Special Events & One-Time Tours with Urban Oyster
Join us for special events, beer-tastings and one-time tours
In addition to our regularly scheduled tours of the city, these special events also highlight the people, places, issues and local businesses that we believe are important to the vibrancy and sustainability of the neighborhoods of New York City.
If you are interested in a private tour or event, click here.
If you are interested in a private tour or event, click here.
Past Events and Tours
In the Spirit of the Season: A Holiday Church Tour
In Partnership with the Parish of Most Holy Trinity - St. Mary's and
in support of the Trinity Human Service Center
In the spirit of the holiday season, Urban Oyster is proud to host our third annual Christmas-themed tour of the beautiful church and parish grounds of Most Holy Trinity - St. Mary in the eastern part of Williamsburg. On this tour, we venture up into the towers and down into the crypt, and even take a peek into the rathskeller basement of the rectory where clergy entertained guests. On this tour, we reflect on the German and Irish heritage of this congregation, highlighting its early beginnings in the mid-1800s with stories of the origins of Santa Claus and Christmas trees, and learn about recent immigrants who have brought new holiday traditions to the church, from Noche Buena to the Three Kings Day Parade. Tickets: $20/person
Click here for more information about future tours of Most Holy Trinity Church.
Click here for more information about future tours of Most Holy Trinity Church.
Craft Beer Tasting Sail led by Urban Oyster Tour Guides
Hosted by Manhattan By Sail
Saturdays from May through the summer of 2011.
Set sail on New York’s largest sailing vessel with the craft beer experts from Urban Oyster, and get introduced to the wonderful new world of Craft Beer. With over 1,500 brewers now making delicious brews all over the country, choosing and appreciating beer has become an art form to rival its cousin wine. Taste several outstanding ales and lagers paired with cheese and charcuterie while you drink in the magnificent views of the NYC skyline.
Visit Manhattan by Sail's website to buy tickets
Visit Manhattan by Sail's website to buy tickets
Craft Brewery, Winery, and Distillery Tour
Visit the Brooklyn Brewery, Brooklyn Winery, and Kings County Distillery in Williamsburg, Brooklyn all in one afternoon with Urban Oyster. You'll meet the people behind these artisanal businesses, learn about their crafts, and of course, taste the final products. You’ll also learn about the history of beer, wine, and whiskey in the borough and the recent boom in small batch and craft entrepreneurs. Ticket includes private tours at all three locations, tastings of beer, wine, and liquor, and lunch.
Date & Time: Saturday September 24, 2011 – Tour starts at 12:00pm and will last 3.5 hours
Tickets: $79 – Must be purchased in advance. Purchase Tickets Here
Date & Time: Saturday September 24, 2011 – Tour starts at 12:00pm and will last 3.5 hours
Tickets: $79 – Must be purchased in advance. Purchase Tickets Here
Check out our regularly scheduled beer-themed tours!
Brewed in Brooklyn
Fermented NY Craft Beer Crawls
Brewed in Brooklyn
Fermented NY Craft Beer Crawls
Special Brewed in Brooklyn Tour
Visit New York City's largest and smallest commercial beer breweries and explore the 19th century history of the industry on this very special version of Urban Oyster's Brewed in Brooklyn Tour on September 18th. Starting in Williamsburg at the Brooklyn Brewery and ending at the Coney Island Brewing Company, you'll experience tours and tastings at both facilities, a walking tour of the 19th century "brewers' row," and lunch. Ticket includes all beer, food, and subway transportation.
Date & Time: Sunday, September 18th, 2011 – Tour starts at 12:00pm and will last 4.5-5 hours
Tickets: $79 – Must be purchased in advance. Purchase Tickets Here
Date & Time: Sunday, September 18th, 2011 – Tour starts at 12:00pm and will last 4.5-5 hours
Tickets: $79 – Must be purchased in advance. Purchase Tickets Here
History of Beer: A Beer Tasting Event at the Brooklyn Historical Society
Co-hosted by Urban Oyster and BHS
June 23rd 7-9pm
Urban Oyster presents a lesson in history told through beer at the Brooklyn Historical Society. Join local beer guides David Naczycz and Cindy VandenBosch as they lead a delicious beer tasting using present day versions of historical beers to tell the story of beer, its key role in our civilization and how, ultimately, it found its way to Brooklyn where it prospered, fell, and now is prospering again. There is no better way to learn about history than by tasting it. The tasting will include six beers along with delicious food pairings. Through these tastings we’ll get a sense of how everyone from ancient Mesopotamians to Belgian monks to our Brooklyn grandfathers drank their beer and how all of our lives are different today because of beer. Limited seated. Advance ticket purchase recommended.
Tickets can be purchased by calling BHS at 718-222-4111
Tickets can be purchased by calling BHS at 718-222-4111
Immigrant Ingredients: A Sneak Preview Tour of East Williamsburg
Hosted by Urban Oyster in remembrance of Jane Jacobs
Saturday, May 7th from 10:30AM-12:30PM
In honor of urbanist and activist Jane Jacobs, Urban Oyster participated in Jane's Walks by giving a sneak preview tour of East Williamsburg that will explore the history of Brooklyn's "Avenue of Puerto Rico" - once the heart of a Jewish and Italian community - and the Moore Street Market, built in 1941 to mark the end of the pushcart era and today a centerpiece of the Spanish-speaking community. You'll come away with new knowledge about the history of immigrant foodways and hopefully inspiration to recreate the traditional tastes of the neighborhood in your own home. Tickets are free but space is limited. Click here to reserve tickets.
