Thurdsday
Fourthsday
Apr. 24, 2014

I got to Good Beer NYC around 7:30. Dan was running late and the other dads had to beg off for various reasons. So, without a quorum, it was not technically an offical DNO. Still, with Spring reluctant to show its face, it was as good an excuse as any to go for a couple of beers.

The setup at Good Beer NYC is basically a 25 x 100 foot tenement ground-level store with a superb selection of bottled beers, both foreign and domestic in refrigerator cases lining the long walls. This beer is for carry-out. They do have about a dozen taps with various exotic domestic brews. This beer is available to take away in growlers, or you can get a glass and sample it on the premises. In the summer there is a backyard lot to drink outside.

I started with Akron, OH Thirsty Dog Brewing Company's Old Leghumper Coconut Rum Porter. At $9 for a half-pint girly-glass, it's expensive! Still, it's roasty, dark and very malty—all good things. I usualy go for malty beers, but I have had far better porters than this. It has a pronounced alcoholic taste that reminded me a little of of Keegan Ales' Bourbon Cask Mother's Milk Stout. Definitely a sipping beer.

I am developing a bit of a buzz though, due to Old Leghumper's high alcohol content. I believe this rum cask-conditioned version was around 10.0% ABV, as opposed to the bottle version, which is listed at 6.7%.

Next up, was a pint of Wolaver's Organic Wildflower Wheat (4.25% ABV) from Otter Crek Brewing. Wow! I am bowled over by the floral notes of this Middlebury, Vermont beer. There's chamomile and honey. Definitely not the typical wheat beer spicing of coriander and orange peel. I'm not exactly sure if I like it, however. It is light, but with a bite. The beer is quite hazy, and has a bitter finish. I wash it down with a bag of delicious Roni Sue Beer Corn. Soon, Dan arrives.

The beers at Good Beer NYC were interesting, but ultimately, they were not really working for me. We decided to head around the corner to Hop Devil Grill, for good drafts and a chance to watch the Yankees clobber the Red Sox. (They lead 7-2 and would eventually win 14-5. Great game!)

I started with a Southern Tier 2X Milk Stout. A winner! I really like this upstate (Lakewood, NY) brewer. The stout is rich, with strong coffee notes, and very well balanced! At 7.5% ABV, it packs a punch but is not too heavy to enjoy.

We were served (occasionally) by Kate, who, after a long wait, brought me a Greenport Harbor Brewing Co.'s Spring Turning Rye Saison (6.25% ABV). Saisons can be too sour for me, but this one was fruity and spicy! A really good beer, perfect for the Spring months. I would definitely have this again.

I have to say, I was disappointed to realize that we were being charged more than the published prices. Perhaps Kate took it upon herself to make sure she was well-tipped. Frankly, though, it's up to the customer to decide how much the tip should be. Ultimately, we left less money on the table. Don't get me wrong—we are not stingy people—but if you are going to include the tip in the bill, it's imperative that you tell the customer. It left a bad taste in my mouth in a joint I generally really like.

Dan had a Flying Dog Kujo Imperial Coffee Stout (8.9% ABV). We both agreed it was really great! At this point, the game was winding down, so I passed on having one of my own, but I would certainly have this again! Fun night with a good friend.





Good Beer
NYC

422 E. 9th St,
New York, NY 10009
goodbeernyc.com
(212) 677-4836

Hop Devil Grill
129 St. Marks Place
New York, NY 10009
website
(212) 533-4468

Spring slowly arrives

Danny and a great bottle selection!

Steve at Good Beer

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