Dutchess Craft Beverage Trail

Dennings Point Distillery

Posted on by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

(Thank you to Dutchess Tourism and Dennings Point Distillery for hosting NY Foodie Family.  As always, all opinions are our own.)

Dennings Point Distillery is located on North Chestnut Street, in Beacon.  The Distillery has been open since September of 2014 and is housed in a former mechanic shop.

When we visited during a summer weekend, founder Karl was relaxing in the Distillery. Because, doesn’t his shirt say it all?! He took us on a tour and gave us a bit of the Distillery’s history.  Similar to many of the people that we have met in the craft beverage trade, distilling started as a hobby for Karl.  He previously had a career in healthcare management and in 1990 bought his first moonshine  still.  Once craft distilling was legalized, many years later, he decided to give it a go professionally.

Denning’s Point makes several different products, though their best seller (and Karl’s favorite) is their bourbon.  The Distillery tries to source as many local ingredients as possible.  The bourbon is made from grains sourced in New Paltz and rye from the Finger Lakes region.  Another great example of their “the closer, the better” philosophy is the apple brandy made with apples from Wappingers Falls.

They make a vodka and their gin is an American-style gin that is more citrusy than the traditional.  Maid of the Meadow is a wheat-based spirit infused with wild herbs and honey. All three are distilled from NY State wheat.

Distilling takes place during the week with weekends dedicated to tours and tastings. Much of the equipment and machinery has been cleverly repurposed by Karl to suit his needs for each particular task.  However, their 250-gallon hybrid still was hand hammered in Louisville, Kentucky for its specific use.  They propagate their own yeast, which takes extra time, but makes a big difference in the flavor of their spirits.

To age their spirits, they use a variety of barrels including 10, 30 and 53 gallons.  Once the spirits are ready to be bottled, it’s an all-hands-on-deck operation. All of their spirits are bottled and labeled in a small room in the back.

After our tour, my husband enjoyed a tasting.  Their tasting room is  small and only seats about six guests.  He tried the 100 proof Beacon Bourbon, Maid of the Meadow and their Blueberry Gin.  The Blueberry Gin is a seasonal product, made with wild blueberries.  As I mentioned, the Beacon Bourbon is one of Denning’s Point Distillery’s most popular spirits.  Of the three that he tried, my husband’s favorite was Maid of the Meadow. He’s always been drawn to honey, whether a spirit infusion or cocktail ingredient.

Denning’s Point Distillery was voted Hudson Valley Magazine’s  “Best Hudson Valley Distillery” in 2015, 2016 and 2017.  Karl would like to continue growing a local presence but increase widening distribution of their spirits.  Most visitors come up from the city, as Beacon is easily accessible by train.  We recommend Hudson Valley residents, too,  make a visit to the Distillery. If you can’t make it, their products are distributed through Manhattan Beer at locations throughout the Hudson Valley.

The Details:

Denning’s Point Distillery
10 North Chestnut Street
Beacon, NY 12508
(845) 476-8413

Website: http://www.denningspointdistillery.com

Tastings & Tours:  Friday 2 PM -8 PM (Tastings only), Saturday 2 PM – 8 PM (Tours at approximately 2:30, 3:30 and 4:30 PM, except for the second Saturday of each month when tours are at 2:30 and 3:30 only), Sunday 2 PM – 6 PM (Tastings only)

Price:  Tastings & Tour $5

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A Visit To Hudson Valley Brewery

Posted on by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

(Thank you to Hudson Valley Brewery and Dutchess Tourism for hosting us. As always, all opinions are our own.)

Hudson Valley Brewery is currently one of three craft breweries in Beacon, New York.  Located on Main Street, the brewery resides in a white painted brick building that was formerly a metal dinghy factory.  You enter the brewery through a garage door that opens into a large, warehouse-type tasting room. Visitors can start a tab at the bar with a credit card.  The bar is strictly for ordering beers, as there are no seats to sit at, and it’s constantly bustling with guests.  However, there are plenty of picnic tables, both inside and out to sit at and relax while enjoying your beer.

