I don’t know why I’ve been thinking about Irish Red Ales this St. Patrick’s Day season. It may be because I’m working on a post that includes an experience I had ordering a Smithwick’s at the shuttered Mahar’s Public Bar in Albany, NY when the beer first came to the US. It sounds crazy in 2024, but at the time, people were really excited about it.  

Maybe it’s because maltier, traditional ales like English-style Milds are kind of a thing right now. Brett Taylor, Co-Founder and Head of Brewing at Brooklyn’s Wild East Brewing agrees. Brett explains, “I think balance is having a moment, and I think malt-forward and easy-drinking ales are resonating with people after so many years of double/triple/imperial/pastry/smoothie/desert, etc.”

In addition to making some great Milds, Brett used to brew an Irish Red Ale for the Irish Pub The Wolfhound in Astoria, Queens (read a little bit about that here). Ultimately, the partnership didn’t make sense for Wild East given the limited volume of Red Ale that was in need and the scale of their brewhouse. But it was a fantastic beer.

As the market has shifted a little bit, I wonder if making an Irish Red Ale in volume might make more sense now.

“Six months ago, I’d have said the challenge to brewing Irish Red is selling it”, Brett tells me. Yet, today, he’s having success with several of his malt-forward brands. Speaking to Irish Red Ale in the current market, he says, “I think up is down, down is up and the sun sets in the east. For whatever reason malt-forward beers are doing really well right now, which is to say relatively—they’re not going to hang with a pilsner or any IPA anywhere. But they’re not DOA as they were for so many years.”

Irish Red Ale is an oddball style. Many people are actually not even cool with calling it a style, and it raises the problem of having to place everything in a category. Categories that have very specific parameters (e.g. malt, hops, SRM, IBU, etc.) I’m totally fine with simply calling any reddish-colored ale from Ireland an Irish Red Ale. If you disagree, you may want to stop reading. Beers outside of Ireland using that style classification have a higher burden of proof, and it’s reminiscent of my thoughts on Mexican Lagers (i.e. what really makes the beer “Irish”?)

If you want to know more about the history of Irish Red Ales in Ireland, I highly recommend the three-part series over at the IrishBeerHistory blog. Liam, the author of the blog, wraps up the highly detailed series with a quite fitting quote here, saying, “let us not fixate too much on the subject of labels and just drink and brew more red ales.”

So, let’s talk about some of the beers. And to do that, we probably need to start with Smithwick’s. Smithwick’s is an Irish ale dating back to the 1960s, and it’s part of the Guinness/Diageo empire. While Killian’s may have started the whole “Irish Red Ale” thing, it is Smithwick’s that many think of when the style is mentioned. And honestly, Killian’s, a lager, is really not something that has much relevance in talking about what Irish Red Ale is today, and what it could be.

Smithwick’s is not a great beer, but it’s not terrible either. And tasting it makes you see that if someone wanted to, the beer could easily be great. That’s not necessarily for Smithwick’s to do. I’m sure they could care less. Rather, it should serve as inspiration for other skilled brewers out there. And that’s what many have done.

Unfortunately, most Irish ale brands don’t make it here to the US and I’ve never been to Ireland. So, I can’t speak from great experience. Though I’ve periodically seen O’Hara’s and Lough Gill on shelves here (and Porterhouse even had a pub in New York City), aside from Smithwick’s, the only other Irish Red I’ve had from Ireland recently was Sullivan’s.

Sullivan’s Brewing Company began in 2016, but it claims its origins go back to 1702. It is a revival of a defunct brewery in Kilkenny in partnership with members of the Smithwick family, as well as descendants of the Sullivan family who owned the original brewery, per the fluffy, somewhat misleading/inaccurate Sullivan’s webpage.

Their take on the Irish Red Ale certainly packs more heft and flavor than Smithwick’s. To those who think of Irish Red Ale as more of a Scottish Ale, this beer would support that claim. On balance, it still seems lacking.

