New York City has over 40 breweries now, which sounds great until you try to visit them. They’re scattered across industrial neighborhoods in all five boroughs, with varying hours, limited parking, and no clear route between them.

Most groups realize pretty quickly that visiting three or four breweries in a day is plenty. You need 45 to 90 minutes at each place to sample flights, grab food, and actually enjoy yourself. The hardest part? Getting everyone there safely without designating a driver who misses out.

Brooklyn Has the Most Options (and the Most Crowds)

Brooklyn has 20+ breweries, so it’s the natural starting point. Gowanus is particularly dense. You can hit three spots within a few blocks. Other Half Brewing on Centre Street usually has a line for their hazy IPAs. Threes Brewing on Douglass Street does solid food if people are hungry. Wild East on Sackett Street focuses on mixed-fermentation beers and lagers for something different.

Williamsburg feels more polished. Grimm Artisanal Ales runs a 7,500-square-foot taproom on Metropolitan Avenue with Belgian-style beers and sours. TEST on Metropolitan has quickly become one of the highest-rated new spots in the country. Brooklyn Brewery on N 11th Street still gets tourists for the name recognition and does tours.

Bushwick is more experimental. Finback Brewery has a creative studio vibe. Kings County Brewers Collective on Troutman Street has memorable can art and room to spread out.

Where to Take Bigger Groups

If you’re organizing for 8+ people, you need space. TALEA Beer Co. on Richardson Street in Williamsburg is female- and veteran-owned with approachable beers. Strong Rope Brewery in Red Hook sits on Van Dyke Street with waterfront views near Red Hook Park, good sunset spot if your timing works out.

Breweries Worth Knowing About by Borough

Brooklyn:

• Other Half Brewing (Gowanus) – 195 Centre Street – IPAs with a cult following
• Threes Brewing (Gowanus) – 333 Douglass Street – beer and food in one stop
• TEST (Williamsburg) – 302 Metropolitan Ave – inventive recipes, top-rated
• Grimm Artisanal Ales (Williamsburg) – 990 Metropolitan Avenue – Belgian styles and sours
• Wild East (Gowanus) – 623 Sackett Street – mixed-fermentation and lagers
• Finback Brewery (Glendale) – experimental beers, creative space
• Kings County Brewers Collective (Bushwick) – 381 Troutman Street – group-friendly
• TALEA Beer Co. (Williamsburg) – 87 Richardson Street – approachable styles
• Strong Rope (Red Hook) – 185 Van Dyke Street – waterfront views

Queens:

• Rockaway Brewing Company (Long Island City) – 46-01 5th Street – near waterfront
• SingleCut Beersmiths (Astoria) – 19-33 37th Street – full food menu, larger space
• LIC Beer Project (Long Island City) – neighborhood spot with variety

Bronx:

• The Bronx Brewery (Port Morris) – 856 E 136th Street – tours and large taproom
• Gun Hill Brewing Company (Laconia) – 3227 Laconia Avenue – beer garden setup

Manhattan:

• Chelsea Brewing Company (Chelsea) – Pier 59 – waterfront, full restaurant

Staten Island:

• Flagship Brewing Company – 40 Minthorne Street – quieter option

Don’t Try to Hit All Five Boroughs

Attempting all five boroughs in one day is overly ambitious. Most groups pick one or two neighboring areas. A solid Brooklyn day might look like: lunch at Threes Brewing in Gowanus, afternoon at Other Half (walk between them), then head to Grimm in Williamsburg for evening, and finish at Strong Rope in Red Hook for sunset if you’re ambitious.

For multi-borough routes, you’re fighting geography. A Brooklyn-to-Queens route makes sense—hit a few Gowanus spots, then head to SingleCut in Astoria for dinner. Getting to the Bronx from anywhere requires real coordination.

Call ahead for groups of 10+. Fridays and Saturdays get packed, especially afternoons. Sundays are more chill.

Timing that works:

• Start around noon
• Spend 45-90 minutes per brewery
• Plan for travel time between spots (20-60 minutes depending on boroughs)
• Wrap up by 8 or 9 PM

What It Costs:

Tasting flights run $12-$20 per brewery. Individual pints are $7-$10. Food adds $15-$25 per person. You’re looking at $50-$100 per person for the day before transportation. Some breweries take reservations for larger groups.

Figure Out Transportation Before You Start Drinking

Don’t drink and drive. That’s obvious. But public transit is annoying for brewery tours. Many breweries are in industrial areas far from subway stops. Coordinating a group on the MTA while carrying beer purchases gets old fast. Rideshares for 6+ people get expensive, especially with surge pricing.

For bigger groups, coordinated transportation makes sense. Everyone participates, nobody navigates or tracks multiple cars, and you stay together. Party buses handle multi-stop routes if you’re doing this right. Figure out transportation before anyone orders their first beer.

What Makes NYC Breweries Worth the Trip

The variety across boroughs is the whole point. TEST does inventive beers that draw crowds. Grimm focuses on Belgian styles and sours. Other Half has the IPA reputation. Wild East does mixed-fermentation. SingleCut has space and food. Each place approaches beer differently.

Start with Brooklyn for the most options. Add Queens if you want to branch out without fighting Brooklyn crowds. Always plan transportation first. Call ahead for larger groups, budget for food and beer, and give yourself enough time at each spot.

The best brewery tour keeps your group together and gets everyone home safely while supporting local brewers who actually care about what they’re making.