Hudson Valley Brewery specializes in sour IPAs.  They have a 30 barrel system and last year released 65 different beers.  They rarely make the same beer twice, so there’s plenty of reasons to visit often.   The descriptions of these beers make me want to try them all!  The brewery doesn’t offer flights, but most of their beers are available in three different sizes (4 oz, 8 oz or 16 oz).  Each guest is allow to order two beers at a time, but multiple trips can be had.

The day of our visit, my husband tried two different beers.  He tried the Holocene and the Motueka Incandenza.  The Holocene is a 6% sour IPA that, according to the menu,  tastes like, “poundcake, mango drink and funfetti.”  The Motukea Incandenza is also a 6% sour IPA and the tasting notes include “limoncello, green Boston Fruit slices and Glacier Freeze Gatorade.”  This was my husband’s first time trying sour beer, but after this tasting he has become a big fan.  He enjoyed both of these beers but liked the Incandenza a little bit more.  The Fauna seemed to be a popular beer, as it was ordered several times while we there.  It has an enticing light pink color.

If you enjoy the beer, you can purchase cans to bring home with you.  The colorful, pastel-colored cans are designed by artist Evan Cohen. They have a can release every two weeks, alternating Fridays and Saturdays.  New releases are very popular, and some sour beer fans even camp out before the day of a release to ensure they get to be one of the first to sample it.

We visited on a summer Saturday and the brewery was bustling even shortly after the 2 PM opening time.  Visitors come from all over to sample their sour beers.  The brewery is doing some brisk business and within the next year they have plans to expand into the building next door with a restaurant and tasting room.

The Details:

Hudson Valley Brewery
7 East Main Street
Beacon, NY
(845) 218-9156

Website: http://hudsonvalleybrewery.com
Hours: Thursday & Friday 5 PM – 10 PM, Saturday 2 PM – 10 PM, Sunday 2 PM – 8 PM

 

 

 

 

Dinner and a Beer Flight at Mill House Brewing Company

Posted on by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

(Thank you to Dutchess Tourism and Mill House Brewing Company for hosting NY Foodie Family.  As always, all opinions are our own.)

Mill House Brewing Company is located on Mill Street in Poughkeepsie, right off of Rt. 55.  Surprisingly, the restaurant was never actually a mill and was most recently a Chinese restaurant! My husband and I didn’t realize until visiting that we’ve driven by this place multiple times on our way across the river!  Now that we know that it’s there though, we will be back.  Mill House Brewing Company is a brewery and a pub.  When we talked to people at other stops on our Dutchess Craft Beverage Trail tour and mentioned that we were visiting Mill House Brewing Company, they always commented on how good the food was here.  And they weren’t wrong!

The restaurant has an extensive menu, filled with so many delicious options.  My husband and I debated making a meal out of Appetizers and Bar Bites, because there were so many dishes that we wanted to try!  In the end we took our server’s recommendation and shared the Fried Calamari Salad.  The portion was humongous and could have been a meal in itself!  I had never heard of a fried calamari salad before, but it was so good.  The calamari was so tender and the chili-lime vinaigrette and Srirarcha Ranch aioli complemented the arugula so well.

For our entrees we shared the Fig and “Pig” pizza and a Deep Fried Scallop and Oyster Po’Boy.  The sandwich was messy good!  Unfortunately, it was a daily special and not something that they serve every day.

The pizza Fig and “Pig” is one of five pizzas that the restaurant serves.  This has smoked mozzarella, housemade duck bacon, black mission figs, arugula and aged balsamic.  We were getting full and took most of the pizza home with us!

Mill House Brewing also has several burgers on their menu, including the 50/50 burger being the winner of the Hudson Valley Burger Bash, three years in a row.  They also make several different sausages and offer a variety of pasta, seafood and steak dishes.  There is something for everyone at this Mill House and I can almost guarantee you that it will be delicious.