Over in the US, Irish Red Ales were quite common at one time, and while many were subpar, others really excelled. They’re a bit scarce these days. I recently sampled Conway Ale by Great Lakes Brewing Company and 3Floyds’ Return of the Ancients.

The Great Lakes version could serve as a standard, though it is a bit on the strong side at 6.3-percent ABV. It has a robust mouthfeel and a distinct malt profile that really sets it apart from other Red/Amber Ales.

Not surprisingly, the 3Floyds version packs a hoppy punch and doesn’t seem incredibly far off from other hoppy American Ambers. It is, perhaps, a bit maltier, and has a little more fermentation character. This beer is a bit stronger than the Conway Ale at 6.5-percent ABV (and 40 IBUs).

Back in Ireland, smaller brewers continue to embrace Irish Red Ale. Galway Bay Brewery makes one they call “Bay Ale”. A recent Instagram post of theirs describes the beer like this, “A subtle hoppiness on a rich, but easy roasted malt base…Proud to have this modern classic of a style in the core range.”  

The sessionable beer is 4.4-percent ABV and includes Irish malts in the grain bill. Lough Gill comes in even lower with their Anderson’s Irish Red Ale at 4-percent ABV. That beer also includes some roasted malt.

Galway Bay Brewery Bay Ale. Image source: Galway Bay Brewery.

Lough Gill Anderson’s Irish Red Ale. Image source: Lough Gill Brewery.

Dublin’s Porterhouse Brewing Company bluntly addresses the stereotypes of Irish Red Ales  on their webpage:

“Irish red ales? Yes, we know. Sweet, a bit cloying and, well, no thanks. So, it was brave of us (we say bravely) to put the words “red ale” after our own moniker. Why the hell would we do that?

Because this is a real red ale, an ale to conjure with that happens to be reddish in colour. More importantly, it’s exuberantly, joyfully fruity with a bit of malty caramel.

But sweet? No way. Balanced, yes. Fresh, yes. Aromatic, yes. In fact, we say yes, please.”

I appreciate this. Irish Red Ale doesn’t have to be what some stereotypes about it say they are. They’re making a Red Ale that’s Irish. Take it or leave it.

What I find most fascinating and promising about contemporary Irish Red Ales is what’s happening at Ballykilcavan Brewing Company. The family that owns the property at Ballykilcavan has been there for thirteen generations and the farm brewery was started as a means to sustain the property and its economic viability for future generations.

All the barley used in Ballykilcavan beer is grown on the property and is malted just a few miles away at Minch Malt. Their water is sourced from the property as well. They’re even growing a little bit of hops.

Their Brickyard Red Ale may be the most Irish of all the Irish Red Ales out there. Like many, if not all, of the others mentioned above, the grain bill includes a touch of roasted barley.

The picturesque Ballykilcavan Brewing Company. Image source: Ballykilcavan Brewing Company.

There’s tons of potential for great Irish Red Ales. Like the beer the country is better known for, Irish Red Ales can be sessionable beers enjoyed at the pub, with low enough alcohol and enough of a dry finish that a couple of rounds will do you well for a bit of craic (look it up). But the beer can also be a bit more versatile when it comes to food pairing than Dry Irish Stout.

And Irish Red Ales don’t need to be monolithic. There’s certainly a place for stronger versions like the ones found in the US. Served at the proper temperature, those can do well on special occasions or on a cold winter night by a fire.

Athletic NA Irish Red. Image source: Athletic Brewing Co.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, there’s also NA Irish Red Ale. Believe it or not, Athletic has already made one.

Perhaps one of the best opportunities for Irish Red Ale is how well the style lends itself to natural carbonation and cask dispense. Though cask beer is not necessarily ubiquitous in Ireland, or anywhere else for that matter, who cares? It can be superb from a handpump. Let’s make it happen.

Sláinte!

Casketbeer started five years ago with the goal of promoting everyday beer styles. In a way, this has kinda meant classic beer styles that are overlooked for the latest trends. It was never meant to be static.

When the blog started, there was chatter about increased interest in classic lager styles and I’ve written about a lot of these. Some doubted if the lager thing would stick, but it has proven enduring. That’s great to see.  

