Clinton Hall: Mastering Craft Beer In Downtown New York

Since opening in August, Clinton Hall has brought craft beer to the Financial District in a big way. Besides pouring twenty taps of the world's finest beers through their 'Flux Capacitor' draft system, (allowing them to control the temperature and gas levels for each beer individually)  their beverage curator Leland Estes now offers a class called Beer Tasting and Education: Master the Craft, teaching brewing history and how to properly taste these brews.

Estes starts by displaying the key ingredients in beer, letting you sniff unbrewed hops and taste various malts. He then gives a brief introduction to the brewing process and its evolution over time. Avoiding palate fatigue and how to properly clear your palate between beers is discussed before moving on to the actual tasting. At a recent visit, we were treated to six selections ranging from easy-to-find standard-bearers of their style (Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier, Tripel Karmeliet) to rarer brews from breweries thinking more outside the box (Allagash Curieux, Olvisholt Lava). With each beer a different style, from different parts of the world, Estes was able to discuss both their flavors and context in greater brewing history in-depth.

You are also given a chart to take notes on each beer during the class, along with a handy 'flavor wheel' chart to take home. Overall it was a great time and much was learned. After the class, it's probably worth checking out Clinton Hall's menu and playing a game of foosball or two. In addition to classes, upcoming events at Clinton Hall will include a Stone Brewing tap takeover in early December.