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News & Events
Chef Luca Cooks Whiskey Porter Short Ribs on WNYT Ch. 13 for Taste of Albany Preview
Chef Luca Brunelle joined WNYT Sunday morning host Dan Bazile to cook our Whiskey Porter Short Ribs and Potato Cakes as a preview to our participation in this year's Taste of Albany on May 2 at the New York Museum in downtown Albany.Click the link for the full story: http://wnyt.com/article/stories/S2996392.shtml?cat=10127 The Taste of Albany is a night of food, fun and fighting homelessness where guests can enjoy tastes from more than 30 Cap...ital Region restaurants and chefs, entertainment, live and silent auctions and great conversationThe event benefits Interfaith Partnership for the Homeless, which works to eliminate the causes of homelessness by offering emergency shelter, teaching life skills, providing case management and empowering individuals and families to become self-sufficient. Services include Albany and Amsterdam Emergency Shelters, Drop-In Center, Housing Program, Health and Wellness Program and Holiday and Summer Youth activities.For more information on the event, go to: http://www.atasteofalbany.com//
3rd Annual Firehouse Chili Cook Off Raises Over $5K for Charity
The 3rd Annual Firehouse Chili Cook Off was a huge success, raising $5,500 for the Burn Center and The Fireman's Home, two fine charitable organizations that care for our finest and bravest first responders in their time of need.This was the biggest and best year to date with firehouses from Amsterdam, Boght Community, Clifton Park, Colonie Village, DeFreestville, Eagle Mills, East Greenbush, Elsmere, Menands, Pittstown, Rensselaer, Schenectady, Speigletown, Troy, Verdoy, Watervliet and Wynanntskill participating.In the People's Choice tas...ting competition, hometown Troy took the first place "Golden Eddy" award with newcomer Schenectady taking the "Silver Eddy" and perennial "Sluppy Puppy" award winner Wynanntskill taking the "Bronze Eddy".Many thanks to the talented and dedicated firehouses that participated and to all the hungry guests who attended!For more images from the festive event, check out our Gallery page.
Region's craft beer purveyors enjoy a boom in demand for their creative alternatives to mass-market beersBy Scott Gargan, Times Union - Wednesday, January 16, 2013Ever since Brown's Brewing Co. opened its doors on River Street in Troy two decades ago, the beer — like the lines of customers — hasn't stopped flowing.Demand for the company's stouts, porters and pale ales has grown so much that last year owners Garry and Kelly Brown made plans to open a $2.5 million craft brewery in a c...onverted 19th-century mill along the Walloomsac River in nearby Hoosick."We're beyond capacity right now," said Gregg Stacy, vice president and director of marketing for Brown's Brewing Co.However, just as soon as the company turns on the jets at the new facility, "we'll be able to meet demand in the Capital Region and eventually, move into southern Vermont and Massachusetts."We do 2,800 barrels of beer a year now," Stacy added. "We're looking to increase to 60,000 barrels."Like yeast in a vat of beer, the microbrewery scene in the Capitol Region is expanding: besides Brown's, there's Olde Saratoga Brewing Co., which is in the process of doubling keg production at its 22,000-square-foot facility; Chatham Brewing Co., which began as a back-alley operation before making plans to relocate in 2013; and Druthers Brewing Co., a brew pub in downtown Saratoga Springs that opened to immediate fanfare last summer.The Capitol Region, like much of the state, is riding a wave of nationwide popularity for craft beer and microbreweries — a trend that flows from a more sophisticated consumer palate, a more favorable regulatory climate and a desire among entrepreneurs to ditch their old professions and follow their beer dreams.In 2012, the Brewers Association, a trade group, reported that there were 2,751 craft breweries in the United States — an increase of more than 400 percent since the early 1990s. And though the state's brewery scene represents a drop in the keg nationally, it has expanded dramatically in recent years.When David Katleski, the president of the New York State Brewers Association, opened Empire Brewing Co. in Syracuse in 1994, there were just six breweries in the state. Now, there are more than 100. "And of all the breweries I know, everybody's at capacity," Katleski added.The thirst for more complex beers — from double IPAs and imperial stouts to brown and blonde ales — is a large part of what's driving the market. The craft beer industry doubled its share of the beer sold in the state over the last decade, as consumers opted for artisanal alternatives to commercial juggernauts like Coors, Budweiser and Miller.Brewmasters have fed the craving for craft beers, experimenting with various types and quantities of hops, malts and yeast; adding ingredients like cinnamon, nutmeg and coffee beans; and aging beer in barrels previously used for whiskey and other distilled spirits.Although the region's craft brew movement is blossoming, there is still plenty of catching up to do — the beer boom in places like Portland, Ore., and Chicago trumps that of the Capital Region. Lawmakers want to foster that kind of growth. In March, shortly after a court ruling that spiked state taxes on craft brewers, lawmakers concocted a tax credit to offset the rising cost of doing business."In addition to producing some of the finest beer in the world, New York's craft breweries are creating jobs, supporting our state's farmers and hops growers, as well as bringing in tourism dollars in local communities across New York," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said last year after signing the bill into law.Observing the market shift toward craft beers, Katleski sees a "tremendous amount of room for growth in the industry.""In 2004, we had a 3 percent market share of beer sold in the state; now we have 10 percent of the market share," he added."Eventually, we want to get 20 percent."Whether or not the Capital Region — and New York state as a whole — reaches that target remains to be seen. For now, brewers said, they will continue to offer up flavorful brews to attract more beer drinkers and bring about a more robust beer culture."I think the quality of the breweries in the Capital Region is outstanding," Stacy said. "We're not totally mature yet, but we're getting there. It's fun to see that."For the full story, go to: http://www.timesunion.com/living/article/Hoppy-days-4199535.php
