Brewing Adventures

I hadn't been to Brooklyn Brewery's Friday Happy Hour in a few years, so when Adam gathered some troops for a night out, I happily hopped the L train to Williamsburg. I've been a fan of BB's concoctions for years, and I discovered a few years back how much better the beer is when served freshly at its point of origin.

Invited to share one of the room's elusive tables by some new Aussie friends, our group set to work tasting the offerings on tap. I didn't manage all 8, but got through a few: I began the evening with the Octoberfest ('tis the season!), which was good, but paled in comparison to the Brown, which is one of my go-to favorites. I had a sip of the Weisse, which was the evening's only letdown. I'm usually a fan--and have liked Brooklyn's version in the past--but it tasted truly bizarre (and actually kind of bad) next to the other selections. I moved on to the Blast, which was the revelation of the evening: fresh, colorful, and nicely orangey. For dessert I had the Pumpkin Ale, which was like liquid pumpkin pie, wonderfully rich and spicy.

What a great way to kick off autumn.

Every Friday the Brooklyn Brewery (1 Brewers Row, Williamsburg) makes room for Happy Hour, which begins at 6. It also offers tours Saturdays and Sundays.