Barcade might be Brooklyn’s best bar

June 24, 11:08 AMBrooklyn Beer Bars ExaminerDan D'Ippolito

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A few short blocks away from the Lorimer Street L/Metropolitan Avenue G subway stop is one of Brooklyn’s very best bars: Barcade. Barcade’s all-American roster of beers on tap and in cask boasts exceptional versatility and drinkability. Ranging from 3.7% ABV to 10% ABV plus, the frequently alternating tap lineup represents a spectrum of flavors, from wheat beers and IPAs to triples and imperial stouts, often with a fruited or smoked beer thrown in the mix. Printed paper sheet menus populate the bar, providing descriptions of each beer and letting drinkers know what’s “on deck” (and noting that the place runs on 100% wind power purchased from windmills in upstate New York). Harpoon Rauchfetzen (6.3% ABV) is a Massachusetts brewed rauchbier (“smoked beer”) with a strong, sweet smoky flavor; from California comes Anderson Valley Brother David’s Double (9% ABV), a complex malty and spicy brown beer brewed in the Belgian “dubbel” style (pictured); poured straight from a wooden cask (keep away if you’re looking for a cold beer with a lot of carbonation) is Massachusetts made Fisherman’s Greenhorn Double IPA (9% ABV), an especially brisk, floral ale with a refreshing cut grass and fresh vegetable aftertaste.

Barcade opens at 2 p.m. on weekends, during which time sunlight pours in from several large ceiling windows, and hard/alternative rock adorns the house speakers. Feel free to order food to the bar or bring your own, and the room is dog friendly; just be careful to protect your pup’s paws from fragments of broken glass. The bar regularly rotates their tap lineup and hosts special events and tastings. Happy hour is 5-8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 2-8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, with $1 off beer and a $7 Fisherman’s and Jim Beam shot combo.

If this was not already the description of perfection, it gets even better: the room is lined with old school arcade video games. Punch-out!!, Frogger, Ms. Pacman, Arkanoid, Asteroids, Rampage, Ghosts ‘n Goblins, and Q*bert to name a few. With wear and tear, some games must sadly leave the floor for repair (Mario Brothers, Marble Madness), but new additions, like the classic Contra, keep the mourning minimal. For those serious about gaming, a high score board hangs tall and proud on the wall, challenging all to bring their best (some competitors take up shop at games like Moon Patrol and Ms. Pacman). And yes, there is a quarter machine.

(Tip: Late nights can get super crowded, but during the day the games are all yours.)