There has even been a very slight uptick in breweries producing traditional English-style beer lately. In particular, several breweries now make Mild. This is a style that had fallen off the radar in the UK, and I don’t recall it ever really being on anyone’s radar here in the US.

As things have evolved since the blog’s inception, I’ve been thinking about what’s currently overlooked and I keep coming back to Belgian styles. Not long ago, they were all the rage. People were buying imports and countless Belgian-inspired breweries were opening. Westvleteren 12 was the most highly rated and sought-after beer. Now, it ranks 50th on Beer Advocate’s top list of beers, below others like an imperial barrel-aged maple bacon coffee porter called ‘Morning Wood’.

I’ve had an affinity for Belgian styles since getting into beer. This is no doubt largely due to briefly working at Brewery Ommegang in 2002. The Belgian-inspired brewery in upstate New York was co-owned by the folks who also owned Vanberg & DeWulf, an import company specializing in Belgian beer. Don Feinberg and Wendy Littlefield at Vanberg and DeWulf deserve a substantial amount of credit for not only introducing countless Americans to great Belgian beer, but also for saving Belgian brands that were on the verge of extinction. Their efforts certainly had a significant impact on me.

My mind has drifted toward these beers in the last year. In particular, I’ve been thinking about St. Bernardus. While the brewery makes an array of quality beers, I’ve specifically been thinking about their Wit, Abt 12, and Christmas Ale.

Before getting into those a little bit more, just a word or two on the company. St. Bernardus has evolved to stay relevant. I appreciate that. To connect with contemporary consumers, they began canning some beer, dabbled with barrel aging, and even produced some nitro kegs.

Image source: St. Bernardus.

Image source: St. Bernardus.

The brewery’s packaging/design has improved, but I feel like the company would greatly benefit from a complete packaging overhaul. I get the urge to adorn the labels with a cartoonish monk (technically, it’s not really supposed to be a monk since the brewery had to part with the Trappist affiliation years ago). It conveys several things many customers will immediately connect with. It just doesn’t positively resonate with me. They’ve made a substantial investment in their facilities, demonstrated in part in the photos above, which depict a modern and elegant operation. I think the packaging should align with this evolution.

On to the beer

Aside from a few well-known brands (i.e. Hoegaarden, Shock Top, Blue Moon and Allagash White), Belgian-style Witbier is rare. That’s not only true in the US, but also in Belgium, where it never was a widely brewed style.     

In Belgium, the style was dead until Pierre Celis brought it back to life when he created Hoegaarden. But the interpretation he introduced in the 1960s was different than the Belgian wheat beer of the past. Notably, it was not sour. Instead, the citrus-tinged brew provided a flavor profile that was complex, but approachable. It’s akin to German Hefeweizen, but with a citrus flavor instead of banana and clove. The fact that Witbier does not have greater popularity is baffling.

Celis sold Hoegaarden to Interbrew (now part of AB-InBev) in 1990, which provided greater distribution, and by many accounts led to the detriment of the beer. Fortunately, Celis collaborated with St. Bernardus on their Wit, which may exist today as a greater representation of what Celis created nearly 60 years ago.  

Image source: St. Bernardus.

The St. Bernardus Wit does have similarities to Hoegaarden, but Hoegaarden has a sweetness that detracts from its enjoyability. With the St. Bernardus beer, the sweetness is missing and there is a notable spice bite. All together, it’s easy to see the St. Bernardus version is a better beer.

Abt 12 has probably been the most discussed of the three beers highlighted here because of its connection to Westvleteren 12. The St. Bernardus brewery was created to brew Westvleteren beer for the St. Sixtus monks in 1946. Though the monks at St. Sixtus had been brewing since the 1830s, they decided they wanted to focus their resources in other areas. Their brewer, along with their yeast, brought the recipes to St. Bernardus where Westvleteren beer was brewed until 1992. Abt 12 is very similar to Westvleteren 12. Two differences between the beers would be that they use water from their respective breweries, and Westvleteren now uses a Westmalle yeast strain. As St. Bernardus is using the original Westvleteren yeast strain, you could argue the St. Bernardus version is more Westvleteren than Westvleteren is.

