Brown’s Brewery is located on River Street in Troy, NY. Formerly the Brown & Moran, then later just The Troy Brew Pub, this little gem has been a cornerstone in my love affair with great beer.

The building is some sort of old warehouse or factory that has been transformed into a rustic, welcoming, brew pub. Inside on the first floor is a big horseshoe bar and seating for dining. There is a small stage in the corner where bands play from time to time and they are always very good. Most everything is exposed, old wood, or iron upon which it is the place is built. In this main taproom, there is a huge window that overlooks the brew kettles and where you can watch the brewers hard at work, and smell the wonderful wort.

There is a deck outside that over looks the Hudson River and the yachts that tie up along the bank. During the summer, the bands will setup outside and you can even fill up at the outdoor taps. The upstairs has more dining room plus another taproom and space to host large parties.

The food has never been the pub’s focal point, but they do make good pub food. Don’t expect fine cuisine, but expect pub standards, some with a twist, and many including beer from their own taps. Last time I visited I had a German pretzel with a mustard/beer dipping sauce and I loved it. (Really, I was impressed by a pretzel.)

Three of my all-time favorite beers are/were made at the Troy Brew Pub. The Pale Ale, the Porter, and the Oatmeal Stout. The Pale Ale is just a fantastic pale ale, and there is something very distinct and different about it, but I can never put my finger on it. However, if you put a glass of it in front of me, along with a dozen other pale ales, I can easily pick it out.

The Harwood Porter is my favorite porter and my favorite beer of all time. Yes, I mean the best ever. In other words, if you were going to tell me I could only drink one beer for the rest of my life, this would be it. What makes it so great and so special is that it doesn’t taste smoky, or overly roasted. It just tastes like beer. Porters should be heavy in malt and high in hops and that is what you taste. Not caramels, not hickory, not smoke… just damn great beer. This porter has spoiled me and set a very high standard to which I hold all other porters accountable for. Woodstock Brewing’s Big Indian Porter is the closest I have ever found to the Harwood. Unfortunately, this porter is now only brewed in limited quantities.

As long as the recipes haven’t changed, and the brewing care is the same as it ever was, you can always count on quality and freshness at Brown’s Brewery. But is it? That brings me to Uncle Rodney’s Oatmeal Stout, and a story that needs its own entry.