Union Hall Starts Re-Opening: Park Slope bar and music venue Union Hall opened their basement space for the first time since their fire a few months ago, giving regulars hope that the rest of the place isn’t far behind. Go out, see a show, and keep your fingers crossed that we’re all back to bocce soon.
But Less Exciting News: According to several groups of professional and semi-professional darts players, London’s celebrated darts culture is fading fast. The culprit seems to be that pubs realize they can make more money on food and are starting to replace prime alleys with tables. In our expert opinion, few things add to a game of darts like finger foods to keep your knuckles warmed up. Can’t we all compromise here?
Odd Bar Laws in NYC: New York is full of unwritten laws that make no sense, like the oblique system for legal jaywalking, or how many insults you’re allowed to hurl at slow walkers. But there’s also plenty of weird stuff on the books. Fortunately, beer writer Cat Wolinski has rounded up ten of the strangest bar laws in the boroughs. Unfortunately, this has done nothing for our general state of paranoia, but that’s part of our quirky charm. We think.
Field Trip Time: Just in time for Queens Beer Week, the folks at ICONYC Brewing Company have opened up a formal tasting room for all Astoria to enjoy. They join a top-notch roster of breweries and bars in the area, so be sure to make a day of it and see some of their neighbors while you’re in the area. If you’re too lazy to travel, they’re nice enough to list out everywhere you can grab their beer right here.
This Beer Is Made From Pee: Alright, look. This clickbait nonsense obscures a really neat piece of environmental science. Is there urine in the beer? No, it’s passively reduced to a nitrogen-rich state and used to fertilize barley fields, which later yield malt. Any guesses what that fertilizer would usually be? Yes, it’s poo. This method allows farmers to reclaim a previously wasted resource, and is presumably easier to shovel. Aren’t you glad you asked?
A Slightly Altered Signoff: This section is usually reserved for hardcore nerd reads, but your beleaguered author attended a Mastodon concert last night and is still sort of caught up in it. Ergo, if you’ve never listened, go explore; if you have, see you at the next show.