Circa Brewing Co. — A Girl's Guide to Drinking Alone

141 Lawrence St btw Willoughby St and Fulton St, Downtown Brooklyn

The Place: Pizza and beer in a cavernous brewery that’s somehow hidden in the middle of Downtown BK.

The Time: Tuesday March 5, 5:15pm. I’m seeing an Off-Broadway play tonight and because I went to one of the only cool places in the theater district last week, I figured I’d try somewhere a little closer to home. The internet told me about Circa Brewing Co. and I’m sold because pizza and beer is a perfect combo. It’s like Mariah Carey and suing an ex-boyfriend for wasting your time - it just makes sense.

The Vibe: This massive brewery is on a side street near Jay St MetroTech and it’s surprisingly very easy to miss. There are very high ceilings, wooden barrels everywhere, outdoor string lights but we’re still indoors, various industrial touches, big ass steel kegs (I know they’re not actually kegs, they’re a mix of brew kettles, mash tuns, lauter tuns, fermenters blah blah beer lingo blah blah). There is a huge wrap-around bar and plenty of tables that make me remember that it’s also a restaurant. At the bar are big teal bar stools that look and feel like barbershop chairs. There are a few large TVs that are NOT playing sports! Instead one is showing Rocky and the other is showing Die Hard. This is so much better than a sport I don’t care about. I’m kind of shocked at how busy it is at this hour on a Tuesday, but since it’s so colossal in here, I have my own little section of this giant bar. I spy couples enjoying happy hour pints, small groups of friends scarfing pizza, a few other solo people minding their own business. It’s a pleasant place where I can get some reading done.

The Bartender: Wilson and Laura are the only two bartenders and they have a lot of ground to cover. Because I’m tucked away on the end, it’s hard to catch one of their eyes but I wouldn’t be able to work a circle bar like this so kudos.

The Drank: All the beer is brewed in house, hence the towering steel beer-vessels. They make quite a few varieties, and there’s also a nice selection of ciders (though not milled in-house). I go for the Rye Pale Ale; it’s nice and hoppy but not bitter. I also need to fuel up before sitting through an almost 3 hour long play, so I order a margherita pizza. It’s a little too charred for my taste, but ultimately, pizza is pizza is pizza. I crush it and eat the whole thing.

Was I Hit On?: Ok here’s where I need to reveal that I accidentally have a woman on the inside. I did not know this when I chose to come to this place, but my old acting buddy Mia works here! It’s a lovely surprise to see her. She introduces me to Laura and Wilson, hooks me up with a small discount and advises me not to sit next to an older man who “is very nice, but will definitely hit on you.” Without her sage wisdom, I probably would’ve sat down next to him and had a more interesting story for you, but it’s not even 6pm - it’s too early for nonsense like that.

Should You Drink Alone Here?: No reason not to. Nothing strikes me as really special about it, but Circa Brewing Co. is an easygoing, chill place to grab a pint and a pie, in an area of Brooklyn that you could say is still finding itself.

*UPDATE* Circa Brewing Co. is now closed