BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Co-Founder Dave Plate and Managing Partner Kyle Kensrue announce the Williamsburg reopening of their staple NYC brewpub Randolph Beer (104 S. 4th St.), unveiling 2,000 additional square feet with shuffleboard tables, old-school video games, new outdoor space and Williamsburg’s first-ever nanobrewery.
Led by Head Brewer Flint Whistler (formerly of Rockaway Brewing Co., an active member of the NYC Craft Brewers Guild and the founder of NYC Brewery Industry Night), the nanobrewery is an all-manual, single-barrel exploratory platform for irreverent, small-batch brews, slated to change out continually with very few varieties repeating. Using spices, barrel-aging, fruits, vegetables, rare hops and his own yeast concoctions, Flint creates obscure flavor combinations which run the gamut from forgotten, historical styles like a Lichtenhainer and a Gruit, to modern, easy-drinking brews with a twist.
The nanobrewery launches with sixteen house-brewed beers across a variety of styles, including: Baby Barley Wine, a light-bodied fall beer with complex malt character, made in partnership with Sonoma County Distilling (aged in one of their rye barrels); an easy-drinking, botanical Cucumber Pilsner with Elderflower (& Tequila Barrel Spirals in its next iteration) brewed in collaboration with craft beer photographer Miguel Rivas, aka The Beer Trekker; and a drinkable Farmhouse Ale made with local honey and fresh hops from the Brooklyn Grange rooftop farm. Launching in mid-October to poke fun at the annual PSL fervor, Flint will introduce a Pumpkin Spice Latte Stout, brewed with real pumpkin, ginger, toasted cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice and cold brewed coffee. As Flint continues to produce new creations, up to eight small-batch house brews will be on tap at a time, alongside a handful of beers brewed at Randolph’s DUMBO facility and a dozen guest beers curated from cutting-edge breweries like KCBC, Other Half, Grimm and more.
Designed by the Randolph crew, the new 4,000-square-foot space combines original eclectic, punk-inspired design elements (like street art and raw, industrial accents) with a cleaner and more modern approach, staying true to the history of the surrounding South Williamsburg neighborhood. An original wheat paste collage still lines the self-serve tap wall and back bar, juxtaposed by a bold and botanical palm leaf wallpaper which is echoed in the expanded space. Abundant plants and hues of light blue are used throughout to calm and brighten, while two large skylights flood the room with natural light. Three garage door facades allow for a breezy, indoor/outdoor experience, opening directly onto a large sidewalk cafe during the warmer months. In the new expansion area, a ‘sunken living room’ section with shuffleboard and vintage games adds a mid-century modern element, echoed in the furniture and decor throughout. Several neon signs punctuate the space, including a large, dripping heart—a fan favorite in the O.G. space.
Led by executive chef Masterful Davis, the Williamsburg kitchen launches new fall dishes in tandem with the reopening, supplementing their menu of clean eats using sustainable, organic and locally-sourced ingredients. Seasonal offerings include Pecan Crusted Ahi Tuna Skewers with grilled New York apple and maple-cinnamon glaze; Avocado Tartare with sweet potato crisps, whole grain mustard and tomato-pepper relish; and Wild Mushroom Ragu with butternut squash polenta, red wine-balsamic reduction and togarashi.
Randolph Beer Williamsburg is open Sunday from 11:00am-9:00pm; Monday-Wednesday from 11:00am-12:00am; and Thursday-Saturday from 11:00am-late.
ABOUT RANDOLPH BEER
Randolph Beer is a NYC and Brooklyn staple with three locations in DUMBO, Williamsburg, and Nolita. Known for house-brewed beers and clean eats, Randolph Beer has brought their lively, experiential and relaxed brand of hospitality to beer-loving New Yorkers for almost a decade.
Led by co-founder Dave Plate, the original Randolph team got their start in the late aughts with The Randolph at Broome, a cocktail dive and nightlife hotspot, where they amassed a loyal following for taking hospitality and their classic cocktail program seriously, but themselves not so much. In 2012, this irreverent ethos transitioned to what had become their primary passion— craft beer. They took a larger space up the block to launch a sister gastropub called Randolph Beer. Soon after, managing partner and Certified Cicerone Kyle Kensrue joined the team to help guide the beer program. With 36 short-run draft lines, style-specific temperature control and an unparalleled beer selection, Randolph Beer was known as one of NYC’s earliest craft beer temples. The concept took off, and a second location opened in South Williamsburg in 2013, where they pioneered the infamous Beer ATM—offering 24 interactive, self-serve taps. As Randolph Beer grew, so did their ambitions, and brewing their own beer became a must. Randolph Beer DUMBO was soon introduced—a bright and airy, experiential beer hall and restaurant with a seven-barrel brewery, interactive games and clean food.
THE TEAM
Dave Plate, Co-Founder & CEO
A native of Randolph, New Jersey (Randolph’s name is inspired by an old-school speakeasy, not so much the town itself) Dave started The Randolph at Broome as a side hustle, while working in Finance, with a law school student / nightlife promoter and a head bartender at the famed Milk and Honey. Over a two week period Dave converted an old Nolita watering hole called M Bar into NYC’s first proper-cocktail dive. With the success of The Randolph, Dave later started Randolph Beer—which he has grown for over a decade to include three locations and an innovative brewery. Dave has overseen the Randolph Beer family’s expansion from five to over seventy and proudly worn every hat in the company—from barback to forklift operator and plumber, to designer, general manager, accountant, carpenter and everything in between.
Kyle Kensrue, Co-Owner
Kyle Kensrue fell in love with craft beer while working at a brewery (and surfing) in Laguna Beach, soaking up the sun—and every bit of knowledge about craft beer that he could. With years of hospitality experience under his belt, Kyle moved to New York City and entered the esteemed Cicerone Program, achieving the level of Certified Cicerone. Simultaneously, he joined the Randolph Beer team and quickly rose through the ranks from bartender to manager, to Director of Operations. Kyle is dedicated to spreading the gospel of craft beer, is an active member of the NYC Brewers Guild and serves as a member of the Brewers Association Brewpub Committee.
Flint Whistler, Head Brewer
Flint is a beer guy. What began as a passion for home brewing swiftly grew into a full-blown career when Flint got his first taste of a professional brewery at Comanche Creek Brewing in New Mexico. A little over a year later, he wandered into a job at Rockaway Brewing Co., where he worked his way through almost every role possible. At Randolph Beer, Flint oversees the beer program at the Williamsburg location and collaborates with the head brewer at the DUMBO location, bringing his keen desire to explore, deep knowledge, and impressive expertise to create cutting-edge brews. Flint is equally comfortable in a kitchen, an art museum, or on a mountaintop. He is an active member of the NYC Craft Brewers Guild and is the founder of NYC Brewery Industry Night.