He’s Baaaaaacccckkkk …
Scott “Handsome Guy” Veltman of Indian Ladder Farms Cidery & Brewery in Altamont is one of the region’s busiest brewers. Unofficially referred to as “Kid Collabo” by some (OK, only me), he’s indeed living up to all monikers.
Since joining Indian Ladder exactly one year ago, Scott has brewed a number of collaborations across New York State. Recent efforts include brewing with Brooklyn’s Interboro Spirits and Ales and King’s County Brewers Collective (KCBC). He’s now doing his first out-of-state collaborations with Creature Comforts in Athens, Ga., and Prohibition Pig in Waterbury, Vt. Pretty exciting.
At the brewery, there are a number of new beers. Geosyncline is a 100% “Estate India Pale Lager” (IPL), using Tinka barley, oats & 100% hopped with Helderberg hops. Grendel’s Neighbor is a Norwegian-style farmhouse ale fermented with kviek (pronounced “kwike”) yeast and juniper branches. Kveik can fully ferment a batch is about three days. Next up is Naughty Farmer (version two), a sour ale fermented on pineapples inoculated with wild yeast from the farm. The Hell You Say (ABV TBD) is a Belgian-style tripel brewed with New York State (NYS) Synergy Malt & 100% hopped with the farm’s Brewers Gold hops. Homie Haulers an IPL made with NYS malt and hopped with New York and tropical West Coast hops.
The latest iteration in the famous Short, Tart & Handsome Series is also available. This is the eighth collaboration with Athens-based Crossroads Brewing, this time using Fuyu persimmons. More sour ale projects are coming up soon, including a new Solera series (which started fermenting in early January) using the brewery’s koelschip.
Get Thee to Schenectady
Frog Alley Brewing in Schenectady opened its temporary taproom doors for the first time on December 15. This new Schenectady brewery began with four beers, and Vienna Lager is the number one seller. The temporary taproom will be open Thursday-Saturday with various hours, giving people a chance to taste what’s to come. The owners are excited for a grand opening (with a target date of March), and the launch of a uniquely-designed Six Pack Taproom. The taproom will include small incubator spaces for startup brewers and other brewing companies to set up shop, allowing them to expose their brand and customer base into the Schenectady market.
Schenectady Beer Week
Schenectady Beer Week takes place February 4-10. Schenectady’s Mad Jack Brewing is holding several beer-related events around town that week and will team up with fellow Schenectady County breweries to brew a few special collaboration beers. Last year brought a collaboration with Great Flats and Wolf Hollow. Since that time, the area has added three new breweries to the mix with Druthers, Frog Alley and the brand new Back Barn Brewing out in Duanesburg (with a anticipating opening in February).
Breweries will pair into teams of two to brew separate recipes for the event and should have them all available at participating bars and restaurants Schenectady starting that week.
Mad Jack will increase its distribution footprint in 2019, as well as begin to offer several new special one-off beers for distribution along with the core brands. First up is a new Amber IPA (6.8%), chock-full of caramel malts and piney Chinook hops. Next is a New England “inspired” hazy IPA (~6.5%) heavy with oats and wheat and packed full of Citra, Centennial and Falconers Flight hops.
Some mug club memberships have opened up, and Mad Jack is accepting new members for the 2019 “Mug Club.”
Two Years & Many Beers
Schenectady’s Great Flats Brewing celebrates its second anniversary with a beer release and party on March 23 at the brewery.
A Second Location
Garnerville-based Industrial Arts Brewing, makers of hugely popular beers such as juggernaut Wrench (6.8%), a New England Style IPA, is opening a second location in Beacon. This new space will house a brewery, taproom and event space.
Brewers Association News
Registration is now open for the second annual New York State Craft Brewers Conference being held at the Desmond Hotel in Albany on March 7-9. The conference is geared towards licensed breweries and breweries in planning and will feature a trade show with over 50 exhibitors as well as educational seminars and a keynote speech by Brooklyn Brewery co-founder Steve Hindy.
To close out the conference on March 9 is the sixth annual New York Craft Brewers Festival, also taking place at the Desmond Hotel. The fest brings together over 65+New York breweries (and brewers)from every region of the state featuring up to 150+ hard-to-find and award-winning beers.
The New York Craft Beer Competition has been moved from July to February 23. The 2019 competition will once again be held in Rochester, and a special awards ceremony will be held the following month at the New York State Craft Brewers Conference, on March.
Earl Grey Knows Prince Albert
Albany’s Nine Pin Cider Works, New York’s first farm cidery, has released its winter seasonal cider in its specialty can series: Earl Grey (6.5%) is made with 100% New York apples, cold-infused with Earl Grey tea and aged on lemon peel. The cider is available in 12-ounce cans at bars, restaurants and retailers and also at the cidery and tasting room in Albany’s Warehouse District.
Earl’s Back
In Albany, Head Brewer Sam Pagano of C.H. Evans at the Albany Pump Station is brewing beers that are a breath of fresh air. Sometimes, a return to simplicity is a joy for the palate. The New Year brings Jessie Grey, a saison brewed with fresh zested lemon, ginger and Earl Grey tea. Next is Capital Light, an American-style lager brewed with imported German malts and hops plus American-grown corn for a light and refreshing, yet full-flavored lager beer.
Also on the scene is Troublesome Teri Tripel (9.0%) a Belgian-style tripel brewed with Belgian pilsner malts, candi sugar and bitter orange peel. It’s crisp, dry and dangerously drinkable for a big beer. Lastly, Big Crane Pale Ale makes its way back to the taps. Brewed with huge additions of Citra and Comet hops, the beer is named in honor of the big cranes that hang from the ceilings of the Pump Station. Finally, the 2019 C.H. Evans Tasting Panel Membership opened on January 1.
IPAs Are Still Hot
At the Lake George Brewhouse taproom in Queensbury, the taps feature some new IPAs: Strawberry Milkshake IPA (7.5%), and Double Sunrise IPA (8%). The brewers took Sunrise Session IPA and cranked it up a notch and me it even juicier. The popular website Vinepair ranked Sunrise Session number 31 in its “Top 50 Beers of 2018,” calling this session IPA: “… one of the most flavorful, refreshing, and memorable of the year.” That means the double will be twice as good. Avenue of the Pines New England IPA (7.2%), is also available.
A Correction:Last issue, Helderberg Mountain Brewing in East Berne was mistakenly listed and information credited as the Helderberg Brewery at the Carey Institute in Rensselaerville. My apologies for any confusion.
