Eats
Big beer throwdown at Brookfield Place
BY ALEX MITCHELL
Last week, Brookfield Place became
a battle ground for a subway (and
ferry) series of New York City’s best
breweries and beer makers.
The four night long competition featured
15 breweries scattered throughout the five
boroughs, pouring out a “competition beer”
served in a flight along side four opposing
breweries during one of the three ‘opening
round’ sessions. Each evening’s voted winner
advanced to the fourth and final round
along with two popular ‘wild card’ beers.
The first rounds were broken down as:
NIGHT ONE
• Circa Brewing Co. — Tazzy IPA (7.1%)
• Flagship Brewery – Blood Orange IPA
(6.9%)
• Gun Hill Brewing Company — Homebrew
Hero: Ralph Brutus (6.5%)
• LIC Beer Project — Coded Tiles Pale
Ale (5.0%)
• TALEA-Cherryberry — Tart Deco
(7.5%)
NIGHT TWO
• Bronx Brewery — Blockbuster Cross-
Country (8.5%)
• Coney Island Brewing Co. — Merman
NY IPA (5.8%)
• Finback Brewery — Land Lines Pilsner
(4.7%)
• KCBC Brewery — Superhero Sidekicks
IPA (6.9%)
The owners of Talea accept the Best
Brews of New York trophy. A server pours out a pitcher during the competition.
• Sixpoint Brewery — Trail Haze (4.0%)
NIGHT THREE
• Big aLIce Brewing Co. — Date Night,
Bro? (6.3%)
• Bridge and Tunnel Brewery — Urban
Styles (Milkshake IPA) (6.2%)
• Fifth Hammer Brewing Company —
SourVision: Plum (5.5%)
• Greenpoint Beer & Ale Co. — Greenpoint
Lekker (4.9%)
• Torch & Crown Brewing Company —
Intersect Hazy Session IPA (5.1%)
Out of those rounds, it was Talea,
Bronx Brewery, Torch & Crown Brewing
Company that won their divisions while
Finback and KCBC took two wildcard
spots in the finals on Feb. 13th.
Talea, which holds proud roots in being
female and veteran owned swept the finals
by reserving its Cherryberry Tart Deco
beer — a natural crowd pleaser down
by Wall Street. That brewery also plans
on opening a Williamsburg taproom in
upcoming months.
The Bronx Brewery’s co-founder Damian
Brown was pouring beers behind
the stand on the night of the finals, brining
along an old school boombox and plenty
of brews, such as his City Island sour IPA.
KCBC had its detail oriented designed
cans on display, which are 3-D compatible
if the proper eye ware is worn.
Torch & Crown brought along a coffee,
chocolatey stout that will be served up in its
anticipated SoHo taproom, a one-of-a-kind
spot for Manhattan.
Finback represented Queens while serving
a very intense, triple IPA brew as well.
One beer that didn’t reach the finals
but was the talk of round one’s guests was
Flagship’s “Pizza Rat Pilsner,” a collaboration
with the brewery’s neighboring minor
league baseball club, the Staten Island
Yankees.
Chelsea Market sandwich shop causes ‘Mayhem’
BY ALEX MITCHELL
Chelsea Market has a new sandwich joint in town that’s
absolute “Mayhem.”
Manhattan-based Mayhem Sandwiches opened
its counter smack in the middle of the market last week,
serving up some of NYC’s most loaded lunches around —
and, coming soon, plenty of local brews to wash them down.
Mayhem, which operates a flagship location in Urbanspace
Vanderbilt food hall near Grand Central Station has
brought a refined menu to get started in Chelsea, according
to co-owner and head chef, Jay Brown.
The monstrous Mayhem menu of sandwiches includes
Porchetta with balsamic onions, caper mayo, with arugula
and breadcrumbs; Roast Turkey with bacon, pimento cheese,
veggie salad, and lettuce; and The Dragon, a smoke-braised
pork named for the dragon Asian barbecue sauce its topped
with alongside some slaw.
Then there’s the Smoked Meat, which Brown predicts to
become the hot commodity of the new Mayhem spot. This
behemoth of a deli delight is a smoked beef “kinda” like that
of pastrami with grainy mustard, fennel and cumin rub plus
PHOTO BY ALEX MITCHELL
A “Smoked Meat” paired with mac and cheese
slaw slabbed throughout its two slices of rye bread.
It is intimidating, it is massive, and it is a delicious twist
to a classic city concept.
Though, it’s only truly complete with a side of Mayhem’s
mac and cheese. That side dish’s creamy nature comes across
with a hybrid taste familiar of two mainstream mac icons:
Boston Market and Panera Bread.
Another plus to Brown’s mac and cheese is the generous
volume per serving, which combined with a massive
sandwich will leave even the most mayhem wreaking market
shoppers full and satisfied.
In the event you crave something aside from the mac
and cheese, some other sides offered at Chelsea market’s
Mayhem location are: broccoli and potato salads, chips, and
house pickles as well.
As the menu evolves over time, Mayhem and Brown also
plan on introducing some customized craft beers brewed
from both The Bronx and Brooklyn as well.
Working with two breweries that battled to be the best
in NYC, Gun Hill Brewing uptown and KCBC in Brooklyn,
Mayhem will be unveiling two unique pours that will
properly pair with Mayhem’s array of sandwiches and sides.
Previously, Mayhem and KCBC collaborated to make
“Total Mayhem,” an a 6.3% IPA with a vividly graphic can
design.
While those beer collaborations are still in the works,
there’s plenty at Mayhem’s Chelsea Market counter to keep
NYC’s hungry shoppers satisfied.
Schneps Media February 20, 2020 21