There are so many places pouring craft beer in the city that it is almost impossible to decide where you want to drink sometimes. Do you want to grab a pint? Do you want to just get a sandwich and a growler fill? Better yet, do you hit the busier bars in Manhattan, or do you go to the more quiet sections of Brooklyn or Queens to have a more low key day? With some of our favorite bars residing in Manhattan it can be difficult to bring ourselves to go a little further to the other boroughs of the city, but that was not the case this past Sunday. We have been meaning to check out Tørst since they opened last March. If you have been living under a rock, Tørst is one of the most eclectic tap rooms in the city, offering the awesome and weird from around the world and the biggest selection of Evil Twin beers I have ever seen. Opened by Jeppe Jarnit-Bjergso (the acclaimed gypsy brewer of Evil Twin Brewing) and Daniel Burns (of Momofuku fame), Tørst is a one of kind place and quickly gaining recognition countrywide – even featured on the cover of the latest Draft Mag. With Chef Lange and Adam rolling with me, we met up with our good friend Joey Pepper to get the full scoop on Brooklyn’s newest and coolest bar.
One of the first things you notice entering Tørst is how clean it is. I am told that this is a common look over in Denmark for bars; the reclaimed smooth marble gave off a very inviting feel that any beer drinker can appreciate.
I think my favorite thing about this bar was the the wooden tap handles that have a wood stain according the color of beer within its line. But that is only the start of the magnificent draft system.
Down in the basement, beers from both local and far around the world are ready to be tapped on the twenty one lines, which run through what they call “the Flux Capacitor.”
The pride and joy of this system is the Flux Capacitor. This cluster of gauges and lines allow control of carbon dioxide and nitrogen pressure, as well as temperature control, for every beer poured. Every style is poured to a proper temperature, so if you order a stout it will come out at 45-54 degrees and not ice cold to provide the full flavor of what you are drinking. The human palate was definitely in mind when creating this; hats off to Gabe Gordon of California’s Beachwood BBQ & Brewing for designing this. Now if only it can get us to do some time traveling.
Every beer poured here is served in wine glass. Before you get on your hate wagon let me fill you in.
The designs on the glass were specifically made for Tørst to measure out the proper serving of beer, whether you are having a four, eight, or ten ounce pour. A nice touch if you ask me, and when served in a wine glass you get the full nose of the beer. Haters can go ahead and hate now.
Choosing a beer might be difficult but there is definitely something for everyone here. Whether you are into funky Belgians or American IPA’s, the bartenders at Tørst will get you your fix and point you in the right direction.
After being shown around a bit we decided to grab a seat at one of the many communal tables for some beers and vittles.
Tørst has a little of everything to pair with its draft selection and extensive bottle list. We decided to order some meat and cheese plates.
The meat board consisted of cuts from around NJ and NY.
Paired up with some amazing cheeses and olives that are prepared in house.
Aside from the olives there are some awesome pickled veggies to be had as well.
The house made rye crumble is a must have with any board you get. It is quite filling but the perfect companion to a few beers.
Speaking of beer: I have been on a Gose kick lately so any where I see one, it is a must have for me. This particular one was from Cisco Brewers in Nantucket, Massachusetts. It had the perfect salt profile to it and was a nice started for the afternoon. Highly recommended if you want to explore the style.
You can’t go to Tørst and not have a beer from Evil Twin. Jeppe’s recipes are always unique and tasty. It was nice trying one of his double IPA’s, Yang, and his coveted session brew Bikini Beer.
Aside from a stellar draft list, Tørst boasts quite the bottle list as well. If there is that rare bottle you want to try, chances are they have it here.
Things like this bottle of Mikkeller’s It’s Alive – brewed specifically for Tørst.
There were beers down here that I only ever heard of or read about. It was cool to see some bottles from Against The Grain sitting on the shelf.
Being that this is Jeppe’s bar, you will find every Evil Twin beer you could imagine and then some.
Joey Pepper even has his own beer that is a collaboration between Evil Twin and Sante Adairius Rustic Ales (from California). Those looking to try this blonde ale can head over to Tørst this Sunday for the release party.
Joey wouldn’t let us leave the bottle room until we picked out something to drink back up at the bar.
We went with a bottle of Intense Red, an oude kriek from Drie Fonteinen in Belgium. Just the right amount of sweet and tart, and probably one of the best krieks I have had to date. Thanks for sharing Joey.
What more can I say about Tørst? The staff was great, the beers were fresh, and the food was awesome. This bar is a must for anyone that is really into beer. Everything from the ambiance to the beers poured is something you need to experience if you find yourself in Greenpoint, Brooklyn – or New York City for that matter. I would like to thank Joey Pepper and the rest of the gang at Tørst for having us in; we had a blast checking out Tørst and cannot wait to return for some more beers and good times. Give them a follow on Instagram and Facebook for upcoming events and the rare beers they are tapping. You never know what will be flowing there next.
-Brian