New Craft Beverage Trail Set for Livingston County Area

From the office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo:

Livingston County in Western New York has been awarded $185,000 for the development of a new craft beverage trail.

The money was awarded by New York state through the Finger Lakes Economic Development Council and the region's Finger Lakes Forward economic development initiative, which is driving revitalization efforts throughout the region. 

The money will help establish a Brewing Microenterprise Program, beginning with four local businesses that will create 16 full-time jobs and leverage $400,000 in additional resources from across the region.
New York is now home to nearly 1,000 licensed wineries, breweries, distilleries and cideries. The number of farm wineries in New York has increased by more than 65 percent, from 195 in 2010 to 322 today. 

The number of farm distilleries grew from just 10 in 2010 to 110 today, while micro-breweries have increased four-fold, from 40 to 163. New York is also home to 150 farm breweries and 28 farm cideries, new licenses created in 2013 and 2014 respectively.
Seventy-five individuals originally expressed interest in the Brew IN Livingston competition through completion of a survey. Ultimately 35 semifinalists were invited to submit video pitches, and 15 finalists went through Business Boot Camp – a five week course focused on formation of a business and the nuances and liabilities associated with owning a brewery.
Four equal prize packages were awarded to three startups and one existing Livingston County business for expansion, including: Battle Street Brewery in Dansville, Mortalis Brewing Co. in Avon, Quiet Storm Brewing Co. in Geneseo and Original Stump Blower Ciderworks in Lakeville. 

Each will receive:

• $35,000 microenterprise grant for furniture, fixtures, and equipment (Community Development Block Grant funding from New York State Homes and Community Renewal);
• Loan of up to $100,000 at 1 percent through the Livingston County Development Corporation’s Revolving Loan Fund; 

• One year membership to the New York State Brewers Association; and
• Complimentary CPA tax assistance from accounting firm EFPR Group.

Alternate funding sources are being pursued for three additional winners, including: Amber Lantern Brewing Co. in Geneseo, Dublin Corners Farm Brewery in York, and Horns & Halos Craft Brewing in Caledonia.
Additionally, all seven winners will receive the following services from local businesses:  Technical and marketing assistance through Livingston County Development, the Livingston County Chamber of Commerce and the Small Business Development Center; 


• Discounted payroll and administrative services from Complete Payroll;

• Complimentary headshot session with the purchase of a small business package from Hudson Street Studios;
• Complimentary award-winning logo design with branding package purchase from Novus Be Known;
• One trademark clearance search for one mark from Tracy Jong Law Firm; and
• One-year free subscription from Tracy Jong Law Firm to Boot Legger Journals.

"By cutting red tape, lowering costs, and providing more opportunities for businesses to grow, New York has helped foster a booming craft beverage industry that is creating jobs, boosting tourism and supporting our local farms, along with producing some of the world's best beer, wine, cider and spirits," Cuomo said.  

"Our investments continue to spur economic development in communities across the state, and with the creation of a new craft beverage trail, the Finger Lakes will attract even more visitors to experience all that the region has to offer," he said.

Winners were selected with input from Livingston County Economic Development, the Livingston County Area Chamber of Commerce, the Small Business Development Center, and Business Coaches Jeff and Mike Fitch who facilitated the Business Boot Camp course.

 A recommendation was ultimately approved by the Board of Directors of the Livingston County Development Corp.

Cider Event Planned for Feb. 18 in Albany

From state Agriculture and Markets:

In support of New York state’s farm cideries and agricultural producers, State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball and State Liquor Authority Chairman Vincent Bradley will join Nine Pin Ciderworks at its 3^rd annual Gathering of the New York Farm Cideries event Feb. 18 in Albany.

During the event, 15 farm cideries from seven regions across the state invite the public to taste and buy some of their most exclusive products made with New York-grown ingredients. 

The event also marks Nine Pin’s third anniversary as the first licensed farm cidery in New York state under the Farm Cidery Law, signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2013.   

The annual Gathering of Farm Cideries event is held at the Nine Pin Ciderworks tasting room and production facility in Albany. Attendees can enjoy up to three hours of free samples of unique ciders made from New York apples and provided by 15 different farm cideries from the Capital Region, Finger Lakes, Mohawk Valley, Mid-Hudson region, North Country, Southern Tier and New York City.  

