Number of NY Craft Beverage Manufacturers Continues to Grow

From Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office:

The number of craft beverage manufacturers holding a farm-based license has grown by over 150 percent since the first Beer, Wine, Spirits and Cider Summit in 2012, said Gov. Andrew Cuomo. 

Immediately following the Summit, Cuomo implemented important legislative and regulatory reforms to promote the state's craft beverage businesses. Since then, 433 new farm-based craft beverage licenses have been issued.

 

"New York's craft beverage industry is booming, and by cutting red tape to industry development, we have seen significant growth in the number of manufacturers supporting our local farms and spurring job creation across the Empire State," Cuomo said.

"Home to more farm-breweries, wineries, distilleries and cideries than ever before, I encourage visitors and craft beverage enthusiasts to enjoy some of the best products around, right here in New York," he said.

Since the Governor's first Summit in 2012, the Empire State has experienced a surge in craft manufacturing with the vast majority of that growth coming from farm-based producers. 

Of the 523 craft beverage manufacturing licenses added since the first Summit in 2012, 433 are farm-based manufacturers that use New York grown agricultural ingredients in their production, accounting for over 80 percent of all new craft beverage manufacturers.

A list of all farm wineries, distilleries, cideries and breweries, by region and city is available at this link -- https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/governor.ny.gov/files/atoms/files/ListofFarmManufacturers_2_28_2018.pdf  

The total number of all farm-based manufacturers by region:

Capital Region	72
Central New York	57
Finger Lakes	149
Long Island	100
Mid-Hudson Valley	106
Mohawk Valley	34
New York City	35
North Country	42
Southern Tier	72
Western New York	48

Major legislation helping to spur New York's farm-based craft industry includes Cuomo's Farm Brewery Law that went into effect on Jan. 1, 2013, followed by the implementation of the new Farm Cidery Law, effective Jan. 15, 2014. 

These laws mirrored the 1976 Farm Winery Act that lead to a tremendous growth of wineries and grape production in New York state. 

The governor also overhauled the state's Alcoholic Beverage Control laws to give more privileges to manufacturers that use ingredients grown in New York, including hosting tastings, operating gift shops selling any farm-produced wine, beer, cider and spirits by the bottle and by the glass from their tastings rooms. 

Farm manufacturers may also open branch stores, with 127 farm producers operating no-fee offsite tasting rooms across the state. 

 

As a result of these reforms, more manufacturers are choosing farm-based manufacturing licenses and in each craft beverage category, there are more farm-based licenses than any other type. New York is now home to 348 farm wineries, 202 farm breweries, 123 farm distilleries and 42 farm cideries. 

 

In addition, 80 farm wineries, 29 farm breweries, 12 farm distilleries and 6 farm cideries have opened branch stores due to legislation allowing farm breweries, cideries and distilleries to open branch stores. 

The growth in the number of farm-based licenses has led to an increased demand for locally sourced agricultural products in New York and a synergy between the craft beverage, tourism and agriculture sectors.

 

Winners Announced for First Ever State Fair Craft Beer Competition

Brooklyn's Threes Brewing Co. earned top honors at the first-ever New York State Craft Beer Competition, winning the Governor's Excelsior Cup. 

Threes Brewing's Pilsner "Vliet" earned gold in the Light Lager category and moved on to win Best in Show. Nineteen beers from breweries across the state earned gold medals. 

Sponsored by the New York State Brewers Association, the official New York State Fair competition featured nearly 40 judges sampling a total of 707 entries in the largest professionally judged craft beer competition held in New York State.   


The New York State Craft Beer Competition was open to any craft brewer located in New York state. Entries were submitted from 143 New York breweries, accounting for nearly half of all licensed breweries in the State.   

Gold, silver, and bronze medal winners were awarded in each of the 20 categories, which include major styles of beer, such as IPAs and Lagers, as well as niche or emerging styles, such as sour beers or fruit and spice beers. Gold medal winners by category are:  

• Light Lager: Threes Brewing Co.'s "Vliet" - Brooklyn
• Wheat Beer: Brewery Ommegang's "Witte" - Cooperstown
• Fruit and Spice Beer: The Peekskill Brewery's "Pinky Up" - Peekskill
• Belgian Farmhouse: Threes Brewing Co.'s "Wandering Bine" - Brooklyn
• Amber and Dark Lagers: Naked Dove Brewing Co.'s "Naked Dove Exposinator Doppelbock" - Canandaigua
• Amber/Red Ale: Seneca Street Brew Pub's "Irish Red Ale" - Manlius 
• Pale Ale: War Horse Brewing Co.'s "Lieutenant Dan IPA" - Geneva 
• American IPA: Good Nature Brewing Co.'s "Blight Buster" - Hamilton
• American IPA Variations: Prison City Brewing's "4 Piece" - Auburn
• American Double IPA: Big Slide Brewery & Public House's "Giant IPA" - Lake Placid
• Porter, Stout and Brown Ale: Stumblin' Monkey Brewing's "Oatmeal Stout" - Victor
• Imperial Stout and Porter: Spider Bite Beer Co.'s "Boris the Spider" - Holbrook 
• Belgian Other: Thin Man's "Hyperballad" - Buffalo
• Strong Ale: Heartland Brewery's "Old Red Nose Special Edition 14" - New York City
• Wild and Sour Ale: Mill House Brewing Co.'s "Citra Bridges"- Poughkeepsie - and Rushing Duck Brewing's "Zingerbier Berliner Weisse" - Chester - tied in this category
• Barrel Aged Sour: Brooklyn Brewery's "Kiwi's Playhouse" - Brooklyn
• Barrel Aged (Non-Sour): Three Heads Brewing's "Baltic Porter Aged in Iron Smoke Whiskey Barrels" - Rochester
• Experimental: Prison City Brewing's "Wham Whams" - Auburn
• New York State Beer: Saint James Brewery's "Saint James Brewery Pomme- Apple Ale" - Holbrook

