International Beer Day
Today is International Beer Day, and we are celebrating the international drink of getting the weekend started. And it’s Friday, how fitting! Let’s highlight some of the breweries that bless our Northeast region with quality, refreshing beverages for every and all seasons. Not all heroes wear capes, some of them concoct awesome brewskis.
Brooklyn Brewery – Brooklyn, NY
When good beer is hard to find, sometimes you have to make it yourself. That’s exactly the story of Brooklyn Brewery. In 1988, Steve Hindy took his homebrewing knowledge from his days as a foreign war correspondent and started the business with his friend Tom Potter. Together they hand-delivered the first batches of Brooklyn Lager to a handful of local bars.
Today Brooklyn’s beers now travel to more than half the U.S. and over 30 countries. Brewmaster Garrett Oliver, a James Beard Award winner, and his team brew everything from classic styles to bold experiments, collaborating with their peers across the globe to keep pushing the boundaries of beer.
Popular Brews: Brooklyn Lager, Brooklyn East IPA, Brooklyn Summer Ale
Saranac Brewery – Utica, NY
In 1985, Saranac 1888, named after the iconic Saranac Railroad, was the first concoction to don the brewery name. The Saranac Railroad line connected Utica to the Adirondacks. Similarly, Saranac’s Utica location connects with the Adirondacks through the tastes and experiences provided by their brews.
In fact, back in 1991, Saranac’s Adirondack Lager was awarded the top premium lager at the Great American Beer Festival, chalking the Lager up as Saranac’s first brewing home run. Naturally, the brewery focused in on making this beer their main priority for the time being.
Today, Saranac Brewery has a plethora of beverages showcasing their name. Blueberry Blonde Ale and S’more Lager are perfect for the essence of summertime. While Pale Ale and Adirondack Lager are two of the company’s year-round staples.
Popular Brews: Saranac Pale Ale, Blueberry Blonde Ale, Adirondack Lager
Stony Creek Brewery – Branford, CT
The pride of Branford, CT, Stony Creek Brewery was rebranded by co-founder Ed Crowley in 2015. Prior to the rebranding, Stony Creek was a small-scale contract-produced craft brand, mainly known for their IPAs named after Connecticut’s two area codes, 203 and 860. Stony Creek became much bigger after their rebrand, and they opened up their first brewery right along the Branford River.
The brewery’s 30,000 square foot size makes it the second largest brewing facility and taproom in the state of Connecticut. One of its unique features is a 2,500 square foot tasting room with 23-ounce glass mugs hanging on the wall behind the bar as part of the brewery’s Mug Club. The “Mug Club” is a way of giving back to devoted customers by giving them “their own little piece of the creek,” according to Ed Crowley Jr!
Popular Brews: Big Cranky Double IPA, Cranky IPA, Stony Joe Mocha Stout
Magic Hat Brewing Company – Burlington, Vermont
Stirring up some mysterious concoctions in the heart of South Burlington, Vermont, Magic Hat is a well-known local brewer. They refer to their brews as elixirs, and their most popular potion is #9. It’s not quite a pale ale, but it runs across your tongue with notes of fruit and floral hop bitterness, bringing an unusual and curious palate. As they say at Magic Hat, #9 asks more questions than it answers. You’ll just have to see for yourself.
Popular Brews: #9, Elder Betty, Circus Boy
Frog Alley Brewing – Schenectady, NY
Frog Alley Brewing is just a short trip down the road from our Schenectady headquarters. As the city’s newest brewing powerhouse, Frog Alley is the key piece of the new Mill Artisan District. This downtown revitalization effort through intriguing new, hip food and drink spots hopes to bring more craft beer lovers and foodies back to the area.
Frog Alley founder JT Pollard put together two of the best brewing minds he could find in Rich Michaels and Drew Schmidt. Michaels and Schmidt used their expertise and years of experience to build Frog Alley’s refreshing, star-powered roster of brews. Included in this list is Mohop #5, a tasty New England IPA with Mosaic hops, featuring notes of mango, stone fruit, and a concoction of more earthy and tropical tones. They also provide Skull Frog, a loud DIPA that is certainly not shy with the Chinook, Columbus, and Simcoe hops.
Popular Brews: Mohop #5, Skull Frog Double IPA, Re4resh IPA