Image source: St. Bernardus.

Contrary to my packaging comments above, there are two things about the Abt 12 packaging that I love. First, one in every 1,000 of the bottles produced includes a winking (not a) monk figure. I’ve never found one, but I always look.

Second, I really enjoy the annual release of the magnum bottle, which features unique artwork each year. This year’s version is depicted below. It’s a bargain. Also, the volume and the style of beer lend themselves well to holiday parties.   

Image source: St. Bernardus.

Image source: St. Bernardus.

However, the brewery has another release specifically for the holidays. The Christmas Ale doesn’t exactly have a story like the Wit or Abt 12, but it is by far one of the best Belgian holiday ales. It has long been one of my go-tos (admittedly, after the Abt 12 magnum noted above). It checks a lot of boxes in terms of flavor, potency and packaging (which is again in contrast to what I said above. I feel like it’s more palatable for Christmas beers). My understanding and interpretation of the Christmas beer is that it is incredibly similar to Abt 12 except it is spiced to give it more of a holiday feel. 

Grab yourself a bottle (or can, if you like) of Christmas Ale this holiday season. It’s nearly guaranteed to give you a little holiday cheer. And throughout the upcoming year, consider some of the other Belgian classics. I have so many favorites, but I’m thinking Saison Dupont in the spring (also, their Avec Les Bons Voeux for New Year’s Eve), St. Bernardus Wit over the summer (or maybe De La Senne’s Taras Boulba, a modern classic), and Rodenbach Grand Cru in the fall. Cheers.

I wasn’t planning on bookending a post from earlier in the year about cask beer, but there’s a lot to discuss. Unlike years past, where an update may just affirm declining sales and interest in cask beer, this year brought a roller coaster ride of good and bad news. This time, the most disappointing news provided a spark that generated a bit more passion, defense, and relevance to what has generally been seen as a dying method of beer production and service. We’ll start with that.

Cask Marque’s annual Cask Ale Week in England got off to a bumpy start in September when it was featured in a GB News story. For those unfamiliar with GB News (as I was), it seems akin to Newsmax. The response by many cask fans in the UK was highly carbonated. Fanning the flames, Cask Marque doubled down in response to critics and unapologetically said they were just trying to spread the word and grow appreciation for cask beer.  

Worse than this though was an offensive t-shirt that organizers created for the event that stated, “I identify as…a beer drinker”. According to this tweet by David Jesudason, the organization allegedly doubled down on this as well:

Image Source: X.

Though there were numerous events throughout the week, it felt as if the wind was taken from the sails and the whole thing seemed unfortunate. That said, there was a silver lining as there was some of the most passionate dialogue about cask beer seen in a long time. It almost made it feel relevant for a moment.  

In my earlier post, I mentioned a more positive initiative to promote cask beer by Black Sheep Brewery with their Drink Cask Beer campaign. News broke in May that the company was entering administration (which is like the UK version of Chapter 11). A few months later, there were some layoffs and the closing of a few of their pubs.

They’re still around though, and I’m rooting for them. Black Sheep Ale and Riggwelter were two of my favorites when I was getting into beer. It has been a very long time since I’ve seen those on shelves over here or at any pubs, and I miss them a lot.      

Image source: Instagram

I’ll wrap up my UK comments with two positive tidbits. First, CAMRA published a book in August by Des de Moor on cask beer. Cask: The real story of Britain’s unique beer culture, is a long overdue addition to the literary beer world. While the book could have been trimmed down a bit, it will be a huge asset to those learning about beer styles, service, and traditions, including those in the Cicerone program.  

I was happy to see De Moor present on the subject of cask beer at this year’s Beer Culture Summit, organized by the Beer Culture Center (which was up until recently known as the Chicago Brewseum.) The summit is a yearly highlight for legit beer nerds. If you haven’t attended in the past, keep an eye out for next year.

