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Brooklyn is crowded. Walk down any street in Gowanus and you’ll trip over a dozen breweries all trying to sell you the same hazy IPA that tastes like a citrus grove exploded in a bowl of oatmeal. It’s a lot. But tucked away on Sackett Street, there is something fundamentally different happening. Wild East Brewing Co isn't just another taproom with Edison bulbs and exposed brick, though they have those too. They’re obsessed with something most American craft brewers forgot about years ago: patience.
Specifically, they’re obsessed with European-style lagers and farmhouse ales.
Most people think of "craft beer" as a bitter bomb of hops that leaves your tongue feeling like it’s been sandpapered. Wild East takes the opposite approach. Founded by Lindsay S. Degouve de Nuncques, Tyler Bell, and Brett Taylor, this spot has quickly become the "brewer’s brewery." That’s a term you hear a lot in New York, usually referring to places that focus on technical precision over marketing gimmicks. When you talk to people who actually make beer for a living, they’re usually sitting at the Wild East bar on their day off drinking a pale lager.
The Obsession with Decoction and Patience
Let's talk about why the beer here tastes different. It’s not magic. It’s physics and a bit of stubbornness.
A lot of modern breweries cut corners because time is money. To get a beer from grain to glass in two weeks is the goal for a business looking at margins. Wild East doesn't really play that game. They utilize a process called decoction mashing. This is an old-school Central European technique where you take a portion of the mash, boil it, and then add it back to the main kettle. It’s a massive pain in the neck. It takes longer. It uses more energy. But it creates a depth of malt flavor—think freshly toasted bread crusts and a certain "chewiness"—that you simply cannot get from a single-infusion mash.
Take their Patience & Fortitude Czech-style Pilsner. It’s a flagship for a reason.
If you drink it, you’ll notice it has a dense, creamy foam that lasts until the very bottom of the glass. That’s the result of side-pull faucets. You’ve probably seen these taps; they look like little golden levers sticking out of the wall horizontally rather than vertically. They allow the bartender to control the flow and create a "wet" foam that protects the beer from oxidation. It changes the mouthfeel entirely. It turns a standard beer-drinking experience into something that feels more like a meal. Honestly, once you’ve had a properly poured LUKR side-pull lager, going back to a standard American tap feels like drinking a soda that’s lost half its carbonation.
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Farmhouse Funk and the Wild Side
The "Wild" in Wild East Brewing Co isn't just a cool-sounding adjective. It refers to the wild yeast and bacteria they use for their mixed-fermentation program. While the front of the house is all about crisp, clean lagers, the back of the house—and the barrel-aging program—is where things get weird. In a good way.
They do a lot with Saison styles.
In the 1800s, Saisons were brewed for farmhands in Wallonia. They had to be refreshing but complex. Wild East leans into this by using Brettanomyces and other wild cultures to create beers that are bone-dry, effervescent, and slightly "funky." We're talking notes of hay, lemon zest, and a bit of that earthy "barnyard" aroma that sounds gross but is actually incredible when paired with the right food.
Why Gowanus?
Location matters. Gowanus used to be a place people avoided unless they were looking for industrial scrap metal or a canal that might actually glow in the dark. Now, it’s the heartbeat of Brooklyn’s beer scene. You have Threes Brewing just a few blocks away, and Finback nearby. But Wild East occupies a specific niche.
The space itself is huge.
High ceilings.
Long communal tables.
A view of the stainless steel tanks where the magic happens.
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It feels communal. You see families there on a Saturday afternoon, people with dogs, and serious beer nerds clutching notebooks. It’s one of the few places in the city where the "vibe" doesn't feel manufactured by a PR firm. It just feels like a big, open room where people happen to drink really, really good beer.
The Technicality of the "Slo-Pour"
If you’re in a rush, don't order a pilsner at Wild East. Or, at least, don't expect it in thirty seconds.
