meanwhile, you’ve probably read about Meatopia by now, the event at Governor’s Island on July 11th where dozens of chefs will serve up samples of meat along side an exclusively-brewed Smoked Helles from Sixpoint. But perhaps you’re not convinced yet.

Maybe this can help: Sixpoint can get you 15% off off “Choice,” “Prime,” and “Whole Hog” tickets. “Choice” tickets get you six helpings of delicious meat. “Prime” tickets get you nine helpings, plus access to the Meatopia VIP seating area and unlimited water to keep you hydrated. “Whole Hog” gets you a tummy-stuffing twelve helpings, plus access to the Meatopia Lounge, unlimited water, and a Meatopia gift bag.

Want in on the deal? Just enter the discount code SixPointBBQ when you visit the ticket sales page.