About Beer Culture

Beer has always been about more than what's in the glass.

Every neighborhood has that one place. The place where the bartender remembers your name. Where you can celebrate life's biggest moments or quietly unwind after a long day. Where first dates turn into anniversaries, coworkers become friends, tourists become regulars, and everyone is welcomed like they've been coming in for years.

When owner Matt Gebhard opened Beer Culture in Hell's Kitchen in 2013, his vision was simple: create the kind of neighborhood beer bar he wished existed in New York City—a place where exceptional beer was approachable and everyone felt like they belonged. A place where conversations stretch long into the night, where there’s always a new beer to try, and where strangers become friends over a shared pint.

A Passion Born in Belgium

Matt's appreciation for beer began long before Beer Culture opened its doors.

As a foreign exchange student living in Belgium, he experienced firsthand a country where beer is woven into everyday life and centuries of brewing tradition are celebrated with remarkable care. Visiting Trappist monasteries, neighborhood cafés, and historic breweries introduced him to an incredible diversity of styles—from expressive Belgian ales to complex lambics—and, more importantly, to a culture where every beer has a story.

That experience shaped a philosophy that has guided Beer Culture from day one: great beer deserves to be shared.

Learning the Craft Behind the Bar

Long before opening his own business, Matt spent years behind the bar at BXL Café, one of New York City's most respected Belgian beer destinations. Starting as a bartender and eventually becoming the beer buyer and beverage director, he immersed himself in every aspect of the industry—from mastering the perfect Belgian pour to curating an ever-evolving beer list filled with world-class imports and emerging craft breweries.

But while his knowledge of beer grew, it was bartending—and the opportunity to connect with people every day—that truly defined his career.

He became the kind of bartender who could recommend the perfect beer without making anyone feel intimidated. The kind who could strike up a conversation with someone visiting New York for the first time or welcome back a regular as though they'd never left. Whether someone wanted to spend an hour talking about Belgian beers or simply enjoy a cold, cheap lager after work, everyone received the same genuine warmth.

Over the years, Matt came to believe that the most memorable part of a great bar isn't what's on tap—it's how a place makes you feel. That philosophy became the foundation for Beer Culture, where exceptional beer and genuine hospitality have always gone hand in hand.

Turning Passion Into a Place

In 2013 at just 30 years old, Matt opened Beer Culture's doors in Hell's Kitchen with a simple idea: create a neighborhood beer bar where incredible beer and genuine hospitality mattered equally.

It was about making craft beer approachable, celebrating breweries large and small, supporting local producers, and giving guests a place where they felt comfortable asking questions, trying something new, or ordering a favorite comfort beer every visit.

Beer Culture quickly became known not only for its carefully curated selection of hundreds of bottles, cans, and rotating draft beers, but for the atmosphere behind the bar. Matt's passion for beer was contagious, but it was his warmth that people remembered most.

Three years later, that same vision expanded with Gebhard's Beer Culture on the Upper West Side, bringing together exceptional beer, great food, pinball, games, and the same welcoming spirit that had defined Beer Culture from the very beginning.

Today, you'll still find Belgian classics proudly featured alongside New York favorites, hard-to-find international imports, emerging local breweries, timeless lagers, and nostalgic "Grampa Beers." We believe every style has its place, whether it's a barrel-aged Belgian Quad or an ice-cold Genesee Cream Ale.

Beer Nerds. Never Beer Snobs.

If you've spent even a few minutes talking with Matt, you'll understand what makes Beer Culture different. He loves introducing someone to their very first Belgian beer just as much as pouring a perfectly chilled Grampa Beer. He believes every beer has a place and every customer deserves to feel welcome, whether you're a seasoned beer enthusiast or ordering your very first craft beer.

Years have passed since Matt first unlocked the doors to Beer Culture, but the reason he opened them has never changed. Beer will always bring people through the door, but it's the feeling of being welcomed that brings them back. Every pint poured, every recommendation shared, and every conversation across the bar is another opportunity to create the kind of place that once inspired him in the cafés of Belgium—a place where strangers become neighbors, regulars become family, and every guest feels like they have a home away from home.

That spirit lives on every day at both Beer Culture locations. Whether you're a lifelong New Yorker looking for your neighborhood bar, a visitor discovering the city one pint at a time, or someone walking in alone hoping to find good beer and good company, you'll be greeted with the same warmth that has defined Matt's career behind the bar.

And when it's finally time to head home, don't be surprised if you hear Matt's familiar farewell from behind the bar:

"See you tomorrow!"

It's a simple phrase that's become something of a tradition—a reflection of everything Beer Culture was built to be, and a reminder that no matter where you're from, you'll always have a place here.