Brown's Brewing Company fared well at this year's Living Resources' Culinary Cornucopia hosted at the Albany Marriott this past Sunday, November 12. Thirteen area restaurants participated in this annual fundraising event in which chefs competed to earn points based on American Culinary Federation (ACF) standards.A gold medal was awarded to Brown's Executive Chef Luca Brunelle, CEC by the ACF at a live cooking competition where he created 4 plates in 45 minutes including Brown's Cherry Raspberry Ale brined Duck with Sweet Potato Puree, Bacon Brussel Sprouts, Jalapeno... Corn Custard with Port Wine and Dried Cherry Reduction. Brown's Banquet Chef Joshua James assisted Chef Brunelle throughout the day.Brown's Brewing Company also won the People's Choice Award for Best in Show at the evening's Grand Tasting. Other competing restaurants included Angelo’s 677 Prime, Blue Spice, Pasta Pane, Epicurean Bistro & Wine Bar, Glen Sanders Mansion, Prime at Saratoga National, Reel Seafood Company and Sperry’s among others.Brown's customers can experience the winning entree, Brown's Cherry Raspberry Ale brined Duck with Sweet Potato Puree at Brown's Supper Club's December Feastivus on Tuesday, December 4. Call 273-BEER (2337) to make reservations or visit our facebook page: Brown's Brewing Company for more information. This event is the single largest fundraiser for Albany-based Living Resources, a non-profit that provides services to individuals with developmental disabilities and traumatic brain injuries. Learn more at http://www.livingresources.org.
Brewers Dan Cramer and David Wright inspect Bonlander and Pilsen malts being smoked in Hoosick this past weekend. The malts were smoked to make our next batch of Rauchbier, a traditional German Marzen-style smoked lager. Look for it on draught in the Taproom February 2nd.
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Cool Job: Brewer at Brown's
Cool story about Cool Jobs in the Times Union. Very Nice profile of Senior Brewer Chad Wysocki. Chad Wysocki has been making beer for Brown's Brewing Co. in Troy for two years. He is 26 years old and is the senior brewer at the company, which turns out about 2,800 barrels of beer a year. Brown's will soon have a new production facility in Hoosick that will take that total to 20,000 barrels.For the full story, go to: http://www.timesunion.com/business/article/COOL-JOBS-3798318.php#ixzz2401JS5IY
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Brown’s Ranked Largest Brewpub in New York State in 2011
Brown’s Brewing Company became the largest brewpub in New York State in 2011 according the Brewer’s Association’s New Brewer Annual Industry Review. With 2,650 barrels of beer brewed in 2011, Brown’s also ranked as the 5th largest brewpub in the Northeast and the 25th largest in the United States. Brown’s was ranked as the 33rd largest brewpub in the country in 2010. The 2,650 barrel mark represented a 13% increase from the previous year which outpaced the brewpub segment’s growth of 5.6%. In 2011, the craft brewing category also grew by 13% while the overall U.S. beer industry, whi...ch includes foreign owned Anheuser-Busch (Budweiser) and MillerCoors, continued to decline by -1.3%. Brown’s attributes its continued growth to a combination of factors including strong bar sales, increased restaurant sales as a result of improved menu offerings and a dramatic growth of private event business in its recently renovated Revolution Hall. Take out retail beer sales of 6 packs, 12 packs, growlers and kegs also contributed to the increase in barrelage. Brown’s wholesale business remained steady with increased distribution and sales in Capital Region restaurants, bars, beverage centers and grocery stores.2012 promises even more growth as Brown’s opens the Malt Room, a new cask conditioned ale focused bar in the basement of Revolution Hall early this Summer. Brown’s River Street brewhouse is nearly at full production capacity and the Company continues to build out its new Walloomsac production facility in Hoosick Falls to keep up with demand. The new brewery will be dedicated to bottling and kegging Brown’s leading wholesale brands and be the hub for its expanded distribution throughout the Northeast.The Brewers Association is the craft brewing category’s leading trade organization and defines a brewpub as a restaurant-brewery that sells 25% or more of its beer on site, is dispensed directly from the brewery’s storage tanks and can sell beer “to go” and /or distribute to off site accounts. For more information, go to http://www.brewersassociation.org
Ballpark Beer Supper at the ValleyCats Stadium on July 17
Join us for a special Beer Supper Club event as Chef Luca takes his show on the road to the Tri-City ValleyCats' Joe Bruno Stadium on Tuesday, July 17. Brown's Ballpark Beer Supper starts with a pregame concert by the Ernie Williams Band at 5pm, Dinner at 6:30pm, then the ValleyCats take on the Lowell Spinners at 7pm. $55 per person includes Beer Paired Supper in the ValleyCat's Left Field Top of the Hill private event space, Reserved Box Seats to Watch the Game in the Stadium and a Souvenir ValleyCats Ball Cap. MENU - A...le Braised Bratwurst with Caraway Caramelized Onion Sauerkraut, Red Pepper Ketchup & Jalapeno Jelly - Summer Vegetables and Mixed Greens with Peanuts, Cracker Jacks, Gorgonzola, Croutons & Local Honey with Tart Berry Vinaigrette. Garnished with Crispy Tobacco Onions - Beer Pretzel Crusted Chicken with Cheddar Bacon Mashed Potatoes, Pale Ale Mustard Sauce & Tomato Jam- Assorted Cookies Bar with Dips, Candies & Whipped Cream Tickets are available at Brown’s Bar and the ValleyCats Box Office as well as http://www.tcvalleycats.com or right here by clicking the "Buy Stuff" tab to the left. $1.50 surcharge for on line orders)
Chef Luca Brunelle Cooks Walnut Shrimp with Pancetta Risotto Cake, Jalapeño Jelly and Chive Creme Fraiche with Dan Bazile on WNYT.