We were seriously too stuffed for dessert, as much as we wanted to try some of them (I’m talking about you, Peanut Butter Sundae and Cannoli Profiteroles!).  Just another reason for us to go back!

“….our A-Team here, who make “holy s#*t” moments happen at Mill House day in and day out.”

But of course, besides serving amazing food, we can’t forget that Mill House is also a brewery!  They have 16 taps and are always changing the beers that they serve.  My husband enjoyed a flight, where you can choose 5 beers for $15.  His flight included Kold One, which is their most popular beer, Cross Reference Blackberry, Cucumber Blessings, Velvet Panda and Northwest Territory. Although he enjoyed them all, his favorite was Cucumber Blessings. This award-winning cream ale is crisp and dry with notes of cucumber.  Basically, a perfect summer beer!

Assistant General Manger, Chris, told to us that the brewmasters Jamie Bishop and Larry Stock have become more experimental with their beers since they acquired the additional space down the street that houses 20 additional barrels.  According to Chris, asking him to name his favorite beer is like asking a parent to name their favorite child.  However, at the time of our visit, his current favorite brew was Zoe.

Brewmaster Jamie works with a local artist to create unique badges for each new beer.

If you really enjoy your beer, hopefully it is one of five that are sold in cans.  Kold One, Cucumber Blessings, Hubar I DIPA, Grocery Getter and Northwest Territory Imperial are their five beers that you can find in stores like Whole Foods, some local beer distributors and even Grand Central Station.  Otherwise, you can purchase some on your way out of the restaurant to take home with you (along with some of their home homemade sauces made with their beer).

Stop by The Mill House Brewing Company for a delicious meal and a cold brew (or flight)!

The Details:

Mill House Brewing Company
289 Mill Street
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
(845) 485-2739

Website: www.millhousebrewing.com

Hours: Monday – Thursday 11:30 AM – 9 PM, Friday 11:30 AM – 10:30 PM, Saturday 11 AM – 10:30 PM, Sunday Brunch 11 AM – 3 PM, Sunday Dinner 3 PM – 9 PM

Enjoying Locally Made Spirits at the Taconic Distillery

Posted on by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

(Thank you to Dutchess Tourism and the Taconic Distillery for hosting NY Foodie Family.  As always, all opinions are our own.)

Distillation is the process of selectively boiling and condensing a liquid to separate the components, in this particular case, the alcohol. The Dutchess Craft Beverage Trail currently has three distilleries.  The first one that we visited is the Taconic Distillery located in Stanfordville, NY.  The Distillery was established in 2013, originally known as the Millbrook Distillery.

Driving up to the Distillery, the first thing you notice is the giant dog on the side of the building.  This is an image of Copper, the owner’s beloved dog who passed away.  It is also Taconic Distillery’s logo and is found on everything from its bourbon and whiskey bottles to the tasting glasses and stickers.

Taconic Distillery’s founder, Paul Coughlin, is a big hunting fan and lover of the outdoors.  The decor of the tasting room reflects this love.  The wood lined walls and leather furnishings give the space a rustic and cozy feel.

My husband, the spirits drinker, enjoyed a tasting at the Taconic Distillery.  We asked the bartender for her recommendations.  She started him off with the Dutchess Private Reserve, a 90 proof straight bourbon whiskey.

Next, he had the 90 proof Founder’s Rye Whiskey.  He finished with her favorite, the 115 proof Barrel Strength Straight Bourbon Whiskey.

The bourbon and ryes are made onsite and after the tasting, our server took us into the back so we could see the actual distillery. To be considered NY state grown, 75% of the ingredients used must be made in New York.  Taconic’s products are 100% New York state sourced, from the grains to the spring water.  The Distillery performs their bottling every Tuesday.  As a small-run operation, bottling is an all-hands-on-deck affair.   Although the operation is small, their products are available in liquor stores in 12 states.

