Bitter & Esters

Great spot for those into the finer sides of drinking, plus a BK museum discount = 20% off Beginner Brewshop 101 class.

Wouldn’t even think of going elsewhere for my brewing supplies. The guys are incredibly knowledgable and will help out people of any level with advice and direction. Also, if you’re worried that going to a physical store is more expensive than ordering stuff online, you should compare prices. You’ll be pleasantly surprised!

Sooooo I never knew this place existed. I happened to park right in front in search of a wine shop so I could purchase wine to make my Thanksgiving Sangria. While getting out of my car I looked inside and noticed they had a shelf with jars. Oh shoot! I don’t have any jars to transport the sangria. These guys were wonderful and spoke to me about what they offer. I will be back with an updated review on one of their classes.

I am a newbie at brewing, a friend of mine for me a hard cider brewing kit, and I did some online research to see what I needed. The cider was easy to come by, but the champagne yeast was impossible, even big grocery stores like fairway don’t stock it. I was about to give up, when I found This little heel of a place online. For the home Brewer it’s got everything, and the guys who run the shop are incredibly nice and knowledgable. Think I might try home brewing some beer next!

I sought this place out because I thought they might be able to sell me a few supplies for some fermented hot-​sauce I’m making. After all, brewing, pickling, fermenting… very similar. Not only did they have what I needed — at a totally reasonable price, by the way — but they totally very to upsell me to something more expensive. And they could have. They said they’d rather have me remember that this is the kind of place that sells people what they actually need. Apparently, it’s also the kind of place where people who are passionate about beer can gather to learn about brewing, hands-​on, and hang out with others who share their passion. There were at least a dozen people participating in a workshop when I walked in on a Saturday night around 7pm. Looks like they have lots of classes and events. A very cool place. I’m glad I know about it, and recommend it highly.

These guys taught us how to brew beer and have served as our go to spot for getting supplies every time we brew from now on. Sure, you can probably save a few bucks buying online, but the service here is second to none– these folks want you to brew great beer and will do everything they can to help.

Had a fantastic all-​grain brewing class, going into the details while brewing. The staff there are so nice and helpful and are real brewers excited about the different beers they’ve made. It was a very relaxed environment and I highly recommend them for anyone wanting to learn brewing or stocking up on supplies and materials.

I signed up for an introductory beer making class online at this place. For $ 50 you get two and a half hours of hands-​on demonstration and teaching about beer making from making your own wort, to adding hops, to sanitation and adding yeast, and finally to bottling.
Classes are about 10 – 15 people but it felt personalized. The instructors and shop staff are extremely knowledgeable and passionate about beer making. They want to pass along their love and knowledge too. I always felt like I was learning something interesting or novel about beer the whole time I was there.
The shop itself has an encyclopedic assortment of beer making gadgets and equipment, as well as different grains, hops, yeasts, and more. Since I’m only an amateur brewer I can’t give an informed opinion on the selection but it seemed gargantuan. I can imagine people spending their entire paycheck on everything in the store (even though everything is fairly priced and not expensive by any means!). For example, a beginner’s brewing set (the equipment) will cost about $ 95 and the ingredients to actually make a beer will cost about $ 45 – 50.

I’ve been to B&E a number of times, but today was the tipping point for me to write up a review. I never write things online but the folks at B&E are simply the best! Last week I went into the store to consult with John about which extract recipe to choose from and he helped me select one out based on my preferred beer style. He was incredibly patient and helpful, which goes a long way for someone not as experienced as myself.
Today I made said batch of beer and towards the end of the process in a panic called them up to get some advice on how to correct my potential flub. Not only were they very down to earth and not beer snobby, but Bobby spent nearly 15 minutes on phone with me talking me off the ledge and assuring me that all was well in beer land. I hope to crack open this batch in about 5 weeks. I’d highly recommend this spot to anyone interested in making beer, wine, kombucha, mead, you name it!

I had been in and met John the owner shortly after they opened a couple years ago. He’s friendly, chock full of information, and passionate about Beer making, three qualities that made him instantly likable.
Today was my first visit back since then, and John was wonderful. I got a 5 gallon brew kit (early Father’s Day gift) and I’m looking forward to great beer and more good experiences at B&E.

The wife surprised me with the birthday gift of learning how to brew my own beer. A nice surprise during the class was the chance to sample the work product of a previous class. The instructors were great, the course was more interactive than lecture. Picked up the starter kit and supplies — hopefully my first batch will be ready to test July 4^th. Can’t say enough about how much of a fun Saturday afternoon this was.
They do private events too — which would be a lot of fun.

