Mahar’s Public Bar

Mahar’s was where I learned to drink good beers and I am so sad that it’s closing! I loved printing out my list every week and trying new beers. It’s definitely an old school place, no TV’s and the air conditioner sticks out from the wall; but it’s a great place to meet up after work and have some quality beers before heading home. They don’t have much of a food selection but it’s ok because they specialize in beers. I have moved away from the area but whenever I visit Albany, it’s always one of the first places I come back to. Hopefully, they can find a new location when their lease is up so that I can come back to it during my visits to Albany.

My favorite, favorite, favorite place to grab a beer in the Albany area. This is an amazing and unique bar. You log into an old DOS system computer and it keeps track of all the beers you have tried and all the beers they currently have. The owner is almost always behind the bar and knows everything about the beer they serve and the other regular bartender (Chris?) is also extremely knowledgeable. They serve the beer at the temperature and the glass that it was meant to be served in. Despite their knowledge I would never categorize them as snotty or pretentious.
Don’t go here if you order budlight, millerlight, coors, etc. Go here if you really just enjoy trying new beers.
This is a well lit bar with little seating and they don’t serve food.
This is my favorite date spot with my fiancé.

This is NOT the place to go if:
–you like prissy drinks
–you like fruity drinks
–you like frat boy beer
–you want ambiance
–you want some cool music
–you want a smiling bartender
This place is a rather snooty craft beer bar, if you can even call it a bar because there are so few places to sit (mybe four seats.) But to those who frequent it, some have their own mugs in ‘private holders’ behind the bar b/​c they have in fact tried sooo many of the selections here– and I mean like 100 of them. You sign a mini-​contract or just a list so that you may one day reach the wall of brews or whatever.
The website even states that ‘we dont need you here.’ That was enough to send me away after one beer. Which oh, I was ¼ of the way to my limit b/​c I believe the owner cuts you off at four max. This just isnt MY style place but for those who are really into rare, craft beers and a real gruff atmosphere then go try and be friends with the owner at your own risk.

I had high expectations going here after reading all the reviews, but I felt somewhat let down after finally getting here.
I guess it comes down to the beer list. Sure, there are a couple hundred beers to choose from, which in theory sounds awesome. However, once you review the beer list you realize much of it is crap. Do you really need 3 – 4 Blue Moons? Do you really need 8 – 10 Sam Adams? Not my thing. Why are there only a handful of German beers?
To conclude, I guess I was expecting a more exciting beer menu. There was lots of great beers on the list, don’t get me wrong. But I thought it was going to be much more exciting. The beer list at City Beer Hall is a lot smaller, but I think it’s much better.

Mahar’s is on of those bars that just doesn’t get much more old school. They’re small, no liquor, almost all beer, old worn wood, and cash only.
Pros:
+ Mahar’s has one of the best selections of rotating draft beers, cask pulled ales, and bottles in the capital region. The best part is, that unlike a lot of places that serve a large selection of beers, is that the rotation keeps the flavors fresh.
+ The beer tour helps keep things interesting offering discounts and rewards for drinking set numbers of beers. It also keeps folks from repeatedly getting stuck on one beer and not trying anything new.
+ You can hear the person you’re talking to! A novel concept in a local watering hole these days!
+ Can’t drink a full imperial pint? Try a 10oz for half the price!
+ Sometimes they have root beer on draft: D
Cons:
— Service ranges from brusk to friendly in the way only a gruff old school bartender can be.
— Its tiny, expect to stand
— Cash only, and a tad on the pricier side.
— Sometimes, particularly in the winter, it smells funny…
Overall, this is an old school local watering hole for beer enthusiasts. If you’re looking to pick someone up, this isn’t the place. Nor is it a sports bar. If you love unique beers and good company though, this is the spot for you.

