Coney Island | Jeffrey L. Wilson

Sampling suds at Coney Island Brewery

on October 13, 2018October 13, 2018

Coney Island is a vital part of what makes me me. As a young’un, my mother would trek my cousins and I down to the seaside amusement area to ride the Cyclone, pump dollars into arcade machines, and stuff our faces with cotton candy. In my adolescent years, my moms and I moved to Coney, Surf Ave to be exact, in an attempt to upgrade our living situation with more space for less money. I spent a good part of my teens and twenties living the project life, enjoying the highs and the lows that Coney Island living brought. Throughout it all, I continually desired for Coney to return to its early 20th century glory. That may never happen, but Coney is on a solid upward trajectory. And a big part of that resurgence is Coney Island Brewery.

Located at 1904 Surf Ave at the foot of MCU Park and just a short stroll from the Stillwell Ave subway station, Coney Island Brewery has served up sudsy delights in its current location since 2014. It’s a physically small brewery, but growing. In fact, Coney Island Brewery is expanding into the retail space once housed by its former neighbor, Peggy O’Neil’s.

Still, don’t let Coney Island Brewey’s current size fool you into thinking it’s a small time outfit; if you’ve been to a supermarket or craft beer-friendly bar like Barcade, you’ve probably seen Coney Island Brewery’s drinks available for purchase. The company’s able to maintain its output my whipping up creative flavors in its Brooklyn headquarters and then sending its recipes to production facilities in the tri-state area. Naturally, Coney Island Brewery is there every step of the way to ensure that the outsourced beers keep up the company’s standard of excellence. And what excellent beers they are.

Recently, my friend Terry Lewis (Executive Editor, The Other View) and I visited Coney Island Brewery after learning about its Count Flocula and Boo-Liner beers, brews that are based on popular breakfast cereals. Yes, breakfast cereals.

“With the cereal beers, my inspiration came from having brunch with my wife when we first moved to the city,” said Matthew McCall, brewmaster, Coney Island Brewery. “As a beer lover it frustrated me to not have a beer option to go with my French toast.”

I seriously could not argue that.

Upon arriving, Terry and I were given a complimentary flights featuring those two beers, as well as Freaktoberfest and Super Freak pumpkin ales. Allow me to break ’em down in order of my preference.

Freaktoberfest

This was, without a doubt, my favorite of the bunch. It’s nicely spiced, with pumpkin and coffee flavors working in union to create an extremely tasty adult beverage. In fact, when one of the kindly pourers asked if I wanted a pint, Freaktoberfest was a no-brainer choice, despite the hearty drink list. I was not disappointed.

I must sample Freaktoberfest again to determine if it dethrones the almighty Southern Tier Imperial Pumking, my favorite pumpkin beer of all time, but it’s definitely in the ballpark. Please note that this beer is one of Coney Island Brewery’s seasonal drinks.

Blueberry Boo-Liner

Brewed with marshmallow creme and lactose, and aged on blueberry puree, Blueberry Boo-Liner proved quite the surprise. I expected a beer based on a kid’s cereal to dance between the heavenly and the atrocious, but the restraint on display won me over. I’ve never had anything like it.

Certainly Boo-Liner is sweet, but not overly so, with blueberry notes up front and a subtle cream flavor holding down the rear. It’s a limited release, so grab some while you can. I highly recommend it.

Super Freak

If you want a proper buzz with a flavorful liquid treat, the 9.1-percent Super Freak will do you good. There are many flavors popping off here, including coffee, citrus, and pumpkin. Super Freak is inspired by the aforementioned Freaktoberfest. And, like its cousin, Super Freak is a seasonal joint.

In fact, Super Freak resembles a more complex version of Freaktoberfest. Of the two, I prefer Freaktoberfest, as it has a more straightforward pumpkin taste. Still, I want to revisit Super Freak, as it’s a very solid pumpkin-flavored beer that delivers big flavors. This could be the beer I want in hand as I down Thanksgiving dinner.

Count Flocula

A kölsch ale brewed with marshmallow creme and lactose, and aged on cocoa nibs, Count Flocula was my least favorite of the beers I sampled. That’s not to say that Count Flocula’s bad; it was more of a disappointment. Unlike Blueberry Boo-Liner, Count Flocula’s restraint was a detriment.

I expected something more beer-meets-chocolate milk, but instead got something that tasted more like a slightly creamy coffee-flavored beer. That said, now that my expectations are properly set, I’d like to give the Count another go. It, too, is only available for limited time.

If you want to sample these beers for yourself, check the brewery’s schedule and make your way down to Coney Island. And participate in the brewery tour, too. It’s incredibly educational and the hosts are delightful.

Spinning old Brooklyn tales for Coney Island History Project

on September 30, 2017December 17, 2024

Amazing how life comes full circle.

From ages 12 to roughly 30, I lived in Coney Island, a neighborhood that was a far cry its heyday preserved in black-and-white photos and newsreels. I lived in the projects, surrounded by empty, junk-filled lots, rabid dogs, and the shadows of a once-cherished seaside destination. I left after establishing a career as a writer, but returned to it in verbal form courtesy of the Coney Island History Project.

The non-profit organization approached me to participate in its oral history series after reading my Coney Island memories in an esports article. I was interviewed on July 10, 2017. The interview posted relatively recently. I’d be very happy if you’d take 22 minutes to listen to it.

I’ve been interviewed many times over the years, but this is the one that meant the most to me. It isn’t very often that someone wants to tell your origin story, a process that truly makes you appreciate the journey from the past to the present.

Image courtesy of Coney Island History Project

new york transit museum coney island nostalgia ride

I rode to Coney Island inside a 70-year-old subway train

on July 12, 2014January 24, 2017

The New York Transit Museum is one of my favorite summertime destinations.

Seriously. I love learning about the intersection of culture and infrastructure in regards to New York City’s physical and lifestyle expansion. If you’ve never made the journey to the corner of Boerum Pl. and Schermerhorn St., please do so.

The New York Transit Museum offers many interesting events throughout the year, but few are as cool as the Nostalgia Ride. Held a handful of times throughout the year, the Nostalgia Ride lets ticket-holders board vintage trains headed to distant locations within city limits. I had the great fortune to participate in the Coney Island Nostalgia Ride on 7/12/2014. Here are some details courtesy of the New York Transit Museum:

Join us on the ever popular, boardwalk-bound Coney Island Nostalgia Train! Ride the 1930s R1/9 cars of the Independent Subway System above and below ground for a two-hour jaunt. Then visit Coney Island’s beach-side amusement park, take a dip in the ocean, or stay on the train for additional rides.

The well-kept cars were equipped with ceiling fans that kept passengers cool, retro advertisements straight out of the ’40s, and large windows that let natural light pour inside when we exited tunnels and surfaced. The train truly felt like a machine from another era. Others felt that, too. As the five R1/9 cars expressed through Brooklyn—and those suckers moved FAST!—commuters waiting for the regular rides marveled at the functional relics.

Once the train reached Coney Island, we were given several options: stay on board and ride the N and D train routes, take a small tour, parts ways permanently, or enjoy the beach/amusement park for a few hours until the train returned to pick you up. In addition, the friendly staff gave us small history lessons on the subway, passed around old school tokens, and took us on a tour when we reached our seaside destination. It was a leisurely, serene experience.

The younger passengers fiddled with their phones and tablet—much to their parents’ chagrin—but those of us over 30 snapped photos, filmed video, and exchanged subway stories. Perhaps appreciation of the past is something that comes in time as we make that not-so-slow march toward oblivion, but New Yorkers with even the slightest love for the subway system should give the Nostalgia Ride a go.