After a decade in the neighborhood, Greenpoint’s local brewery and taproom, Greenpoint Beer and Ale (1150 Manhattan Ave.) is now hosting tours, giving visitors a behind-the-scenes view into how the local mainstay makes its beer.
Greenpoint Beer and Ale’s tour program began in mid March with one tour on Fridays at 6 p.m., but recently expanded with tours on Saturdays at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. Tickets are $20 for guests who want to participate in the beer tasting and $10 for non-drinkers.
The brain behind the new tours is assistant brewer, Jessie Floyd. With the help of head brewer Mike Nika, Floyd curated the tour based on experience and knowledge gained from working at Greenpoint Beer and Ale and working as a tour guide at Williamsburg’s Brooklyn Brewery (79 N 11th St).
Each tour takes 45 minutes to an hour, depending on questions. Guests come into the brewery, check in with the bartender, and are are given a lekker, which is Greenpoint Beer and Ale’s flagship pilsner.
Once everyone is gathered, the tour begins with a brief history of the brewery from the time it opened in 2014 to now. Then, the guide leads the guests through the beer-making process at Greenpoint Beer and Ale by moving through the space. Next, guests sit at a table and learn about the malt and hops used in the beer as the guide passes around jars of each. Finally, guests are led in a beer tasting.
“The tour has been well received by guests so far and it’s been super fun for us to lead,” Floyd told Greenpointers. “Some unique things about our tours are that you get to walk through a very active brewery (we make all of our beer in house), and our tours are curated directly by production staff.”
“As far as I know we’re the only other brewery in the city that leads our own guided tours,” Floyd said, noting that the first brewery to give tours was Brooklyn Brewery.
“We recommend it to people with all levels of beer knowledge,” Floyd said of Greenpoint Beer and Ale’s tours. “All that is required is curiosity.”