They advocate for the "slow pour." This is a traditional German and Czech method where the beer is poured in several stages over several minutes. Why? It knocks out some of the excess $CO_2$, making the beer less bloating and allowing the hop aromatics to really shine. It creates a "Mlíko" pour if you want it—which is basically a glass full of sweet, wet foam. It’s a polarizing choice for some, but for those who know, it’s the gold standard.
Most American bars prioritize speed. They want your $8.00 as fast as possible. Wild East wants you to wait three minutes for a beer because they know those three minutes make the difference between a "good" drink and a "memorable" one. That level of intentionality is rare. You don't see it much in the "move fast and break things" era of business.
Debunking the "Lager is Boring" Myth
There’s a common misconception that lagers are just "yellow fizzy water." That’s because the market has been dominated by massive industrial breweries for a century. Wild East is part of a movement proving that lagers can be just as complex as a double IPA or a barrel-aged stout.
They play with different styles:
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- Schwarzbier: A dark lager that looks like a stout but drinks like a pilsner. It has hints of coffee and chocolate but stays light and crisp.
- Kölsch: Technically an ale-lager hybrid from Cologne. Their version is delicate, with a soft fruitiness that’s perfect for a humid Brooklyn July.
- Pale Lagers: They use heirloom malts that bring out flavors of honey and graham cracker.
When you strip away the heavy hops and the high alcohol content, there’s nowhere for a brewer to hide. If there’s a flaw in a pilsner, you’re going to taste it. There’s no "haze" to mask a fermentation error. That’s why people respect this place. It’s high-wire act brewing.
What You Need to Know Before You Go
If you're planning a visit, don't just show up and ask for "whatever's most popular."
First, check their draft list online. It rotates constantly. They often have guest taps or collaborations with other heavy hitters in the industry. Second, look at the can fridge. Their artwork is distinctive—very minimalist, geometric, and clean. It reflects the beer inside.
Also, be aware of the "Wild" side. If you see a bottle-conditioned Saison on the menu, buy it. These beers change over time. A bottle you buy today might taste completely different in six months as the wild yeast continues to eat away at the residual sugars. It’s living beer.
The Real Cost of Quality
Is it more expensive than a Bud Light? Obviously. But compared to the prices of cocktails in Manhattan, a $7 or $8 pour of world-class lager is one of the best deals in the city. You’re paying for the months of lagering time that happened in those tanks. You're paying for the decoction mash that added two hours to the brew day.
The craft beer industry has been through some rough patches lately. Costs are up. Aluminum is expensive. CO2 shortages happen. Yet, Wild East has managed to stay consistent. They haven't chased every single trend. They didn't start making "Hard Seltzer" just because it was popular in 2021. They stuck to their guns, focusing on the traditions of the "Old World" while being physically located in the "East."
Actionable Steps for the Best Experience
To truly appreciate what Wild East Brewing Co is doing, don't just treat it like a bar. Treat it like a tasting room.
- Start with the lightest lager on the menu. Your palate is freshest at the beginning. If Patience & Fortitude is on, start there. Notice the crispness. Notice how the foam stays on the side of the glass (this is called "lacing").
- Move to a mixed-fermentation Saison. Ask the bartender about the flavor profile. Some are tart; some are "funky." It’s a great way to wake up your taste buds mid-session.
- Ask for a side-pull pour. If the bar isn't slammed, ask the bartender to explain the difference between a standard pour and a Czech pour. They love talking about this stuff.
- Grab a 4-pack to go. Some of their best stuff is limited release. If you find something you love, buy it then. It probably won't be there next week.
- Pair it with food nearby. While they sometimes have pop-ups, Gowanus is a food mecca. Grab some barbecue or tacos nearby and bring them in if the current house rules allow, or head out for a meal afterward. The high carbonation in their lagers acts as a palate cleanser for fatty foods.
Wild East represents a shift in the New York beer scene. We've moved past the era of "the more hops, the better" and into an era of "the better the technique, the better the beer." It's a place for people who actually like the taste of grain and the subtle nuances of fermentation. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the best way to move forward is to look back at how things were done a hundred years ago.