Profile: Beer World (Sunnyside)

We decided it was time to shed some light on some of our favorite beer-providing locales. Whether it be a store, bar, or a beer-raining fountain, they have provided a plethora of ales, lagers, and stouts. Armed with these suppliers, we have been been able to continue our journey through rain, snow, wind, and cold.

The best place to start is the beginning, so let's talk about our local favorite: Beer World. Located in Sunnyside, Queens, this magical corner shop is part of a Russian Supermarket located on Queens Boulevard just off the 40th and Lowery Street stop on the 7 train. It's labeled well, but can look a little put-offish from the outside. Don't be dissuaded, go inside. The grocery store is a grocery store, but the Beer World section is a force to be reckoned with. Those shelves house some of the strangest beers from the furthest locations you can think of, and there is a never ending supply of single bottles that you just can't find anywhere else. You might be tempted to say, "Well, that doesn't look like that many choices". I would say to you, "But no, yon skeptical reader. See those bottles? Each one is a different brew." Needless to say they don't keep a large stock of any beer (save those that come in 30s), but the endless choices and reasonable prices make it a worthwhile location.

We're not in the business of rating bars or stores, so we'll keep the profiles to our favorite places. Though I may consider rating one of the aforementioned fountains...

Smoked Porter (Beer World, Sunnyside)

Rain is a pain, especially in New York City. Maybe it doesn't rhyme nicely, but it did drive us back to local and trusty Beer World in Sunnyside. Their vast selection never ceases to disappoint, though when your choosing at random you're bound to be disappointed with your own selection.

Enter Stone's Smoked Porter. Despite its badass gargoyle and promising name, the porter failed to even remotely live up to its promise of a smooth blend of chocolate, coffee, and "peat-smoked specialty malt". To start with, the head on the pour is massive. Although I've seen excitement over this, in reality it proved to be nuisance as I had to wait a full 5 minutes before I could drink it. This is a porter, not a stout. If I wanted the pour to be an art, I would have picked up something much darker, drier, and more expensive. The Smoked Porter has delusions of grandeur, and I ended up finishing it out of the bottle.

The taste only further added to my frustration. The porter is a smooth blend of malt and chalk balanced with the subtle character of dish water. To be fair, I was able to finish it thanks to the sheer complexity of its taste, so it manages to squeak out a 2 out of 5.

Stone Brewing Company's "Smoked Porter"

If you want to try it based on the label, I understand. Do yourself a favor, though, grab a six pack of something else too. You're going to need it while you wait.

Red Barchetta Ale (John Harvards, Manchester CT)

It's been a month, but we're back and kicking off round 2 with a sample from a new State: Connecticut, home of John Harvard's. John Harvard's is a microbrewery located in the northern part of the state. A trek to say the least, but a welcome change of pace from the Big Apple from time to time. In this case, a welcome change to the bank account. With $3 pints of home brews on weekdays, it's hard to find a better sampling place in the Tristate area when you take selection and cost into account.

Fending off Red Sox fans with one hand, I ordered the Red Barchetta Ale with the other. Named after the song by Rush, the Red Barchetta promised smooth, malty taste with a hop finale. It delivered. Very mild caramel starts the taste, with enough tingle to say, "yes, I am an Ale", while a rather abrupt hop taste finishes. It's an ale of extremes, which certainly leads to an interesting pint. What it doesn't lead to, however, is prolonged enjoyment. I lost taste for this guy after just two pinits, despite thouroughly enjoying my first, and had to order something else to continue the night. Quality? Yes. Drinkability? Eh, not so much. That doesn't mean it didn't wrack up enough points to grab a 4 out of 5 though.

No website for the beer, since its a microbrewery that changes its selections daily, but if your interested in the joint: http://www.johnharvards.com/index.shtml

Drinkability is a shwag quality anyway...