Monday 9 February 2009

Heartland Brewery

At least Heartland (this branch of it) is easy to find, being on the ground floor of the Empire State Building. I'm pretty sure I've drunk here before, when it was just an ordinary pub. The bar was in a corner of the building, so I guess there's a 1 in 4 chance it's the same space. As usual, I digress.

Before we go any further, I'll point out no actual brewing takes place at this location. Heartland is a chain of brewpubs across New York City. Some of which brew [correction: the beers are brewed by Greenpoint Beer Works].

They've got 6 regular beers, most of which look pretty dull: Lager, Light, Red Ale, Pale Ale, Wheat Beer. What is it with brewpubs? I've chosen the most interesting, an Oatmeal Stout.It certainly looks the part, black as a coal mine at midnight, with a thick, creamy head. Smooth and roasty, with the faintest touch of hops. I'd drink it again.

There were no cheering crowds as my limo rolled into Manhattan. I must have been early. The Chelsea Hotel is as wacky as I had expected, the walls covered in paintings. My room is, in reality, a small flat, complete with kitchen. Pretty cool. If they haven't sold my credit card. They forgot to return it to me when I checked in. I only noticed when I wanted to pay for a video game.

I've been unable to find Toys 'R' US supposedly at 1293 Broadway (between 33rd and 34th Streets). I did find a games shop, but they didn't have what Andrew wanted, End War. I found something for Lexie, though I'm not sure he deserves it, after breaking the screen on their netbook in a fit of rage.

I've just noticed that their seasonal beer is Summertime Apricot Ale. Have I jumped forward in time six months? Last time I checked, it was still February.



Heartland Brewery
34th St & 5th Ave.
Tel: 212-563-3433
http://www.heartlandbrewery.com

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

You couldn't find the Toys 'R' Us? It's a big store, right on Times Square. So big it has a Ferris wheel inside. I promise not to tell Sierra.

Ron Pattinson said...

You're thinking of the one at 1514 Broadway. According to the internet, there's also one at 1293 Broadway, between 33rd and 34th. I manged to find the one on Times Square the next day.

Gazza Prescott said...

AFAIK none of the Heartlands brew, the beer all comes from Greenpoint in Brooklyn.

Zak Avery said...

The Heartland Beers are pretty good, for what they are. I met the nice man who brewes them. He's got his own brewery too, Kelso of Brooklyn.

Anonymous said...

The Toys r Us at Times Square was probably the most ghastly shop I've ever been to, dirty, scruffy and with a glaring light.
A few of the Heartland beers were decent, most of them were instantly forgettalbe lagers. Not quite as watery as the big ones, perhaps.

Tandleman said...

I enjoyed the Heartland beers too, but not the price. Even when the dollar was two to the pound it was gobsmackingly expensive. "$13 for 23 oz of beer? Good beers, but what a rip off!"

Ron Pattinson said...

Gazza, thanks for the correction. I was too knackered to look it up myself yesterday.

Knut, the whole of Times Square is ghastly. I ran away as soon as possible. The Villages are so much more pleasant.

Tandleman, the prices were a shock, even at 1.29 euros to the dollar. $6-7 dollars for 25cl or 33cl in the Blind Tiger. That's even more expensive than here. Though the stronger beers were better value.

Tandleman said...

I didn't find Blind Tiger too expensive. I seem to recall $6 - $8 depending on what you had. Yankee 16 oz pints of course.

Ron Pattinson said...

Tandleman, reading the small print on their blackboard, the measures seemed to be 7 oz or 12 oz. There seems to be a very loose application of the word "pint" in American bars. I had nothing anywhere close to 16 oz.