The spirits are stored in barrels to age.  The maple syrup that they produce from their nearby farm, Rolling Hills Farm, is also aged in their barrels.

While the Taconic Distillery doesn’t serve food, they do have a carry-in/carry-out policy.  There is plenty of outdoor seating, including a lovely fire pit, and a grill is available for public use.  Who could say no to enjoying a cocktail with this view?!

The Details:

Taconic Distillery
179 Bowen Road
Stanfordville, NY 12584
(845) 393-4583

Website: https://www.taconicdistillery.com

Tasting Room Hours: Saturday 12 PM – 6 PM, Sunday 12 PM – 5 PM, Closed in January

Tasting Price:  $15 for 3 tastings of your choice and a souvenir glass or $8 for a cocktail

Millbrook Vineyards & Winery

Posted on by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

(Thank you to Dutchess Tourism and Milbrook Vineyards & Winery for hosting NY Foodie Family.  As always, all opinions are our own.)

Millbrook Vineyards & Winery is one of four wineries in Dutchess County.  This was the only winery stop on our recent Craft Beverage Trail visit.  I have to be honest, my husband and I are not regularly wine drinkers and have not visited many wineries.  However, I can see why the Millbrook Vineyards & Winery has been voted “Best Winery” in the Hudson Valley.

As you drive up to the winery, you pass some of the 30-acres of vineyards, as Millbrook grows most of their own grapes.  You can even take a tour of the vineyard and learn all about their grape growing and wine making process.

Because we had so many stops that day, we were limited on time and visited the winery for a tasting only. I was impressed by the elegance of the tasting room.  The tastings are held in a restored 1940’s Dutch style barn, which is bright with two different bar areas.

Millbrook offers two tasting options.  The portfolio tasting, which we enjoyed, includes a cross-section of six wines as well as an olive oil tasting at the end.  Reservations are not required, but space is limited. The winery also offers a reserve tasting, which includes the “upper tier” of their wine portfolio.  Reservations are required for the reserve tasting.

We arrived at the 12 PM opening and, during our tasting, the entire bar was filled with approximately 12 guests.  Since I was the designated driver for the day, only my husband participated in the wine tasting.  The tasting started with white wines and ended with red.  The first wine was a 2017 Hunt Country White. This is a table wine and the lightest and sweetest they offer.  It is also one of Millbrook’s most popular wines and was my husband’s favorite as well.  The next wine was a 2017 Tocai Fritulano Proprietor’s Special Reserve.

We then sampled a 2017 Dry Riesling Proprietor’s Special Reserve. This is produced Mosel-style, in a green bottle. Keeping wine in green bottles helps prevent oxidation, which can make wine taste dull or vinegary.

A 2016 Chardonnay was next.  Several restaurants in the Hudson Valley serve this wine.  Then the reds were served which included a 2016 Pinot Noir. Of the two red wines sampled, this one was my husband’s favorite.

The tasting ended with the Hunt County Red.  All of the featured wines are available to purchase by the glass, bottle and/or case.

 

The winery has made many award-winning wines and the ribbons and medals are proudly on display in the wine shop area.  There are also other locally made products available for purchase.

The winery is beautiful and is set up for guests to stay and enjoy the afternoon.  There is an approximately one mile vineyard walking trail.  The route leads through the vineyards up to the top of the estate.

The vineyard also has a volleyball net and corn hole boards set up in the front of the winery as well as plenty of seats for those that just want to sit back and relax.

The Vineyard Grille is located next to the winery. The tented outdoor space is open on the weekends and serves burgers, sandwiches, salads and more from local catering and gourmet shop, Slammin’ Salmon. Everything is reasonably priced from $8-$15 dollars.

There are several ponds on the property as well, which help create a tranquil environment. Throughout the summer, the winery hosts several different events including Friday Night Food Trucks and Jazz at the Grille Concerts on Saturday evenings.   Millbrook Vineyards & Winery is a beautiful location here in the Hudson Valley.  If you are looking to visit a local winery, we highly recommend stopping here.

