Pour Travelin' in NY: The COVID-19 diaries - Part I

I'm not gonna lie to you... 2020 was shaping up to be an epic year for the Pour Travelers. By the end of February, we'd already visited 42 new breweries throughout the mid Atlantic region. To put things into perepective, in 2019 we'd only visited a total of 79 breweries that were new to us. Now, that might sound like a big number to novice beer travelers; but to seasoned pros like ourselves, it was a modest number. In 2018, that number was 110, so that became our benchmark to exceed in 2020. After the first two months of the year, we were certainly on the right trajectory, and I was feeling confident that we'd crush that number by the end of 2020.

Then COVID-19 reared its ugly head and life as we knew it came to an ass-grinding halt.

Between mid-March and this past week, Brewslut and I did our part to try and keep our favorite small breweries afloat by picking up beer to-go via curbside service. As the days began to blur into one another, we found ourselves consuming more beer than ever. We'd frequently engage in Zoom chats with long-distance friends, and I even started doing a weekly virtual music trivia. All of this translated to lots of beer consumption in the comfort of our home. At one point, we drove to Selin's Grove four weekends in a row to pick up growlers. During this time, I discovered that Boneshire's Green Machine is probably my favorite PA-brewed IPA available in cans, and that St. Boniface brews one kick-ass Coffee IPA. While we weren't "visiting" these breweries and enjoying a few beers among fellow friends and local patrons, we felt it was our obligation to continue patronizing these places during such trying times. It was our civic duty to down some brewskies.

As our part of the country slowly turned from yellow to green in the past few weeks (Lebanon county, where we live, was crowned the COVID-19 state champions aka the last county to go green), I was happy to see breweries begin opening with limited seating. It was also wonderful to witness so many small breweries adapting to post-COVID life and embracing - I hate this term, but I'm going to use it - the "new normal." Some towns even closed off streets so establishments could offer outside seating to accommodate guests while maintaining social distancing... yet another phrase to enter our lexicon over these last few months.

So here we are, a week into July. Since we'd been forced to abandon our annual Memorial Day trail beer excursion, we decided that it was time to hit the road and enjoy a much-needed, long, beer-soaked holiday weekend. Pleeps was chomping at the bit. Brewslut even crocheted him his very own mask.

Pleeps was born a ramblin' monkey.

After much deliberation, we decided to set up camp in Binghamton, NY, which turned out to be a good idea since it was centrally located among all of the breweries we'd planned to visit. On Thursday afternoon, we were able to skedaddle out of Dodge around 2:45 p.m., which put us at our first stop, Benny Brew Co., approximately 15 minutes after they'd opened for the day. I must admit, this place is crushing it with local NEPA drinkers. The last two times we visited, it was packed. Last year over Memorial Day weekend, we couldn't even get a seat, so we stood and watched the musical act, which was quite entertaining. The beers seem to improve with each visit, and they straddle the line between traditional styles and forward-thinking creations.

This time, we had no trouble getting seated, as we arrived so close to opening time. Immediately, I could tell that they were excited to be back in the swing of things... especially the servers. Our server was so friendly and I could tell she was just so thankful to be back to work.

I kicked off with a pint of Dunkel, a dark lager with notes of chocolate, raisin and a hint of roast. Dunkels sendom miss the mark, and this one was flavorable and easy to drink with a crisp, refreshing lager finish despite its porter-like flavors.

Pleeps has taken flight!

Up next, I opted for a flight of four different single-hop IPAs from Benny's "Bomb" series: Azacca, Mosaic, Citra and Simcoe. Each hazy IPA is brewed exclusively with a single hop variety and milk sugar. While all were enjoyable in their own way, my order of preference was in this order: Citra, Simcoe, Mosaic and Azacca. The Mosaic wasn't very hazy compared to the others, but it was cool to try these side by side and taste the nuances of each hop variety. Ironically, the one I was most excited about (Azacca) was my least favorite of the lot. Go figure.

