In Eric Asimov's article Take These Out to a Ballgame he mentions his disappointment with the extremely limited selection of American craft beer in the new Yankees and Mets stadiums. With all of the excitement, passion, and growth in the craft beer segment, why ignore it?

For Asimov's article, he did a tasting of 18 representations of the American Pilsner style with a panel of beer folks, their top ten favorites are listed below:
Victory Prima Pilsner
Penn Kaiser Pils
Troegs Sunshine Pils
Brooklyn Pilsner
Lakefront Klisch
Lagunitas Pils
Sly Fox Pikeland Pils
Stoudt's Pils
Butte Creek Organic Pilsner
Oskar Blues Mama's Little Yella Pils

It's that time of the year again, and outdoor oases are popping up all over the City in the form of sidewalk seating, patios, beer gardens, decks, and rooftops. As the weather heats up, nothing is more enjoyable than drinking a good beer under the Sun. To help you find the places with good beer and outdoor seating, I have started a list. Please feel free to create your own lists to update and add more places that were left out.

Places with outdoor seating and good beer

We just finalized our list for the fifth Styles Session on Monday April, 27th. Join me and Maggie Fuller, of Beer Ethos, on a flight of 8 Saisons. Beers will be paired with several great cheeses from Murrays Cheese Shop by Chris Munsey, of The Pairing Zone.

The Saison is a beer style that traces its roots to farmhouse breweries on the country side of Wallonia, Belgium. They were traditionally brewed during the cold season and stored until the warm season. These beers are a nice warm weather light beer that is full of complex flavors.

The list:
Saison DuPont
Bruery Saison de Lente
Fantom Printemps
Ommegang Hennepin
Ommegang Biere de mars
Jolly Pumpkin Bam Biere
North Coast Le Merle
(To be announced)

Learn more and buy tickets

Check out some photos from the last Styles Session with IPAs...





Craig, from Sixpoint Craft Ales

As a part of the upcoming American Craft Beer Week from May 11th-17th, American craft breweries are asking you, the beer drinker, to sign the Declaration of Beer Independence. The declaration proclaims, “I want to know why so many of my local beer brands are not available in many of my favorite restaurants, bars and beer stores, and I encourage beer sellers to offer a wide selection of beer styles and beer brands that includes beer from my local and regional breweries.”

We at BeerMenus encourage you to ask your favorite restaurants and bars to serve better beer.

Learn more about scheduled events and creating events during American Craft Beer Week here
Show your support by becoming a fan on facebook

Show support for small American craft brewers. Go see the movie Beer Wars tomorrow night at 8PM. There will be a live discussion with Ben Stein immediately following the screening with Greg Koch, Charlie Papazian, Maureen Ogle, Todd Alstrom, Sam Calagione, Rhonda Kallman, and Tom Long from MillerCoors. Should be quite interesting.

Beer Wars begins as the corporate behemoths are being challenged by small, independent brewers who are shunning the status quo and creating innovative new beers. The story is told through 2 of these entrepreneurs - Sam and Rhonda - battling the might and tactics of Corporate America. We witness their struggle to achieve their American Dream in an industry dominated by powerful corporations unwilling to cede an inch.

On Monday we will be having our fourth Styles Session at Rattle 'N' Hum. The style will be IPAs, which will include mostly American-style big IPAs. Craig, brewer and brewhouse manager at Sixpoint Craft Ales, will be with us to discuss the IPAs he brews and everything Sixpoint is doing. We will be drinking 9 different IPAs, accompanied by cheeses picked by Chris Munsey of Murray's Cheese. Be prepared for an excess of hops.

The list:
Sixpoint Bengali Tiger
Sixpoint Righteous Rye
Southern Tier Unearthly
Green Flash Le Freak
Birra Del Borgo – ReAle Extra
d’Achouffe Houblon
Stone Ruination
Bell’s Two Hearted
Victory Hop Wallop (CASK)

Note: Tickets must be purchased online in advance for this intimate event.

Starting today Rattle N Hum will be hosting the USA versus Belgium event, which will include some of the best Belgian beers matched up against some of the best Belgian-Style beers brewed in America. Choose which country makes the best beer and try some amazing beers.

The list:

Belgium
Pico Brouerij Alvinne kerasus, Gaspar, Melchoir, Balthazaar. (1st time together)
Brouerij De Regenboog – Wostyntje, ‘tSmisje Catherine The Great’
Brouerij Strubbe Double Triple, Grand Cru
Brasserie Artisanale De Rulles La Rulles
Brasserie Lefebvre SA — Blanche de Bruxelles
Brouwerij Huyghe — Delirium Nocturnum, Tremens
Brouerij de Bosteels — Kwak, Triple Karmeliet
Brouwerij Het Anker — Gouden Carolous Ambrio, Classic, Emperor and Triple
Brouerij Van Honsebrouck — Brigand, Kasteel Dark, Triple
Gruut — Amber & Wit
St. Feuillien — Brune, Triple and Saison
Urthel — Hop It, Samaranth
Brouerij de Glazen Toren — Ondineke
Brouerij Van Steenberge — Gulden Draak, Piraat
Palm — Steenbrugge Blanche
Bavik — Petrus Pilsner
Lindemans – Framboise

USA
Avery- Russian River Collaboration
Ommegang: Rare Vos, Abbey, 3 Philosophers, Hennipen
The Bruery: Black Orchard, White Orchard, Saison De Lente
Green Flash: Grand Cru, Tripple, Le Freak
Allagash: Black, White, Four, Triple, Curieux, Dubbel, Fedelta
Smuttynose: Gravitation, Farmhouse
Troegs: Mad Elf
Weyerbacher: Muse
Sixpoint: Belgian Rye IPA, Express
North Coast: Brother Thelonious
Harpoon: Quad
Sly Fox: Saison Vos, Incubus, Renard D’or
Legacy: Euphoria
Kelso: St. Gowanas
Captain Lawrence: Liquid Gold
RR ‘Damnation’
Surprise……..

One of the most recent additions to Stone Brewing Company’s lineup available in NYC is the Stone Levitation Ale. This beer has the lowest alcohol content of any Stone beer, but it still packs the characteristic punch of a Stone beer. Stone says the Stone Levitation Ale has “big hoppy character with rich malt flavors and citric overtones.” You might call it the perfect session beer that is full of flavor, but won’t knock you out after drinking a few.

Read the label