Brooklyn Brewery

Brooklyn was once the home of forty-five breweries at the turn of the 20^th century.  But by 1976 all of Brooklyn’s breweries had closed up or moved out of the borough.  It wasn’t until 1996 when the Brooklyn Brewery opened its doors that the beer brewing industry started to make a come back.

The Brooklyn Brewery was started in 1987 by Steve Hindy and Tom Potter, who after quitting their jobs started brewing beer in an upstate New York facility.  They peddled Brooklyn Lager on the streets of New York.  Their Williamsburg location was opened in 1996.  The Brewery has gone on to become the first successful brewery in Brooklyn since Schaefer & Rheingold closed in 1976.

The Brooklyn Brewery offers a guided tour on Saturday’s and Sunday’s where you can learn about the history of the Brooklyn Brewery itself and the history of brewing as well.  I’ve taken the tour myself and had a great time, all the while enjoying some of the great beers they have to offer there.  There is also Happy Hour every Friday evenings from 6-11 p.m.  The IPA is excellent!

Since the opening of the Brooklyn Brewery, the brewing industry has been making a comeback in Brooklyn, with Sixpoint Craft Ales opening in Red Hook and  Greenpoint Beer Works  in Clinton Hill.