Long are the days when ‘New York’ meant Manhattan – Brooklyn is now a destination in its own right, home to thriving communities and epicenter for all things hipster, from street art to food trucks, alternative bookshops and naturally craft beer!
If you’re planning to spend a day (or hopefully more!) touring the Brooklyn craft beer scene during your time in New York, make sure you save this post. It contains all the craft breweries and bars we visited during our New York winter trip two years ago, plus some favorites recommended by our local friends.
You can also join a selection of craft beer tours and experiences all over Brooklyn if you don’t want to explore independently – here are some of the coolest we’ve found!
- Brooklyn: 3-Hour Private Pizza and Brewery Walking Tour
- Beer Tasting Bike Tour of Queens and Brooklyn
- New York City: Underground Brooklyn Brew Tour
- Brooklyn: 3-Hour Small Group Brooklyn Beer Tour with Lunch
Best Microbreweries & Craft Beer Bars in Brooklyn
1) Brooklyn Brewery
79 N 11th St.
Brooklyn Brewery started up, they say, with a dream of returning brewing to Brooklyn. It’s safe to say that they have. Their selection of craft beer today is transported across the United States and out to over 30 countries. It helps when you’ve got an award-winning brewmaster on your team in the form of Garrett Oliver.
Visiting this brewery is a comprehensive experience. Serving up everything from Brooklyn Lager to East India Pale Ale, you can opt for a tour walking and talking you through the process, with five samples beers included in the ticket price (good value for money).
Set in the decidedly hip neighborhood of Williamsburg, the atmosphere here is equal parts cool and welcoming.
Looking for other great craft beer destinations? Check our Berlin craft beer guide!
2) Other Half Brewing Co
195 Centre St
For craft beer in Brooklyn with a personal touch, make a beeline here. Founded in 2014, the three friends behind Other Half set out with one goal in mind: to create beers that they wanted to drink. It’s a thoughtful outfit that has a real local feel to it, often with a friendly crowd of people enjoying their well-considered beer.
Rock up here to see what all the fuss is about. You could opt for Helles Lager – a lighter brew than others – or if you’re up for an incredible stout, their Run With Us is guaranteed to be one of the best you’ve ever tasted. It’s a real destination for beer geeks – so much so that when Other Half announce a new brew’s on sale, there are lines around the block.
Planning to head to Spain? Make sure you check out our Barcelona craft beer guide!
3) Hops Hill
886 Fulton Street
With a tagline of “Strictly craft”, Hops Hill are a dedicated bunch. They don’t miss a beat when it comes to the up-and-coming selections they offer. With 12 taps constantly rotating new and contemporary selections – even from other Brooklyn breweries (Other Half, for example), it’s the place to come if you like surprises.
Though their draft selection includes local, sometimes hard-to-find brews (try the Grimm Tesseract 8% double IPA that zings with flavour), Hops Hill also boasts an extensive bottle list. And if you really feel like splurging, there are some wildly priced beers on that list, running into the hundreds of dollars per bottle!
4) Kings Country Brewers Collective
381 Troutman Street
Community and craft beer come together in this veritable beer-lover’s paradise. Run by a trio of experienced brewers, Kings Country Brewers Collective boasts a 15 bbl production brewery and taproom set inside an old warehouse in Bushwick. It’s certainly got its cool credentials down to a tee.
There’s a wide variety on offer here, from IPAs to lagers and classic sours. Demons on the Dancefloor, for example, is a grown-up beer, a rye barrel-aged, 11% imperial stout. Though they don’t have a kitchen, you can bring your own food – meaning you can enjoy craft beer in Brooklyn with homemade snacks, or takeout from anywhere in the neighborhood.
This was definitely one of our favorite Brooklyn microbreweries, make sure you don’t miss it!
5) Svendale Brewing Co
486 Court Street
If you’re looking for a chilled place to try a selection of different pours, come to Svendale Brewing Co. Something of a hidden gem, this place may be compact, but it’s warm and welcoming enough to warrant a whole evening of tasting.
Though the brewery itself is in Upstate New York, they opened an offsite taproom in Carroll Gardens to showcase their beers to Brooklyn at large. There are 14 taps of house beers to choose from (as well as 2 taps for wines from the vineyard adjacent to the brewery). To start with, opt for the light Lazy Garden Botanical Sour and go from there.
Would you like to visit the greatest craft beer city in the world? Read our Prague post!
6) Torst
615 Manhattan Avenue
Away from sticky floors, dark beer halls, and industrial chic, Torst definitely makes up the very polished, Instagram-friendly side to craft beer in Brooklyn. It’s a Michelin-rated Danish-themed joint (the clue’s in the name) with 21 taps that are constantly rotating – sometimes even hourly!
Their tap system deserves an award by itself. It’s an intricate network, complete with a cooling system, that ensures the pours are perfect every time. If you’re not sure what to try, ask – the bartenders are experts.
If you like your beer paired with food, Torst will be the place for you. They have delicious takes on simple fare – from basic bread and butter to burgers and seafood.
