Beer fanatics, and those who have jumped on the craft beer bandwagon, rejoice! New York City Beer Week is just around the corner, starting on February 20th and lasting until March 1st, with craft beer from regional, national and international breweries. New York City Beer Week has 15 brews right from the city. This event is kind of like a treasure hunt, with craft beer and events hidden around the city for you to discover. What to Expect at New York City Beer Week During this 7th annual celebration of beer, you will have the chance to visit more than 200 spots that are taking part in the festivities. Altogether, the event will hold over 400 events where you’ll get to sample craft beers, savor food from the city’s restaurants and celebrity chefs, and enjoy other entertainment such as tastings and festivals. Throughout the week, look for your favorite local breweries, including Bridge and Tunnel Brewery, Bronx Brewery, Queens Brewery, Ithaca Beer, Empire Brewing and many more. When you get those tingles of gratitude, for a whole week dedicated to beer, thank the event’s organizers, the New York City Brewers Guild, along with its sponsors: the New York State Brewers Association, Taste NY and Get Real Presents. Can’t Miss Events at New York City Beer Week Since you’re not a superhero who can make it to the hundreds of events (isn’t there a Beerman?), we’ll make it easy for you. Mark your calendars for 7 pm on Friday, February 20 for the Opening First Tap event. Expect 100 hard-to-find beers in 100 locations around New York City. A couple of the beers you can look forward to trying include an IPA aged in Jameson whiskey barrels from KelSo Beer Company and Brett Farmhouse Ale from Transmitter Brewing. The details are a bit mysterious at the moment, so you’ll have to wait to find out the locations of the beers (maybe that’s so nobody gets the crazy idea to camp out there for weeks.) Check back at the New York City Beer Week website to find out the details. After the opening night, you’ll find plenty of activities throughout the week. The New York City Brewers Guild, with the New York State Brewers Association as a partner, is hosting an opening bash on February 21 from 12 to 5 pm in the Altman Building. Here you can try the creations of 40 local breweries from across the state. Sanders Studios will have a Brewers Choice event on February 24 from 6 to 10 pm. It will feature regional breweries, along with dishes crafted by local restaurants. Brooklyn Bowl will help close out the week with a Closing Beer and Brass Brunch on March 1 from 12 to 4 pm — we’re guessing they drink so much beer that they forget what time brunch is, but we forgive them. This event will include an awesome buffet of breakfast and lunch fare served with your choice of local beer. Eat and drink while you listen to a live brass band from 1 to 2 pm. In addition to the events mentioned above, there are two special projects you definitely don’t want to miss. One is tasting the Smash Brew, where city brewers were tasked with creating a new beer with three local malts and three local hops. Be sure to try each brewery’s unique take on the Smash Brew. The other special project is the announcement of The Ruppert’s Cup winner, which will happen at the closing party, location currently unknown. You can vote for your favorite brewery on the website. Get Your Tickets for New York City Beer Week Now! Already foaming at the mouth to try all of that craft beer paired with incredible food? So are we! You’ll need tickets to some of the events, which you can purchase from the New York City Beer Week website. Let us know in the comments if you’re planning to go.
