Website: spitzerscorner.com
Everything happens for a reason. (Grandma Leone would always say...)
This past weekend, I was invited to perform at The Living Room (livingroomny.com) with some amazing musicians... all in support for a Brooklyn-based Theatre Company called the Smith Street Stage (smithstreetstage.com). And as luck would have it, many friends and family came out to show their love.The concert was such a blast... The talent that I had the pleasure of performing with was top notch. I'm still in awe as I look back at the pictures. The focus was a tribute to Bob Dylan, so everyone picked out their favorite tune (or tunes) and simply rocked the house. Songs ranging from "Things Have Changed" to "All Along the Watchtower" to "Like a Rolling Stone" among MANY others. We closed the night with a rousing rendition of "I Shall Be Released." Chills.
I was grateful that one of the supporters in the house was fellow Beer411 Blogger KayTeeStinch...!! So you knew we had the makings for a fantastic evening ahead of us. We wanted to hit a cool little craft beer place in the Lower East Side and I knew EXACTLY where to go. Last year, completely by accident, my girlfriend and I stumbled upon this great place called: Spitzer's Corner (101 Rivington Street, New York, NY 10002). We had a few great beers at the time and some wonderful kobe beef sliders with a bowl of pickles. Yes, you order pickles by the bowl there. I knew that once I was asked to perform at the Living Room for the Bob Dylan Tribute THIS year, I knew exactly where we were going after the show. And lucky for KayTee and I, we convinced a few friends to join us on our craft beer jaunt. My other cousin Kelly... not to mention Lynn... Brandi... Jyll... Meredith... and Kathy!!
I don't want to speak for my cousin KayTee, but I think it was love at first beer (SEE above picture). It was a packed house, but we ninja'ed our way right up near the bar and set up shop. I had the Green Flash 30th Street Pale Ale earlier in the night and was ready to do more damage. On a side note, Spitzers Corner mentioned that they were only one of 6 brew pubs to snag the highly sought after 30th Street Pale Ale. Hey... anyone that has that kinda pull around here is a friend of mine. After the first round... we ended up ordering some awesome hand cut fries. A must when doing the "work" that we were doing. Every time someone ordered a new beer... everyone around them wanted to try it. It was so much fun comparing notes like that... From Chile Beers, to Seasonal Beers, to Blonde Ales, to Porters...
My favorite on the night...? I'd have to give the nod to Stone's Vertical Epic 11.11.11. You just hardly ever see this tasty guy on draft. Pours a dark amber in color. The spicy characteristics up front along with a mild malt backbone and great fruits just make this beer so complex and delicious all at the same time. The chilies are definitely an unusual key factor in this beer, but are perfectly subtle. If the Belgian yeasts used in this beer is Michael Jordan, then the chilies are the Scottie Pippen. Does that make sense? And its a 9.4% abv offering so enjoy one and move onto something else... otherwise, your night at Spitzer's may be a short one.Other highlights on the night included:
Ommegang Adoration
Fisherman's Navigator
Goose Island Matilda
Alphabet City BC Easy Blonde
Southern Tier Old Man Winter
Stone Smoked Porter
And others that I'm probably forgetting...
(at this point in the night, be happy that I remembered the ones that I did.)
Between the talent at the Bob Dylan Tribute show, the support, the beers, and the company (Kelly, KayTee, Jyll, Kathy, Lynn, Meredith and BRANDI (see, I told you that I'd mention you! And in CAPS, too!)... Everything totally happened for a reason this night. See what I did there?? All n' all, it was an amazing night with amazing people.
So if you find yourself down on the Lower East Side... and are searching that perfect NYC place with great little noshy food and delicious craft beerness that'll make you want to write about in your blog the following Tuesday... hit up Spitzer's Corner.
...Tell 'em Beer411 sent ya.
(which won't get you anything, but hey, you can still mention it!)
