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Brooklyn Lager: What It Is, and Why It’s So Popular

A beer with roots in Brooklyn has grown into a worldwide powerhouse.

brooklyn lagerCourtesy

By Tyler Chin

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Everything you need to know about the most iconic beers in history from grocery staples to cult favorites. This time: Brooklyn Lager, a Brooklyn-born beer that’s gone worldwide.

Brooklyn is the birthplace of a lot of talented people. Jay-Z, one-third of the Beastie Boys, Larry David. Brooklyn is also the birthplace of an amazing craft beer, Brooklyn Lager. Like a lot of things to come from the outer-borough, Brooklyn Lager has grown far beyond its Brooklyn roots, and has since reached worldwide acclaim. Here’s what you should know about Brooklyn Lager.

What is Brooklyn Lager?

Brooklyn Lager is an amber lager with a 5.2 percent ABV that tastes like citrusy, toasted bread. Poured into a glass, the lager is definitely amber in color, and it’s unlike what you would expect from a beer that’s classified as a lager nowadays. That’s because in the late 1800s, Brooklyn used to be a hub for brewing, with the most popular style being the Vienna-style lager, marked by its dark orange color and caramel, toffee and bread notes — all very apparent in Brooklyn Lager. Additionally, the beer is dry-hopped to give it a flavorful and pleasant bitterness.

Who makes Brooklyn Lager?

Brooklyn Brewery is the brains behind Brooklyn Lager. Founded by Steve Hindy and Tom Potter, Brooklyn Brewery has been around since 1988. The two founded the brewery to bring beer-making back to Brooklyn. Their mission was so well-received that highly acclaimed graphic designer Milton Glaser helped design the brewery’s famous “B” logo. In 1996, Brooklyn Brewery tapped Garrett Oliver to be its brewmaster, and he has since expanded the brewery’s beer lineup to include a number of delicious offerings from IPAs to its new line of non-alcoholic beers.

Where can you buy Brooklyn Lager?

Brooklyn Brewery has a huge distribution web. Its beers, including the flagship Brooklyn Lager, are available nationwide, and it’s also available in over 30 countries spread across five continents. If you’re having trouble locating Brooklyn Lager near you, check out the brewery’s beer finder page.

Why is Brooklyn Lager so popular?

new york mayor rudolph giuliani wears a baltimore Stan Honda
boxer schumer stanley cup bet Bill Clark

The love of Brooklyn Lager crosses political divides. Both from Brooklyn, Rudy Giuliani and Chuck Schumer have used the beer to settle sports bets with out-of-staters.

Brooklyn Lager is popular because it’s a damn good beer, and also because of its brewery’s contributions to the craft beer movement. Besides revitalizing the brewing industry in Brooklyn, the brewery also makes donations to non-profits and has been an avid supporter of LGBTQ+ rights. Brooklyn Lager has a score of 84 on Beer Advocate, which the website considers “good.” The beer is tasty and comforting, while also being easy to knock out a few in one sitting. If you’re ever in Brooklyn, stop by the brewery — which has become somewhat of a tourist destination — or get a pint wherever you can find it. It won’t be hard because the beer is almost everywhere.

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