Posts Written ByGibson Campbell

A Visit to the Newly Opened Crooked Ladder Brewing Company

Last month, Crooked Ladder Brewing Company opened its doors at 70 West Main Street in downtown Riverhead. The building’s brick facade sports the brewery’s name above open bay doors, inviting the passerby inside for a tasting. The tasting bar and production facility occupy the same space, so visitors can see people actually brewing what they are about to taste. It’s amazing to see the once-shady dive bar transformed into a local microbrewery and downtown hot pot. The ambiance in the tasting room perfectly matched what was intended by the team behind Crooked Ladder when I visited back in April prior…

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Farm to Pint Provides Local Breweries with Local Ingredients

Last weekend I realized how lucky I am. I was raised, and live, in a small farming community. The farms and people that call the North Fork of Long Island home are a huge part of my life. My life is actually dependent on it. Most of the food and drink that I consume on a daily basis flies past my window as I drive down route 48 to the farm winery where I’m employed. I owe everything I have to these farms. This realization came after a weekend of visiting the bustling wineries that draw millions of tourists to…

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The Summer Session: Southampton Publick House Biere de Mars

The literal translation of the French phrase, “Biere De Mars,” is “Beer of March.” Traditionally, this farmhouse-style beer is made in early spring with the first harvest of grain, and then aged before release. The brewing of ale in colder months ensured that the fermentation would be more controlled, preventing unwanted flavors brought on by summer temperatures. Nowadays, brewing technology and climate control have removed the necessity of this seasonal brewing, but the style is still crafted by some small breweries. Luckily, for beer enthusiasts such as myself, Southampton Publick House still embraces many of these old world brewing techniques that are all but forgotten. Southampton…

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The Summer Session: The Bronx Brewery Bronx Pale Ale

I’m admittedly not a big fan of “summer” beers. Ales and lagers that are part of a summer beer program are usually over-the-top with citrus flavoring and other adjuncts.  The malt profile in these beers, whether it wheat or pale malt, often leave a funky aftertaste. I’d much rather reach for a Belgian or domestic wheat beer for hot-weather drinking — but, I am always in the market for a crisp sipper that has a clean finish and complements outdoor activities.  As I find beers that fit into the “session beer” category over the warmer months, I’ll review them for…

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The NYCR Preview to Long Island Craft Beer Week

The Third Annual Long Island Craft Beer Week is actually 10 days if you count the pregame, and I don’t  mind that at all. From May 10 through the 19 expect to see plenty of alehouses and beer-centric watering holes promoting and pouring Long Island craft brew. The festivities begin May 9 with a free pint glass pickup happening at multiple locations (register here for yours) and a pre-game Cask Kickoff tasting at Croxley’s Ale House.  One of the larger kickoff events will be “Bayfest 2013” held outside of Great South Bay Brewery. GSB will play host to more than 20 New York…

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Crooked Ladder Brewing Company: It’s What’s Brewing on Main Street (Riverhead)

Four years ago, brothers Steven and David Wirth, along with friend and brewer, Duffy Griffiths, got the idea to open a brewery.  After years of toiling with town codes and renovating their space, 15 new fermenters are finally ready to be filled with the trios’ first batch of Crooked Ladder Brewing Company beer. Located on Main Street in downtown Riverhead, the brewery aims to start brewing by the end of May with an opening slated for mid-June. With summer just around the corner, there’s no better time for all the plans to finally fall into place the new brewery. Steven…

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The Quarterly Carousal Tonight at Love Lane Kitchen with Brooklyn Brewery

If you are around the East End of Long Island tonight, be sure to stop by Love Lane Kitchen for “The Quarterly Carousal” from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Presented by Edible East End, and Brooklyn Brewery, the event is described as “A Celebration of beer, food, and stories.”  Brooklyn Brewery is showcasing their Silver Anniversary Lager, a Doppelbock version of its’ well known “Brooklyn Lager,” crafted to celebrate 25 years of brewing.  The bottle-conditioned 750ml bottle, complete with Brooklyn artist-rendered labels, will be served alongside creations by several local food vendors. For a complete list of who’s participating check out Love Lane…

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Southampton Publick House 2013 Russian Imperial Stout

Russian Imperial Stouts, like India Pale Ales, are named after the region they were originally shipped to, rather than where they were brewed.  The flavors and alcohol content of these styles (that we have grown to love as consumers) were born out of necessity.  High alcohol and hop content act as natural preservatives in beer.  So, as demand for foreign beer grew internationally, brewers resorted to adding additional hops and fermenting to higher alcohol — ensuring that their product could be shipped across longer distances.  Made to last, IPAs and Russian Imperial Stouts are still some of the most cellar-worthy…

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A Report from New York City Beer Week

A couple weeks ago, I was able to partake in portions of the 5th annual New York City Beer Week, a celebration including over 100 venues, 300 events, and the takeover of hundreds of tap lines. Some of the city’s most acclaimed restaurants, bars, and chefs helped showcase the importance of craft beer on a massive scale. I made my way into Brooklyn to check out a few events and brews. Although there were plenty of imports on the participant’s beer lists, there was a noticeable emphasis on what’s being brewed locally. Establishments that embrace a “locavore” approach to their…

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A Beer-Lovers Fantasy: A Visit to Hoptron Brewtique

Last week, I visited Hoptron Brewtique — which opened last December on West Main St in Patchogue — for the first time. Some fellow beer enthusiasts and I dropped in to see what all the hype was about. Conclusion: this isn’t just another local bar promoting local craft beer. This place is soaked in it. Walking in, I immediately got the sense that I was in the right place. A small mill for crushing grain was parked in the corner, adjacent to a wall of homebrew supplies.  Hoptron carries all the necessities to brew one kick-ass ale — everything from…

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