Entertainment

Steve Hindy: My Pub New York

Hindy was covering conflict in the Middle East as a reporter for the Associated Press when his wife gave him a choice: Return to New York with their two kids — or take his next assignment in the Philippines and never see them again. He chose the former, so instead of globe-trotting around the world’s conflict zones, he created the world-famous Brooklyn Brewery in Williamsburg, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in the spring and was one of the first major anchors to spur the borough’s ascendancy over the last 20 years. Hindy, who is 64 and lives in Park Slope, shares some of his favorite saloons, and favorite stories selling his beer.

Tavern on Jane, 31 Eighth Ave., at West 4th Street
“It’s just a really comfortable, classic old pub — warm and inviting and comforting. The owners are Horton Foote Jr. and Michael Stewart. Horton Foote Jr. is the son of the famous playwright Horton Foote. He’s a really great guy. My wife’s family name is Foote, too — [Horton and I] always call ourselves cousins. They have a nice wood bar, they have sturdy barstools — you’re lucky if you get a barstool, because it’s very busy. I have at least one or two of my own beers. I try other beers, too, of course. If they have something new on tap, I’ll try that. I play golf with those guys too at Dyker Beach Golf Course.”

Blind Tiger, 281 Bleecker St., at West 4th Street
“It’s the best beer bar in terms of selection. Blind Tiger is more of a beer drinker’s bar, a beer aficionado’s bar. They have a lot of different beers. I’ve been impressed by Captain Lawrence beers from up in Westchester, their IPA, and some of their special beers. Dave Broderick, the bar’s owner, is very much in touch with the craft brewing movement all across the country. He brings in a lot of special things you don’t find other places. It’s constantly changing and definitely seeks out new beers coming into New York. It’s a good place to go to see what’s going on with other breweries.”

Ear Inn, 326 Spring St., between Greenwich and Washington streets
“The first time I went there was probably in the ’70s. They claim to be the oldest bar in the city. The old saloons of New York have an incredible history and a lot of character. They’re not trendy. Typically, during the day, they have an older clientele of regulars, and at night they get extremely busy and it’s a much younger scene. We make a special beer for them called Ear Ale. That bar was connected with the Fidelio Brewery back in the early 19th century. They made English-style beers. Martin Sheridan, the owner, found kind of a rough description of an ale they used to make there, and we actually reproduced the beer for them.”

Union Square Cafe, 21 E. 16th St., between Fifth Avenue and Union Square West
“I go there pretty often for lunch. I’ll meet Milton Glaser, our designer. Usually I get a fish dish. They really do a great job with fish. [The room is] fun and bright, and the menu is always changing. I also know [the owner] Danny Meyer. We have a special relationship with him and all his restaurants — we do a special beer for Shake Shack called Shackmeister and we do a special beer for Blue Smoke called Blue Smoke Ale.”

Stout, 133 W. 33rd St., between Sixth and Seventh avenues
“It’s a really cool Irish pub with a lot of different beers. The first time I came to New York, I was 8 years old, in 1957. I came with my mother and grandmother for the Billy Graham crusades. We went to the last Brooklyn Dodgers game at Ebbets Field, and we stayed in the McAlpin Hotel, which was right around the corner from where Stout is. So I get a kick out of going there and knowing, many moons ago, I was a little kid looking at the buildings there and thinking, ‘Golly, I’m in New York.’ ”

Brooklyn Bowl, 61 Wythe Ave., at North 12th Street, Williamsburg
“They’re our neighbors — great guys. It’s a great place for music. I like some Brooklyn bands [that play there]: I really like Beirut and the Hold Steady. The day after Thanksgiving, about 20 of us from my family go there and bowl. It’s kind of a tradition. They carry only Brooklyn beers, so they have us, Sixpoint and Kelso.”

Peter Luger Steak House, 178 Broadway, at Driggs Avenue, Williamsburg
“Peter Luger’s has been busy through the good times and the bad times in Brooklyn. They’re real Brooklyn patriots and really value people who invest in Brooklyn and are a part of Brooklyn. I would meet with the owner [Amy Rubenstein] at her office across the street. She said, ‘When you finally have a brewery in Brooklyn, I’ll take your beer.’ True to her word, the day after we opened the brewery, she called me and took the beer.”

Teddy’s, 96 Berry St., at North 8th Street, Williamsburg
“Teddy’s has been around since 1870-something. It was owned by a brewery before Prohibition, back when breweries could own pubs. The stained glass says ‘Peter Doelger’s Extra Beer.’ There was a bartender, Eddie Doyle, who was an old New Yorkstyle Irish bartender, and I think he made everyone coming in try Brooklyn Lager. That’s the kind of customer that was so valuable to us when we were starting out. A lot of people tried our beer and basically spit it out, saying, ‘This stuff is so bitter, it’s so dark, it’s so strong.’ Teddy’s was one of those places that gave us a chance.”