Second, Boak and Bailey think there may be some real traction with cask ale at the moment. In a recent post, they state, “are we imagining it or are classic British beer styles, and cask ale more generally, making a bit of a cultural comeback? For real, this time. Not just in the hopeful dreams of traditionalists.” For more insight, read the full post here.

Ruvani de Silva suggests this is the case in the United States. Reporting in a recent Washington Post article, she says that there’s “new interest” in cask beer engines in the US and a 50-percent increase in cask beer check-ins over the last two years on the Untappd app. Maybe our “hopeful dreams” are coming true.

There certainly seems to be interest in Portland, Oregon where Jeff Alworth has made several references to the growing popularity of cask beer over the last two years. This has apparently continued to grow. See Jeff’s tweet below from this past September.  Breweries like Upright, Gigantic, and Steeplejack are reliably serving cask beer. Away Days are as well, and they have even been holding bi-annual cask beer fests.  

Image Source: X.

Bill Arnott at his brewery Machine House in Seattle. Stop by for a mardle (look it up). Image source: Instagram.

Just a bit to the north, things weren’t looking good in my last update when I mentioned that cask brewing stalwart Machine House Brewery in Seattle was losing its original home and was unsure of its future. Fortunately, the brewery found a new space in the Hillman City neighborhood and is back up and running. Crisis averted.

Over in the Northeast, the New England Real Ale eXhibition (NERAX) was held in Boston earlier in the year. It was the first time the event was held since 2019. An unexpected delay with the organizers citing “numerous supply chain issues”, pushed the event back a few weeks. It ultimately went forward serving over 100 different beers in an array of styles to an enthusiastic crowd. They have announced that the 2024 event will take place once again in Boston from April 10th to the 13th. Find out more information here. 

The 2023 New England Real Ale eXhibition (NERAX) Boston. Image source: Instagram.

Cask event at Strong Rope Brewery, May 2023.

My earlier post mentioned a great little annual fest in New York at Strong Rope, and this was followed up locally by a couple of fun cask events at Fifth Hammer, including one I attended dubbed “Caskalot”. There was some great beer, and it was a nice, laid-back affair. I’d love to see more events like these.

The Jones Wood Foundry in Manhattan’s Upper East Side kept its annual tradition of having a weekly cask beer program over the summer (though you can regularly find cask beer there throughout the year). I think in the past it was just for August. This summer, it started in June and ran through August. There were great pours by breweries like Dutchess Ales, Strong Rope, Wild East, Fifth Hammer and others.

This year, Jones Wood also began a cask-related blog on their website called ‘The Cask Whisperer’ by Nigel Walsh. It’s a bit of a hidden gem. This post in particular has inspired me to organize informal cask beer pub crawls. New Yorkers, keep your eyes peeled for that in 2024 if you’d like to join.

Also in New York, Wild East supported their increased production of traditional English-style Ales with the installation of a hand pump. Co-founder and head of brewing Brett Taylor told me they got their handpump from a pub in Sussex, England and they’ve kept the Marston’s handle that came with it. Every time I ask Brett how the casks are selling, he tells me they move quickly.

Marton’s handle on Wild East Brewing’s hand pump.

Instagram post by Delaware Supply in Albany, New York. Image source: Instagram.

Similarly, one of my favorite beer spots around, Delaware Supply in Albany, New York, recently burned through three Suarez Family Brewery pins (a 5.4-gallon keg for cask service) in less than two hours as noted in the Instagram post above. My home away from home brewery, Wayward Lane, started making some cask ale this year and also sent out some to Delaware Supply.

Suarez has made some great traditional British-style ales over the years, and it’s exciting to see them cranking out casks. Hopefully, they will keep it up and people will continue to take to them. Suarez no doubt helped guide a new generation of beer drinkers to lager (and has probably done the same with Dark Mild). I’m certain they can do the same with cask beer.

It would be interesting to see if they put some of their lager in casks too. I explored the idea of how great cask lager can be in Craft Beer and Brewing’s lager issue this year. If you’re not a subscriber, you really should sign up. It’s well worth it. If a subscription is not in the cards right now, the article just became available on the Craft Beer & Brewing website. You can access it here.