Chef Luca Brunelle, CEC cooked Walnut Shrimp with Pancetta Risotto Cake, Jalapeño Jelly and Chive Creme Fraiche with Dan Bazile on WNYT Channel 13. The demonstration was a preview of what Brown's Brewing Company will cook at this year's A Taste of Albany at the New York State Museum on May 3. To see For the video demonstration, go to http://wnyt.com/article/stories/S2588989.shtml?cat=10127Honey Walnut Shrimp...Ingredients 1 cup water 2/3 cup white sugar 1/2 cup walnuts 4 egg whites 2/3 cup rice flour 1/4 cup mayonnaise 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined 2 tablespoons honey 1 tablespoon canned sweetened condensed milk 1 cup vegetable oil for fryingPreparation Stir together the water and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and add the walnuts. Boil for 2 minutes, then drain and place walnuts on a cookie sheet to dry. Whip egg whites in a medium bowl until foamy. Stir in the mochiko until it has a pasty consistency. Heat the oil in a heavy deep skillet over medium-high heat. Dip shrimp into the mochiko batter, and then fry in the hot oil until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. In a medium serving bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, honey and sweetened condensed milk. Add shrimp and toss to coat with the sauce. Sprinkle the candied walnuts on top and serve. Basic Risotto 1½ cups arborio rice 1 qt chicken stock ½ cup white wine 1 medium shallot or ½ small onion, chopped (about ½ cup) 3 Tbsp unsalted butter 1 Tbsp vegetable oil ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 Tbsp chopped Italian parsley Kosher salt, to taste Preparation1. Heat the stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan, then lower the heat so that the stock just stays hot.2. In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the oil and 1 Tbsp of the butter over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the chopped shallot or onion. Sauté for 2-3 minutes or until it is slightly translucent. 3. Add the rice to the pot and stir it briskly with a wooden spoon so that the grains are coated with the oil and melted butter. Sauté for another minute or so, until there is a slightly nutty aroma. But don't let the rice turn brown. 4. Add the wine and cook while stirring, until the liquid is fully absorbed. 5. Add a ladle of hot chicken stock to the rice and stir until the liquid is fully absorbed. When the rice appears almost dry, add another ladle of stock and repeat the process.Note: It's important to stir constantly, especially while the hot stock gets absorbed, to prevent scorching, and add the next ladle as soon as the rice is almost dry. 6. Continue adding ladles of hot stock and stirring the rice while the liquid is absorbed. As it cooks, you'll see that the rice will take on a creamy consistency as it begins to release its natural starches. 7. Continue adding stock, a ladle at a time, for 20-30 minutes or until the grains are tender but still firm to the bite, without being crunchy. If you run out of stock and the risotto still isn't done, you can finish the cooking using hot water. Just add the water as you did with the stock, a ladle at a time, stirring while it's absorbed. 8. Stir in the remaining 2 Tbsp butter, the parmesan cheese and the parsley, and season to taste with Kosher salt. 9. Risotto turns glutinous if held for too long, you should serve it right away. A properly cooked risotto should form a soft, creamy mound on a dinner plate. It shouldn't run across the plate, nor should it be stiff or gluey. Pancetta Risotto Cakes 1 cup cooked risotto, chilled 2 Oz crispy pancetta Seasoned flour (as needed) 1 whole egg ¼ + ½ cup panko ½ tbsp parsley salt/pepper tastePreparation1. Mix risotto with egg, pancetta, parsley, ¼ cup panko and salt and pepper. Form into 4 cakes and bread all sides with remaining panko. 2. Heat butter in a sauté pan and sear cakes for 5 minutes on each side until a crispy, golden-brown crust forms on the bottom. Serve warm Jalapeno Jelly 1 large green bell pepper 12 jalapeno peppers 1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar 1 pinch salt 4 1/4 cups granulated sugar 4 ounces liquid pectin 4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely choppedPreparation1. Combine the green bell pepper and 12 jalapeno peppers in the container of a food processor or blender. Process until finely chopped. This can be done in batches, if the peppers do not fit.2. Transfer the peppers to a large saucepan, and stir in the cider vinegar. Bring to a boil, and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Strain the mixture through at least 2 layers of cheesecloth, and discard pulp. You should have about 1 cup of liquid.3. Return the liquid to the saucepan, and stir in the salt and sugar until dissolved. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When the mixture comes to a rolling boil (one that cannot be stirred down), boil for one minute, then stir in the liquid pectin.4. Stir in the remaining jalapeno peppers, and ladle into sterile jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Seal jars in a hot water bath. Refrigerate jelly after seal is broken. Chive Crème Fraiche 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives 1 1/4 cups creme fraiche Salt and freshly ground black pepper1. Mix together the creme fraiche and chives in a small bowl, and season to taste with salt and pepper.For more information on A Taste of Albany, go http://www.atasteofalbany.com//
Urban Roots Film Screening & Beer Paired Tasting of Local Cheeses, Meats & Sweets: April 21 in Rev Hall.
