The 4th annual East Ville des Folies took place this past weekend at Webster Hall, where thousands of people flocked the four floors filled with beer and whiskey. The Prohibition-themed event gave New Yorkers a fun and unique way to spend their Saturday afternoon. While everyone else was busy watching football, we joined other imbibers to try out the best of the best in booze n’ beer. Here are some of our favorites:
Smalltown Brewery‘s Not Your Father’s Root Beer is literally heaven in a bottle. I had been dying to try it ever since I first learned of it so I was really excited to try it here. It actually blew my expectations out of the water. I stopped drinking soda in high school, but root beer was always my favorite. This beer, which is 5.9% alcohol, tastes just like that classic fountain root beer you love, but it has alcohol in it, making the childhood classic into an adult favorite. I’m dying to get my hands on more. Plus, they also showcased their new Not Your Father’s Ginger Ale, which combines the fruity and floral taste of regular ginger ale with the best of a really good ginger beer.
William Wolf, makers of fine bourbon, really impressed us with the three different varietals they showcased at the event. Naturally, their rye was delicious…a strong classic that fits in with the best of them. However, they are most widely known for their Pecan bourbon, which obviously infuses pecans into the mix, giving the bourbon a sweet, nutty taste. We also tried out their Winter Spice bourbon, a new seasonal varietal, which was really something else. It was literally like drinking Christmas in a glass. These bourbons went above and beyond in the creativity department and we have jumped on the William Wolf groupie bandwagon.
Downeast Cider House provided revelers with three of their hard ciders to choose from. Their original blend is much like any hard cider, except it is exceptionally reminiscent of an actual glass of apple cider (the non-boozy kind), which makes it a bit sweeter than the typical hard cider. Their cranberry blend is a great option for those looking to cut out some of the sweetness, as the bitterness of the cranberry really balances it out, without being overpowering. Their pecan maple cider was a surprising contender, but it ended up being our favorite of the bunch. We came to realize we really love brands that think outside of the box.
Monkey Shoulder is not only fun to say, but also fun to drink! The term is actually derived from maltmen who worked so long and hard turning the barley to produce whiskey, it caused their arm to hang down like a monkey’s, hence the term monkey shoulder. This scotch is actually the world’s first triple malt, utilizing three different Speyside malts. It’s extremely smooth with hints of vanilla, making it a little too easy to down. Plus, just look at how it was displayed! So cool.
While we thoroughly enjoyed tasting as many of these whiskies and beers as we could get our hands on, there were just too many to keep track of (especially after we’d tried a few…). If you want to get your hands on more of the deliciousness served at East Ville des Folies, we suggest you plan ahead and keep this event on your calendar for next year.
Twisted Talk: Have you tried any of these drinks before? What’s your favorite whiskey, cider or beer? Discuss below!
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