Elsewhere in print, Courtney Iseman had an article about cask beer published in the heavy metal magazine Decibel. It’s rad that Decibel published an article on this topic. I gladly scooped up a copy that came with a flexi 7-inch record. As a cask drinking record collector, this purchase was a no-brainer.

Image source: X.

I’ll wrap up with some thoughts on sparklers. These are the attachments that can be added to the swan neck of a hand pump to create a more robust head on a cask beer and better lacing. I’ve watched with amusement as people debate whether these should be used. This debate is primarily in cask beer’s homeland and is often noted as having a north/south orientation (sparkler in the north, not the south). Some are even getting sparkler tattoos.  

Black Sheep brazenly crossed enemy lines recently to serve their sparkled ales at a pop-up Christmas market in London. See the tweet above. They returned to the north unscathed.

I’ve found the debate a little ridiculous in the past, but I’ve been thinking lately that if it’s all in good fun (the Black Sheep tweet serving as an example), the debate should maybe be promoted more. It reminds me of the tremendously successful Miller Lite Tastes Great, Less Filling campaign, and it could be a fun way to generate interest and pride in cask beer. And, sparkler or not, if people are rallying behind cask beer, we all benefit.

(ed. It’s not that deep of a dive.)

Bar pies didn’t pop on my radar until around 2005 when I would go to a few bars in Brooklyn that offered them for free with each drink you bought. I didn’t think much of them at the time. They were just small pizzas that served a purpose. Good, cheap, utilitarian sustenance for when you’re out having a few drinks.

Since then, I’ve come to understand that bar pies are a thing with an interesting history, and they take different forms in different parts of the country. This means three regions, really. The tri-state metropolitan area of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, the Midwest, with Chicago as the base, and the South Shore area of Massachusetts. (For the Midwest, they’re also referred to as thin crust pies, tavern pies, tavern-style, or just pizza, and for the South Shore, they’re called bar pizza.) Oddly enough, though New York and Chicago are well-known for pizza, they’re not known by many outsiders for bar pie-style pizza (and, as in my case, some locals may not even be aware of their existence).

I’m not sure exactly where the tradition of free bar pies came from, but the idea of offering free eats at a bar is obviously nothing new. It’s just another form of a bowl of pretzels or peanuts on the bar. Something that keeps people from leaving because of hunger, and on the salty side, so it makes them thirsty. But the free pies may have been, and are definitely now, more of an anomaly. Most places serving bar pies charge for them.

The Concept

The free bar pies I had back in the day were straightforward. Crust, sauce, and cheese on a small, thin, crispy pie served at a bar. That’s it. Occasionally a couple of toppings, but nothing fancy. At the places I used to go, a topping could cost you a buck or two.  

To me, the sauce and cheese on a bar pie, free or not, extends to the rim. That seems to be the norm. There are places though that serve them with a more typical crust depth. I’ve always thought of them as a slightly bigger, slightly better Mama Celeste (the frozen pizza that uses the imagery of a woman that resembles to the mother from The Godfather. Also, one of my favorite frozen pizzas growing up.)

Mama Celeste and her doppelgänger, Mama Corleone.

They’re usually individual pies that are 10-12” in diameter (you might find them bigger though, especially when they’re not free). They’re not meant to be a big meal, can be shared, and you’re not going there specifically for it, so they’re not the star of the show. That’s the idea anyway. Or at least my idea of what they are.

The Reality

The reality is that in many places, the pizza is the main attraction. They’re a full meal, rather than just a snack for people at the bar. Some places have become well-known for their bar pies because they’re really good, and their names tip you off to the fact that they’re not a typical pizza joint. Instead of having Italian-sounding names one would expect for a pizzeria, a few popular bar pie places in the metro New York area, for example, include Colony Grill (with a shamrock in its logo), Grand Street Cafe, The Mountain House, and Star Tavern.

