This year, I’m bringing back an old tradition here at Brew York: the annual Beer Superlatives! It’s been a half-decade since I’ve done this whiparound of what’s happened in beer in New York in the form of these bests and worsts, and in a year full of beer news, 2021 felt like a good enough time to bring them back. So, here are some of the highlights and lowlights of the year in beer in New York City in 2021.
Debut of the Year
Back Home Beer
Back Home Beer, a new NYC-brewed brand created by Zahra Tabatabai, a daughter of Iranian immigrants, is producing beers with ingredients from and inspired by her ancestral home. The Sumac Gose is made with sour cherry, cured sumac, and blue salt, and the Persian Style Lager is kissed with blue salt. These first two offerings have been flying off shelves across the city, and a recent drop in Washington, D.C. has put them on the map beyond the five boroughs. It was a quick realization that Back Home would be the next big thing when sitting at Beer Karma for just a couple hours in October, five people came in looking for the beer after it had sold out. Here’s to bigger things for Back Home Beer in 2022.
Most Heartbreaking Brewery Closure
Folksbier Brewery
Folksbier was the only brewery closure in New York City this year, but this Brooklyn outfit had a loyal following that seemed truly torn up based on social media chatter after they closed at the end of October. The New York City beer community will be a different place without their OBL Lager and Glow Up series of Berliner Weisses. What made the loss more difficult was the abruptness of the closure — it happened without warning, just a day after their taproom was operating as normal on a Sunday. Few fans of Folksbier truly got to say goodbye to the brewery the way they wanted to, which leaves them even more heartbroken.
Most Heartbreaking Bar Closure
The Diamond
The year started off on a bad note when The Diamond closed up shop for good on January 3rd. This Greenpoint stalwart was a beloved beer bar that was off-the-beaten path on Franklin Street. My favorite feature of the bar was without a doubt the old Whiteface Mountain gondola car in their cozy, welcoming backyard. I shared more than a few beers there with friends and dates. My second favorite feature was the regular cask offering — the Diamond was serving cask in its heyday in New York’s beer scene, but they also served it long after other bars stopped. The Diamond will be truly missed as a quirky, unique, and excellent beer bar.
Event of the Year
Blocktoberfest
After a year and a half on edge, New York really needed its traditions back. Blocktoberfest, the NYC Brewers Guild’s annual fundraiser event,…
