Sweet Pumpkin and Rich Chocolate Beer at Brooklyn Pour

Sipping on a glass of chocolate-flavored beer that resembled the taste of a creamy chocolate shake, I felt like I was at a 1950s boxcar diner instead of at a beer festival. But at the annual Brooklyn Pour, all beverages--including this delicious Shake Chocolate Porter from Boulder Beer Company--were for grown-ups only. More than 125 craft breweries showcased their best selection of signature and seasonal beer at this year's event, which took place at the historic Skylight One Hanson. Formerly the Williamsburg Savings Bank, the event venue reminded me of Hogwarts from the main floor and Gringotts Bank from the downstairs vault. While unlimited libation was the key highlight of the event, I also enjoyed the photo booth where the slightly buzzed attendees could capture their silliest faces, the game area featuring mini foosball, basketball toss, and beer pong, as well as the food truck courtyard serving everything from Philly cheesesteak to pepperoni pizza. It's hard to pick out my favorite because the tastes of beers start to blend in after a while, but as a pumpkin aficionado, I loved the Whole Hog Pumpkin Ale from Stevens Point Brewery. With each and every sip, I became more convinced that I was eating a slice of velvety pumpkin pie sprinkled with cinnamon and nutmeg. And even for someone who always chooses vanilla over chocolate, the Chocolate Porter from Boulder Beer Company stole my heart. Its unique blend of chocolate wheat, cacao nibs, coffee, and caramel that gave off creamy, chocolate flavor with an alcoholic kick. What a sweet treat in a bottle!

Hopping Beer Tasting at the NYC Craft Beer Festival

Having been a college student for the past four years, my predilection for beer has been tainted by a 30-rack of lukewarm PBR, a keg of flat Natural Light or, the worst, a red Solo cup of whatever cheap beer left in the fridge that has been sullied by dirty ping pong ball in a game of beer pong. Coupled with the fear of gaining a mounting beer belly as portrayed by Homer Simpson, I never acquired the taste for beer and would grudgingly drink just a sip of green beer to celebrate St. Patrick's Day once a year. So when I attended the NYC Craft Beer Festival with my beer-loving boyfriend last Friday, it was more of a challenge to test my tolerance for beer than an enjoyment of unlimited tasting for 3.5 hours. Upon entering the massive, open venue at the Lexington Armory, we encountered endless rows of breweries pouring samples of craft beers into our 2-ounce tasting glasses. In total, the festival featured more than 150 varieties of beer and ciders from 75 breweries around the world. People say to never judge a book by its cover, but because I did not know anything about beer to begin with, I decided which beer to drink on a case-by-case basis depending on the design of its can or a bottle. One of my favorites was the sparking ginger beer from the Edinburg-based Crabbie's, which was served with a cube of ice and topped with a slice of lime. I promise the fact that this drink looked more like a fruity cocktail and tasted like ginger ale had little to do with my liking for this beer. Another brewery that caught my eyes was the Magic Hat Brewery from South Burlington, Vermont. Its circus-themed station with a dangling paper skeleton was enough to direct my feet to the booth for a taste of its seasonal Elder Betty, a Weiss-style ale with bready malt flavor balanced by a touch of hops and complemented by the tart berry flavors of elderberry. While most breweries served their best-selling and seasonal ale or lager, there was one "brewery" that distinctively stood out from the others. Tucked away in the basement level of the Connoisseur Lounge, Enlightenment Wines, which operates from a family farmstead in the Hudson Valley, showcased four varieties of meads and botanical fruit wines. Raphael Lyon, the founder of Enlightenment Wines, also led a seminar aimed at educating consumers about this esoteric drink. In addition to the educational seminar, the festival also featured the first-ever Craft Beer Concierge Center, where consumers could ask any beer-related questions to the on-site Cicerones (beer sommeliers), as well as beer pairings like grilled cheese, hot dogs, and pretzels. Since its debut in March 2012, the NYC Craft Beer Festival has grown to three seasonal shows per year. The next tasting will take place in November. While I did not become a beer aficionado by the end of the 3.5-hour long tasting, I now know much more about this thirst quencher -- at the least that there is an expansive selection of craft beers beyond the typical fares from college, of Coors! Photo courtesy of Andrew Dominick