Photos of the night just released in our Gallery titled Urban RootsLOCAL FOOD & BEER PAIRED TASTING: 6PMA very special pairing of Brown’s Ales & Lagers with local cheeses, meats and sweets provided by Adventure in Food Trading, The Placid Baker, Honest Weight Food Co-op and R&G Cheese Makers. URBAN ROOTS FILM: 8PMThe story of emerging urban farming in Detroit. Devastated by the collapse of its manufacturing base, dedicated ...citizens have started a movement that is transforming their city, as well as our country at the end of the industrial age. Urban Roots shows how we can prevail in the most difficult of times and places. See the film trailer at http://www.urbanrootsamerica.com/urbanrootsamerica.com/Home.htmlSpecial Guest IntroductionMichele Owens, Gardener and Author of Grow the Good Life: Why a Vegetable Garden Will Make You Happy, Healthy, Wealthy and Wise.A portion of the proceeds of this event will be donated to the Tree Media Foundation whose charitable mission is to support education and activities in environmental sustainability.
Comfort Cuisine Guest Chef Tasting Event on Wednesday, April 25 in Rev Hall
Join us for a special fundraising tasting event to benefit the Troy Boys & Girls Club. Comfort Cuisine features a selection of dishes from some of the best chefs from the finest area’s restaurants including Dale Miller CMC from Sperry's, Marla Ortega from Illium Cafe, Yono Purnomo, CEC from Yono's, Pat Quinlan from The Towne Tavern, Kyle Scott from Uncle Marty's, Brad Stevens from The Park Pub and our own Luca Brunelle CEC. $20 tickets are available at our Taproom Bar and http://www.brownsbrewing.com/store.
The Festival of Manliness Wild Game Beer Supper on Sunday, January 22 was a huge success! A bold and manly crowd enjoyed a phenomenal evening of wild game and great games. The Patriots and the Giants triumphed on the big screen while Chef Luca and team served up an incredible supper of smoked quail, ostrich, kangaroo and wild boar. More importantly, the event raised over $3,000 for "Pints for Prostates" a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness of prostate cancer among men.To hear... a Duncan Crary Podcast interview with Pints for Prostates founder Rick Lyke and about the Festival of Manliness, click this link: http://www.duncancrary.com/clients/browns.html Check out our gallery section for photos of the event.
The Rensselaer County Chamber of Commerce honored Garrett and Kelly Brown with the prestigious Van Rensselaer Award,recognizing business leaders that are making a difference in the community where they live and run their business. In his speech Brown's President, Garrett spoke of company's growth, it's commitment to the Rensselaer Land Trust which strives to protect the water sheds and land of Rensselaer County. Brown also recognized Brown's key management team and planned expansion of a production Brewery in North Hoosick, NY. Guests were able to sample Brown's Harvest IPA which is a seasonal beer that includes hops grown on the Brown family farm in Rensselaer County.
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Harvest Beer Supper 9.14.11
A celebration of the goodness of the seasons bounty. Thanks to the Good Earth, our hardworking Farmers & Dependable Brewers for bringing it to the table - a beautiful dinner for all. P.S. Aunt Irene was not invited.More pictures in our Gallery.
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Hop Harvest Time!
Yes, If you were in West Hoosick recently you weren't imagining seeing a Willys MB 1945 Jeep heading down the road loaded up with lovely hop plants.Brown's & Groveside Naturals combined hops for this years hop harvest. Roughly 100lbs. of NYS local hops goes into our Harvest IPA, due to be on tap mid September. A BIG thanks as always goes out to our friends Kristee and Tom from Groveside Naturals - they host an amazing feast at their spectacular farm and make the hop picking a delight.Check out more hop harvest pictures in our gallery.
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Beer Circle
Cheers to the Women of Brown's!(pic. above left to right, Erin and Amanda)Amanda Gresens and Erin Lockhart joined forces to present Brown's Beer Circle - a fabulous evening dedicated to Women and Beer.Erin, our brewery intern, toured thirty guests through the brewhouse explaining our brewing process along the way. Amanda, our marketing manager, presented an overview of the history of Women and Beer that included a sampling of seven of Brown's beer styles. A night to truly celebrate women -along with delicious beers, savory cheeses by local women cheesemakers were enjoyed.
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Hudson Coast Style Clambake & Weenie Roast
Club Brown members were treated to an old school style Clambake & Weenie Roast at our newly renovated Brown's Revolution Hall. Bluegrass from, "The Hill Hollow Band" set the jovial mood, beer flowed from the taps and the food from our deck grill was scrumptiously good and plentiful. We have a great group of Mug Club members and want to thank you all for being the best Ambassadors of our Premium Leisure Society (a.k.a. "Club Brown's").More Photos from our Mug Club Clambake in our Gallery.