So I am halfway through my project with B&E — we’ve brewed two batches that are maturing in the basement. I will follow up this review if it gets better or worse, but so far it is an easy 5 stars as an event user of the place.
Since I don’t even know how the beer is going to taste yet, the main thing to talk about is the staff. These are high quality people that you want to have a beer with (and can). They are extremely knowledgable, focused without being overbearing and genuinely nice.
The policy of BYOB and food is great to do an event there — takes about 3 – 4 hours to brew a batch. I’ll be back!

A few weeks ago Vimbly, a website that lists things to do throughout New York City (some of which are free!), invited me to check out a home brewing class at Bitter & Esters, a home brew shop located in Brooklyn’s Prospect Heights.
Cool!
But wait a minute, what is home brewing? For those that don’t know, it’s basically a do-​it-​yourself brewery, where you make the beer, bottle it, and best of all, drink it, all in the comfort of your home.
The class was Brewshop 101: Home Beer Brewing Essentials and our group was treated to an interactive beer making experience. What’s so great about this class?
You’re immediately greeted with a pint of home brew when you walk in the door.
You get to learn everything you could possibly want to know about beer as well as how to brew your own.
The teacher and co-​founder, John La Polla, is funny, entertaining and keeps the class going with jokes and little known beer tidbits.
You get to drink some more home brewed beer.
You are taught the techniques and theory behind home brewing and how to avoid common mistakes.
You get to participate in actually making a beer during the class AND you get to come back in a few weeks and give the beer you made a try!
It’s a lot of fun!
While I can’t say that I’m now an expert on malts, grains and yeasts, the class was a lot of fun and the entire group had a blast learning the ins and outs of beer making.
Bitter and Esters prides itself on its array of home-​brew essentials, and they’re not joking around. They have walls lined with anything and everything you can possibly imagine related to home brewing. Being a home brewing novice, I had no idea what any of this stuff was, but thanks to our fearless beer teacher, John La Polla, I quickly learned all that goes into making a bottle of the stuff.
This class was definitely a good time and I’d highly recommend it to anyone — whether you’re just looking for something to do after work or if you’re a beer connoisseur. Not only does Bitters and Esters offer classes, but they also give you the ability to brew on premises — essentially renting out space for you to brew beer, leave it to ferment and then come back to bottle it and take it home. Really cool set up they have going!
So it’s pretty clear that I loved the Brewshop 101 class at Bitters and Esters. Now how about Vimbly? This is the first time I’d been exposed to the site but I really like how they’ve gone about aggregating events across New York City. I can see myself saying goodbye to endless googling in search of date ideas or weekend activities. Customizable by category, the site displays events in a calendar format, allowing you to easily see what’s available and when. Check them out and check out Bitters and Esters. Just don’t forget to save me a beer!
*This event was provided free, courtesy of Vimbly.

Upon entering Bitter & Esters, on a Friday night during MTA rush hour hell, I was greeted with a godsend. A pint of homebrew that would put any Heineken to shame. And the entire store smelled delicious, it was as if toll house cookie dough was manifesting somewhere within the shelves. I felt like we met before and they knew exactly how I took my coffee… but with beer.
Our instructor was John La Polla, he was not only a master of brewing but he kept the momentum of the class going, knowing exactly when to throw in a pun or a fact. He made sure we were hands on and had an answer for every question asked. While filling us in on how beer is made, he made sure to fill our heads on how to make our own beer — with tidbits of beer history of course. For instance, did you know that a nun suggested that brewers use hops to preserve beers? Me neither, until John told me.
Bitter & Esters has forever filled my brain with booze knowledge, but it craves more so I will be heading back for another class or tasting. Who knows, I might be even come up with a batch of my very own beers soon. And definitely no more blank faces from me, when the bartender asks if I’ll take an IPA or lager.

Learning how to make my own beer!
I was offered a chance to check out Bitter & Esters courtesy of my blog. So glad we took advantage of it. I felt this class was very informative and enjoyable! The owner/​instructor John is very professional, outgoing, and super knowledgeable when it comes to all things beer. Not only did we get a first hand view on how to become home brewers, we also received an education on beer making, it’s history, and the ingredients involved. They have everything here you need to get started — instruction, ingredients, equipment — along with a very supportive staff that are willing to help out with any questions. They want you to make good beer! Plus, there are so many different styles and tastes to choose from.
Another added bonus was that we received two pints to drink during the class of beers that were brewed by previous groups! They have everything you need here if interested in becoming a home brewmaster. I look forward to taking another class here and get started on my own brews. The guys who own and work here are super friendly, fun, and love beer. That in itself makes you want to come back.
Oh boy, this might be dangerous. My liver already hates me.

