Despite encountering setbacks due to the pandemic, Keg & Lantern Brewing Company opened its second location on 158 Beard Street (in back of Hometown and Brooklyn Crab) earlier this summer, following much success at its original Greenpoint location (97 Nassau Avenue) that opened in 2014.
Neighborhood Reception and Inspiration
When owner Kieran Breen applied for a liquor license in May 2017, residents were hesitant to have another brewery open in the neighborhood. However, manager Lizzie Thomson has noticed an “overwhelmingly warm welcome from the neighborhood so far” since opening their doors June 13. Locals were able to stop by and appropriately socially distance that weekend when K&L launched a special line of canned beers. Since can sales for breweries have exploded due to the demand for “beer at home” the past few months, according to Thomson, management thought it would be a great time to launch.
“Everyone was really excited to try something new …. [and] everyone that has stopped by has been supportive,” she continued. “This area has definitely become a hub for craft breweries, and I think it’s great that we can support each other.”
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The artwork on the new cans radiate a nautical vibe, including images of a mermaid, lighthouse, and life preserver featuring Dutch spelling. Thomson, who has been with Keg for nearly nine years, designed the artwork. “We’re so excited to be part of this great, historic neighborhood. It’s almost impossible not to be inspired by it,” she said. “For me, it was really fun to bring the beer to life and create a visual story with imagery for each beer.”
Beers offered in cans include Coastal Kolsch, Loreley Summer Lager, and Transatlantic Lager Dortmunder.
The Red Hook location houses their main brewery, allowing customers to see the large foeder tanks as soon as they walk in. The interior design also gives a nod to the waterfront location and gives off a coastal feel.
Canned Crowlers and Commercial Brewing
K&L was the first brewery in New York City to offer canned crowlers (one-time, poured-to-order 32-ounce growlers) back in 2015. Thomson believes selling crowlers for the past five years gave them an advantage these past five months. “People were excited that they could really utilize this to take their beer to go and also keep it fresh for up to a couple of weeks,” she explained. “Restaurants and bars had to quickly switch up their service to take-out only so quickly. Having the crowlers in place allowed us to be prepared immediately.”
But what many may not know is how similar commercial brewing is from home brewing. Lyons noted that while scale plays a determining factor – and changes the equipment considerably –the process nearly stays the same. First, Head Brewer Jeff Lyons and the other brewers mill the grain (usually malted barley) to crack it open and expose the starches on the inside of the kernel. Next, they mix the grain with hot water, known as mash, and the temperature facilitates the conversion of those starches into sugars. During the next step – the lauter – those sugars are separated from the grains and sent to the boil kettle. They then boil the wort (sugar water) that they have collected for an hour or more.
“This kills any bacteria or wild yeast that was present on the malted grains and allows us to add hops, both to bitter and add flavor and aroma,” Lyons explained. “We then chill the wort on the way to the fermenter, where we pitch yeast and allow fermentation to happen. This typically takes about two weeks for ales and four to six weeks for lagers.”
Once fermentation is complete, they transfer the finished beer to a brite tank and carbonate the beer. The beer then becomes ready to serve on K&L’s draft lines or is packaged for enjoyment elsewhere. “The different grains and various hops, as well as the amount of hops used, dictate the flavor and color of the beer,” Lyons continued. “We just have to rely on our experience to brew a new beer and achieve the flavor profile that we are aiming for.”
The most popular, handcrafted ales and lagers being consumed by Red Hook customers so far are the Hoek Point Pils and the ‘6 Feet Apart’ IPA with citrusy aromas and fruity flavor. “It’s a perfect juicy and hazy IPA for the summer and the name is definitely appropriate for everyone right now,” Lyons said.
The Game Plan Moving Forward
Though Breen’s plan was to open for business in mid-April, the severity of the pandemic quickly unraveled after a few weeks.
“It was clear to us that wouldn’t be an option for us. After a couple of months, we decided to try a soft opening with to-go cans and drinks. It was a nerve-wracking time to be opening a new location amid such uncertainty, but we pivoted our original plan and we’re really glad we did,” Thomson said. “It’s been great to slowly introduce ourselves to the neighborhood and bring some new options for eating and drinking to Red Hook.”
While the Greenpoint location is open seven days a week, the Red Hook site is only open on weekends and currently sells to-go crowlers, draft beer, cocktails and food. However, once indoor dining is allowed, management plans to offer bar seating, an extensive food menu and daily deals with the purchase of a beer – including mac and cheese, half-price wings, and house pitcher and nacho specials. The establishment will also feature a tasting room for customers and televisions and a projector for those who are big sports fans. “One of our favorite things about the Greenpoint location is how much of a neighborhood brewpub we are. And we’d love to emulate that in Red Hook,” Thomson said.
Keg and Lantern, 158 Beard Street, Red Hook. Open Fridays 4 – 8 pm, Saturday and Sunday Noon – 8 pm https://www.restaurantji.com/ny/brooklyn/keg-and-lantern-brewing-company-/