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Brown's Whiskey Porter-Best Beer In New York State!
Hunter Mtn. Sunday, May 1, 2011 -TAP NY tasting judges named Brown's Barrel Aged Whiskey Porter Best Beer in New York. Brown's also received Silver honors for Barrel Aged Whiskey Porter in the Hudson Valley. Head Brewer, Peter Martin and Brewer, Chad Wysocki were on hand to receive the awards and toast with a pint of the champion brew.More photos from TAP NY in our Picture Gallery!
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St. Pat's Celebration
Thank You all for helping us celebrate one of our favorite holidays. Senator Roy McDonald joined in the festivities of the day along with Pastor Ed Marcelle from Terra Nova Church, offering a blessing of our bar. It wouldn't be complete without our friends, Iain and Jeff from Schenectady Pipe Band and Hair of the Dog band. Most of all Brown's wouldn't be the same if it wasn't for all of you - our friends and family whom we are blessed to serve. More snapshots from the day in our Gallery.
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U.S. Senator Charles Schumer Tours Brown's
Senator Charles Schumer toured Brown's Brewing Co. Tuesday, February 22 , in support of a bill that would lower existing taxes for small brewers. Known as the BEER Act or Brewers Excise and Economic Relief it would cut federal excise tax to $3.50 per barrel from $7.00 per barrel for the first 60,000 barrels brewed annually. Great news for Garry Brown, Brown's Co. President. Brown is working on rehabilitating a factory building on the Walloomsac River in North Hoosick which will house a new larger brewing facility. Production will increase and twenty some new employees will be hired to join... the already ninety employees working at the Troy Brewery and Restaurant.
Nearly 300 people packed into Rev Hall on Saturday, February 19th to sample some of the best Chili in the region and all for a great cause. Firefighters from five fire departments competed in Brown's First Annual Chili Cook-Off to benefit The Firemen's Home in Hudson, NY.Proceeds from the event totaled $2960 and will go to the the Home which is a retirement facility for volunteer firefighters.The Competition was very close but the Peoples Choice Top Prize, The "Golden Eddy" Fire Hydrant went to, The Watervliet Fire Department. Troy Fire Department brought home the Silver Hydrant. Bronze honors was awarded to DeFreestville Fire Department....Not only are these firefighters Brave, Courageous and Hardworking they also know how to make a kick-ass Chili. Thank you all, for the generosity of your time on Saturday and the many gallons of delicious Chili you brought along.Check out our Gallery for more Pictures of the Cook-Off!
To Market, to Market to Buy a Brown's Beer, Home again Home again, isn't Life Dear.Yes, We are part of Troy's Wonderful Farmers Market. Every Saturday from 9am to 1pm you can visit us at the Atrium and pick up your favorite varieties of Brown's Brews. Also for sale are sturdy custom totes with our logo to make the haul home a cinch. Stop by to say hello - Amanda, Gregg, Nancy, Jenn and Kelly are the cast of characters you are likely to run into at the Brown's Farmers Market Table.
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Some Like it HOT (January Beer Supper)
Hot & Spicy was our theme this dinner as Brown's New Executive Chef, Matt Kelly turned up the "Heat" for a winter thaw.Our once a month beer suppers have been a chance to present our talented kitchen staffs culinary pleasures as well as our brewers hand crafted beers. We have been striving to make each dinner its own event, trying to make it the most memorable and unique. Next months dinner will be no exception - "Magic" will be in the air both figuratively and literally, for Chef Matt has some surprises up his sleeve.Dinners are $60. pe...r person (tax and gratuity included). Reservations are requested and attendance limited. Please contact Carrie Harkin at 273-BEER(2337) or email carrie@brownsbrewing.com.
It all began on a snowy Christmas day when Frank Costanza said, "The tradition of Festivus begins with the Airing of Grievances. At the Festivus dinner, you gather your family around and tell them all the ways they have disappointed you over the past year. I got a lot of problems with you people! And now, you're gonna hear about it."At our "Feastivus" Dinner we pulled out the unadorned aluminum pole and aired some of our Grievances, "Paper work," "Needing to Buy Beer," "Needing to Sell Beer," "Being Called in Thanksgiving To Brew Beer," and "Where the hell was the Feta Cheese on the Warm Winter Salad."...Needless to say we got everything off our chests and continued our night in utter bliss. Thanks to Chef Paul, assistant, Chris and our Head Brewer, Peter. If you missed the "Annual Airing of Grievances" you also missed some pretty amazing Borscht, Brie Fondue, Quail, Warm Winter Salad, Cranberry & Apple Tarlets. Accompanied by some very delicious Brews.Sign up early for our January Dinner. (Hint: It's gonna be "Hot & Spicy")More photos of the Feastivus in our Gallery!
