#beerunion

Pub crawls aren't normally synonymous with Valentine's Day but they should be 'cause that's just what I did this year and it was freakin' awesome. 

The great folks over at Beer Union have a book, "Beer Lovers New York" where they feature tons of bars/festivals/breweries all over New York. It's an amazing book to have on hand if you live in New York (they also have other cities too) & love beer. Check it out here and make sure to check out their other books, too! Anyway, they feature these pub crawls in different neighborhoods. Since we rarely leave the Upper East Side - even though they do have an UES pub crawl - we decided to venture to Park Slope in Brooklyn. Let the crawl begin!

4th Ave Pub: We started our journey at 4th Ave Pub on, you guessed it, fourth ave. It was quiet (it was also, like, 2PM on a Saturday) so we were able to snag a seat at the bar. My favorite thing about this bar - besides the beer - was the decor. There were all these really cool, vintage pictures and knick-knacks on the walls and beer books/memorabilia behind the bar. They also had what looked like a pinball machine around the side of the bar & plenty of seating. If it wasn't 10 degrees / snowing at the time, we would've sat outside on their patio. I didn't want to get super-drunk super-quick so I started with the Stillwater "Stateside Saison Ale". 

The first beer of the afternoon (& the draft list) at the 4th Ave Pub. 

Pacific Standard: Literally a stones throw (maybe less) from Fourth Ave Pub is Pacific Standard. A tried and true West Coast bar - there are Washington, Oregon, and California memorabilia all over the walls. This bar is really cool. Their draft list features lots of different brews - not just ones from the West Coast, which I thought was "hella" cool (see what I did there!?) It's quite large, with a back room featuring a very big television, and has a lovely atmosphere. There was a party of some sorts going on, but everyone was super friendly regardless. We liked it so much we even had two beers here! I started with an Ale Smith Brewing "Anvil ESB", a British-style pub ale, and finished with Cigar City Brewing "Maudro", a brown ale. 

My Cigar City and the tap handles at the Pacific Standard

Mission Dolores: Probably my favorite bar of the whole tour is Mission Dolores. It's a little bit of a walk from Pacific Standard but nothing when compared to how awesome this place is. Housed in a old tire shop, this beer bar: 1) has games & really cool murals/paintings all over the walls, 2) has an outdoor patio, and 3) allows dogs. The atmosphere is out of control (in a good way) and did I mention they allow dogs? You have to walk through a mural-lined hallway (below) - which is available for outdoor seating when warmer - to get inside. I'm not 100% sure, but the roof on the indoor section might be able to open for a complete outdoor beer-drinking experience - I'll have to check that out this summer. Their beer list (and bartender!) is amazing, too. I started with Braven Brewing "White IPA". Braven Brewing is fairly new (est. 2013) and resides in Bushwick, Brooklyn! How cool is that?! I'll have to do a post about them soon. For my second beer, I had to go with the Two Roads Brewing "No Limits Hefeweizen"  and show my home state some love. 

The mural on the way into Mission Dolores.

The Owl Farm: Beer Union really nailed this pub crawl on the head because The Owl Farm is marvelous. It's on 9th Street in between 4th and 5th Ave, so a little walk from Mission Dolares, but not unbearable by any means. The bar is super-dark inside, has an extensive beer list, and ALSO allows dogs! Seriously, Brooklyn's where it's at for dog-friendly-ness. We weren't able to sit right at the bar, but we snagged a table right behind it. It has a really rustic, vintage feel and wasn't too busy, which is a nice change from the unnaturally-crowded Manhattan bars. I went with a Bell's "Harry Magill's Spiced Stout", which was a perfect compliment to the beers from the last bar. 

Owl's on The Owl Farms wall, the bartender, and part of the draft list. 

The Gate: Around the corner (well not literally since it's a little bit of a walk) from Owl Farm is The Gate. An unassuming, no frills bar, The Gate is a place where you can get a good beer without anyone bothering ya. It's small, but not claustrophobic and has a long display of tap handles on the bar for easy viewing (as opposed to the . I read they used to allow dogs there but the Health Department shut that down and angered patrons are petitioning. Which, I mean, they should, since every bar should be dog-friendly in my opinion. I decided I needed another stout and went with Avery's "Old Jubilation Ale" as per the bartenders suggestion - which I've been trying to do more - they always know what's up. 

My only picture of The Gate - was I trying to be artistic....?

Bierkraft: The last and final stop on our pub crawl was Bierkraft. A mecca of beer shop/sandwich shop/bar, Bierkraft is like a triple-threat. I didn't get to shop for beer (I was, like, 7 (strong) beers deep at this point), but I did get a DELICIOUS sandwich and a beer, of course. And, since I was seven beers in at this point, I cannot remember for the life of me what the beer was (oops!). The book suggests starting the pub crawl at Bierkraft, which looking back I should have done since I have only faint memories of this beautiful place. Oh, well - it just means I have to go back again!

This obviously isn't my picture since this was presumably taken when it was above 10 degrees, but this is the outside of Bierkraft (courtesy of: www.heresparkslope.com).

Obnoxiously long post aside, I hope you guys were able to live semi-vicariously through my awesome Valentine's Day Park Slope Pub Crawl! I had an amazing day and want to thank Beer Union for creating such a beautiful adventure. One pub crawl down, three to go!