Best breweries in New York City

Founded in 2014 by pals Sam Richardson, Andrew Burman, and Matt Monahan, Other Half Brewing Co. was an unsuspecting venture that blossomed. Motivated by a lack of exciting beer options in the city, they set out to fill the void.

Today, the sprawling Domino Park taproom is a testament to the brewery’s wild success, offering an expansive selection of 20 beers on tap. For those feeling overwhelmed by options, place your trust in the IPAs.

There’s currently three Other Half breweries in New York City. Of these, my favorite is the Domino Park locale, which also has a great bourbon selection to boot.

Founded in 2010 by Jeppe Jarnit-Bjergso from Denmark, Evil Twin Brewing set out to upset the proverbial apple cart. Challenging his (identical) twin brother’s Copenhagen brewery (Mikkeller Brewing), Jeppe embraced nomadic brewing in New York City before settling on a Queens location in 2019 with his wife and business partner Maria.

Warm and inviting, the retro-industrial Queens brewery is perfect for sharing a pint with pals on a Saturday afternoon. Beyond the space, Evil Twin Brewing has exceptional beer. I brought my mother-in-law (who doesn’t like beer – talk about a genius move) to the DUMBO location and she loved the sours, she talks about them to this day.

Evil Twin makes some of the most exciting beers in New York City, hands down. If you’re into heavily fruited concoctions and dole out bonus points for experimentation, this the NYC brewery for you.

Offering a rotation of 15 craft beers on tap, Fifth Hammer Brewing Company is buzzing with locals most days of the week, myself included. The culprit? Sonic Architecture Wave 17, a juicy hazy IPA that is easily one of my favorite craft beers in New York City.

I’m also partial to the creative sours churning out of this great NYC brewery and never passes an opportunity to try the latest flavors. If your idea of a good time includes food (as it should) you have a few options.

You can grab a bite from the local popup vendors inside the relaxed NYC taproom, or pay a visit to the food trucks parked outside. If nothing catches your eye, you have the option of bringing outside food instead.

Born in Gowanus in 2013, Threes Brewing wanted to shake things up. Unlike many IPA-heavy competitors, this Brooklyn brewery championed approachable lagers and saisons, reviving classic styles with modern twists.

The spacious family-friendly brewpubs feature delicious food options and cozy vibes, making them a popular meeting point in the neighborhood.

Today, with five locations across Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Governors Island, Threes continues to grow as one of the premier craft breweries in New York City. Expect to find knock-out brews served in a relaxed setting (the outdoor patio in Gowanus can’t be beat).

Founded in 2011 by husband wife duo Joe & Lauren Grimm, Grimm Artisanal Ales earned New York State’s Brewery of the Year Award in 2021 and 2022.

Emphasizing complex yet elegant ales using wild yeast strains, barrel aging, spontaneous fermentation, and all sorts of other innovative brewing techniques has won them a place in the hearts of New York City’s beer aficionados.

Diverging from popular trends, Grimm embraces diverse styles, offering tart saisons, funky lambics, fruited goses, rich imperial stouts, showcasing depth and nuance. Beyond beer, the brewery’s artisanal ethos extends to the cozy East Williamsburg taproom, but finding a table during the weekend is no easy feat.

A relative new kid on the block (opened in 2020), Wild East Brewing Company’s success can be attributed to the simple fact that they serve some of the best beer in New York City.

Specializing in “beer that people want to drink”, you’ll find mostly lower ABV beers in Wild East’s taproom including mostly lagers, a handful of IPAs, sours, and farmhouse ales.

The spacious taproom with a giant horseshoe-shaped bar is irresistibly inviting and oozes industrial-chic farm. It’s the only place you want to be during a relaxed weekday. Moreover, Wild East offers brewery tours and tastings. If interested, you can sign up here.

Focal Point Beer Co. (originally named ICONYC) was founded in 2016 as a wholesale beer company operating out of a basement. To nobody’s surprise, locals couldn’t get enough of the beer, which allowed the folks behind this New York City brewery to open a taproom in Long Island City.

In terms of beer, the menu typically hosts 15 tap sof different varieties including light-bodied lagers and pilsners, hoppy IPAs, farmhouse ales and at least one sour. I recently went with a group of friends, everyone ordered something different and eagerly returned for a second round, the beer is excellent.

Worth mentioning, the front-facing outdoor patio is wonderful on sunny days while the cozy heated side patio is great when the forecast predicts rain. Win-win.

Kings County Brewers Collective (KCBC) opened in 2016, becoming the first brick-and-mortar brewery Bushwick had seen in 40 long years. The passion-project of three award-winning brewers who decided to open up shop, 100% of the beer is brewed and packaged on-site in Bushwick. Great beer and good vibes are all but guaranteed at this popular Brooklyn brewery. What I appreciate most is the attention to detail here. Nothing feels rushed or phoned in, and you can taste the difference in every bite.

TALEA (pronounced tah-lay-uh) Beer Co. is the passion project of two friends, Tara Hankinson and LeAnn Darland (the brewery’s name is a blend of the owner’s names). This the first female-founded brewery in NYC, no easy feat in a male-dominated industry.

The duo decided to open a brewery in Brooklyn because they wanted to make craft beer more approachable and inclusive. As such, TALEA focuses on fruit-forward and low acidity beers that are easy to drink.

The plan is to open the world of craft beer to a broader audience, including those who might not typically enjoy traditional beer styles. Refreshingly unique, TALEA makes some of the most unique beers in Brooklyn. This a great place to visit if someone in the group is convinced they don’t like beer.