Hop Talk

I drove a few miles out of my way to stop at Jewett’s Cheese House in Earlville, NY, just to see what I could find. Never having been there before, I had no idea what to expect except that I knew it was in a rural area surrounded by farms in the heartland of upstate New York.

Inside I found an array of natural food snacks; everything from sweet and hot Buffalo peanuts to dried vegetable chips. There was also lots of cheese, highlighted by aged New York cheddar. You can buy it aged anywhere from 1 year to 14 years each named after family names like Grandad, Granny, Old Mac, Ginny, Old Geezer, etc.

Terri Jewett-Larkin was extremely friendly and helpful, offering to cut any cheese to any size. Still, I grabbed a small block out of the cooler that was aged 3 years called Great Grandad. But then I noticed a sampler of cheeses laid out that said “age makes a difference, try and see”. So, I did, and then went back to the cooler to exchange my choice for something older. I knew age made a difference, but I was surprised by how just a few years could change the taste so dramatically.

With a handful of goodies and my cheese I went to check out but then noticed a sign that read “Beer Cheese”… I was all over that. Beer Cheese is actually an import from the UK, a cheddar made with an Extra Strong Ale plus some spices and herbs like parsley. Terri provided me with a sample and it seemed like the perfect pairing for that Ommegang Hennepin Farmhouse saison I was looking for. Al recently blogged about pairing beer and cheese plus readers Keith, Chris and Max all commented with a suggestion of cheese to pair with that Belgium saison. Add some smoked meat and it was the perfect lunch.

I’m not unfamiliar with pairing cheese with beer, but this occasion was made extra special by the great New York made ale, and the pleasant experience from Jewett’s Cheese House. Jewett’s Cheese House can be found on the Internet, and orders can be placed via phone @ 1-800-638-3836. I highly recommend them.

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I’m still inspired by the June Session event, so much that I’m still writing about it. Today I want to tell you about a couple more bright spots in Albany, New York.

Downtown Albany has been going through renovations as part of a revitalization project with new sidewalks and the installation of old fashioned lamp posts, not to mention incentives for restaurants and businesses on Pearl Street and Broadway.

A few years ago they built the Gateway to the Hudson, a walkway over the highway to the riverfront park where they put on concerts every Thursday in the summer for Alive at Five. This event is extremely popular though you can’t bring in any alcohol, limiting you to Consumer Reports’ highly rated Coors Light. *rolls eyes*

With the revitalized city, new pubs and restaurants are opening making hanging out in downtown ever more attractive. But today, I’m talking about two pubs that have been there all along, Mahar’s and McGeary’s

Mahar’s
Mahar’s is actually uptown a bit, but Albany isn’t that big of a city. Mahar’s boasts an extensive array of beers on tap and in the bottle. I’m not just talking a lot, I mean like 500 “a lot.” Not all at once, of course, but trust me, you will need to have a beer while you study the beer list trying to figure out what you really want to have. They update their website regularly with what is available on tap. They even give you a list of what is “on deck”.

They also have real, cask conditioned, hand-pumped, ale. I’d like to hear from our friends across the pond (like Stonch) to learn if any of these beers are the better ones. Here is a current list of cask ales.

Although Mahar’s is not known for its atmosphere, it is well-known for their beer list and so I highly recommend it for the true beer lover.

Mahar’s
1110 Madison Ave
Albany, New York, 12208

McGeary’s
McGeary’s, located downtown on N Pearl St., is better know for it’s atmosphere as opposed to the beer list. It is an Irish style pub, with plenty of Irish beers to choose from. Expect typical American pub fare from the menu with everything from deli sandwiches to Tiramisu for dessert. Note, they also serve Beef on aWeck.

During the week, this place is hopping with the working crowd at both lunch and happy hour. Happy hour definitely attracts the younger crowd. In the summer, they set up tents on the sidewalk to host bands Thursday through Saturday evening. It seems that after Alive at Five, McGeary’s is the next venue on the list. If you want to listen to a great Irish band, head there when Hair of the Dog is playing. Be forewarned: on these popular evenings you will be served in plastic cups to avoid breaking glass.

