It's New Beer's Eve! Check out these 5 bars
Feeling thirsty? Well here’s a handful of places to raise a glass to 'remember' the repeal of prohibition
April 7 is National Beer Day, the date when, in 1933, the prohibition of alcohol was officially repealed in America. So, that means today, April 6, is New Beer’s Eve. Fancy drinking to that? Franklin D. Roosevelt did. The beginning of the end of Prohibition came about as a result of the Cullen–Harrison Act and its signing into law by the president. Upon signing the legislation, Roosevelt made his famous remark, "I think this would be a good time for a beer."
So head along to any one of these excellent beer bars, as recommended in our new book, Where Bartenders Drink. Oh, and regarding the term New Beer's Eve - we didn't invent it, we're only reporting it - don't hate us.
Blind Lady Ale House, 3416 Adams Avenue, San Diego. “It’s owned by one of the best beer brewers in the world, Lee Chase,” says Erick Castro, proprietor of Possessed By Spirits. “He used to be the brewmaster for Stone Brewery when it opened, then he split to open his own little spot. He brews his own beers, it’s incredible, he has amazing stuff on tap that no one else has. And they have incredible pizza. In my opinion it’s one of the best beer bars in the world.”
Clark Street Ale House, 742 North Clark Street, Chicago. “It’s a perfect combination of amazing staff, good selection of booze and domestic beers, a solid jukebox, and guaranteed good people watching,” says Charles Joly, Crafthouse Cocktails. “It’s always open and close to everything downtown, but just far enough away from the late night mess to keep it from going too far.”
House of 1000 Beers, 357 Freeport Street, Pennsylvania. “This place is in a far-flung suburb of Pittsburgh called New Kensington. It’s a former steel town that is a little rough around the edges,” says Will Groves. “In a lot of important ways, House of 1000 Beers (Ho1kB) feels like any other slightly divey bar in a suburb of Pittsburgh. The fact that they have the best beer selection in the area feels like a happy accident. You Can always find some gems at Ho1kB from the likes of Mikkeler, Prairie Artisan Ales, Evil Twin, Maine Beer Co., HaandBryggeriet, and other breweries no one else in the area ever gets. Service is always really friendly and fun. This place could be so snobby if they wanted it to be, but they don’t want to be and never are. Also, when you play Black Sabbath on the jukebox for almost an hour straight, no one seems to mind.”
Sergio’s World Beers , 1605 Story Avenue, Louisville, Kentucky. “This is the ultimate beer-nerd bar,” says Will Groves, bar program director at Smallman Gallery. “Mind-shredding tap list and bottle selection; secret, locked rooms filled with the REALLY good stuff; a staff that’s as knowledgeable as anywhere; Miller Lite cans in the bathroom marked ‘$27.00.’ The least interesting thing they’ll have on tap will be more interesting than the most amazing thing at most beer bars. Sergio and his staff are just beer weirdos, and it shows. They get really excited about the whole world of craft beer and that translates into the service and selection at the bar.”
The Dead Rabbit Grocery and Grog , 30 Water Street, Lower Manhattan. “Dead Rabbit is simply the best experience I’ve ever had in any bar. The Taproom downstairs is great fun with really enthusiastic and friendly bar staff, the beer selection is brilliant,” says James Kemp bartender at Glasgow’s Finnieston Bar & Restaurant. “Whilst the cocktails are simple and delicious— their signature Irish Coffee is a must try. Then there is The Parlor. This upstairs bar is darkly lit with beautiful mini oil lamps and red lamp shades; Quiet Irish folk music plays from the speakers as customers peruse the beautifully crafted and cleverly composed cocktail book. I genuinely cannot recommend this bar highly enough. Sean Muldoon and Jack McGarry have really raised the bar here. I’d happily hop on a plane from Glasgow just to go for a night.”
Horse Brass Pub , 4534 Southeast Belmont Street, Portland, Oregon. “This is where the craft beer revolution in this country started,” says Jeffrey Morgenthaler manager Clyde Common & Pépé Le Moko. “It was where the folks who are now huge names in brewing got together and traded their love for beer. It’s a piece of modern history.”
Did we say 5 in the headline? We meant 6. Must be the beer talking. For more drinking advice from the other side of the bar, get Where Bartenders Drink here. And if you wanted to focus on good food and beer in New York get Food & Beer.