Our Beer Supper Series is our way of bringing to you a sampling of our seasonal ales and lagers along with fresh, local specialties in an intimate gathering.Once again Chef Paul amazed us with this culinary feast of the season's best. We showcased this dinner as a "not so traditional Thanksgiving celebration." Some favorites included mini cornucopias of buttery puff pastry filled roasted corn, pear, winter squash and carrots. A cider sorbet came with a caramel hard candy "Intermezzo" (in the middle of courses) and delighted with amazing texture and taste. Our entree ...of Turkey Roulade filled with roasted chestnuts, pancetta, currants, mustard greens & cornbread- a medley of flavors that combined together were sublime. The grand finale for those who still had room was a pumpkin cheesecake with bourbon whipped cream and paired with our award winning Whiskey Porter.Special thanks to all Brown's staff both on the scene and behind the scene who are instrumental in making our suppers such a success!We are currently taking reservations for our next Beer Supper Series on Tuesday, December 7th. The theme this time around - "Happy Festivus."
Blue Man Group, Gumby, Where's Waldo, Little Red Riding Hood, Big Bad Wolf, John The Flasher, Nauty Nurses, Witches & Warlocks, Bumble Bees, Vamps .... Like Shrek 3 only better.Costumes were scary (not so much), hilarious (John you have my vote) and really, really creative (everyone). Thanks to all that came to Saturday's Halloween Party - check out our gallery for more pics.
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Chowderfest 2010
chow-der \ˈchau̇-dər\ n. a thick soup made variously, but usually containing onions, potatoes and salt pork, sometimes, corn, tomatoes, or other vegetables. We loves some chowder here in the mighty Collar City and have made the Troy Chowderfest an annual right of passage for the season. Along the mighty Hudson River thousands of hungry folks participated in Troy's annual Chowderfest, Saturday, October 16th. Resident Soup Buddah, Troy Barrington wowed us with two delectable additions, "Curry Chicken & Crawfish" and "Porter Sausage & Cheddar."...Congrats go out to this year's winners, Albany Pump Station for "Loaded Baked Potato Chowder" and Malozzi's Italian Community Center for their "Autumn Pear Chowder." Proceeds from Chowderfest go to the Boys and Girls Club of Troy.Our Picture Gallery has more photos from the Day.
It was a HUGE Party... under the BIG tent! In the sunshine hundreds attended our third annual Oktoberfest on Saturday, October 9th. Brown's Brewing donated 100% of Oktoberfest beer sales to the Rennselear Land Trust (RLT) in support of the RLT's outstanding work and awareness for the county's watershed protection. Brown's executive Chef, Paul Minbiole delivered the German Feast in style ; Potato pancakes, Bean & Bacon Soup, Bier Pretzels and grilled sausages with cabbage and whole grain mustards. Brown's Head Brewer, Peter Martin will certainly be busy catching ...up brewing this week - the beer was YUM and enjoyed by the masses. Fresh from the Vat and on Tap was Brown's Pumpkin Ale, Oktoberfest, Tomhannock Pilsner, Hefe-Weizen, Rauch Bier and Oatmeal Stout.Live music kept the party rolling, Flood Road, Jericho Joe and Albany Police Pipes & Drums- you all rock!A special thanks again to all that help us in our support of the RLT and please check out our Gallery for photos of the day. Cheers!
We celebrated the first annual Hoosick Hop Harvest at the Brown Family Farm on Sunday, August 29th. Thanks to friends, neighbors and family for all your help in the pickin' of over 50lbs of fresh hops on a hot, hot, summer day. 2010 Harvest I.P.A. will be on draught Tuesday, August 31 in the Taproom! This much coveted rare release features 100% locally grown hops from our hop farm in Hoosick Falls and from Groveside Naturals Farm in Pittstown. Get it while you can - only two half batches brewed this year!Visit our Gallery for more photos of the Harvest.
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Hop Harvest 2010
A good Pickin' day for "Hop Pickers Local 518" @ Groveside Naturals. Five years strong our Hosts, Kristi and Tom Riley provided the abundance of hops that in two weeks time will become our favorite "Harvest IPA."
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PIGNIC
Club Brown's Members packed Rev. Hall to enjoy our first PIGNIC feast. Chef Paul grilled up some mouth watering West Hoosick Style BBQ Pork & Chicken and along with the all the "PIgnic" fixins'.Some highlights of the party - rides on "Fergie" our Dependable Hop Field tractor owned and operated by head brewer, Peter Martin. Jericho Joe kept the party rolling with all our favorite tunes. Thanks to all who came and let's make this an annual shin dig.
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SAVOR 2010
Brown's Brewing Co. took to the road Saturday, June 5th to participate in SAVOR, an American Craft Beer & Food Experience. The sold out crowd of 2,000 beer enthusiasts packed the grand National Building Museum in Washngton, DC.Fun Facts about this year's SAVOR : 420 cases of American Craft Beer were on hand. That number equates to about 10,000 bottles of beer. Ice = 4,000 lbs. (it was a hot, muggy night in DC). The event sold out in 2 hours (2,000 lucky attendees).Brown's Barrel Aged Whiskey Porter & Oatmeal Stout was consumed and loved by the masses.
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Late Winter Harvest Pairing
Thanks to all who came to enjoy our Late Winter Harvest Craft Beer & Food Tasting. The evening was scumptious thanks to Chef Paul and over a dozen Rensselaer County farmers that participated. We our very thankful for the bounty of product that our local farms provide. Diggin' in the Good Earth is a labor of love and worth celebrating each and every day. For a full list of all the farmers that participated please see our Gallery and remember to Buy Local. Also, a huge thanks to Rensselaer County Executive, Kathy Jimino and Rensselaer Farm Bureau President, Dean Casey and Cornell Cooperative Extension for their support and promotion of this event.