Back to Brooklyn

Contrary to what I just said, most of the bar pies I had back in the day were at a place called Capone’s. An online post described it like this: “free pizza is hard to quibble with, especially when you're eating it off a century-old hand-carved bar imported from one of Al Capone's Chicago haunts. The Williamsburg native (ed. Brooklyn, yes. Williamsburg, no) is said to haunt this dive…” I don’t remember it being such a dive. That said, the picture of the entrance shown below doesn’t suggest it was a classy establishment. It was sparsely decorated. That I do recall.

Image source: 11211.info

I also don’t really recall the quality of the pizza. This is what happens when you have one too many Sixpoint Bengali Tigers or Blue Point Toasted Lagers. While I don’t remember if they were good or not, nearly twenty years later, I remember them because they were part of the experience. And I remember destroying them like a true gavone. Not the best look if you’re single and looking for some romance, which may have been the case for some, as one site described Capone’s as “Williamsburg's Meet Your Hipster-Chick Girlfriend Bar".  

My friend Paul made everyone look a little gavone-ish as it was customary for him to coerce people into eating an entire slice in one bite. Given the compact nature of bar pies with their small slices, this feat was feasible, but still a little challenging. It was an entertaining tradition. (Side note: the Yelp reviews of Capone’s are a fantastic time capsule.)

As real estate prices in Williamsburg have skyrocketed since that time, it’s no surprise that Capone’s is long gone. However, another place we would frequent was the Alligator Lounge on Metropolitan Avenue, and it’s still around. Their motto: “Free. Pizza. Every. Day.” It’s a laid-back bar with a pool table and an impressive-looking wood-fired oven. I’m happy it still exists.

Free bar pies in Brooklyn. Alligator Lounge on the left and The Charleston on the right, where they’re $1 after 7PM.

Nearby, The Charleston on Bedford Avenue has free pies up to 7PM. After that, they’re $1. It’s a similar scene to the Alligator Lounge. I’m not sure what type of oven they use, but they do have a dough mixer there, which is always a good sign.

Out in the burbs and beyond

Far from the LCD Soundsystem vibes of Capone’s, the previously mentioned Colony Grill in Connecticut is like an Irish pub/VFW hall with great pizza. Colony was opened by Irish-Americans in 1935 in Stamford, Connecticut. They claim that they wanted to sell the food of their immigrant employees, including Italians, and the bar pie was created to serve a pizza that could fit on a bar top. Their website describes the pies like this, “not too much cheese or sauce so that slices can be easily managed with one hand, fittingly leaving the other hand free to hold a glass.” They were a huge success and Colony now has nine locations along the East Coast.

Bar pies at Colony Grill in Port Chester, New York with my dad and brother.

Beekman Ale House in Sleepy Hollow, New York is a newcomer to the scene, opening in 2021. My friend Matt Di Gesu tipped me off to this spot, and he’s a trusted source for all things pizza. Matt is the founder/GM of Pizzeria La Rosa in New Rochelle, New York and he makes some of the best pizza around. People definitely go to Beekman for the pizza as it’s very good, but it is definitely still a pub that people frequent simply to gather at a welcoming third space.

That’s what Matt and I recently did. We caught up with each other over a couple beers and some pizza. Others were doing the same. Some were watching a game on the tv. Some weren’t having pizza at all. In this situation, it felt unnatural to spend an extensive amount of time taking pictures. So, my one and only picture isn’t great, but I assure you, the pizza is (and so is Matt).

A very tasty bar pie at Beekman Ale House in Sleepy Hollow, New York.

I can’t speak to the scenes in the Midwest or the South Shore Massachusetts from experience, but Emmett’s on Grove in New York City’s West Village is making Chicago-style tavern pies and they’re fantastic. The restaurant opened after the success of the original Emmett’s, which serves a variety of Chicago dishes, notably deep dish pizza.

I would say the only significant difference between the Metro NYC bar pies and the Midwest tavern pies is the way they are cut. Tavern-style pizzas are cut in a grid pattern. One might argue another noticeable difference is that the Chicago bar pies are thinner and crispier. More of a cracker-style crust.