The Details:

Millbrook Vineyards & Winery
26 Wing Road
Millbrook, NY 12545
(800) 662-WINE or (845) 677-8383
Website:  www.Millbrookwine.com

Hours:  Open daily 12 PM – 6 PM, Saturdays 12 PM – 7 PM

Prices:  Portfolio Tasting – $12.50/person (includes a souvenir wine glass)
Portfolio Tasting and Tour – $15.00/person
Reserve Tasting – $25.00/person (includes souvenir wine glass)
Reserve Tasting and Tour – $27.50/person

 

A Visit to Blue Collar Brewery {Dutchess Craft Beverage Trail}

Posted on by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

(Thank you to Dutchess Tourism and Blue Collar Brewery for hosting NY Foodie Family.  As always, all opinions are our own.)

In November 2014, Blue Collar Brewery opened on Cottage Street in Poughkeepsie, NY. The brewery epitomizes the concept of a small family business, with a small operation including father-son partners, Kevin and Randall.

Brewing has been a part of the Marquis family, long before Brew Collar Brewery opened. Kevin Marquis is a former Physical Therapist and was brewing at home since the 80’s.  Having a father interested in brewing meant Randall grew up in the craft beer world.  Childhood vacations always included stops at different breweries. Randall went away to college in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  While at college, he even spent some time working at one of the pour houses at the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire, before returning back to Poughkeepsie.  He is now a professional brewer, with credentials from the University of California Davis.

The brewery is located in what was a former factory dating back to the late 1800’s.  Before housing Blue Collar Brewery, the building was previously a garment factory, a meat packing factory and, most recently, a storage facility for a paper company. With assistance from the city of Poughkeepsie, the Marquises located the building, which was not in the best condition.  The father-son team did a lot of the renovations themselves to get the building to its current state.

We visited Blue Collar Brewery on a sunny, summer Saturday afternoon.  During our visit, there was a family with children eating in the dining room.  However, the majority of the crowd was comprised of singles, friends and couples of all ages, both at the bar and sitting in the dining area.

Although we didn’t eat here, the menu has a variety of offerings.  Cleverly categorized into “shifts”, the brewery serves appetizers and a variety of burgers, sandwiches, wraps and other finger foods.  The offerings are reasonably priced and there are plenty of kid-friendly options.

But, of course, this is a brewery and you want to know about the beer!  As you walk from the entrance into the dining area and bar, you pass the brewery, located in the basement level below.  Blue Collar Brewery is always changing the brews that they offer.  Since opening the brewery in late 2014, they have offered 40 different brews.  They always have 5-7 brews on tap, direct from the cold room downstairs.  You will always find the Cream Ale and IPA #8 on tap, as these are the most “mainstream” people-pleasers. However, the Marquises are always creating new experimental batches and one-offs (beers that are only made once), so you’ll never know what you may find on tap on your visit.

On our visit, my husband had a flight that included the five beers on the brewery’s draft list and a bonus.  Pictured (from right to left) is the Cream Ale, IPA #8, Irish Red Ale, Dry Irish Stout and the Pilsner.  The last beer on the left is a Saison, not listed on the printed menu.  You can sample five (5oz.) beers as a flight for only $12.  Of the six that he tried, my husband’s favorite was the Irish Red Ale. This is in line with the best sellers, which are the Irish Red Ale and the IPA.  While Randall’s favorite draft is constantly changing, at the time of our visit he was favoring the pilsner.

For those that may not prefer beer, the brewery also serves cider and wine, most of which are also made locally in the Hudson Valley.

A visit to Blue Collar Brewery is highly recommended. The brewery got its name from the “Blue Collar” atmosphere that Kevin and Randall wanted to create.  They wanted “a gathering place free of pretension, where American craft products can be enjoyed.” And I think they did just that.  The brewery is very casual and has a laid-back vibe.  You can sit at the bar and watch your favorite sports team on one of the many large screens.  Or you can relax at a table in the dining room.  Regardless, Randall is a superb and gracious host and treats every guest like a friend.  He has such a warm vibe and converses easily with all the patrons.  During our visit, Kevin was mostly on the floor, making sure all the dining room guests were taken care of.  He was super-attentive and always on the move.  They make a great team.  You can tell that the two are rightfully proud of the business that they have created.  NY Foodie Family wishes them much continued success!

