beer fest Archives -

I really do hate to say goodbye to summer, but with the beginning of autumn comes what has become an annual tradition for me: The Village Voice Brooklyn Pour Craft Beer Festival.

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Before I started going to this festival, my knowledge of beers was limited to Corona and Blue Moon! It is here that I learned about the pilsners, IPAs, stouts and lagers of the world. It really opened up my eyes — I had no idea there were so many delicious beers out there to suit my tastes — this year, 125+ beers from over 70 different brewers to be exact.

As usual, there will be demonstrations, beer talks, food court and more. And new for this year, Brooklyn Pour will feature and official BKPour Game Area, presented by Dave & Buster’s, featuring beer pong, air hockey, Beirut, basketball toss and more.

Lucky for you, tickets are still on sale for this event that will take place this Saturday, September 27, in Brooklyn. Another plus is that you get to feel really fancy and sophisticated, sipping your stouts in Brooklyn’s historic and breathtaking Skylight One Hanson, otherwise known as the old Clock Tower.

The details:

Date: Saturday, September 27, 2014
Location: Skylight One Hanson, Fort Greene, Brooklyn
General Admission: 3:00 – 6:00 PM
VIP Doors: 2:00PM
Early Entry Doors: 2:30PM
Ticket Prices: $85 VIP / $65 Early Entry / $55 General Admission

To purchase tickets, visit: www.villagevoice.com/brooklynpour.

The Village Voice’s second Brooklyn Pour took place at Skylight One Hanson. The craft beer extravaganza was fully packed, with two sessions to cater to the huge demand received much in part to the success of last year’s BK Pour. My guess is that Village Voice will probably have to make the event a two-day affair next year as more and more people learn about this Brooklyn secret.

Even with the crowd, attendees could easily get a taste of all 100+ beers, assuming their stomach capacity and tolerance would allow for such a lofty endeavor. One thing I would suggest if you come next year is to make sure that you have a tasting buddy who drinks at about the same pace as you do! I came with a guy and a girl friend and he left us slow sippers in the dust to conquer the tasting floor on his own. Despite my snail’s pace, I did get so sample some great beers.

Here are the highlights:

Welcome!

First stop… grab a tasting glass and pencil to mark your beer list

The scenic Skylight One Hanson, formerly known as the Williamsburg Savings Bank

Beers, beer and more beer

From left to right:
* Three Philosophers by Brewery Ommergang was probably the strongest beer at 9.80% ABV!
* Love the Rastufa Rye label (Blue Point Brewery).
* Innis & Gunn Spiced Rum Aged Beers was the “Best Beer in Show” according to my unofficial survey of people standing next to me when I tasted it, and my very own taste buds.

Barefoot wine added a little variety to the beer fest

Another non-beer exhibitor was Greenhook Ginsmiths gin. The American Gin packs an over-proof zing. Beach Plum add some flavor to gin and is tasty either for sipping straight or adding to a cocktail. Owner, Steven DeAngelo, is pictured on the right.