Ambitious beer joints keep multiplying in Harlem, and two more are getting ready to join them. This duo will be close enough to each other that you'll soon be able to plan a serious new–albeit mini–Central Harlem beer crawl. Here's where to go and what to look for:
101 W 127th Street between Malcolm X and Adam Clayton Powell Jr Boulevards
The history of the building is so palpable in the decor of this charming space–since the 1860s it's been home to a bowling alley, a speakeasy, a gambling hole, and a number of Masonic lodges–it's easy to forget the latest occupant just got here. The new pub will offer, according to a sign in its window, "American cuisine and 200 beers from around the world." Expect a truly wide range of hops: there's a brewery for almost every letter in the alphabet here, from Allagash to Westmalle. Harlem Ale House was supposed to have a grand opening in early May, but the big day has been postponed. A new date will be announced soon on Instagram.
2268 Adam Clayton Powell Jr Boulevard between 133rd and 134th Streets
According to its website, Harlem Hops will specialize in beer made by local, small-batch, family-owned businesses and "in some great cases, by people of color" like Julian Riley Jr. of Harlem Blue Beer and Celeste Beatty of Harlem Brewing Co. Examples on Instagram include Finback's Echelon DIPA, Brix City’s Royal McPoyle Imperial Milk Stout and Interboro Spirits & Ale's Mad Fat Money IPA. The sign in the window points to a grand opening of Saturday, June 9, so beer aficionados will be able to sample the hops here in less than two weeks.
