1st Brewery in New Amsterdam

The 1st brewery was built in a log cabin as part of several structures in a fort erected by Dutch colonists Adrian Block and Hans Christiansen around 1612 on the southern tip of Manhattan.

In 1626 Dutchman Peter Minuit purchased the island from Native Americans and named it New Amsterdam where about 350 people set up a settlement. In 1632 the West India Company saw fit to build the first commercial brewery not far from the fort there on a street later known as “Brouwers” street (brewers). The first beers in the colonies were British-style ales: stouts, bitters, and pale ales. The water for the brewery came from Heere Gracht, a stream flowing from natural springs through Beaver path (beaver street). Today in Manhattan the old Brouwers street is named Stone street and one of the oldest streets in the city and is now a pedestrian-only street with many restaurants and taverns of course with outdoor dining.