In Chicago, Revolution Brewing’s Director of Communications John Carruthers (@nachosandlager) began the charitable initiative called Crust Fund Pizza outside of his 9-5 at the brewery to support “the people who make Chicago a better place to live.” He makes tavern-style pizzas once a month and has raised over $60,000. He even landed himself on an episode of the Food Network’s show Chopped. Beer nerds take note: if you order and mention you’re into beer, he might through in some freebies for you. Check out his webpage and social media. Support if you can.  

Tavern-style pizzas at Emmett’s on Grove in New York City.

Crust Fund Pizza by John Carruthers in Chicago. Sources: Crust Fund Pizza website and John’s Instagram page, @nachosandlager.

Down to the crust

While I love places like Colony and Emmet’s on Grove, to me, a real “bar pie” will always be like the free pizzas I used to have years ago, or even at Beekman Ale House. They’re good pizzas at a place you’re hanging at with some friends having drinks. You don’t need to talk about the pizza or post pictures of it on Instagram. Like the drink you’re having, the pizza should be an accompaniment to good conversation, not the focus.

(Note: this post was updated to make reference to South Shore Massachusetts bar pizza, which was a glaring omission from the original version.)

Hoyt Avenue is Hit. Again.

Hoyt Avenue in Mamaroneck, New York flooded yesterday. Again. The street is the current home to Half Time Beverage and New York Craft Coalition (NYCC) (a new venture that includes Marlowe Ales and Barclay Brewing.) Without change, this won’t be the last time it floods.

But what level of change is needed and who is responsible? Do they need to install some detention basins to capture the water on the Hoyt Avenue property? Does the region need to implement green infrastructure measures to naturally cope with stormwater runoff? Does the world need to take actions that will meaningfully fight climate change? For a small brewery, there’s a lot that you simply cannot control.

One might say you can choose where to open your business, including areas not prone to flooding, but that’s easier said than done. For starters, there are local zoning regulations that dictate where land uses can be located. That immediately eliminates a substantial amount of land, and in areas that developed before the advent of rail and truck shipping, it often means being near a waterbody where industrial development was historically located.

Flooding in front of Half Time/NYCC September 29, 2023 (Image: Reuters).

In the case of Halftime and NYCC, it’s in the floodplain of the Sheldrake River. Not surprisingly, it has flooded in the past, including the four feet of water it brought into the space in September of 2021 thanks to Hurricane Ida. Back then, Decadent Ales occupied the NYCC space.  

The recent storm didn’t bring as much flooding to the Sheldrake floodplain. And while other places in the area like Brooklyn were hit hard, to my knowledge, Strong Rope and Wild East in the low-lying Gowanus neighborhood were the only breweries that reported flooding.  

Marlowe Ales hasn’t had it easy lately. After contract brewing with Twelve Percent Beer Project, the business found a home in Nyack, New York, but it was short-lived after one of the oddest closings the industry has likely seen. In the middle of service one night, the landlord had the business shut down after just six months of being open, leaving them without a home. But that’s another story.

Marlowe Ales posted these images on their Instagram account showing the clean up after the flooding.

A new opportunity sprung up with Barclay Brewing to take over the Decadent Ales space in Mamaroneck and the New York Craft Coalition was born. It’s in a location carved out of Half Time, which is a retail beer emporium with another location in Poughkeepsie, New York. The two breweries share the space, which includes a small brewhouse, as well as a taproom with a restaurant.

Securing space for a small brewery that is affordable and allowed by zoning is not easy. Just like when people search for their personal home, there are some tradeoffs. Half Time’s space has a lot of positives going for it. The flooding was likely something NYCC was aware of, but accepted knowing that you will never find the perfect location.  

It’s unclear what’s next for Half Time and NYCC. Half Time has already reopened, but what are long-term measures they are thinking about to avoid future flooding on the site? Marlowe noted on their social media that the flooding damaged equipment, finished products, and raw ingredients. They’re closed until further notice, except for sales of products to go. For the time being, support for them/NYCC can be given by buying their beer and merchandise. You can do that here.