So maybe it’s because I’m really pretty, or maybe everybody else is just a dick. But I kind of LOVE the bartender. I’m sorry I don’t go to bars to muck it up with the bartender. I go to bars so I can try wicked awesome craft beers, at a incredibly reasonable price (usually 5 – 6 dollars, better beers are more expensive – IT’s WORTH IT). Can I repeat that 5 or 6 dollars for a delicious craft brew, and you want him to smile at you? Take your beer and run.
Okay so he doesn’t roll out the welcome mat, but he has always answered my questions without making me feel like an moron. He’s also added information about the beers, and even warned my friend about some of her selection to make sure she knew what she was ordering. I am going at 4pm on a Tuesday so he has more time and space to answer my question or maybe hasn’t gotten a chance to hate drunks yet. I mean 2 girls at a craft beer bar, I would assume he’d judge me like I didn’t know my shit, but I do. so maybe that’s why I don’t get the attitude. Maybe we just both know we are both beers snobs and maybe that’s why I love him.
Besides my love for the bartender, I absolutely love the décor of this bar. I am a dive bar girl 100% this place is incredible. I could just stare at the walls for days, all the old keg taps. So cool! Also I like that that there is a mini food menu on the top of the list, and toasties and cheese. Now I’ve never ordered food, but it’s intriguing.
I also love, that if you write your name at the top of the paper you’ve printed out the bar keeps track of your beers. Awesome, also it won’t re-​list beers you’ve already had. I’m also glad that the bartender mentioned that I stay on the list until the bar closes or I die whichever comes first. So I’m glad that even though I’m moving to California I don’t have to give up my dreams of getting 50 beers crossed off the list.
So there you have it. In short all you have to do, all you should even want to do. Is go to the end of the bar, type in your number (or press enter enter if you don’t have a number), Pick your beers, Shut up and drink your beer, and then pick another beer.

Nice selection, and they keep a list of all the beers you’ve had. Good for beer fans of all knowledge, and I can always appreciate a bar that keeps Abita on tap, say what you will! I heard rumors that the staff was slightly snub, but I found this to be completely untrue! And being some the South, I know a thing or two about warm-​welcomes :)
The only drawback is that you have to spend at least $ 10 to put it on a card. Seems silly but I had all my beers bought for me until the last one, which I had to purchase, but I had to buy someone a round to keep the tab at 10. Didn’t bother me to buy anyone a round, but if you’re just here for one beer (do people really do that? just kidding…), bring cash.

A friend was in town for a short visit and we wanted to go out for a few drinks. I wanted a place that was uniquely Albany. He’s a beer drinker and really knows his stuff. I decided it was time to return to Mahar’s.
I used to be a regular at Mahar’s. Back in the day I’d pop in at least a couple times a week. The place is just blocks away and everyone I hung out with would be there. Some lived next door above Madison Café. It had been a while since I’d paid a visit, and I tried to think how long it actually had been. Eleven years, almost to the day. The last visit before this weekend was just before my wedding, where my drinking buddies reminded me that if I show up for the vows drunk I could get the marriage annulled without a problem. Sure, they liked my wife enough, but they know that she’s going to kill me one day.
As I entered I realized that there are things that are the same and things that are really different. I remember why I stopped making Mahar’s a priority, they closed the kitchen. I used to love some of the pub food out there; bangers and mashed, plowman’s lunch and Sheppard’s pie. Perhaps not gourmet dining, but I tell you my mouth still waters just thinking of it. Felt like home.
With the dining options gone, the layout changed. While there had never been stools at the bar there used to be a bunch of tables against the wall. The lights next to the table you’d turn on when you were ready to order was fantastic, even if I struggled to turn a couple of them on at times. That has all been replaced by a wrap around bar all around the place. This seems to have increased the overall standing room capacity at Mahar’s, but I really am not one that can stand and drink for hours. There were a few stools in the corners of the wrap around bar set up, so we managed to get ourselves tucked away.
There were things that remained the same though. The computer in the back was still there to keep track of the beer tour and there was no reason for me to look up my number (666 is not easily forgotten) and I had my tour ready to go. And, even though I had not been there in eleven years, I still managed to bump into people I know.
I had a pretty decent selections of beers. Started out with a Chocolate Stout that was pretty serious in the ABV department, which set the tone for the rest of the night. Had a few more to fill my four for the tour, even letting our out of town guest select one for me.
As we ended the night I suddenly remembered the real reason I stopped visiting all the time. Those eight blocks between Mahar’s and my front door suddenly felt like a cross country journey. I was not looking forward to that walk in the rain, but then my wife came around the corner with the car and I was not going to have to walk home after all.
In all, Mahar’s is a bit different than what I remember. There is nothing compared to the friendliness that Lori Mahar greeted me with every time. But it is still a great place to have a few drinks, and there’s still acquaintances I’ll bump into unexpectedly. And in the end, that’s what a bar should be.
I’ll definitely be back before the next eleven years are up…
Edit: I forgot to mention one thing I thought was very important. Zero cell reception inside. The place is like a Faraday cage.

