Brooklyn Lager on Draught

One of America’s leading craft beers has been launched on draught in the UK for the first time.

Brooklyn Lager, a Vienna-style lager brewed in New York, has broadened its availability beyond bottles and will now be available on tap courtesy of the Leeds-based distributor and importer James Clay.

“Make no mistake, this is not just big Yankie fish in a small UK pond,” explained Nigel Stevenson, speciality beer consultant at James Clay.

“Brooklyn Lager is the real deal when it comes to independent American brewing. It’s only ever brewed in New York, and this is the first time it’s been available in this country.”

The start of 2010 saw a ‘soft launch’ of Brooklyn Lager on draught, with initial supplies rolled out to a handful of select bars in the north of England after the launch at North Bar in Leeds.

“The feedback we’re getting from the public has been amazing,” said Stevenson. “They expect something pale, bland, fizzy and, well, ordinary – but they taste the exact opposite in Brooklyn Lager."

It is a wonderfully flavourful beer: bitter yet smooth, and very versatile for pairing with food.

The colour is more akin to a traditional bitter and the instant hit of hop is nothing like one would expect from a lager.

Ben McFarland, 18.06.2010