While we worked on our beers, we decided to order something to nosh on. We decided on the smoked chicken bites with sassy sauce and blue cheese, which really hit the spot. For "dessert," we shared a pour of Parkway Peanut Butter Porter. I tend to stray from peanut butter beers, but for some reason this one was calling to me. I was happy that this porter boasted more of a roasty finish with only hint of sweetness. Usually it's the other way around. By and large, I'm not a huge fan of peanut butter beers, but this was pretty well done. And with that, we continued our north-bound journey to our next destination.

For our usual Memorial Day Weekend Trail as we call it, we typically head to Breaker Brewing in Wilkes-Barre and eventually end at Sabatini's. This time, however, we opted to swing by the newly opened Breaker Brewing Outpost. Situated north of Scranton in Archbald, PA, this large tasting room is aptly named "Outpost" because it's kind of in the middle of nowhere. However, there's plenty of parking and space inside to enjoy Breaker's ever-expanding beer selection. Also, our good friend Kristen recently had been appointed as its manager, so it proved to be a good opportunity to catch up with her and get the skinny on Breaker's latest endeavor. Of course, COVID-19 had put a damper on the otherwise successful launch of the location. After several weeks of more or less a packed house, like many small breweries, Breaker had the wind knocked out of them for a while. However, it seems like this new location is on the upswing as people are starting to get used to going out in public again.

View from the bar at Breaker Outpost.

The self-proclaimed "official microbrewery of NEPA's coal region," Breaker has been on the scene since 2005. Over the last 15 years, we've seen them start from humble beginnings and struggling to find their niche, to producing some seriously awesome beers - like Lime Life Key Lime Sour IPA, one of our favorite beers produced in the region. Sadly, it wasn't on tap this time, but there was plenty of other brews to be had.

I started with a pour of Patchtown Chocolate Coconut Porter. A variation on its standard Patchtown Porter, this English style porter features additions of tosted coconut and Dutch cocoa, which gives the beer additional notes of a Mounds candy bar. The coconut and chocolate flavors were pretty well balanced together, and the mouthfeel was nice and smooth without being too viscous or cloying. All in all, it was quite tasty.

I wasn't feeling like an IPA (and Breaker likes to dabble in hazy NE styles), so I opted for a pair of lagers for my next two selections. The first, Lantern, is an amber lager with notes of toasted grains, biscuit, and a touch of caramel. Amber lagers (obviously) fall in between pilsners or helles lagers and schwarzbiers or dark lagers, and I tend to like them on either end of the spectrum more than when they fall in the middle. Still, this was a fairly solid lager, so no complaints here.

Pleeps posin' with a pour of Lantern.

We ended with a shared pour of Santa Fe Pils, described as "a simple Pilsner with a crisp and refreshing lime finish."  I'm always down for a good pilsner, but I must admit that the "lime finish" reeled me in. Brewed with Pilsen malt, flake maize, and generous amounts of Motueka and Hallertau hops, this one straddled the line between classic Euro pils and Mexican lager. The Motueka and Hallertau hops worked nicely together to coak hints of citurs - and the expected lime - in the finish.

Since its food had always been enjoyable, we had planned to eat dinner at Breaker. I must admit I was initially disappointed that the Outpost's menu didn't feature the panini sandwiches we've come to love at the original location. However, this was quickly diminished once we dug into our bowls. Brimming with teriyaki chicken, broccoli and pineapple rice (me) and ahi tuna poke (Brewslut), these bowls were delicious, filling, and a very good value for money. Our bellies were sufficiently placated.

We made sure to grab a few 4-packs of the aforementioned Lime Life, which we were stoked to see was available in the beer cooler when we arrived, as well as a new IPA called GO V2.0 (more on that one in a bit) and a bomber of a barrel-aged stout. However, it was time to hit the rocky road, as we still had to drive a good hour to Binghamton, where we'd set up shop for the next four days. Until next time, Breaker!