I have been going here occasionally for 6 years, I am on the «beer list» and have had about 150 beers. I still go, but only once every few months now
Pros: Good beer selection with huge # of taps, Amazing 6 cask beer selections. (Cask beer is not pressurized with CO2 or Nitrogen to push it through tap lines, it is pumped out of the beer keg and known for lower but natural carbonation and for better taste.) Mahars has 6 casks going every day. I have never seen a place in NYC that has more than 2 casks on a Friday or Sat night.
Cons: For a beer paradise, the Beer selection is not that great, especially on normal taps. It seems to stay pretty traditional. Casks are almost all from a few local breweries, they no longer carry the amazing English beers they used to. Atmosphere is pretty weak, not many places to sit, small and gets really crowded at times.

Best bar in Albany.
I’m not one for big crowds or crazy mixed drinks, so this place is pretty perfect for me. With an endless amount of delicious imports on tap (a rotating list, at that!), you’ll be hard pressed to get bored of this place.
A bit pricey, but I have not been disappointed by a drink here. If you’re not exactly sure what to order, but know what you like, ask someone. Everyone behind the bar is very knowledgeable.

I enjoy many different types of beer. This is the place to find them. If you behave like an adult and say «thank you» you’ll be welcomed here. Yes, you may believe that there are beer snobs here, but if you truly have an interest in understanding and enjoying different beers, this is an excellent place to drink with and learn from others.
I have never eaten anything here other than chips or nuts so I can’t comment on the small selection of food that is available.
Ale drink stout beer and come bock lager!

If you like to watch the game with a decently priced beer and some bar food… this place is not for you. If your a wannabee intellectual beer snob… your all set. This place is definitely not for me but i guess I shouldn’t bash the people who go there. My mother in law is a huge fan of this place and she is way smarter than me so take that into consideration.
Their selection of beers can be pretty impressive but a lot of them are way too expensive. The bartender would not even poor me a new castle one time because he said I can get a new castle anywhere and I needed to try something new… hey buddy I asked you for a new castle… how about you get me one.
I’m the type of dude who likes to toss back some Labatt Blue and watch sports with a fat pile of nachos in front of me… if your anything like me you probably want to avoid this place.

Beer. Just beer. Lots of beer. Really good beer.
The bartenders are not friendly, chatty folks, but they know beer and won’t give you attitude if you are polite and respectful.
Even when it’s packed, it tends to be a mellow place and it really is, entirely about the beer. They don’t even really serve food. There are a couple of sandwiches in a cooler.
It’s just beer. If you don’t like beer or like cheap, watery beer, you might find something you’ll like, but you probably won’t appreciate what Mahar’s actually is.

«Welcome, You are Not Wanted Here»
by Josh K.
I guess the best way to review Mahars is to first point out what Mahars is NOT!
Mahars is NOT the place to begin or end a beer crawl.
It’s NOT the place to bring friends from out of town too, nor is it a place to play a game of billiards or darts (there is however board games and battered paperbacks).
It is NOT a sports bar; it is NOT a dive bar. There is NO live music and there isn’t much food served.
There are no mixed drinks, wine, or any other sort of alcohol.
There are NO beer specials.
There are NOT many seats, don’t even dare trying to stand near the «ordering» section.
It would be wise NOT to come here with a date (especially if she is pretty for they will look at you with scorn) or with a big group of people (this being a bar of course it should stay antisocial).
And no matter what you do, do NOT order a Sam Adams, and heaven help you if want a Coors Light…
Now, what Mahars IS:
A place to be scrutinized for not knowing how to pronounce some sort of obscure Bavarian Heifteweizen.
A place to be shunned for not knowing the difference between an English Pale Ale and an I.P.A.
It’s a place where if the bartenders don’t like your appearance, will not serve you. (So best not to wear a hoodie, hat, or anything that says you are a college student)
A place you will be thrown out of for ordering any sort of «common place» beer. It’s not uncommon to see Belgian Abby ale selling for over ten dollars a pint.
Mahars does however have the BEST beers on tap in Albany. And they know it!
That’s how they stay in business.
The steins covering the wall in the back of the bar completely attest to the loyal patrons that have made the place a Capital Region beer afficionado’s institution.
If it wasn’t for the amazing selection of domestic and Import drafts and bottles, including the incredible locally brewed casks (The Middle Ages is of particularily excellent quality), I would be tempted to give Mahars only 1 star.
I get it; it’s an elitist and snobby beer drinker’s haven in the guise of a English pub.
What I don’t get is why they open the place to the public only to ridicule them. If you want a beer club with your friends, then make one, but don’t make it a public place then.
Interesting fact: The owner found Mahars so popular and crowded that he opened another bar in Castleton on the Hudson («Under ten patrons would be ideal») where he spends most of his time leaving the management of the Albany location in the hands of a surly beer snob of a bartender and his equally miserable staff.
The rude bartenders make it clear when they don’t want your business, and it’s clear from the reviews that this happens a lot.
Rumor has it (from a long time Mahars patron) that their tempermental dispositions even burned bridges with many of the local beer distributors, and thus the diminishing amount of quality beers on tap as opposed to what they used to have.
I have had some very negative experiences here (usually with the miserly bartenders).
But I have also had some great times as well.
With a SMALL group of friends, I have met and mingled with some interesting Albany characters and had some great conversations.
Also, there are some benefits for being part of their beer «club». If you are willing to go through the hassle of printing out sheets, you will be rewarded with a tshirt or your own personalized stein if you drink over 100 beers. At on average 6 – 7 bucks a pint, you really must want a stein!
In conclusion, Mahars is a nice place to sample speciality beers from around the world (although they may look down on you for not staying loyal to one kind of brew).
With that said, Drink at your own risk, and don’t say I didn’t warn you about the staff.

