Seasonal beers untapped: where to find brews this fall in Astoria, LIC, and Sunnyside

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    [We are delighted to share with you this post on seasonal craft beer, written by local writer Danielle McClure. She’s got some great places to share with you, so enjoy and drink up! -Ed]

    Image source: Danielle McClure

    Finding craft beer in Queens is easier these days, thanks to several hops-loving establishments throughout the borough. With fall officially in full swing, there’s no better time to get reacquainted with where to find the best rotating taps in town. As pumpkin ales give way to winter warmers, here are some places to sidle up for a tasty seasonal pint or two.

    sunswick-bar-astoria-queens

    The Bohemian Beer Hall and Garden (GMAP) may be the oldest bar in the hood but Sunswick 35/35 (GMAP) has long been considered the granddaddy of Astoria’s craft beer scene with 24 draft beers to suit every taste. Octoberfest brews from Spaten, Hofbrau and Stoudt’s ruled the roost during our last visit and although the storm has delayed incoming shipments of spicier winter ales, there will be plenty of offerings in coming weeks. Meantime, we settles for a Brooklyn Brewery’s Black Chocolate Stout ’11 as a delicious transitional treat. Follow ’em on Twitter for the latest updates on what’s being tapped.

     

    buds-ale-house-astoria-queens

    Image source: Danielle McClure

    We initially checked out Astoria newcomer Bud’s Ale House (GMAP), which opened its doors on Steinway last month, to satisfy a state fair-induced craving for mini corn dogs and for its ample selection of big-screen TVs for Sunday football coverage, but were pleasantly surprised to find a whopping variety of seasonals on tap. Of the 80 impressive draft beers on the menu, Bud’s offers at least four seasonals which are also available in pitchers and a bartender confirmed that they rotate quite regularly. They even offer cinnamon sugar-rimmed pint glasses for pumpkin varieties, if you’re so inclined. We were also impressed to find seven different gluten-free bottled brews including the tough to find (and pricey) but incredibly tasty Brunhaut Blonde Belgian Pale Ale and multiple Green’s varieties.

     

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    Image source: MexiBBQ Kitchen

    MexiBBQ (GMAP) and seasonal beer? You bet. Astoria’s fave fusion joint also offers up a surprisingly diverse selection of yummy ales in its special “Pumpkin Patch” beer list featuring nine beers like Dogfish Head Punk’n, Kelso Industrial Pumpkin and Long Trail Imperial Pumpkin. Word is they’re planning to roll out another winter-oriented beer menu in time to get warmed up for the next big  snow storm. Bonus points for 64 oz. take-home growlers!

     

    taps-wall-astoria-bier-and-cheese-queens

    Astoria Bier & Cheese (GMAP) has already gotten a lot of love from us and more traction for its tasty artisanal pairings, and rightly so. We passed on the fromage, but happily sampled a seasonal flight from the 10 brews on tap including Wayerbacher Imperial  Pumpkin, Thomas Hooker Octoberfest and threw in heady, hard-to-find Dogfish Head Bitches Brew simply because we were so stoked they even had it. If you see something you like from their jaw-dropping variety of craft bottles in the cooler, they’ll even open it up for you to enjoy in-house.

     

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    In LIC, Alewife (GMAP) gets our vote for the most diverse draught lineup. They’re still recovering from some serious Sandy-related damages and are currently only operating in a very limited capacity (no kitchen, lights or heat) and seeking donations to help with electrical repairs, but the beer is still flowing – for now. When we visited two weeks ago, they were serving an impressive list of several rich and full-bodied beers.  In addition to regional offerings from Captain Lawrence and Sixpoint, Alewife also serves rare (some would say priceless) imports like Belgium’s De Ranke. We savored the powerful Smoketoberfest from Keegan Ales and Cisco Brewers Pumple Drumkin Spiced Ale, which was exceptionally delicious with the house snack, bourbon-smoked nuts.

     

    courtyard-ale-house-sunnyside-queens

    Image source: Courtyard Ale House

    At Courtyard Ale House in Sunnyside (GMAP), 60 local and domestic drafts mingle with seasonal and imports on a rotating basis, and Harpoon Winter Warmer is already on tap. Yes, please! Over in Eastern Queens, there are 60 brews on tap at Croxley’s (GMAP), a favorite  for craft-lovin’ drinkers in Franklin Square looking for wings with a kick and a place to catch a game. Their claim to fame? A limited edition house pumpkin ale that is served with a cinnamon and sugar rim. Delish!

    Of course, if staying in is more your jam or if you’re looking for something to pair with Thanksgiving turkey, swing by Astoria’s Triboro Beverage (GMAP) and Euro Market (GMAP). Both offer up a vast selection of bottled craft brews so good they’ll bring tears to any beer lover’s eye. Where do you go for great seasonal beer?

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