Photo from TAP-NY website.
Fans of fine craft brewing won’t want to miss the ultimate celebration of the suds. TAP New York, taking place April 27 and 28 at Hunter Mountain, is the largest craft beer fest in New York. This year, the fest is bigger than ever, reflecting the renaissance in craft brewing currently underway in New York: Organizers have invited 87 breweries this year, 15 of them new to the local craft-beer scene.
Organizers promise “everything from pale ales and pilseners, to weisbiers, porters, stouts, and scotch ales; from hearty Bohemian and Bavarian-style lagers to glorious Belgian-style ales and much more.” Expect to learn plenty about brewing from these hands-on artisans, who will be bringing their best brews to compete for three prestigious awards.
Many local breweries are participating. A few from around the Catskills region: Butternuts Beer & Ale of Garrattsville, Cave Mountain Brewing Company of Windham, Ommegang and the Cooperstown Brewing Company from Cooperstown, Crossroads Brewing Company of Athens, Gilded Otter of New Paltz, and Keegan Ales of Kingston.
You wouldn’t want to drink all that on an empty stomach, and much thought has been put into creating a feast that complements the beers on tap: chilis and cheese dogs, pizza and pretzels, smoked brisket sandwiches and hot wings. Cooking demos will be in progress, teaching the fine art of pairing the perfect beer with a meal and using beer to enhance recipes.
This one’s for the grownups: No one under 21 will admitted under any circumstances, and discounted tickets are available for designated drivers (full-price tickets include chits for ten tastes.) For those coming up from downstate, there are several dedicated tour buses departing from Manhattan and Long Island for the fest.
TAP New York. Saturday, 4.27.2013, 1pm-5pm and Sunday, 4.28.2013, 12pm-4pm. Hunter Mountain, Route 23A, Hunter. Tickets: $70 Saturday, $60 Sunday, $105 two-day pass, $20/day for designated drivers. For more information, see the TAP New York website or Facebook page.