Mahar’s is like riding the the train in New York. Stand around and ask stupid questions and you’ll get eaten alive. Be inconspicuous and look like you know what you are doing and you will be fine. The crusty bartenders are part of it’s charm (Ciaran is pretty cool though).

Mahar’s is an oddball. A 4-​star oddball.
Mahar’s is also an excellent beer bar, located across the street from APD’s 6^th Precinct (don’t be walking out all wobbly, y’all). I visited Mahar’s while stopping through Albany this past week, simply to find out the truth regarding two issues… the first being whether or not the quality of beer served actually elicits «OMG» status and the second being whether or not the service was as gruff as described.
The beer — 26 taps, 5 – 6 cask-​conditioned ales and 93 bottled beer varieties. Pints go from $ 3 (PBR, why?) to $ 12 (Lindemans Framboise). Bottles generally hover within the $ 4-​$ 6 range, with the exception of a handful of the usual suspects (the Belgians). I thought prices were fair for what you are buying.
The draft beers, to be blatantly honest, were ordinary. In fact they were really, really ordinary. The evening I visited the only items I would have considered special were the framboise and the seasonal Spaten Oktoberfest. The only imperial available on draft was the Widmer Deadlift.
What IS special, and what makes Mahar’s unique to any beer bar I’ve visited from coast to coast, is the cask-​conditioned ales. I’d love for somebody to tell me of any other place in upstate NY that offers even one cask ale on a day in day out, let alone six. Cask-​conditioned ales are my bag — I tried the Middle Ages IPA on offer, which was excellent. I really do wish I had a bar that served a cask ale every day.
Bottles — very good. Mahar’s leans really heavy on American beers (two thirds are American, the other third are split elsewhere). Really, if you can’t pick one, or even ten beers out of the 93 available you have issues (one is a VIP-​only Middle Ages offering… um, VIPs you can keep MA stuff all day long).
That isn’t to say that improvements shouldn’t be made — details forthcoming.
Atmosphere/​Vibe/​Service — I visited on a Monday night and was the only lone drinker. People seem to come here in groups and head straight for the computer in the back. The beer tour is a neat idea and I like that it’s all computerized, although I find it just… weird that everyone is sitting around with printouts tracking each beer they drink like a bingo number. To me the beer tour is a distraction — do you really want to work that hard for a silly mug that you’ll leave behind when you ditch Albany? Just go drink beer and forget about the BS.
The fact that it seemed very cliquey in the bar was not lost on me — lots of regulars. This is definitely the place to do some communal drinking with fellow beer lovers. Mahar’s IS NOT! the place to go to learn about good beer… it’s a place to go enjoy good beer with other self-​proclaimed beer snobs.
I didn’t find Bill all that difficult, although I did get a sense of what people are talking about. He’s a beer snob who likes hanging out and serving other beer snobs — this doesn’t bother me. He even recognized the street I live on in Buffalo, 5 hours away.
I’m blown away by all the people who feel roughed up by service at Mahar’s — you’d never survive a place like Zeitgeist in SF. Bill was a peach by comparison… Mahar’s isn’t Coldstone Creamery, where you fork over a fortune for the product and receive a sing-​song in return. Here you pay a lot for the beer because it is expensive and you know what it is that you are buying. If you cannot survive spending your money on beer without service w/​a smile, Mahar’s is not for you.
I can understand why some Unilocalers got shat upon by the likes of Bill for ordering pedestrian beer. Why are you in Mahar’s and ordering a Blue Moon? It’s mean and unnecessary to criticize a person’s drinking habits as a bartender, but as a beer lover it’s illogical to bypass real craft beer. I think it’s BS that they even carry stuff like Pabst Blue Ribbon or Blue Moon. I imagine they only do it begrudgingly.
IMPROVEMENTS:
The draft beer list was weak. If you think you are an elite beer bar you are going to serve a lot more imperials than what is carried at Mahar’s. Honestly, I was in disbelief — even Fat Bob’s in Buffalo has more to offer in this regard and it’s a barbecue restaurant. Cole’s, a restaurant in Buffalo that doesn’t have nearly as much self-​regard as Mahar’s, carries a better draft menu. Why can I get a Southern Tier imperial at Über Tavern in Seattle and not Mahar’s? I would have swapped out a full third to a half of what was on offer.
The bottles need improvement. Less American beers, more foreign stuff. You can spare us Cherry Wheat, can’t you? More and better Belgians, please. As far as Canadian beer goes, you are in Albany and cannot or will not source La Fin Du Monde or Ephemere? You carry the DH 60-​minute but not the 90, which is an incredible beer, or any other seasonal DH beer? Why doesn’t Mahar’s carry more bombers?
Casks — love it but they were all MA beers. Wreaks of contract beer status. I wonder what could be done about variety.

