Brooklyn Beer Bar Guide: Fette Sau
Fette Sau is the kind of place where you go if you want to eat with your hands. It is the kind of place that puts a bunch of individually wrapped wet naps in a Mason jar near where you get your fork and knife. It’s the kind of place that eschews plates and instead plops your food down on a thick piece of butcher paper, with soft potato rolls (fork and knife optional). The food here is really quite good — the line out the door and around the corner speaks to that — but the beer is not to be missed. Check out our handy guide to this place, after the jump.
Number of Taps: If you’re here, you’re probably not here for the beer, but do yourself a favor and check out their tap list, which boasts a nice selection of constantly rotating local brews. They have 10 beers on tap, which are served by the pint or the gallon, so if you’re standing on line for the barbecue, send an envoy from your group to grab a growler. We like the Captain Lawrence Liquid Gold in particular.
Vibes: Convivial and friendly. Everyone there is there for one reason — to eat one to two pounds of smoked meat and drink some beer. The decor is standard — a sort of rustic industrial chic, but with an emphasis on pigs. (That description sounds worse than it actually is, trust us.)
Seating: The interior is full of communal picnic tables, so if you’re the kind of person that feels uncomfortable sitting next to strangers while you eat ribs, then you should probably go somewhere else. There’s some tables in the front yard, too, but I suggest a divide-and-conquer strategy upon entering to make sure that you actually have a place to eat and drink.
Music: The whole place is kind of loud, but the music itself is inoffensive.
Price: It’s a bit on the pricey side for food, but for beer, a very reasonable $6 will get you a pint.
Typical Crowd: The trick with this place is that people don’t generally come here for the beer. Fette Sau is a fantastic barbecue joint, first and foremost, with their selection of craft beer being the sauce on the ribs, if you will. People make journeys to Fette Sau from other boroughs, hitting it up before getting a cookie at Momofuku Milk bar down the street and then walking back to the safety of the L train.
Outdoor Space: There’s a little front yard with a few picnic tables for eating and sitting, but those go fast so, once again, divide and conquer.
Food: The barbecue here is incredible. The broccoli salad is delicious. Really, that’s why you’re here, right?