Mullz with her main monkey!

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Friday was rife with new brewery visits... five, to be exact. While it wasn't a "double digit" day, it's pretty impressive when you consider that all of these breweries are currently operating with limited hours. First up was pretty much the impetus for the trip: Brewery Ommegang. Yes, it's true. We'd never been to Cooperstown, NY, to visit this regional craft beer staple. Some of the first Belgian-style beers I've had during my formative years are Ommegang staples: Hennepin, Three Philosophers, and Rare VOS all come to mind. Many beer friends have regaled us with tales of road trips to the annual Belgian Comes to Cooperstown festival, which is held at the brewery's sprawling rural grounds. It was a long time coming, and I was estatic to be there once we'd arrived. Pulling into the brewery grounds, we were transported to the picturesque European countryside (even though the sky was a bit overcast).

We made it!

Since Ommegang is currently open from 12 noon to 6 p.m., I decided it was best to arrive at opening time. This proved to be a sound decision, as we were quickly seated upon our arrival. Fifteen to twenty minutes later, there was a line of folks waiting to be seated. While the main tasting room still wasn't open to the public, the brewery store and beer garden were. It was a pleasant day to sit outside, and a cool breeze at a shady table swept over me. I felt amazing to be sitting outside and enjoying a beer at a brewery I'd been wanting to visit for more than a decade. But enough with the sentimental musings. Let's talk about beer!

Brewery Ommegang: a slice of Belgium in New York.

I was hoping to start the day with a pour of Hennepin, Ommegang's world-class saison, but sadly it wasn't on tap amid the dozen or so beers available. So, I switched gears and decided something hoppy was in order. I opted for Nirvana IPA, brewed with seven different hop varietals to deliver an array of piney aromas and juicy flavors. This one displayed a fair amount of bitterness with a long, dry finish. Coincidentally, Untappd reminded me that I'd been drinking this very beer exactly five years ago to the day! I followed that up with a pour of Black Lager, a limited draft release. This proved to be your typical dark lager or Schwarzbier with plenty of roasty flavor, smooth, chocolatey notes and a crisp bite in the finish.

Outside the (closed) Tap House at Ommegang.

We followed up with a pour of Neon Lights, an unfiltered hazy session IPA with lots of citrus and tropical notes. Dry-hopped with Citra and Mosaic hops, followed by a second round of dry-hopping with Topaz and Simcoe, this limited release packed a lot of flavor for a session IPA weighing in at 4.3%. This is a fine beer to enjoy in the outdoors!

While we were here, I had to try the pilsner. Idyll Days Pils, described as an unfiltered Belgian-style lager, is a new year-round beer brewed with floor-malted barley and fermented with a special Belgian yeast strain. Earthy and rustic yet soft and fruity with trademark notes of busciut and honey, this was an insanely drinkable beer.

For our final beer, we went with Homefront IPA , limited release for which I unfortunately could find no details. Sweet and malty with a hint of floral notes and citrus fruit, this one wasn't quite as enjoyable as neither Nirvana nor Neon Lights, but it was a decent old-school East Coast variation on the IPA style... certainly one you don't encounter all too often these days.

I would be remiss without mentioning Ommegang's on-site food truck, which serves up some seriously delicious creations. Brewslut went to scope out the menu, and when she returned to our table, remarked: "I already know what you're going to get!" Yup. Chicken and waffles for the win! But this was no mere ordinary chicken and waffles dish. This was served as a crispy buttermilk chicken breast on an Abbey Ale Liege-style waffle topped with maple bacon bechamel and raspberry jam. Dee-freakin'-licious!

Afterward, we perused items in the mercantile and left with a few 4-packs of pounder cans - limited variants of the tasty Three Philosophers, a blended Belgian Quad and Kriek - as well as a few cork and cage bottles. Even an impromptu thunderstorm while we were leaving couldn't put a damper on this visit. I can't wait to return and really experience this brewery in all its Belgian-esque splendor!