I love beer, I love Mahars. I like to go there for «happy hour» (although no discounts are offered) because it’s a relaxed place with down to earth people and, of course, a ridiculously amazing beer selection.
Yeah, the bartending can be a little gruff, but I’m not there to make friends. I’m there to have a beer and hang out with my friends for a quiet evening. It gets very crowded on Saturday night so it’s best to go early or during the week if you enjoy sitting down.

This place has been around forever. My parents and their friends used to come drink here, and we grew up a few blocks away.
That being said, Jim Mahar is such a bi-​polar jerk. One day he’ll joke around and welcome you with open arms, the next day he’s taking out the dart board and telling you to be quiet (it is, after all, a bar).
The beer selection is rivaled by very few places I’ve been, but the owner and employees make me want to stab myself with a broken pint glass every time I step foot in there. It’s unwelcoming, unfriendly, and unaccommodating for newbies who want to learn about beer.
This is a place you’ll hate to love. Awesome brews… but that’s it.

You only get one chance to have a first impression, so this is my first impression of Mahar’s.
1. The place is SMALL. On a weekday night there were maybe 30 – 40 patrons, yet the room was so packed you could hardly move or hear yourself drink. I can only imagine what it would be like on a weekend because I don’t plan to go there then.
2. I said «It’s my first time here, what do I do?» Surly barkeep shoved a piece of paper in my face. «Put down last name, first name, date and year of birth and leave it in the basket by the door when you go out.» Once I did that, he marked off my selection with a highlighter.
3. My paper was a list of beers on tap including a number of cask conditioned brews. I concentrated on the American IPAs because that’s what I drink. The selection was good, including some familiar names and some new ones, but not over-​the-​top with its inventiveness. I sneaked a peek at the longer list provided to regular patrons. It also includes bottled beers. I’m guessing maybe 100 selections total.
4. The list thing is out of control. EVERYBODY had one… who knew beer drinking could turn into a goal oriented competitive sport? (Except at college keggers when you want to see who falls down first, but I digress.)
I’m guessing that at the end of the night the bartenders have to take all those sheets they’ve collected and enter them into the computer so patrons can move up the chart toward their own numbered mug, a t-​shirt or other recognition. So much trouble! What would it be like if the whole system just went away? The bartenders would certainly be less surly without all that paperwork, for one thing.
5. The selection was broad but not deep. «A tour of world beers» will inevitably include many you have not heard of in categories for which you have no reference point. I prefer the selection at Toronado in San Francisco, which is focused on Belgians and IPAs with dozens of each. But that’s too far for an evening’s beer drinking.
4 stars for the solid selection, 1 extra for the quirkiness, but then I have to deduct a star for the difficulty of actually drinking here. Note: Mahar’s does not open until 4 pm.

Pouring beer from taps all night believe it or not, is not nearly as much fun as it looks. So, I don’t begrudge the gentlemen behind the bar from being, shall we say, reserved. But unlike some, I did not feel they were full of attitude.
The thing that struck me as off about this place is how everyone there seems so goal oriented. Everyone has their sheets, and are busy… very busy doing the important work of crossing beers off their list.
I understand that there is a whole wide world of beer out there. And Mahar’s is a good place to get to try a lot of them. But the crowd seems more focused on the destination, rather than the journey.
Plus, the seating there is abysmal. I need to find a time to go when it’s empty. But they are closed on Sunday and not open terribly late. And I’m not willing to start drinking early just to get a hand-​pumped cask-​conditioned ale.
Seriously. Anybody know when you have to get there to get a seat?