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The New York Times
Front Burner
Florence Fabricant
“...the Crowler, a 32-ounce can into which keg beer is dispensed. The can is sealed, and you’re good to go. Why is the Crowler better than a growler? Ted Kenny, the owner of Top Hops Beer Shop on the Lower East Side, which recently installed a Crowler machine, said it’s lighter to carry, won’t break, can be taken on a boat, is impervious to air and light, and will keep the beer fresh far longer than the 24-hour limit you get with a jug."
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The New York Times
The Lower East Side as Petri Dish
"This is a friendly spot for craft-beer connoisseurs and novices alike. And the awe factor is pretty high: About 20 brews are on tap and hundreds of bottles — whose colorful labels create a sort of kaleidoscopic display — are available for purchase."
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New York Magazine
"Whether you’re in the mood to settle in at the bar or grab a six-pack to go, Top Hops offers a modern solution for both. Beer snobs will love the expansive refrigerators that line the back walls, stocked with hundreds of craft brands...The knowledgeable staff are happy to customize a flight of samples from the rotating roster draughts."
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Draft Magazine
"Former Anheuser-Busch salesman Ted Kenny opened this LES tasting room/bottle shop/beer seminary in winter. Savvy beer servers tend the 30-foot bar, pouring from 700 worldly bottles and 20 taps that are part Belgian, part regional and mostly American craft seasonals and limited-releases...this is beer-geek heaven: A blackboard behind the brews lists the date the keg was tapped and when the draft line was last cleaned, along with the beer style, IBU count, brewery location and tasting notes."
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Men's Health
Best Beer Ever
"Kenny's retail store carries more than 700 brands of beer and also features a tasting bar. In short, it's what most men envision as heaven."
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Time Out New York
Best Beer Store in NYC
"This Lower East Side store is Disneyland for brew heads."
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GQ
The Pursuit of Hoppiness
"...One of a growing number of shops around the country that treat beer like wine, with a fussily curated collection of bottles you'd never find at the local beverage mart"
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Travel + Leisure
America's Best Beer Bars 2014
"This bright, no-nonsense neighborhood institution -- part tasting room, part retail shop, and all beer geekery -- has been a welcome alternative to the Lower East Side since in opened in 2012."
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Draft Magazine
America’s 100 best beer bars: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
"A former Anheuser-Busch distributor took every guy’s beer-cave dreams and brought them to life in this minimalist Lower East Side tasting room. One of the world’s most stats-rich chalkboard menus details the 20 taps (including when the lines were last cleaned), bright coolers stock more than 700 bottles, and the friendly staff is generous with their help—and samples."
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Foaming Head
NY Beer
"Don't know a Double IPA from a Dopplebock, or Saaz hops from the American Cascade variety? Not to worry, Top Hops welcomes beer drinkers of all knowledge levels, from the geek to the novice. Owner Ted Kenny has created a welcoming, unpretentious environment that encourages experimentation and -- most importantly -- fun."
