Artsy's Backyard: On Tap at Whole Foods Columbus Circle

On Tap at Whole Foods Columbus Circle.Artsy Guy here!  As you can see, I've been saving up some posts.  The schedule has been nuts!  But I wanted to be sure to let y'all know about a few recent adventures.  Most recently, I found myself at Whole Foods at Columbus Circle.  The Whole Foods chain had already established itself as a great resource for craft beer lovers, filling growlers and stocking great stuff.  And the beer room at Whole Foods at the Bowery is craft nirvana.  But Columbus Circle stepped up the game recently by opening On Tap, where you can buy bottles, fill growlers, and sit down with a pint and some nosh.

The focus of the beer is primarily local, and the food is fantastic snacky fare with emphasis on local incredients as well.  This store gets crowded so, at certain times, the communal tables might be impermeable, but if you can swing by in a quieter hour the rewards will be yours.  That's what's HOPpenin' y'all!

Artsy's Backyard: Stouts at Sunswick 35/35

Flight of Mikkeller's inky darkness.Artsy guy here again! On November 3rd – aka International Stout Day – Historian Guy Mark and I found ourselves at one of our favorite haunts in Astoria (and yea verily in all of NYC), Sunswick 35/35.  For the happy holiday, they were featuring four barrel-aged versions of Mikkeller's Black Hole Stout.  We split a flight of this hefty brew, aged individually in tequila, bourbon, cognac, and peat barrels.  We both were drawn to the bourbon-aged, but found the cognac-aged a close second.  The tequila-aged was interesting, and the peat-aged was scotchy and super smoky.  What will these crazy brewers think of next?  We'll be there to find out.  That's what's HOPpenin', y'all!

Fancy Artsy: Blue Hill at Stone Barns

Snow in October at Stone Barns.Fancy Artsy = Fartsy?  I'm bringin' class to McGlass!  Artsy Guy here.  For a long afternoon last week, I became Fancy Guy.  Some friends and I splurged on the best meal I've ever experienced:  Blue Hill at Stone Barns.  If you can get to Westchester County (just north of NYC) and want a singular dining experience featuring the freshest and most innovative cuisine, get thee hither anon!  A transformative experience in many ways.

But where the rubber met the road in regard to THHG Nation purposes came when we added the wine pairing to our experience.  As anticipated, we were treated to many amazing local wines (and a pinot noir from near my hometown in Oregon).  But what really caught my attention was that the pairings included beer.  Our bread course (an heirloom grain brioche with spinach puree and ricotta cheese) was paired with a wonderful Belgian-style triple from up-and-coming Defiant Brewing from just down the road.  One astounding thing about this pairing was that the heirloom grains used in the bread were used in the brewing of this beer.  And upon request a course of varied cuts of pork was paired with a doppelbock from Les Trois Mousquetaires out of Quebec, Canada (a fine bottle that's evidently difficult to get in NY).  Heirloom grain brioche and a Belgian-style trippel from Defiant.We've all heard of the synchronicity of pairing wine with food.  But it's exciting to witness the finest dining establishments exploring the infinite possibilities of pairing finely crafted beers with cuisine.  Very cool!

Stone Barns in on the forefront of sustainable agriculture and the education of the same.  We were given a tour of the greenhouse and learned they've begun growing hops on the estate.  In cooperation with  craft brewers Kelso and Captain Lawrence, around 200 rhizomes were planted three years ago, and the plants are just beginning to yield significant amounts.  New York state once saw hop farming as a significant industry, it's great to see this as one of the steps to bring it back.

Some of the fresh bounty... and where it came from.Blue Hill at Stone Barns. Brilliant! They're what's HOPpenin', y'all!