McGeary’s
4 Clinton Square (and N. Pearl)
Albany, NY 12208

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Clifton Park, New York

The topic for June’s Session was about local beer and I was tempted to mention one of the best pubs around that just happens to be down the road from me. But the topic was about local beer, not local pubs, so I saved this blog entry until now.

The Old Dublin Inn in Clifton Park is just a fantastic pub with a great line of beers on tap. Sure, they’ve got something to satisfy even your Coors Light fan, but the rest of the line up leaves you drooling and pondering just what is it you want to have.

They have Southern Tier, Stone, and of course, every Irish stout you can buy; 30 beers on tap and another 50 choices of bottles in all. The fast and friendly service is a perk and the fairly new deck outside is a great way to enjoy your beer in the summer. In the chilly months, the taproom is a great place to warm up with a beer, especially on evenings with live music.

The Old Dublin Inn is a great pub in location that is otherwise your typical suburbia filled with box restaurants. A review in the Albany Times Union has this to say about it…

Billy and Angie Byrne have taken the plunge, renovating the 18th-century yellow farmhouse that for years had been the Olde Dater Tavern, then briefly Marisa’s Olde Dater Tavern. Now, it’s the Old Dublin Inn, complete with live music, a pub room and seven-day lunch and dinner service.The Byrnes, who were involved with McGeary’s in Albany until last summer, did a seven-week renovation project of this historic building, tucked in a hollow along Route 9 and Farm to Market Road.

A bar … the top made of old church pews … was placed in the largest of the seven rooms, a beer menu headed by 24 beers on tap and a wine list of 50-plus labels were put together, and Erick Brokaw (Parc V, D’Raymond’s) was hired as chef.

The results: a comfortable taproom with exposed beams, a small performance space, and tables as well as bar-side seating; several intimate dining rooms take advantage of the crooked floors, walls and corners.

I’m tempted to mention another Clifton Park pub, Ravenswood, but not because of their beer. (The better beer selection is limited to a couple Sam Adams’s, Saranacs, Guinness, Harp, & Bass) What is worth it is if you get over there on a Monday or Thursday evening; they make a great Beef on Weck and it is all you can eat. Their Buffalo wings are also some of the best around.

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Artvoice, which bills itself as Buffalo, New York’s “#1 Alternative Newsweekly”, recently published an interesting article about Buffalo’s brewing history and the fate of the many breweries that used to call the “Queen City” home. It is inspired by a book entitled Rushing the Growler: The History of Brewing in Buffalo by Stephen R. Powell.

You’ve probably seen one of the Buffalo’s former breweries before, but you might not have known it. They’re all over the city, but their outer appearances can be deceiving; there is little left to identify these portals into Buffalo’s brewing past. Many have also been knocked down and turned into residential areas, commercial developments and parking lots. Others remain empty and abandoned, while others have been gutted and renovated into offices and concert venues.

The article goes on to discuss the fate of some of these breweries and the circumstances which ultimately caused them to fail. Prohibition was a big factor, of course, but also lack of pasteurization and the efficient distribution network of Anheuser-Busch and Miller in the forties and fifties. There was also the anti-German sentiments of both World Wars which caused a backlash against anything German, contributing to the demise of the German-American Brewing Company, among others.

“The world wars pretty much ruined the German-American community,” said Powell. “Our German culture has pretty much been destroyed after two world wars.”

Even recent brewers have had trouble re-establishing Buffalo’s beer heritage. The Buffalo Brewing Co. opened in 1991, but closed in the mid-nineties.

“Buffalo would be a good place for more breweries to grow. It is a good owner-operated business,” said [Kevin] Townsell. “That is the neat part about this town. This town still sells a lot of draft beer and a lot of good, loyal bar owners a willing to take on the local products. It is a good town for specialty beer.”

The Ghosts of Brewing Past by Brian W. Wright

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