It’s July Good Beer Month! Here’s where to make (and drink) the most of it in Brooklyn

Now that you’re over your July 4th hangover and settled back into the dingy depths of back-to-work woes, it’s time to put the focus back on booze-related news: July Good Beer Month.

July Good Beer Month is a celebratory extension of the Good Beer Seal, a city-wide stamp of approval for beer bars. The Seal was founded in 2009 by craft beer restaurant owners, Jimmy Carbone (Jimmy’s No. 43), Ray Deter (formerly of d.b.a.), Ben and Mike Wiley (Bar Great Harry), Gary Gillis (Burp Castle, Standings), and Dave Brodrick (Blind Tiger), created for the purpose of pointing out the handful of good craft beer bars in the boroughs. After the Seal hit 40 bars in 2012, its founders and members decided to recognize the growth of craft beer in NYC with a month-long celebration each July, acknowledging good beer purveyors and the work they do serving and educating their patrons and communities on better-made alcoholic beverages.

As of 2016, 64 bars have been stamped with Good Beer Seal approval, with 24 right here in Brooklyn. Though they’re not all calling attention to their Good Beer Seal status, they’re hosting a variety of events, from tap takeovers to brewery nights to charitable beer tastings, all month long. So, before you reach for another Corona (I know, I know, you found your beach), consider visiting one of the great Brooklyn venues where every month is good beer month.

Monday, July 4 / ongoing

Brouwerij Lane (78 Greenpoint Ave., Greenpoint) is encouraging us to drink like Germans with their ongoing promotion which started July 4th and is ongoing while supplies last:

$35 for a 5-liter mini keg, 4 glasses and tote bag
$25 for a 5-liter mini keg and four glasses
$20 for a mini keg, no glasses
$10 for six-packs of Jever Pilsner and Gaffel Kolsch

Bring along Brooklyn Beer Book 11 for a free Greenpoint Beer & Ale beer!

Saturday, July 9th

Barcade BK (388 Union Ave., Williamsburg) is starting off the month right with this charity event benefiting BARC, a Brooklyn-based non-profit, no-kill animal shelter, held in collaboration with Hair of the Dog Brewing from Portland, Oregon. Tickets are pricey, but include a flight of all seven Hair of the Dog drafts, an opportunity to talk to founder and brewmaster, Alan Sprints, plus the chance to participate in the auctioning of super rare vintage bottles. And don’t forget all the good karma you’ll be receiving in return for helping keep sweet, innocent dogs out of the kiln.

Monday, July 11

Sycamore* (1118 Cortelyou Rd., Flatbush) has its monthly Star Sign Party featuring tarot card readings, drink specials, and “cosmic connections all around.” Look out for more astrological/magickal happenings the second Monday of every month.

Wednesday, July 13

Glorietta Baldy (502 Franklin Ave, Bed Stuy) will be hosting their famously fun trivia night with the Beerded Ladies. This one’s featuring the adorable and local Radiant Pig Beer.

Mission Dolores (249 Fourth Ave., Gowanus) is hosting Almanac Beer Night from 7-10pm, featuring funky sours from San Francisco.

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Sunday, July 17

St. Gambrinus (533 Atlantic Ave., Boerum Hill) is having its third annual birthday bash for co-owner, Heather Burns, (Heather’s 3rd Annual Sour Birthday) open to the public and celebrating our favorite summer sippers, sour beers. They’re working on the tap list now, but rest assured, there will be some great sours on tap.

And for a one-of-a-kind Brooklyn-centric event in the East Village, hit up Idle Hands Bar (25 Ave. B) for the second annual Beastie Boys Beer and Food Pairings & Fundraiser event benefiting Food Bank For New York City with Brooklyn-made beers and Beastie Boys songs. There will be two seatings, one at 7pm and one at 8:30pm, and two ticket options: for $15, you get a beer pairing only ticket, which allows you to hang with brewery reps, throw back or savor six tastes of beer (one from each brewery) and a Brass Monkey, all while listening to “Licensed to Ill.” For $30, you get all of the above, plus four food courses (sliders, chicken wings, tater tots and Spaghetti O’s) paired with songs on the album. Brooklyn breweries include Brooklyn Brewery, Sixpoint, KelSo Beer Co., and Bedstuy Brewing Co., and honorary members Shmaltz Brewing and Empire Brewing

Monday, July 18

Cardiff Giant (415 Myrtle Ave., Clinton Hill), a new venture from the owner of the Owl Farm in Park Slope serving only New York-produced alcohol, will be hosting Greenpoint Beer & Ale on either Monday or Tuesday (details not yet confirmed at press time).

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Tuesday, July 19

Sycamore* (1118 Cortelyou Rd., Flatbush) also designates July as the month of love with the kickoff of Single Mingle Bingo, a singles mixer with no shirts, no shoes, and no cell phones. (Kidding, except for that last part about cell phones.)

Wednesday, July 20

Covenhoven* (730 Classon Ave., Crown Heights) is hosting a Kent Falls Brewing tap takeover and book signing with Kent Falls brewmaster, Derek Dellinger, author of The Fermented Man, chronicling Dellinger’s year-long journey consuming only fermented foods and beverages. We’re dying to read it!

Hops Hill (886 Fulton St., Clinton Hill) is having its 20th anniversary. To celebrate, they’ll be tapping some special kegs, along with releasing a Second Anniversary Beer brewed in collaboration with Barrier Brewing of Long Island. Spoiler alert: the beer is a juicy double IPA weighing in at 8.3% ABV, which will soon be distributed in bottles throughout NYC. Some rare bottles will be available at this event, too.

Thursday, July 21

The Gate (321 5th Ave., Park Slope) rings in July Good Beer Month with the return of The Spins (7pm), a recurring event series pairing craft beer and vinyl co-hosted by Vinyl Me, Please, a monthly subscription club for record heads. Prepare to have your mind and taste buds blown by Ballast Point Brewing and DJ Mackey, with 10 lines of special and rare Ballast Point draughts pouring, brewery and vinyl giveaways soaring, and brewery and Vinyl Me, Please reps on hand to talk music and booze.

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Monday, July 25

The Owl Farm (297 9th St., Park Slope) will be showcasing several beers on tap from esteemed Belgian brewery, De Proef.

Saturday, July 30

The Gate also confirmed a Jack’s Abby and New England Brewing collaboration event featuring five draught lines from each brewery, and the special release of a collaboration brew.

TBD:

Though dates were not yet confirmed at press time, the Brazen Head (228 Atlantic Ave., Carroll Gardens) is planning two brewery nights in July, one with Two Roads Brewery of Stratford, Connecticut and the second with Chelsea Craft Brewing, now located in the Bronx. Keep an eye on their Facebook page for updates.

And one of our Beer Book favorites, Pine Box Rock Shop* (12 Grattan St., Bushwick) has not planned any events per se, but sent us this sweet poster promoting July Good Beer Month:

More Good Beer Seal Bars in Brooklyn include: 4th Avenue Pub, 61 Local, Bar Great Harry, Beer Street*, Luckydog*, Mugs Ale House, Pacific Standard, Spuyten Duyvil, The Diamond*, The Double Windsor, The Sampler Bushwick, and Tørst.

*Brooklyn Beer Book 2016 members. For those holding a Queens Beer Book, hit up the Queens Kickshaw (40-17 Broadway, Astoria). Keep up with July Good Beer Month events throughout the city on the official events calendar, which should be updated periodically throughout the month, or on Twitter @goodbeerseal.

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