Breweries in NYC have long been concentrated in the outer boroughs, but two childhood friends are bringing beer to Manhattan with their new brewery and taproom right in the heart of SoHo.
Torch & Crown Brewing Company—a name which of course references the Statue of Liberty, and whose logo is a play on the hops and barley elements of beer-making—is hoping to “bring New York City closer to the craft experience than ever before.”
The two best friend owners, Joe Correia and John Dantzler, shared on their website that the brewery started in theory over 10 years ago, when they had their fake IDs taken away at a bar in the East Village. In search of beer to drink, they started with a Mr. Beer homebrew kit in their kitchen, and after high school headed off to different sides of the industry to learn all they could (Correia to study chemistry/brewing, Dantzler to business/finance). Now they’ve reunited again to create the childhood brewery of their dreams.
They wanted to be Manhattan’s brewery, in “the heart of the action.” A blog post reads:
We believe the excitement that locally handcrafted products can bring is unparalleled, and it doesn’t sit right with us that the New York City craft movement has occurred on the fringes. In years of drinking through the city, we’ve always felt a disconnect between the breweries popping up in the outer boroughs (most of which, make no mistake, are excellent) and those of us in the center of it all.
They quit their jobs in the summer of 2017 and spent almost two years searching Manhattan real estate in order to find their perfect space. They settled on 12 Vandam St., on the bottom floor of (and under) One SoHoSquare.
Their website shows signature brews like the Intersect series, boasting hazy and bright Session IPAs brewed with unique combinations of two hops, plus limited releases like a sour ale brewed with lots of Mango and Pineapple, and an imperial stout with vanilla, coffee, cacao, and a small dose of lactose.
According to an interview with Edible Manhattan, the brewery space will have a tap room and tanks on the street level, and there will also be an event space and more tanks two stories underground. There will also be a food menu by Christian Papanicholas, formerly of The Cannibal.
It will be one of the very first breweries in Manhattan that is also brewing its own beers right there! They’ve set a March opening date, a perfect escape from the humdrum of NYC winter.
featured image source: Instagram / @TorchandCrown