The Shepherd and The Knucklehead is a very small bar in Haledon NJ that boasts a large number of taps, 27 to be exact.  The Shepherd and Knucklehead is in a quiet looking building, is very welcoming, and friendly inside.  I was taken aback at first when we walked in, there was about 8 people in the bar (including an very knowledgeable bartender)  at 8pm on a Monday night.  There was no music playing and they were all watching and shouting out answers to Family Feud.  Will and I found this quite fun to watch.  As I mention this bar is quite small, about 12 very comfortable bar chairs (not stools) and 3 tables.  There is  also a jukebox by the front door which was put into action after Family Feud and Family Guy. But, don’t let the size of this bar fool you.

(more…)

The title sounds like a horrible drinking bender, but is was actually a very savory night at one of my local watering holes, the Cloverleaf Tavern in Caldwell NJ.  Through the Cloverleaf’s Facebook fan page, I saw they were going to be featuring several Sierra Nevada ales.  I was most interested in the hyped Southern Hemisphere Harvest Hop Fresh ale.

(more…)

After a great time at the Sputyen Duyvil we headed a couple blocks ‘westish’ to 3rd & Barry in Williamsburg for what we all hoped would be a pretty cool experience at the Radegast Hall & Beirgarten.  Radegast Hall is a self proclaimed “Authentic” Beirgarten, not having been to an Authentic Beirgarten in Germany, I’ll take them at their work, because it looked like one to me.

(more…)

The Spuyten Duyvil is an unassuming bar in Williamsburg Brooklyn on Metropolitan Ave.  The red gate covering the front of the bar has a nice charm to it.  Once you go inside, your greeted by a unique assortment of second hand tables and chairs that really lend to the unique charm of this bar.

(more…)

What a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon, drinking some incredible beers.  We drove down to South Orange NJ for a tasting of Brooklyn Brewery beers sponsored by the Gas Light Brewery and the Draught Board 15. Mike Ferry, the rep from Brooklyn Brewery, came with an arsenal Brooklyn’s specialty beers that would make most beer geeks drool.

(more…)

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve driven by the Cloverleaf Tavern in Caldwell and never stopped in.  I have some friends who had been there years ago (probably over a decade) and they described it as just another bar, nothing special.  It is apparent they haven’t been back, with 25 taps and a whole lot of bottled beer; it is no longer just your typical ho-hum bar.

(more…)