7) The Owl Farm
297 9th Street
Hipster hangout Owl Farm is located in the historic Park Slope neighbourhood and serves a tasty selection of beer and cider. Here you’ll find no less than 28 rapidly rotating taps, and an innumerable amount of bottled ciders and rare bottled beers to try.
The bartenders are friendly, laid-back, and more than happy to chat with you about the beer selection on offer. You can choose between five, ten, and fifteen ounce pours, making it easy to fit a lot of sampling into your visit. The bonus? Playing the vintage pinball machines out back!
8) Folksbier Brauerei
101 Luquer Street
With its stripped-back European pub aesthetics, Folksbier Brauerei is on a mission to make well-balanced beers – the old-fashioned way, that is. Using traditional Old World brewing techniques, they serve up fresh local beer in a warm environment.
Another great place to get craft beer in Brooklyn if you’re in the Carroll Gardens neighbourhood, Folksbier has an elegant selection of brews to try. Sit in the tasting room bar and sample, or go casual and take your time over something like Emotional Entropy spelt and oat malt 8% double IPA, or the O.B.L. German-style Helles lager. If you want something funky, try the Watermelon Glow Up.
9) Grimm Artisanal Ales
990 Metropolitan Ave
Opening its doors in 2013, this place is big, bright and trendy. Focusing not on the number of beers it has on offer, but rather on “concise, elegant ales” brewed onsite – they tend to lean towards the hoppy, sour end of the spectrum.
As well as plenty of seating, there’s also a pop-up kitchen onsite where you can enjoy a selection of delicious, freshly cooked food. You may even be lucky enough to visit at a time when a DJ is spinning a tune or two, adding to the contemporary, youthful energy of the place.
10) Keg and Lantern
97 Nassau Ave
Keg and Lantern is a cosy option with British pub aesthetics for a warm, authentic feel. Not only will beer-lovers enjoy a visit to this place, but sports fans should also consider pulling up a stool at the bar; games, matches, and sporting events are often shown on their flatscreen TVs.
Specialising in hand-crafted ales and lagers with a German slant, all the fresh brews are made on site in its very own brewery. Opening until late every night, and with a daily happy hour – boasting indoor and outdoor yard seating – it’s a great spot for craft beer in Brooklyn. The food – wings, fries, classic bar fare – is worth a try.
11) Five Boroughs Brewing Co
215 47th Street
A busy, buzzing brewery in the heart of Sunset Park, Five Boroughs Brewing Co boasts a taproom verging on industrial for a dark and atmospheric aesthetic. They offer a selection of regulars on tap, plus special releases that you can only find at the brewery.
There’s a very cool, very chilled, vibe here. It’s a nice place to go if you don’t feel like going anywhere too rustic or traditional. To give an idea of how up-to-date their brews are, there’s currently a beer on tap called Thank You, brewed in honour of the essential workers who have kept New York City running during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Would you like to discover an up-and-coming craft beer destination? Here’s our 15 best places for craft beer in Edinburgh guide!
12) Wild East Brewing Co
623 Sackett St
Set among the old warehouses and industrial buildings of Gowanus, Wild East uses classic European brewing techniques to bring their innovative American craft beer to life. They offer a substantial selection – unfiltered IPAs and pilsners, as well as barrel-aged sours and other interesting concoctions.
Newly opened, and quickly becoming very popular even though they haven’t been able to fully operate due to Covid-19, Wild East is sure to become one of the most interesting – and fun – spots for craft beer in Brooklyn. The staff are great, and the music is very cool. It’s no surprise that there are queues out the door already.
13) The Well
272 Meserole St
With a whopping 60 drafts, as well as a selection of 140 bottled beers, 10 different champagnes, and a load of liquor – and also boasting a sprawling outdoor space – it’s fair to rank The Well as one of the best places for craft beer in Brooklyn.
Set in the once-famous “Brewer’s Row” area, and actually within the former Hittleman Brewery (dating back to 1887) itself, the guys behind The Well are working hard to put this area on the beer map once again. Hosting live music shows and events, there’s also delicious food on offer, from Mexican and pizza all the way to tapas.
14) Sixpoint Brewery
40 Van Dyke St
“Beer is culture” – the slogan of Sixpoint Brewery, and evidence not just of their dedication to beer, but also their sense of humour. Founded in 2004, they self-admittedly follow a “mad science” approach to the brewing process – and it clearly paid off. They began by selling their beers to local restaurants and have built an excellent reputation on that.
Located in a large former industrial building in the waterside Red Hook neighbourhood, if you really want to try some truly great beer, you should make a beeline to Sixpoint Brewery. First off, download their app, and you’ll get insider knowledge, specifically on their open days and release parties for new brews.
15) Covenhoven
730 Classon Avenue
If you’re looking for friendly, low-key, and community-minded craft beer in Brooklyn, look no further than Covenhoven. Named after the farm once located on the site of the brewery, this place claims to be the neighbourhood bar for just about everybody – the owners even live upstairs.
With its mom-and-pop vibe and grassy backyard for scenic afternoons sipping a brew or two, you’ll be won over the moment you walk through the doors. There’s a variety of local beers on offer here, alongside soft pretzels and a serve-yourself cheese plate option.