Everybody's got something to hide except...

On the way to Ommegang, we drove right past Cooperstown Brewing and saw they were open. We decided to backtrack a few miles and swing by for a beer. Wen we pulled into the small parking lot, there was a small group of people congregated outside enjoying some beers. Inside, the small tasting room had two separate rooms, both decorated with a baseball theme. (Not surprising, as Cooperstown is pretty much the baseball capital of the world. Most folks - even me - know that the baseball HOF is situated in Cooperstown.) I mentioned to Brewslut that this would be a quick one-and-done stop. We all know the drill by now, as we called countless audibles over the years when we catch wind of a brewery that could turn into a missed opportunity.

We scored seats right behind the dugout!

I decided to go light and ordered an All-American Lager, a crisp, pale straw-colored lager brewed with locally grown Saaz from nearby Hager Hops. Saaz is a fine Noble hop variety, especially for largers, and I enjoy its subtle grassy and citrusy notes in lagers and pilsners. I'm also see that more and more local hop farms are cropping up around the country. Nowadays, everyone immediately thinks of the Pacific Northwest region as the hop capital of the U.S. However, I once read that upstate New York was a hotbed for hop growing back in the pre-Prohibition days of the mid 1800s. A quick Google search revealed I was, in fact, correct. Central NY was the epicenter of hop growing in the U.S. back then. But after prohibition, and later a devastating fungus in the early 20th century, sadly played a huge role in snuffing out the New York hops industry.

Pleeps, the masked monkey!

Meanwhile, Brewslut was dabbling in a pour of Mango Milkshake IPA, a guest tap from Northway Brewing. Cooperstown featured a few of its beers as guest taps as well as a few canned offerings to-go, which initially made me wonder if Northway was either a sister brand or if they did some kind of contract brewing or packaging for Cooperstown. Either way, it seemed like both breweries are friendly allies. Turns out Northway is a neighboring brewery located in Queensbury, just north of Saratoga Springs on the edge of the Adirondack Park. Google to the rescue again! This beer was quite enjoyable and boasted a pleasant tropical fruit flavor with a slightly viscous mouthfeel typical of the milkshake style. I wish I would have had more, but it was time to move on.

Up next was a little place with a curious name: Council Rock. A bit of research revealed the origins of its name, which pays homage to a Native American meeting place that's a landmark of the local Cooperstown community. When we entered the small red building, the aroma of fried fish swept across my olfactory, and I wished I hadn't just eaten (although I have no regrets for scarfing down the chicken and waffles at Ommegang)! 

Outside Council Rock Brewpub. Can you spot Pleeps?

Inside, the place struck me as grandma's kitchen meets tiny family diner frequented by the geriatric populus... except with beer, of course. Speaking of which, the tap selection was rather meager but not lacking variety. I noticed that the brewery's own Leatherstocking Brown Ale - a style to which I typically don't gravitate - won a NY beer competition medal in 2017. So I decided to go with that. It was a fine brown ale, with equal parts sweet caramel and cocoa notes with a touch of coffee in the backend and plenty of nuttiness. Brewslut wasn't too wowed with her selection, however, which was a Pina Colada Gose. I had a few sips, and while I wouldn't say it was flawed in any way, we felt it just didn't have very much "pina colada" character. It drank like a typical gose - tart and salty.

Pleeps trying a Leatherstocking on for size.

For some reason or another, I mentioned Trailer Park Boys in passing to Brewslut, and the bartender overheard me, and I saw his ears perk up. Soon enough, we were talking about the show with him and trading impersonations of our favorite characters Bubbles, Ricky, and even Conky. They were kind enough to give us each a taster glass of the Oatmeal Stout, which was pretty solid albeit a tad thin for the style. It had a nice roasty flavor with a good bit of coffee aroma, though. 