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Lá 'le Pádraig 2010
Thanks to all that helped us celebrate, Lá 'le Pádraig 2010, this year's celebration of St. Patrick's Day. THE ANNUAL BLESSING ’O THE BAR led by the inspirational and intriguing Pastor Ed Marcelle from the Terra Nova Church along with a procession by Bagpipers, Iian and Jeff from the Schenectady Pipe Band helped us kick off the party.Chef Paul fed the masses with a variety of Celtic tasties including Cream of Colcannon Soup, traditional Corned Beef & Cabbage, County Clare Lamb ...Stew, Oatmeal Stout & Currant Scones, Irish Cheddar/Stout Fondue and Irish Cream Creme Brulee. Just one word, "Yum."Special thanks to Mayor, Harry Tutunjian for his Irish Limericks and well wishes.Sneak a Peak of more photos from the day in our Gallery section titled Lá 'le Pádraig 2010Hope to see you back on Friday for more Irish and Celtic Rockers Black 47 will be performing next door at Revolution Hall.
A Benefit For The Arts Center Of The Capital RegionGET FATFor the Arts ! Thanks to all who came and Partied with us to Benefit the Arts Center of the Capital Region.Laugh Drink Bid Dance Kiss Be HappyCaptain Squeeze & The Zydeco MoshersHooDooVooDoo AleART, ART, Beautiful ARTComing soon a 2010 GET FAT picture gallery
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No Place Like Brown's for the Holidays!
Toasts were made, Beer was in Abundance as our Club Brown's Members joined in the Festivities for our Holiday Beer Dinner. A scrumptious menu featuring Prime Rib of Beef, Steamship of Ham, Lamb Chops, Risotto Station was enjoyed by all. Check out more pictures from the night in our Gallery.
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All Hallows' Eve Big Whoop Dee Doo
Oh it was big alright. And a Whoop Dee Doo it was too. Courtney and her dead husband were slingin' the ale and Uncle Moe was on hand horrifying the youngsters with his own brand of ghoulish shenanigans. Captain Squeeze took us to school with his haunting Zydeco Moshers and taught us a little bit about doin' it big and easy in the Collar City. Thirsts were quenched with many pints of Pumpkin Ale - at least one costume clad reveler was heard shrieking "Dang, Skeeter! That's fiiiiine bug juice!" We're sti...ll not sure what that was all about, but we know that one thing is clearly certain. If you weren't there - then you were obviously somewhere else. And that's a damn shame!If you don't believe it, see for yourself at our Gallery under the All Hallows' Eve Big Whoop Dee Doo!
Thanks to all of you who came out to help us celebrate Oktoberfest 2009! A great cause (Rensselaer Land Trust) and great weather brought out nearly 3,000 to our second annual celebration. County Executive, Cathy Jimino joined RLT Director, William Niemi and Garrett Brown, thanking the cheerful crowd for supporting the efforts of RLT. Hope you had the chance to enjoy Brown's Oktoberfest, Pumpkin Ale and Tomhannock Pilsner , Dependably Delightful Ales & Lagers donated for the benefit.Our musical guests, Hair of the Dog, Albany Police Pipe & Drum Band and Flood Road... rocked the crowd. Chef Tina we loved your Oktoberfest fare.Look for next year's gala to be bigger and better than ever!O'Fest Picture Gallery Just Arrived (thanks for waiting)!
You voted and we're thrilled! Brown's Buffalo Wing-Ding Chowder & Down East Lobster Chowder -the Peoples' Choice Winner for the third annual Chowder Fest.Brown's Chef, Tina Clements created 80 gallons of mouth watering chowder for a hungry crowd of 20,000 at Sundays Troy event. Chef Tina feeling the last minute urge for something new put together the recipe just the night before saying "I decided what to do literally last night and along with my staff worked hard to put it all together." When asked, " Wha...t's on the menu for next year?" Chef Tina replies, "We'll have to wait and see but chances are I'll be trying it in the Taproom first." Chef Tina dedicated her award to her Mom, "Her spirit was with me and she would have been very proud of this moment."
"Cock -a-Doodle-Brown's" Beginning Saturday, September 12th we're shopping Troy Farmers Market and bringing to Brown's kitchen the freshest local vitals- Fresh Herbs and Veggies, Local Farm Eggs, New York State Maple Syrup. In addition to our regular menu Brunch will be served every Saturday & Sunday from opening to 2pm. The early bird gets the worm so stop in for Chef Tina's famous cornbeef hash and hollandaise sauce. Nine different homemade delicacies to choose from - what a great way to begin the day. Hope to see you in the Taproom!
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Hops In Hoosick...
A sneak peak at our Hop Field in Hoosick Falls, NY. Hop rhizomes (800 in all) were put in the good earth back in Spring 2008 when the world was in the midst of a critical Hop shortage. We've accomplished a lot this season, our brewers have established a poling and cable system that anchors the plants and protects from high winds. We were able to train the plants up on a special twine that contains a coconut husk facilitating an easy grab for these climbers. The three varieties of Hops planted are Cascade, Willamette and Chinook. Harve...st time for these perennials is three years so we look forward to next August when we can harvest the Hop cones to use in all our brews. An end note , do not panic our crop is "organic" - no sprays or pesticides are used in the Hop Field.