They also have the option to buy limited-batch ciders by the growler or bottles to go. The event will be split into two sessions: Noon to 3 p.m. and 4-7 p.m. Tickets are on sale now for $20. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the New York State Cider Association.  

Tickets are available online by http://www.ninepincider.com/ going to this link. 

“I am thrilled to participate in this exciting event and to shine a light on the incredible synergy between the state’s farm cideries and our farms," Ball said. "New York’s craft beverage producers are some of the agricultural industry’s best customers. As their businesses succeed, the demand for agricultural products continues to grow and that’s truly a win for all New Yorkers."

“The Governor’s Farm Cidery Law has led to a renaissance in hard cider sales and production throughout New York," Bradley said. "In addition to creating 28 new manufacturers, farm cideries have driven demand for New York apples, created jobs, helped to protect the environment and increased tourism dollars in our local communities.” 

The craft beverage manufacturing industry in New York state is booming. Regulatory reforms, new legislation and robust marketing campaigns have paved the way for significant growth in the industry, which now has an annual economic impact of $3.5 billion.  

Since 2011, the number of farm-based craft beverage manufacturers in New York state has increased by 197 percent. 

Since the third anniversary of the New York Farm Cidery Law in October, the number of farm cideries has tripled from 8 in 2014 to 24 in 2016. Since then, four new farm cideries have opened, bringing the statewide total to 28.   

In addition, six farm cidery off-site branch stores have opened following changes to the Alcohol and Beverage Control Law last year, helping to boost sales, draw visitors and increase tourism in communities across the state.

New York is also home to 322 farm wineries, 149 farm breweries and 109 farm distilleries.  Twenty-three of those companies also manufacture hard cider.  

To further strengthen the industry, Cuomo’s 2017-18 Executive Budget proposes a new license allowing up to 10 Taste NY store operators to sell craft beverages along with food and souvenir items.  

Currently only vintners, brewers, and distillers that operate Taste NY stores can sell both alcohol and other products. 

Cuomo has also proposed expanding the sale of craft beverages at certain locations such as movie theaters, launching the first-ever New York Craft Beverage Week, and a new grant for craft beverage producers to engage in joint marketing campaigns and enter products in national and international competitions.

Here are the 28 cideries in New York state:

2 Way Brewing Co., Beacon
Bad Seed Cider, Highland
Blackduck Cidery, Ovid
Blue Toad Hard Cider, Rochester
Brooklyn Cider House, Brooklyn
Cider Creek Hard Cider, Canisteo
Clintondale Brewing Co., Clintondale
Cooperatown Beverage Exchange, Cooperstown
Dark Island Spirits, Alexandria Bay
Descendant Cider Co., Maspeth
Embark Craft Ciderworks, Williamson
Fishkill Farms, Hopewell Junction
Graft Cider, Newburgh
Grisamore Cider Works, Locke
Kaneb Orchards, Massena
Little Apple Cidery, Hillsdale
Metal House Cider, Ulster Park
Nine Pin Ciderworks, Albany
Riverhead Cider House, Calverton
Rogers' Cideryard, Johnstown
Saratoga Apple, Schuylerville
Sauvage Beverages, Oneonta
Sterling Cidery, Sterling
Stone Bridge Cider, Hudson
Sundog Cider, Chatham
Thompsons Cider Mill, Croton-on-Hudson
Wayside Ciders, Andes
Westwind Orchard, Accord


Those participating in the Albany event are:
Little Apple
Nine Pin
Saratoga Apple
Stone Bridge
Sundog
Black Creek 
Blackduck
Blue Toad
Embark
Bad Seed
Fishkill
Rogers' Cideryard
Brooklyn Cider House
Kaneb
Wayside

Angry Orchard Breaks Ground on Expansion

Angry Orchard Cider Co. officially broke ground on construction of its new cidery, tasting room and hard cider research-and-development center, at its 60-acre apple orchard in the village of Walden, Orange County. 

State Department of Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard A. Ball joined Angry Orchard and local and community leaders in raising a glass in celebration of the new facility.

“New York state has an abundance and variety of both apples and ingenuity, and with the Mid-Hudson’s cluster of wineries, breweries, and cideries, I can think of no better place for Angry Orchard to grow,” said Empire State Development President, Chief Executive and Commissioner Howard Zemsky.

First launched in 2012, Angry Orchard is the number-one selling hard cider in the US, where cider consumption has nearly quintupled since 2010.