Top Hops Faq
Whah! What happened to 94 Orchard?
Trust us. Our hearts are broken. Covid was brutal and our landlord decided to sell the building. Our last day was April 18th. Truly the annus horribilis and then some. Still, we move forward and take advantage of this opportunity to hit pause and explore our brick and mortar options. Thankfully, we have our satellite location 2 blocks away at the Essex Market.
Do you deliver? Do you ship?
Yes! We've worked very hard throughout the pandemic to ensure we can get our beers to you, wherever you may hang your hat. To that end, we now have local pickup and delivery service as well as UPS shipping to approximately 30 states. See more details on our onlinebeershop page. Please note that someone of legal age, with valid ID, must sign for any delivery or shipment. Orders can be made online or with a call to the store which we recommend if order is of a time sensitive nature.
Please note that by design, our selection is vast and our inventory is shallow. Please reach out directly with specific requests as we place orders with our distributors daily. Note that our distributors order window closes at 3pm and not all distributors deliver every day. In short, we will always do our best to fulfill your order within the constraints of the three tier distributor system.
Do you ship outside of New York?
Yes! We can now ship to approximately 30 states.
How often do you change your tap list?
Constantly! Endlessly! Nearly every keg we pour is a one-and-done, so you can frequently watch our draft list change in real time over the course of an evening.
Do you serve wine?
Yes! We work with a fabulous French importer who supplies us with several delicious options including a Rose. All our wines are $12 a glass.
Do you carry food?
Glad you asked! Indeed, we do. In fact, we are very proud of our small bites menu which features many local purveyors from the Essex Street Market. Our menu includes meat and cheese plates, olives and scrumptious warm German pretzels, all items that pair perfectly with beer. We are very pleased to carry award winning Consider Bardwell cheeses which come to us thanks to our multiple hat wearing architect/cheese man.
What does “draft line cleaned” mean?
We clean our draft lines regularly, with each and every line getting cleaned every two weeks. Clean draft lines make for better tasting beer, and that’s what all of this is about.
Do you guys have X beer? Why not?
In America, beer is sold in what is called the three-tier system: Brewers sell to distributors who sell to retailers. In other words, a brewery has to have a relationship with a distributor in an area for their beer to be available in that area. Entering a market is a big decision for any brewery, and not everything is available everywhere.
Do you have >insert ultra rare white whale beer here<?
Sorry, but we don’t carry the following:
Russian River
Hill Farmstead bottles
Tree House cans
Any crazy, limited release, only sold at a massive festival or at the brewery. (Dark Lord, Sexual Chocolate, Hunupu, etc.)
Do you guys have a list of all the beers you have online?
Our selection of bottle beers is vast and ever changing, and it’s enough of a challenge to keep it that way. Maintaining an accurate online inventory just isn’t feasible. Our shop includes our best sellers which are always in stock. Just ask if you have an interest in an item that you don't see listed in the shop. Chances are we have it in stock and can include in your order or we can procure from our distributors given ample lead time.
Do you have any of this beer warm? I don’t want to let this cold one get warm as that’s what causes skunking.
Actually, not the case. Skunking is caused by exposure to light and has nothing to do with temperature changes. While it is best to get beer cold and keep it that way, having cold beer come to room temperature won’t damage it in any way. That being said, don’t leave beers in your car in the summer and don’t let beers freeze.
Do you guys fill growlers from other bars/breweries?
Sure thing.
How long will my growler or crowler stay fresh? How do I care for my growler or crowler?
Treat a growler full of beer like milk at the edge of its expiration date: Drink within a day or two at the most. Once opened the beer should be consumed same day. Crowlers do better and will keep for a few weeks. Both should be kept cool until opening.
Do you sell kegs?
We sell kegs, though only for corporate clients who have tap systems. We are not in a position to supply ice, buckets or taps.
Fun with acronyms!
ABV: Alcohol By Volume
IBU: International Bitterness Units, which is a scale from 1-100 that rates the bitterness of a beer.
BA: Barrel Aged
BBA: Bourbon Barrel Aged
DDH: Double Dry Hopped
DIPA: Double IPA
IIPA: Imperial IPA