Just finally made the visit this fantastic Local Homebrew Shop on Washington Ave in Prospect Heights! What you get here are quality ingredients, amazing customer service and extremely competitive pricing for basically anything you might need to get started homebrewing or to continue making amazing batch after batch.
For the beginner, there are classes that will make your introduction to brewing a lot easier. The guys at the shop are super-​friendly and will make you feel comfortable and any intimidation-​factor that you had about brewing will melt away.
For the intermediate or not-​first-​time brewer (I fall into this camp), there are a ton of great recipes with easy to follow directions and checklists to make sure you have everything you need. The staff is more than happy to share their brewing wisdom, give you tips, or troubleshoot your brew process. You really never stop learning when brewing so having immediate access to such fantastic customer service and brewing know-​how right the neighborhood is a huge asset!
Other awesome stuff includes a la carte grain selection (pay by the oz) plus free grain milling. All types of hops, yeast, and extracts. Every month they have a get-​together where people share their product with other homebrewers.
The bottom line is this: Homebrewing should be all about having FUN and making great beer. Here you get the people and the ingredients you need to do just that. No more online ordering for me!

Everything about this experience was just amazing. John, the instructor, was patient, informative and a pleasure during our visit. We were there making beer for our sister’s upcoming wedding. In a few weeks the beer will be ready to be bottled.

My awesome boyfriend surprised me with a Living Social deal to take Bitter & Esters’ Intro. to Homebrewing class! We were originally scheduled to take the class during the week of Hurricane Sandy, and it was kind of tough for us to reschedule, but we finally made it — four months later! It was definitely worth the wait.
Upon arriving, we were greeted with a glass of beer made by a previous class. Each attendee receives an instruction booklet with a homebrewing recipe. The class is small, only about a dozen people. As a result, the experience is very intimate and hands-​on. Everyone got a chance to take part in the process.
We learned all about hops, yeast, grains, and fermentation. Together, we made a rye beer, and we can go taste it in four weeks if we’d like! At the end, John, one of the co-​owners, gave everyone a 5% off coupon for a homebrewing kit. My boyfriend and I are definitely going to arrange our schedules and come back to buy the kit. I’m really excited to get started!
I highly recommend this place for class and/​or supplies. The owner we met was so helpful, laid-​back, knowledgable, and friendly. I could tell that he really puts his heart and soul into the business, and he’s eager to help beginners get started with homebrewing as a hobby.

Do you love beer? Then you probably need to get yourself over to Bitter & Esters.
Now, I’m no stranger to beer. I’ve been drinking beer it for about fifteen years now, ever since I stumbled across a party on the beach as a pre-​teen and was coerced into smashing cans on my head in exchange for the delicious liquid inside. Older but no wiser, I am taking my love of beer to the next level thanks to John & Doug.
They’ve created a haven for hops-​heads: a place where you can go to learn about beer, discuss beer, and ultimately learn how to make beer… not to mention buy everything you could possibly need to brew your own.
Don’t know where to begin? The Brewshop 101 class is the intro you need. It’s like going to school, if school included a couple pints and only taught you about things you were interested in. You’ll learn, step by step, everything you need to know about brewing beer. John will go over everything from making wort to bottling; he’ll teach you the best type of beer* and where Dogfish’s 90 Minute IPA gets its name (among other beer questions you might have); he’ll show you what hops and sanitizer taste like, and he’ll teach you the most important, ironclad rules of brewing.**
If you’ve already got the process down, buy yourself a kit and get to brewing at home. (Bitter & Esters will also host you and your friends if you’d rather brew in the shop, which will save you a little trouble and some mess). I just brewed my first batch, and it was easy, fun, and a great thing to do with friends (assuming yours aren’t also worthless human beings that are borderline illiterate). And in a few weeks, when it’s done fermenting, I’ll let you know how badly we screwed it up.
_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​
*Free.
**1. Sanitize everything. 2. You MUST be drinking beer as you brew beer.

Oftentimes, an establishment is only as good as their proprietors. Bitters & Esters is no exception… John and Doug both have a passion for homebrewing that seeps out into the store they’ve built. When I go to this place, I don’t feel like I’m walking into a store to buy a product, I feel like I’m going to a friend’s house who happens to have a stash of stuff that I happen to need.
New to homebrewing, I always have questions when I walk into this place. Unlike a lot of specialty stores, the staff there seem eager to answer them. They often go out of their way to explain both the science and the art of homebrewing, and I always walk out smarter than I was walking in.
Can you find cheaper stuff online? As in most other cases when shopping, yes. But even after I go to all the homebrew forums, after I look at all the online suppliers, I still walk into B&E because of the knowledge, support, and encouragement I get from the staff. I would recommend this place to anyone.