Brown & Moran, Troy Pub and Brewery, Brown’s Brewery… what ever the current name is, and despite the changes that seem to have gone on in the background, this pub in downtown Troy, New York is still my all-time favorite local pub. It is a bright spot in a historical city that has made strides towards restoring itself to its former glory.

For this set of articles, I’d like to give you some background on the city of Troy. The Wikipedia entry gives you a good idea of what the city is like:

Troy is best known as a “Victorian City” and is home to countless samples of Victorian architecture and iron work. The city has an impressive number of intact Tiffany stained-glass windows in their original architectural settings. With a still-intact architectural heritage that is representative of urban settings of the late 19th century, cinematographers have found fertile ground for location filming in the city of Troy. Ironweed, Age of Innocence, Scent of a Woman, The Bostonians, The Emperor’s Club, and The Time Machine are just some of the films shot in the city. However, there are many buildings in a state of disrepair, but concerned citizens and community groups and investors are taking a hand in restoring them.

Tragically, as is the case with many American cities, the heart of downtown Troy fell victim to so-called “urban renewal” in the 1970s. The gutting of Troy’s business district, which destroyed downtown Troy’s vitality, has been a major contributing factor to the city’s problems in recent years. However, there is an effort by lawmakers, business owners, and concerned citizens to revitalize the downtown area.

Part of this effort has been the establishment (and some would say success) of its “Antique District,” which is located on River Street in downtown Troy. Various cafes, sandwich shops, record stores, and art galleries have also begun to appear and/or gain prominence. In addition, there are numerous projects in the works to fill currently unoccupied buildings and storespace in the downtown area, including clothing stores, an independent film theatre, and other businesses. As a host to many art, literature, and music lovers, the city also hosts an array of free shows during the Summer. Many of these can be seen on River Street, in parks, and in certain cafes and coffee shops.

I saw the filming of The Time Machine in Troy; it was quite a sight. Troy was chosen because if you replace modern day cars with horse and carriages, you are suddenly in New York City circa 1890. (The photo above is from the film, Age of Innocence) Through my research for this article, I also learned that Bruegger’s Bagels was founded in Troy. I’ve been to that shop a millions times and never knew it started there.

The Troy Pub, as I will forever call it, has atmosphere and some of the best beers I have ever had. And, I’m going to tell you all about it… (to be continued)