Out On the Town: Bar Convent Brooklyn
Here's to a Week Filled with Cocktails, Spirits, Tastings, Panels, Parties, Pop-Ups, and More
Welcome to Out On the Town, a regular Paid Subscriber exclusive where I break down a recent visit to a particular bar or restaurant—whether an old favorite, a new spot, or a first-time visit to a “new to me” joint.
Instead of covering one night’s worth of activity, today’s dispatch features a week’s worth of spirited activities orbiting around the recent activation of Bar Convent Brooklyn (BCB). All of this week’s action is behind the paywall, so don’t miss out and become a LAST CALL paid subscriber today.
In a perfect world I would be sending out today’s dispatch from Chicago, where I should be attending the James Beard Media Awards this evening. I didn’t set out to pull a Brando and, win or lose, would love to be there but instead I’m here in damp and rainy Brooklyn. But I’ll be there in spirit and rooting for my story “The Hidden Hospitality Hazards When You’re Too Big for the Bar” to bring home the hardware in the “Personal Essay” category during the Journalism Awards. I’m not sure if I’ll be watching the action via the live stream. But fingers crossed. Wish me luck and send good vibrations!
Sunday: Second Sunday “Pitt’s Pride”
For the unofficial kick-off of BCB Week I started at Pitt’s, where Ben Hopkins (as seen on Dive Bar Jukebox) was hosting another installment of their popular Second Sunday Bartender Series, presenting a special evening of “Pitt’s Pride” with a quartet of talented bartenders popping-up behind the always lively Carrot Room bar with a portion of proceeds of sales going to The Ali Forney Center. The lineup included Shannon Mustipher (Privateer Rum), Peri Taro (PDT, Bar Kabawa), Kathryn “Pepper” Stashek (Bar Kabawa), and Fanny Chu.
I met up with my associate and VinePair Managing Editor Tim McKirdy and Gabriela Marchand McKirdy, who stopped by before heading to nearby Lundy Bros., their go-to spot in the neighborhood, for dinner. Pitt’s was was jam-packed with an eclectic crowd of familiar faces from the neighborhood and the wider bar community with everyone having a great time. After securing the last open seat at the end of the bar I ordered what Shannon was stirring up, a Little Italy-inspired Black Palmetto, made with Privateer Navy Yard Rum, Faccia Brutto Carciofo, Cynar 70, and Method Spirits Sweet Vermouth, accompanied by a bar snack of Gouda Pimento Cheese and Fried Saltines, which I shared with anyone within arm’s reach.
I followed that up with Fanny’s Trinidaddy’s Daiquiri, a tart and refreshing shaken rum number with a blend of Privateer Navy Yard Rum, Witches’ Tree Rye, Angostura Bitters, Pineapple, and Lime. While attempting to rest a piece of chewy sour candy on the rim of my drink as a garnish, Ben “Candy Man” Hopkins accidentally plopped it into my glass where it sunk to the bottom releasing a bonus burst of sour tartness to the drink (the kid’s creative, I’ll give them that). The other two featured drinks I didn’t have a chance to try included Pepper’s Coco Montrese (Privateer Bottled in Bond Rum, Probitas White Rum, Coconut Tea, Coconut Milk, Black Tea, Lime) or Peri’s Lip Smacker (Privateer Bottled in Bond Rum, Probitas White Rum, Cocoa Butter, Banana Cordial, and Lemon).
Sunday: A Pop-Up Called Pancakes X The Long Island Bar
