Serious Eats: New York
Jersey Dispatch: A Beer Mecca on Oak Tree Avenue
It wasn´t so long ago that a shop that featured two Italian beers was thought to have a pretty complete selection. And it wasn´t so long afterwards that a store with one or two Italian micros was positively exotic. On my last visit to Oak Tree Discount Wines and Spirits I spotted thirty four Italian beers from nine or ten different breweries. Then I was distracted by what I believe is America's largest selection of artisanal Norwegian beers—and I had to start counting all over again.
I asked Dan Ratti, the founder and (what can only be described as) their spiritual guide, what possessed him to create a beer mecca in South Plainfield, NJ. "Love" was his answer. A love of beer that made him want to try and carry the widest variety he possibly could. His system was simple; start with one and then add. So in the case of those Italians, he started with Peroni and Moretti, then added Baladin, and now has six or seven more including Troll, Montegioco, and del Ducato.
Dan doesn´t forget the Americans. Browsing the selection he offered was like looking at a photo album filled with images of old friends; Flying Fish, Stouds, Magic Hat, Ommergang, Smuttynose, and Dogfish Head all brought back fond memories. There were several hundred more too. And the Belgians! Affligem (I saw somebody order that at Per Se a few weeks ago), Cantillon (what the person should have ordered), Fantome, de Ronke, and over two hundred more. Even the cooler was impressive with Hoegaarden, Leffe, Erdinger Weisbrau, and Smithwicks.
Because I drink a fair amount of beer, I can suggest a few personal favorites. For Italian food; Birra Troll Daù. To bring to a BYOB Asian restaurant; Erdinger Weisbrau. If you just want to drink something remarkable; Harviestoun Ola Dubh. Finally, for a party that everybody else is bringing cheap wine to; Magic Hat Pandora´s Box. You don´t have to listen to me though. Just buy what strikes your fancy, taste it, and assess its greatness (or not) yourself.
Oh, and as you head towards my mecca, know this about the street name. In Edison and Iselin, it´s Oak Tree Road, but in South Plainfield, it´s Oak Tree Avenue. Either way, it's on the same street as some of the best Indian food in the state.
About the author: Brian Yarvin is an educator, photographer, and author of three cookbooks; Farms and Foods of the Garden State, Cucina Piemontese, and A World of Dumplings. He lives in New Jersey, and every week will share with us another food discovery from the "sixth borough" of New York City.
Oak Tree Discount Wines and Spirits
902 Oak Tree Avenue, South Plainfield NJ 07080 (nr. Park Avenue; map)
908-561-0051
oaktreebuyrite.com