This is an egg-cellent idea.
A Bronx beer maker with a thirst for history has crafted the quintessential New York brew.
Jonas Bronck’s Beer Company’s New York Chocolate Egg Cream Stout combines the best of the Bronx and Brooklyn into one creamy, nostalgic pint.
Brewed using Fox’s U-Bet chocolate syrup, the new libation is as authentic as a New Yawk accent.
Steve Nallen, the founder of Jonas Bronck’s Beer Company, and a sixth generation Bronxite, said teaming up with the 100-year-old Brooklyn chocolate syrup maker was a no-brainer.
“Egg Creams are synonymous with New York and Fox’s is synonymous with egg creams,” Nallen said. “It’s a homerun.”
For the uninitiated, the egg cream does not actually contain an egg. The beverage is made by adding chocolate syrup and milk to seltzer.
The drink was a popular choice at soda fountains and candy stores across the five boroughs during the first half of the 20th century.
Nallen, a self-proclaimed history buff, has a fierce sense of pride when it comes to his Bronx roots.
The 32-year-old named his company in honor of Jonas Bronck, the Swedish merchant who became the first European to settle in the area 375 years ago.
The stout, created by culinary brewer Ken Hettinger, was a hit during New York City Craft Beer Week, which concluded on Sunday.
“It was tremendous,” said Anthony Ramirez, the owner of the Bronx Beer Hall on Arthur Ave., which hosted a special tasting. “People loved it. It’s a lighter stout, and it has that great dessert-quality chocolate taste to it.”
Nallen’s brew has a big fan in another borough.
Kelly Fox, the executive vice president at Fox’s U-bet, gave Nallen his blessing to use his family’s product, but asked for a taste of the first batch.
“The product is amazing,” Fox said when asked for his review. “I’m a big fan. A lot of the heavier and the darker beers lend themselves really well to a chocolate flavor.”
Fox called the malty mashup a “perfect fit,” noting that the U-bet chocolate syrup derives its unique flavor from real cocoa and dry milk.
“It’s what makes an egg cream special,” Fox said.
A distribution deal is in the works, and the nostalgia-infused beverage should be on tap at bars and pubs across the five boroughs by April.
“We’re excited to be a part of this,” Kelly added. “It’s definitely a New York thing.”