Special thanks to the Moore Street Market, Brooklyn Economic Development Corporation, the Graham Avenue Improvement District, the Groundswell Community Mural Project, and Jane's Walk USA for making this tour possible.
Special thanks to the Moore Street Market, Brooklyn Economic Development Corporation, the Graham Avenue Improvement District, the Groundswell Community Mural Project, and Jane's Walk USA for making this tour possible.
Special Brooklyn Navy Yard Tour and Studio Visit for Obscura Day!
In partnership with Atlas Obscura
Saturday, April 9th from 1:45PM-4:00PM
Courtesy of Thomas Witte
Explore the Brooklyn Navy Yard on this special tour for Obscura Day, a day of expeditions, back-room tours, and hidden treasures. On this tour, we'll visit an 1851 dry dock, a navy hospital that closed in 1948, the nation's first "green" multi-story industrial building, and visit the studio of Thomas Witte, an artist who draws inspiration from the historical and industrial landscape of the Navy Yard.
Brewed in Brooklyn: A History of Fermenting Barley in
New York's Favorite Borough
In partnership with the Brooklyn Historical Society
Thursday, April 7th, 2011 from 6:30PM-8:00PM
Did you know that Brooklyn was once home to 48 breweries or that 10 percent of the nation's beer was made in the borough? Join David Naczycz and Cindy VandenBosch of Urban Oyster at the Brooklyn Historical Society on Thursday, April 7th for an entertaining, in-depth look at how beer has played a pivotal role in the history of Brooklyn. A beer and cheese reception precedes the event at 6:30 PM.
Tickets: $20 per person/ $15 for BHS members.
Tickets: $20 per person/ $15 for BHS members.
NYC Beer Tasting March Event: Beer vs. Wine: The Ultimate Battle
March 31st from 7-9pm at Jimmy's No. 43 at 43 East 7th St. NY, NY 10003
Yankees vs. Red Sox, Bears vs. Packers, dogs vs. cats. Everyone loves a good rivalry and few are better, or more hotly contested than Beer vs. Wine. That's why Urban Oyster, Swirl Events, and Jimmy's No. 43 put beer and wine to the test in this beer versus wine food pairing competition. At this event, we tasted four different dishes, each paired with wine and beer, and then voted on which was the best pairing with each course. Beer won this time around, but we'll see what happens next year because Swirl Events wants a re-match.
NYC Beer Tasting Feb. Event: Beer and Chocolate: Beer is for Lovers
In partnership with d.b.a. and Mast Brothers Chocolate
Wed, February 9th from 7-9pm
Urban Oyster, Mast Brothers Chocolate and d.b.a explored the wonderful world of beer styles paired with different varieties of chocolate. In celebration of Valentine's Day, participants enjoyed pairing fruity Belgian ales and chocolaty stouts with Mast Brothers' handcrafted locally made chocolate.
Tickets are $25/person. Advance Purchase Required.
Tickets are $25/person. Advance Purchase Required.
Craft Beer Pairings with Traditional Holiday Dishes
In partnership with Huckleberry Bar
December 15th, 2010 from 7:00PM-9:00PM
Urban Oyster's Craft Beer & Food Pairing Holiday Tasting Event at Huckleberry Bar took place on Wednesday, December 15th from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. The event included six high-end beers from great local brewers like Brooklyn Brewery, Ommegang, and Slyfox, paired with three delicious holiday dishes,including roast turkey and gravy, spicy bean soup and ginger bread cake. Attendees also went away with useful tips to take home for the holidays, including suggestions for beers to pair with meals or to give as gifts, provided by the beer experts at Urban Oyster. The event took place in Huckleberry Bar's casual and festive atmosphere which was recently hailed in Time Out New York as one of NYC's best winter hangouts.
Landmarking Bushwick: An Architectural Tour
A Special Walking Tour Led by Tour Guide Adam Schwartz
Saturday, Oct. 16, 2010 from 2:00PM-4:30PM/ Also Available as a Private Tour
During the early 20th century, many of Brooklyn's most wealthy beer barons headed home at the end of a hard day's work to the mansions of Bushwick Avenue. The few regal mansions that are left of what was once known as "The Boulevard" are symbolic of the wealth and significance of the brewing industry at the turn of the last century. On this special walking tour, Tour Guide Adam Schwartz will reveal the labor and housing history of Bushwick and take participants to the sites of two former breweries, walking past many mansions and churches, and ending at the Schaefer family's stables on Linden Boulevard, now known as the Secret Garden. Tickets: $20/person (no food or drink included)
New Industrial Brooklyn: A Special Tour of the Brooklyn Navy Yard & Panel Discussion at the Brooklyn Brewery
In partnership with Net Impact, the BNYDC, and the Brooklyn Brewery
Thursday, August 26th, 2010
This evening program was dedicated to the current-day status and future of manufacturing in New York City. This program included a tour of the Brooklyn Navy Yard with a focus on its efforts to attract and retain innovative industrial businesses followed by a panel discussion at the Brooklyn Brewery, where leaders and experts from IceStone, Brooklyn Brewery, Brooklyn College, and the Pratt Center for Community Development will discuss the future of manufacturing in New York City, particularly in relation to the growth in craft and sustainable manufacturing and why it is important to continue to make space for these industries.
This event occurred on Thurs, Aug. 26th 2010 For More Information, click here.
This event occurred on Thurs, Aug. 26th 2010 For More Information, click here.
