Travis Kauffman is not new to the local beer scene. In fact he has been making beer under the Folksbier brand for almost three years. But it was only early this year that he actually opened a tasting room to the public. Travis and his staff make beer on a residential street in the community-oriented Carroll Gardens. We get a real sense of this foodie neighborhood on our Brownstone Brooklyn tour.
And Travis has been a big part of this communtiy for even longer than he's been making this beer. He was part of the opening team of two of the neighborhood's destination-worthy restaurants, Frankies 457 and Prime Meats. It was actually at the restaurants' storage space where he began homebrewing and started producing beers under the name Folksbier. It didn't get as much attention (or distribution) as some of the city's other breweries. It was one of the more difficult beers to find - with only a few accounts around Brooklyn and Manhattan.
But Travis was eventually able to take over the lease and has now turned that into a local brewery where neighbors come to hang out, taste great beer, and see the production. Soon, he's going to start canning and distributing the beer even further.
The idea of making his own beer started at a very young age. Growing up on a farm in Michigan, Travis was used to doing everything from scratch. When he was old enough to drink, that ethic found its way into homemade beer. Even today, Travis uses hops grown on his parents' farm.
The What:
Folksbier stands out from the other breweries in Brooklyn because of their focus on classic German styles. Not all of their beers
are German-influenced, but they often start from a traditional and approachable base and build up from there.
One of their signature and most popular beers is their unfiltered Helles Simple, which is a very crisp refreshing and balanced lager. It follows the German Purity Law and is a great starting point. From there, they can get a little more experimental but never stray too far from tradition. Be sure to also try their tart sour Berliner weisse (Glow Up) and the French-influenced Selvina brewed with rosehips.
The tasting room is a bit of an oasis for beer lovers, families, and curious locals hanging out together in a dim friendly atmosphere steps away from the actual brew house.
The Why:
Folksbier is a potential stop on our NYC Brewery Winery Distillery Tours. They are one in a very tight-knit community of over 30 breweries around New York City. It is an exciting and much-needed addition to the neighborhood without all the frat parties and loud drunk crowds you might find at other beer bars.
If you want to visit Folksbier and other craft beverage producers in the city, we are running a promotion through Labor Day. When you book three tickets, you get the fourth free. Just put in SUMMER17 as a discount code and we'll be happy to introduce you to Travis and his perfectly balanced flavorful beers.
The Where:
Folksbier Brewery
101 Luquer Street
Brooklyn, NY 11231