HUDSON VALLEY BREWERIES
Some of the CRAFTY places we visit.Keegan Ales, Kingston
“Thank you for choosing Keegan Ales’ fresh craft-brewed beer. Our beer is brewed and bottled right here in the Hudson Valley. What does that mean to you? It means a clean, crisp glass of beer – every time. We promise.”
THE HISTORY – Keegan Ales was founded in early 2003 when Tommy Keegan learned about an empty building in Kingston that nobody would buy because there was a defunct brewery stuck in it! (Although the building was built in the early 1800′s, the building was most recently home to the Woodstock Brewing Company.)
After months of cleaning and rebuilding, Keegan Ales brewed its first batch of beers on August 1, 2003(Tommy’s mom’s birthday) and set out hand-selling beer to local bars and restaurants early September. The first kegs of Old Capital, Hurricane Kitty and Mother’s Milk went to competition at Hunter Mountain that month. Mother’s Milk took home a gold medal and Old Capital was honored with People’s Choice: Best of Show.
After getting the brewery up and running selling draft beer, the crew at Keegan Ales turned their attention to the defunct bottling line. It had been left broken and literally in hundreds of pieces. It took months of pounding, tinkering and countless scratching of heads, but by the summer of 2004, Keegan Ales was available in 12 ounce bottles!
Keegan Ales has gone on to win many more awards and recognitions, including Best Brewery in The Hudson Valley (2009), Best Brewery in New York State (2009) and Best Craft-Brewed Beer in New York State (2009).
Early in 2010, The New York Times declared Mother’s Milk one of the top ten stouts in North America and Keegan Ales has also been awarded 2010 Small Business of the Year by The Ulster Chamber of Commerce and The Ulster County Development Corporation.
Captain Lawrence Brewing Co., Elmsford
Billed as “Westchester’s only craft brewery,” Captain Lawrence brews about five beers year-round – most are on draft. The bar often is standing-room-only and highly convivial during its limited hours, when several bartenders keep their beefy, beer-drinking arms in shape pulling the tap handles. Patrons are welcome to do tastings and fill up their “growlers” 4-7 p.m. Fridays and noon-6 p.m. Saturdays.
The “Freshchester” Pale Ale has a clean bitterness with a woodsy aroma. The Sun Block Wheat Beer is a hazy Belgian-style wheat beer that’s evocative of cream soda. The Captains Reserve Imperial I.P.A. (India Pale Ale) is a hoppy beer with a citrus taste that won a best beer in New York prize in 2006.
Brewmaster Scott Vaccaro’s father, Vincent, conducts free brewery tours on Saturdays, every hour on the hour, and thus his son has dedicated a specialty beer to him: St. Vincent’s Dubbel. This caramel-colored classic Belgian-style abbey ale is rich and malty.
The Peekskill Brewery, Peekskill
A brewpub showcasing artisinal craft beer as well as carefully chosen guest draughts. We take our food as seriously as our beer by creating seasonal American pub cuisine that sources local ingredients. Local beer supports local farms!
Providing exceptional value, quality, and service whether you enjoy our lively pub or the more laid back atmosphere of our dining room, we look forward to your patronage. Cheers!
Westtown Brew Works, Westtown
WOW!!! A Hops Farm and Brewery for tours and tastings and fun!
WESTTOWN — Out here, where rolling hills fade into the flat expanse of the famous Black Dirt region, sod, onions and corn are familiar crops.
Richard Coleman, though, has a different idea.
He expected to inspire a bit of curiosity last weekend, when folks got their first look at five dozen, 22-foot-tall poles going up on his one-acre field.
That’s one of the first steps in Coleman’s foray into hops farming, which he plans to parlay into the establishment of a farm brewery at a scenic lookout above the field.
First crop likely later this year
Hops need those poles because the vines climb 18 feet into the sky. “Every 50 feet, you put a pole,” Coleman explained. “Then you run a heavy-gauge wire across the top, and from that, a coconut skin twine to the ground. You then train the hops to go up.”
An 8-foot-tall fence will surround the field to protect the seedlings from nibbling deer.
“It’s in the first growing stage when deer are a threat, but after that the plants grow bitter,” Coleman said. “Hops add aroma and bitterness to the beer. What it adds to beer is what deer don’t like.”
He’s depending on the farming experience of a business partner, Walter Doty, to produce the crop, as well as participation in the Atlantic Hops grower program.
Atlantic Hops is a Larchmont-based processor that provides technical assistance to growers in return for their using the company as their processor.
The first crop, which will be harvested in September and October, is likely to be small — about 500 pounds. The yield can triple within a few years.
Coleman, 36, a food-service broker, lives next to the field with his wife, Amanda. They moved there about five years ago from Jersey City, N.J., with a plan to start a vineyard. It was while researching that endeavor that Coleman, a longtime home-brewer, discovered the potential for growing hops.
The idea that New York was one of the biggest producers of hops before Prohibition piqued his interest.
Industry supports 60,000 NY jobs
Late last year, Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., launched the “I Love NY Brew” campaign to boost the cause of local brewers. The growing craft-brewing industry supports about 60,000 jobs in the state, Schumer said.
The popularity of locally produced wines and beers was evident when the category took first place in the alcohol and cocktails category of the National Restaurant Association’s “What’s Hot in 2012” survey.
Coleman hopes that Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s bill to create a farm-brewery license wins legislative support. It would allow his business plan to include tastings at his brewery and the sale of beer-making supplies. Farm breweries could also sell New York state-labeled wine at their shops.
Coleman acknowledged that his family and friends were initially less than enthusiastic about the farm-brewery idea. That was a few years ago, before the terms locavore, locally sourced and farm-to-table made their way into everyday conversations.
“Now, they think it’s a great idea,” Coleman said of his plan, which he calls part of the farm-to-glass movement.
Hyde Park Brewing Company, Hyde Park
Hyde Park Brewing Co is a Brewpub located in Hyde Park, New York. Hyde Park Brewing Co typically brews the following types of beer: Belgian Ales, Lagers and Wheats. The brewery has 8 beers to taste on on tap. You can enjoy the Happy Hour, Live Music, Restaurant and Tap Room during your visit to Hyde Park Brewing Co. If you are looking to host a special event, you can host the following at Hyde Park Brewing Co: Private Parties. Hyde Park Brewing Co was established in 1995 and has been brewing ever since.
"Take me to the Brewski"
Offering tours of cool Hudson Valley breweries, distilleries, hops farms and more along scenic and historic Hudson Valley Beer Trail. You can even mix them up in one day. Visit a few of the finest breweries in New York while riding our popular tour buses, limousines, town cars and more. Perfect for private parties, corporate events, and more!
Beer & Adventure Tours
We offer a variety of Adventure Tours with licensed and experienced tour guides. Start your morning off with a fabulous adventure such as hiking, kayaking, ziplining, or eploring masnsions and castles. The afternoon will bring you to a brewery where you’ll savor your drink while taking in the breathtaking views of the Hudson Valley.
What Makes Us Different
We are Certified Travel Agents, Certified Meeting Professionals and knowledgeable wine aficionados. We work with many of the regions Culinary Chefs who studied and graduated from The Culinary Institute Of America, so we have the resources, knowledge and skills to accomplish your perfect tour, party or event!