Cheers to an Afternoon of Drinking, Dining, and Dancing at the NYC Winter Wine Festival

My wine glass wasn't the only thing being filled at the 6th annual NYC Winter Wine Festival earlier this February. I also filled my stomach with savory and sweet bites, while perusing through the magnificent Best Buy Theater in Times Square filled with live music provided by the Grammy-nominated Special EFX. Without a doubt, it was an afternoon filled with joy! Of the two sessions offered--the first in the afternoon from 3 to 6 p.m. and the second in the evening from 8 to 11 p.m.--my boyfriend and I chose the day drinking option. We figured the earlier session would be less popular and therefore less crowded than the later one, but little did we know that both sessions were sold out with a total of 1,800 people in attendance! After making our way through the crowded Times Square, I was a bit intimidated by the long line that formed outside the Best Buy Theater. Luckily, the high ceiling inside the theater provided an illusion of spaciousness, so I didn't feel too trapped among the crowd. Having food in the stomach prior to drinking is crucial, so we first headed to the table featuring wine's best accompaniments, including cheese and crackers, strawberries and grapes, and olives and nuts. While nibbling on these fares, we browsed through different venues pouring endless glasses of white, red, and sparkling wines curated by the experts of Vintry Fine Wines. Despite having attended several wine events in the past and even being a member of the Wine Society in college (admittedly, my roommate was on the executive team and convinced me to join), I will confess that I am no wine connoisseur. In fact, blindfold me and serve both white and red wines at room temperature, and I probably won't be able to tell one from the other. On that note, my favorite "vendor" at the NYC Winter Wine Festival wasn't a vineyard, but a media start-up called Vinepair whose mission is to remove the pretentiousness of wine by educating consumers about this age-old drink. The representatives from Vinepair brought bottles of Cabernet and Merlot wrapped in silver foil. We sampled a sip of both, and had to guess which was which. According to Vinepair, the flavor of Cabernet is more acidic and gives the mouth that drying sensation, while that of Merlot is softer and supple. I can now flaunt this knowledge at a dinner party! In addition to the wine and the hors d'oeuvres, I also got to sample sweet treats from local artisanal food companies. My favorite were the decadent lemon-lime cheesecake and sweet potato pound cake, both from the Luscious Little Dessert Company. Underneath the top layer of the light, fluffy lemon-lime cheesecake was the chewy gingerbread crust that added an interesting dimension of flavors. Likewise, the moist sweet potato pound cake was drizzled with brown sugar glaze for an extra kick of sweetness. While the general admissions ticket, which gave me access to more than 250 wines, selection of hors d'oeuvres and sweets, and live music, was more than enough to entertain me for the 3-hour duration of the event, this year's event also featured a premium VIP Suite Ticket. Those with the exclusive VIP wristband had access to the lounge area with high-end wines, such as Chateau Montalena, Louis Roederer Cristal, and Dom Perignon, as well as deluxe bites like tuna tartar, fois gras, and filet mignon. About half way into the tasting, the Grammy-nominated Special EFX--led by award-winning guitarist Chieli Mnucci--graced the stage. Founded in 1983, Special EFX is known for paving the road for contemporary jazz during its early years, and has continued to innovate and evolve its style every decade. The smooth jazz music was perfectly fitting for the occasion. I would still not label myself a wine connoisseur by the end of the event, but the NYC Winter Wine Festival's grand tasting not only introduced me to different wines from around the world, but also helped me to assuage the feeling of anxiety and intimidation that naturally accompanies this drink. Perhaps at future wine tasting events, I will learn to distinguish between Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Photos courtesy of Timothy Balsamo and Peter Evangelista