We were honored to be a part of the second annual SAVOR Craft Beer & Fine Food Festival, May 30th - Washington D.C. We loaded up the mini van and headed south for a spectacular weekend in D.C. Brown's was one of sixty eight independent American craft breweries to attend the Brewer's Association event - SAVOR. That beautiful building pictured above is the National Building Museum which held about two thousand attendees for the evening. Beers were paired with over thirty five culinary delights. Brown's Oatmeal Stout and ESB were a huge hit with the D.C. crowd.
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2nd Annual Fat Saturday For The Arts
Brown's was glad to help the Art Center in celebrating the 2nd Annual Fat Saturday For The Arts! Some hightlights of the night- Brown'sVooDooHooDoo Ale, Captain Squeeze & the Zydeco Moshers, Awesomely talented Artists (silent auction table) donating beautiful things, Amy Williams (Art Center Pres. - you rock) plus everyone who helped (too many to name) and YOU for being a part of a great event and helping our neighbors at The Art Center of the Capital Region succeed.
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Two Thumbs Up for OktoberFeast!
OktoberFEAST it was....Thanks to all our Club Brown's Friends who enjoyed a German Harvest Beer Dinner with us November 6th. Check out our gallery for more photos of the night and look for our 2009 Beer Dinner Series to be announced in January. Cheers!
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OKTOBERFEST - Under The BIG TENT !
"You can't make great beer without a great water source and Troy's got the best," said Garry Brown at the kick off of Oktoberfest 2008. Cheers to all our friends including Troy's mayor Harry Tutunjian and County Legislator Kathy Jimino who were in attendance to support and recognize the Rensselaer Land Trust mission to protect the Rensselaer County water sources. Brown's Brewing Co. Taps were pouring with all of the beer proceeds from Oktoberfest going directly to the Rensselaer Land Trust. More photos from the day in our gallery section.To learn more about the Rensselaer Land Trust visit their website at www.rtlc.org
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Brown's & Rensselaer Land Trust Featured on WAMC Roundtable
August 1st- WAMC's Roundtable hosted Garrett Brown, of Brown's and John Middlebrooks,Executive Director of Rensselaer Land Trust, to join in a discussion about the great Tomhannock Reservoir and how Brown's has been active in donating a portion of proceeds from the sale of our Tomhannock Pilsner to the Rensselaer Land Trust. Thanks again to our good friends at WAMC for having us on and to John Middlebrooks for spreading the word so eloquently about the mission of the Rensselaer Land Trust in helping preserve Rensselaer County's wat...ersheds. Brown's Tomhannock Pilsner is celebrating a year in production and thanks to your help we have been able to donate over $4,000 to the Rensselaer Land Trust. Cheers and please stay thirsty!For more information about the Rensselaer Land Trust visit their website at www.rtlc.orgPictured above WAMC's Roundtable host, Joe Donahue and Executive Director of the Rensselaer Land Trust, John Middlebrooks.
April 26th, 2008-Brown's brought home the silver- no, not just at the World Beer Cup but at TAP NY too! We had the honor of being awarded "Best Craft Beer Brewery in the Hudson Valley" and were presented with the prestigious Matthew Vassar Brewers Cup. The award is named in honor of the famous Hudson Valley brewer and philanthropist who is known in the Hudson Valley and beyond as an innovator in the art of brewing. Thanks to all our friends out there who came to TAP NY and celebrated with us and all the other top notch brewers in New York State. Check out more photos from TAP NY in our gallery. "CHEERS!"
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Brown's Whiskey Porter wins Silver at World Beer Cup!
The Brewers Association just released the World Beer Cup 2008 Winners and Brown's took home the Silver in Wood and Barrel aged Beer. For those of you not familiar with the World Beer Cup it is the "Olympics" of the Beer Judging World. Brewer Peter Martin says of the award, "It is a honor to have Brown's Whiskey Porter recognized in this way." Brown's Oatmeal Stout took the Gold home in the World Beer Cup 2004 competition.
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Troy brewer opens own bottling operation
Albany Business Review Reports on Our New Toys By Michael DeMasi The Business Review Excerpts from the Article: There was a lot of broken glass on the floor when Garrett Brown fired up his new beer-bottling machine in Troy earlier this month. But that's understandable. It was the first time the brewpub owner and his head brewer, Peter Martin, pushed the buttons on the machine in the basement of Brown's Brewing Co. "We're very much a hands-on group of brewer's,"Brown said. "You put in a foreign piece of equipment and we're all thumbs." Fourteen years after opening a brewpub and restaurant inside a renovated warehouse on the banks of the Hudson River,Brown has embarked on what has been his goal since getting into the business: selling bottles of locally brewed beer in stores. The first 120 cases of Brown's Pale Ale were shipped Nov. 7 by Tri Valley Beverage of Utica. The initial effort will target the more than 40 beverage centers in the region. Two other beer styles, Oatmeal Stout and India Pale Ale, will also be bottled. Ultimately, Brown plans to move the bottling equipment to an old paper mill on the Walloomsac River in North Hoosick (the mill is pictured on the bottle label). He's in the process of converting the mill-the former Flowmatic Valve Plant-into a brewery that would boost his production capacity to between 15,000 and 18,000 barrels annually.... *see more of the article: albany.bizjournals.com November 16-22,2007
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