What's Going on With Bierkraft?
Monday, June 15, 2025 at 1:09PM ;){kind=link}
Bierkraft has been one of the most popular spots in the neighborhood to grab some great beers and awesome sandwiches for years, but something very strange seems to be going on with them.
First, the storefront was tightly locked yesterday, and Sunday is usually one of their most popular days. Second, their website has gone offline. Third, their usually very active Twitter account has been completely shut down. It still has an A rating from the Department of Health, so we know that's not the culprit. The lights are off, and nobody's home.
The shop specialized in selling a huge selection of beers, and their growler station was consistently busy. Things got even better a couple years ago, when they received permits to serve beer on-premises and a seating area was added. If this is indeed the end of the road for Bierkraft, it'll be a major shocker, and a major loss for beer lovers.
UPDATE: Many thanks to a couple tipsters for pointing me to their Instagram page, where they've just dropped their only hint about what's up: "Renovations are coming! Stay tuned in and turnt up."
mysteries in Bars, Food, Scoops, Storefronts
Reader Comments (56)
Wow, Zito's and Bierkraft both gone? That'd be a huge bummer.
Could be that the exorbitant prices and sneering attitude towards "customer service" finally caught up with them. Good beer is good, but it's not number theory or semiotics. It's just beer. And acting like the appointed mages of beer was doing these folks no favors.
Actually Zito's went downhill a couple years ago. Not what it was when it first opened. "Fantastic Indian" sure sounds like an upgrade. There are so many better places to get a nice sandwich now. It's not terribly surprising.
Bierkraft was great, but they desperately needed a renovation. Wonder if that's what's happening?
Bring in a Court Street Grocer to the Bierkraft space and I guarantee you won't remember they ever existed a year from now.
This was special when other places didn't carry specialty beers, but now every bodega does. The 7th Avenue Gourmet market on the corner of 7th and Berkeley has a great selection of beer, unmatched by most other places around. This place never seemed to improve, it just stagnated. And the layout was horrible and uninviting. Look at the outside....so shabby it hasn't had a paint job in over a decade.
Seventh Avenue Gourmet had a great selection of beer long before Bierkraft existed.
Bierkraft is the place I bring everyone who has ever visited me from out of town, and without fail every friend I've brought into this shop has fallen in love with it. It's so special to me, and the sandwiches are unparalleled as far as what this neighborhood has to offer. Sure the rest of the neighborhood bodegas are studded with overpriced craft 6 packs, but the real fun of this place was always the draft line up and getting to chat with the staff and sample strange new brews. I learned so much attending the wonderful tastings over the years and have spent countless evenings in the backyard splitting growlers with great friends. It would be devastating for our hood to loose this wonderful place. Please say it isn't so!! I always felt this place was too good to be true, but I don't think Park Slope would be the same without it.
One of my least favorite spots in the neighborhood. Their customer service is/was absolutely abysmal and their food was mediocre. Their beer selection was impressive but, for me, not worth dealing with the attitude.
Eh, so many prissy people whining. Fantastic sandwiches, great beer.
The people who work there are actually quite nice if you don't act like an entitled prick.
Will be seriously bummed if the close. Those sandwiches are amazing.
(cue the owner/employee accusations. Not at all. Just really like the place.)
why would you shut down the twitter account and website if you're just renovating? doesn't make much sense...
Seems really odd to start "renovations" without even putting a note on the door. I doubt we'll see them return. In other news - looks like Ollie and Ry are closing up shop. Too bad because they seemed like nice people.
http://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/off/5065833673.html
Good point: the terrible customer service I experienced was probably because I am so prissy and acted like an entitled prick.
Just makes me appreciate all of the other establishments where I get reasonable service... good on them for looking past my intense, diagnosable-by-an-internet-stranger failings.
Wait. Are people saying that Bierkraft was friendly? hahahaha. Their beer was great (not as overpriced as it used to be), the food was fine but their counter help could best be described as disinterested (on a good day).
lots of good news on craigslist. Beauty Bar is available as well. http://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/off/5065068213.html
Please read the comments about Ollie and Ry on this blog and realize that the people in this neighborhood know a lot more than these businesses give them credit for. Everyone predicted their demise, but I think we are all a bit surprised they didn't last 6 months.
You have to be really incompetent of a business person to already be closing up within 6 months. So you didn't even have enough cash to make it a year? What bank loaned this Ollie and Ry people money after witnessing their business plan of opening another bagel store in a strip saturated with excellent bagel stores??????
NO note.
Website deactivated.
Twitter deactivated.
I think it's HIGHLY unlikely Bierkraft is returning. My god you fall for it EVERY time though!
I thought the staff were horrible and yes the place very shabby but not chic. Lots of places with good beer now. Sandwiches are fine, but there's nothing special about boards head meat. You can get it in any bodega.
Another place that's been open about 2 months (and I predict less than another 2 more) is Urban Wellness in the former Walk in Cookbook space. Place is so unwelcoming, it never looks open and I have yet to see a single person inside. Apparently they sell vitamins and juices but you wouldn't know that from walking by. You'd think it was empty storefront.
You have to be fairly stupid in this day and age to shut your internet presence down, but up zero note and then expect every media outlet not to post that you're closed. Eater is going to pick this up and then for all intents and purpose, Bierkraft is closed and even if they do come back it won't be the same because the word got out that they closed.
So if they really are renovating, they just shot themselves in the foot because this blog reporting on it means Eater, Grub Street and all the rest are next in reporting of the demise of Bierkraft,. Also they aren't responding to a question on Instagram about why shut down your website and twitter if you're just renovating....
HMMMMM. Lots of really dumb business owners in this hood sounds like you can add Ollie & Ry to that mix (not that it should be a shock to anyone who went inside). It looked like a high school students project on how to open a business.
Meanwhile, the news of Artichoke Basille opening, Parm and good Indian is far more promising to me than this or Ollie & Ry or Zito's closing. That's an upgrade all around with proven winners and business owners who actually know what they are doing.
Probably not renovating. Staff members showed up for work yesterday and were told they no longer have jobs.
Argh! Where are you guys? I am sorry to see you gone. Great beer, fine service, good sandwiches. I hope all the staff land on their feet - I'll miss you all. Everyone was helpful and friendly!
The really specialty beers sat there for months and months, and most of the rest of the craft lineup is available almost anywhere else and for waaaaaaay less money. Did they really expect people to pay $2.50 per Sierra Nevada?
The sandwiches were fine, but those are replaceable. I kept waiting for this place to return to being a destination, and it just never happened.
Most importantly, who else sells the same ice cream sandwiches?
ACM:
Walmart.
Eagle Provisions had them beat by a mile in terms of beer selection & price. sadly, both are gone. hope somebody steps up with a good beer selection, they'll do well.
7th Avenue Gourmet on the corner of 7th and Berkeley has a better beer selection and has for many many years. Bierkraft USED to have a great beer selection, but it's waned for years now. Go up to 7th Avenue Gourmet, it will be difficult to not be impressed with their selection.