The Details:
Blue Collar Brewery
40 Cottage Street
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
(845) 454-BREW

Parking:  Street parking is available in front of the brewery.  There is also a small parking lot next to the brewery.

Hours:  Monday – Thursday 3- 10 PM, Friday & Saturday 12 PM – 11 PM, Sunday 12 PM – 10 PM

Dutchess Craft Beverage Trail

Posted on by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

(Thank you to Dutchess Tourism and the below craft beverage sites for hosting NY Foodie Family.  As always, all opinions are our own.)

The craft beverage industry has seen expansive growth over the past several years.  The Hudson Valley is home to many breweries, wineries and distilleries, with more opening over time.  A large number of Hudson Valley’s craft beverages can be found in Dutchess County.  So many, in fact, that they’ve created their own craft beverage trail.  The Dutchess Craft Beverage Trail currently has 20 “stops” with more continuing to be added.  My husband and I have visited several of the breweries, wineries and distilleries that make up the Dutchess Craft Beverage Trail.  I could merely provide you with a list of all the places that we visited.  Below, you will find a list of those stops.  I have provided the important details like location, hours and website links.  However, during our stops, we chatted with owners, managers and employees.  Each of the places we visited has its own story that really should be told.  Over the next several weeks, I will be linking to the unique stories that NY Foodie Family is thrilled to share.  We haven’t yet been able to visit all the stops on the Dutchess Craft Beverage Trail.  But if we haven’t visited it yet, you can be sure it’s on our list to check out soon!

Blue Collar Brewery (Read about our visit here!)

40 Cottage Street
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
(845) 454-BREW

Website:  http://www.thebluecollarbrewery.com/
Hours:  Monday – Thursday 3 PM -10 PM, Friday & Saturday 12 PM – 11 PM, Sunday 12 PM – 10 PM

Denning’s Point Distillery
10 North Chestnut Street
Beacon, NY 12508
(845) 476-8413

Website: http://www.denningspointdistillery.com/
Tastings & Tours:  Friday 2 PM -8 PM (Tastings only), Saturday 2 PM – 8 PM (Tours at approximately 2:30, 3:30 and 4:30 PM, except for the second Saturday of each month when tours are at 2:30 and 3:30 only), Sunday 2 PM – 6 PM (Tastings only)
Price:  Tastings & Tour $5

Hudson Valley Brewery
7 East Main Street
Beacon, NY 12508
(323) 552-6563

Website: http://hudsonvalleybrewery.com
Hours: Thursday & Friday 5 PM – 10 PM, Saturday 2 PM – 10 PM, Sunday 2 PM – 8 PM

Millbrook Vineyards & Winery (Read about our visit here!)
26 Wing Road
Millbrook, NY 12545
(845) 677-8383

Website:  http://www.millbrookwine.com/
Hours: Open Daily 12 PM – 6 PM, Saturday 12 PM – 7 PM

Millhouse Brewing Company (Read about our visit here!)
289 Mill Street
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
(845) 485-2739

Website: https://www.millhousebrewing.com
Hours: Monday – Thursday 11:30 AM – 9 PM, Friday 11:30 AM – 10:30 PM, Saturday 11 AM – 10:30 PM, Sunday Brunch 11 AM – 3 PM, Sunday Dinner 3 PM – 9 PM

Taconic Distillery (Read about our visit here!)
179 Bowen Road
Stanfordville, NY 12584
(845) 393-4583

Website: https://www.taconicdistillery.com
Tasting Room Hours: Saturday 12 PM – 6 PM, Sunday 12 PM – 5 PM, Closed in January