Uncouth in the City

Having beer does not a beer garden make and here’s why (finally, someone had to say it). 

brewyork:

This place is not - nor has it ever been - a beer garden. (Photo via DoctorWho on Flickr)

We’re starting to sound like a broken record here. We’ve come across some pretty awful lists of “the best beer gardens in New York” over the summer, but this one from NYC 10 Best might be the worst offender of them all, mainly for one of their selections:

McSorley’s Old Ale House.  15 East 7th Street, East Village.  When it doors opened in 1854 this NY beer garden was called “The Old House at Home” and is conisidered the oldest active bar in the city.  Today, this bar now renamed to McSorley’s, still only serves their two, 150 year old house draft beers – McSorley’s Cream Stock Ale and McSorley’s Famous Lager [Ed. note: McSorley’s hasn’t served a “Cream Stock Ale” in a long time. They serve an Irish Red Ale and an Irish Dark Lager].  Every serious NY beer drinker must visit this historic spot and try both flavors while standing on the saw dust covered floors at least once in their lifetime.

We really shouldn’t even have to explain why McSorley’s isn’t a beer garden. Never - EVER - in McSorley’s history has it been called a “beer garden.” A bar, perhaps. A tavern? Sure. But anyone who thinks that McSorley’s qualifies as a beer garden has either been drinking too much beer, or has absolutely no idea what a beer garden is.

We have three simple qualifications for a beer garden:

Read More