Pleeps likes to climb.

Outside at our next stop, Red Shed, the building reminded us of Coulcil Rock with its red, wooden frame and brewery sign written in a bold, all uppercase block font. Adjacent to the inside tasting room area was a quaint beer garden boasting long strands of lights, a few pop tents and a small exterior stage for entertainment. There were a few tables available inside, so we opted for the AC since it was a bit soupy outside. 

Outside Red Shed Brewing.

Inside, the high sloped ceiling with wooden slats provided the atmosphere of hanging out in a barn, which I enjoyed quite a bit. Upon perusing the beer list, my eyes quickly focused on the Cherry Valley Smoked Porter. Score! I always like to encounter at least one smoked beer when we travel, and this would ultimately serve as the lone smoked beer of the trip. Medium bodied with a warm, smoky cherry wood character, this porter also boasts a roasty underbelly with a touch of chocolate sweetness around the edges for a balanced flavor. I enjoyed this one quite a bit. One of these days, I'm gonna get Brewslut into smoked beers. It might not be soon, but it'll happen. 

Pleeps ain't afraid of no smoke!

After a smoked beer, I always crave something hoppy. Enter Loose Rooster, a juicy DIPA with balanced hop notes of peach and mango and moderate bitterness in the finish. This one was another winner in my book. It incorporated pretty much everything I like in a DIPA: hoppy with a citrusy/fruity backbone and kick of bitterness with minimal alcohol burn, medium carbonation (slightly soft but with a bit of prickle on the tongue), full aroma, and just a touch of haze. Nicely done, Red Shed!

Since we were digging this place, we opted to split a pour of a third beer: Mohawk Pilsner. Featuring subtle notes of honey, nutty biscuit, and a pinch of black pepper, this bright American-style Pilsner features low bitterness and a malt forward flavor profile. Enjoyable as well, bringing Red Shed's tally to 3 for 3. I could have stayed a bit longer as there was plenty of beer to be had, but it was time to fire up the CRV and head to our final brewery of the day. 

Beer Garden at Red Shed.

We ventured just outside of Cooperstown to nearby Oneonta for our last stop of the day. Roots Brewing Company feels like equal parts brewery and art gallery, which makes perfect sense because it was built with the help of local artisans and tradesmen from the community. Colorful local artwork in many shapes and sizes graces the exposed brick walls that frame the tasting room. Founded in 2012 by a pair of beer loving friends - one, a homebrewer and the other, a scientist - Roots sought to bring community into its beers. As a matter of fact, the brewery uses Oneonta-grown hops in ALL of its house beers. That's pretty cool! 

Inside Roots Brewing in Oneonta, NY.

Inside, it was pretty empty so we easily snagged a cozy table and sized up the beer menu. Roots definitely has a penchant for Belgian-style ales, so we opted for a pair of beers with some Belgian flair. I settled on Joy, a French farmhouse ale, while Brewslut opted for Inebriati, a Belgian IPA with local Nugget, Chinook, Cascade, and Fuggle hops from Hilltops Hops in Oneonta. Both beers were solid (if memory serves me... things always get a tad hazy toward the end of the day) and in hindsight, I wish we would have tried the two other house beers that were on tap during our visit. Aside from the four Roots beers, there were several guest taps, which leads me to believe that they employ a very small nano brewhouse. However, we'd had enough, and it was time to head back to the hotel and recover, as we had a full day in store for us the following day. 

But the day's not over quite yet. Back at Hotel, we decided to break into some of the beer we picked up at Breaker the night before, so we split a can of GO V2.0, a hazy IPA brewed with pilsen, white wheat, and malted oats for a silky texture. This one is primarily hopped with Sabro, but also includes just a touch of Eldorado to evoke notes of tangerine, fresh mint, cedar wood, and a hint of shaved coconut. Bedtime now, children! 

See you all on Saturday - the Fourth of July! - for part 2 of 3. Until next time...