State Fair to Host Craft Beer Competition

From Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office:

The Great New York State Fair will host a professionally judged craft beer competition to further promote New York's growing craft beverage industry. 


The New York State Craft Beer Competition will award medals to the best beers in 20 categories, and the highest scoring beer in all categories will be awarded the Governor's Excelsior Cup. 

Sponsored by the New York State Brewers Association, top professional and amateur judges from around the state will sample submitted beers in an official, private judging session on July 29, 2017.
 
"After cutting red tape and removing barriers to growth, New York's craft beverage industry is thriving in every corner of this state," Cuomo said. "Building on the success of the Taste NY Craft Beer Challenge, this competition taps professionally trained judges, opens the playing field to New York brewers, and will further promote the world class beverages made right here in the Empire State."
 
The New York State Craft Beer Competition is open to any craft brewer located in New York state. As many as three gold, silver and bronze medals will be awarded in each of the 20 categories, which include major styles of beer, such as IPAs and Lagers, as well as niche or emerging styles, such as sour beers or fruit and spice beers. 

Brewers may enter more than one variety of beer and each entry is $45. A complete list of rules, categories and entry instructions can be found at www.nyscraftbeer.com

Schumer Wants Crop Insurance for Malt Barley

By DEBRA J. GROOM
dgroom@wdt.net
 

Sen. Charles Schumer holds a glass of malt barley used to make beer

New York state could be on the verge of becoming the craft brewing capital of the United States.

But to do that, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said more farmers have to grow malting barley, which is one of the primary ingredients in beer.
 
“Farmers are eager to grow it if they can get insurance,” Schumer said April 10 during a news conference in the 1886 Malt House in Volney, just outside Fulton in Oswego County. Without insurance, farmers would lose too much money if a freak act of nature ruined their barley crop.
 
Schumer said he will ask incoming Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to insure malt barley crops throughout New York state. 

Right now, malt barley is insured only in Genesee, Ontario, Otsego and Cortland counties.
 
No legislature is needed for this to happen, Schumer said. All Perdue has to do is sign an order.
 
“We have to get this done,” Schumer said.
 
The federal government insures many crops that farmers produce. 

“If an act of God takes away you product, then the federal government will pay you for your loss,” Schumer said.
 
Crop insurance doesn’t exist in many counties in New York for malting barley because it is a fairly new crop. Other crops protected by insurance in New York include corn, soybeans, apples, onions, potatoes, green beans, cabbage, grapes, oats, wheat, nursery and greenhouse products, hay, forage, dairy and beef.
 

Some of the malt barley machines at the 1886 Malt House in Volney, Oswego County

Crop insurance protected $541 million of liability on growing crops in New York in 2015. There were more than 1 million acres insured and more than $42 million was paid to farmers in indemnities for production and/or revenue losses, according to crop insurance statistics.
 
There are about a dozen malt houses in New York state ready to accept more malting barley from farmers. Malt houses, like the one in Volney at the Sunoco ethanol plant, take the malting barley and expose it to moisture so the seed germinates. Then it produces an enzyme that converts the starches to sugars.
 
Schumer said it is important for more farmers to grow malting barley because of the 2012 passage of the state’s Farm Brewing Law, which mandates craft brewers to use New York-grown ingredients in their beer.
 
Right now, brewers must use 20 percent New York hops and 20 percent other New York ingredients in their beers. By 2019, that percentage jumps to 60 percent. And by 2024, no less than 90 percent of all craft beer ingredients must be grown in New York state.
 
That has led to a large increase in the number of hops acreage grown in the state, and Schumer said the same has to happen with malting barley. But the problem with malting barley is it is difficult to grow in New York.
 
Malting barley likes dry, cooler weather and the wetness and humidity in New York could cause malting barley planted here to be more susceptible to diseases, especially fusarium blight.
 
This is why the crop insurance is so important.
 
“Right now, we are one of the top five craft brewing states in the country,” Schumer said. And he believes with the crop insurance, New York could be heading to number one.

BOX:
1886 Malt House
Volney, Oswego County
Has contracts with malt barley farmers in Franklin, Genesee, Orleans, Onondaga, Madison, Oneida, Erie, Niagara, Cayuga and Otsego counties
Has 500 acres of malt barley under contract for 2017 and 700 acres under contract for 2017
Will supply more than 2,000 tons of malt barley each year

 

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.