Bitter & Esters is excited to announce that we were chosen as Homebrew Shop of the Year by the American Homebrewers Association at Homebrew Con 2019 this past weekend. From the AHA:
"Bitter & Esters was selected from among 123 other homebrew shop nominations and evaluated by the AHA Governing Committee on the merits of community support, education, customer service and engagement, promotion of homebrewing, and responsible business practices.
Amport and LaPolla’s shop is described as a delightful mecca of all things homebrewing. They are known for their participation in nearly every homebrewing and beer event in their local community, as well as for providing excellent education, training, showcases, and connecting local homebrewers with bottle shares and local club involvement.
The shop creates a community space in which folks can come hang out for hours to craft recipes, taste malts, and talk beer. They sponsor community initiatives, help coordinate competitions, and foster an environment for people of all genders, ethnicities and skill levels. They are the launchpad for a local female-led club, The Brewminaries, and they build an inclusive environment that welcomes those who have historically been underrepresented in homebrewing. The owners and staff are well-educated and friendly, and they always provide thoughtful responses and promote lively discussions among their customers. The focus on inclusion, a thorough customer experience, community, end-to-end education, and brewing on premises in Brooklyn raises the bar and creates a model for other shops to emulate. Congratulations to Bitter & Esters!"
We are extremely honored to receive this award but we want to make it clear we did not win it alone. First, thank you to all of our employees past and present for their hard work, dedication and excellent service. Second, thank you to all of the Homebrew Clubs in NY that have helped keep the great hobby of homebrewing alive and well, what a great homebrew scene we have in our fair city! Lastly, and most importantly, thank you to all of our customers for the wonderful support these past eight years. It's been a privilege to get to know all of you and try your amazing beers. Without you we do not exist.
