Upstate Brew York Seasonally celebrating the craft beer of Upstate New York
First Round
Grab a pint, and find out what Upstate Brew York is all about
Face Empire the
Inside the head of Empire Brewing’s head brewer Tim Butler Se p t e m b er | 2 01 3 | Vo l. 1 | No. 1
3 good beers
A triple threat of Upstate NY beers to enjoy this fall
Beer
Goggles
Need any help? No, just looking at great beer, thanks!
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Upstate Brew York creator Ben Meyers adds some Cascade hops to a batch of Pumpkin Spice homebrew. Hopefully it won’t turn out too scary for Halloween.
- Sarah Jean Condon upstatebrewyork.com - 3
Ben Meyers Publisher, Editor
Sarah Jean Condon
The First Round
To be completely honest, I had six different ways to open this thing up. Just like the times it took a half dozen Bud Lights and shoddy pick-up lines to talk to a co-ed at a college party, I had a bunch of different ways to introduce both myself and this publication. I am going to go with this. Hello, my name is Ben Meyers and this is the first edition of Upstate Brew York a seasonal magazine that will cover and celebrate craft beer in Upstate New York. I am a former sportswriter for newspapers all over New York. I have gone scuba diving, ridden in a B-17, talked to NCAA Final Four basketball coaches, and interviewed Major Leaguers. I have had adventures, but I have always enjoyed sitting down and having a pint. As for the rest of the Upstate Brew York family, we have a talented photographer, Sarah Condon, who grew up minutes from some of the best brewing water in the state in Skaneateles. We have another writer who has provided some of the best coverage of the greatest horse racing meeting in the world for years, Will Springstead. We have a “foreign correspondent” just outside of Philadelphia that is one of the best storytellers I know, Tim McManus. Jeremy Houghtaling will be holding down Central New York as things continue to grow in that hops belt. Finally, and this is exciting, Paul Leone - Executive Director of the New York State Brewers Association - has agreed to write a column that will make a regular appearance in our pages. Hopefully, we will also have some smaller pieces that will make regular appearances including our “Beer Goggles” photos, “Brew School” where we will debunk a beer myth/educate, “Ya Gotta Tri-these” where three beers around the state will be featured, “Beerviews” reviews of the state’s craft beers, “Around the brew kettle” where you can share your homebrew triumphs and tribulations, and “First Round” with me droning on and trying to say something entertaining. Grab a pint, find me on the “Untappd” app on your smart phone, give us a like on Facebook, and click over to our website because this is going to be fun. E-mail Ben Meyers at upstatebrewyork@gmail.com 4 - upstatebrewyork.com
Sarah Jean Condon Photographer
Will Springstead “East Coast”
Jeremy Houghtaling “Central Coast”
Tim McManus “Foreign Correspondent” Upstate Brew York is a seasonal beer magazine focusing on the craft beers and breweries of Upstate New York. upstatebrewyork.com facebook.com/upstatebrewyork upstatebrewyork@gmail.com
contents | initial edition | september | 2013 features The Empire Tim Butler loves being in the brewery, but he took the time to come out and share some of his creations at a dinner in Skaneateles in August. He also answered a bunch of our questions as well.
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Ya Gotta Tri-These Three craft beers from around Upstate New York that are perfect to enjoy when watching football or watching leaves change colors
WE WANT YOU
beereviews Enjoy We wanted to share two beers from Upstate New York that you need to try ASAP.
Pages 9, 10 the cover
Joining Eddie Matthews (Sports Illustrated), John Lennon (Rolling Stone), and Marilyn Monroe (Playboy), Empire Brewing’s IPA is the first cover image for Upstate Brew York. - Sarah Jean Condon
This beer isn’t just gonna write and take pictures of itself (especially on the left-hand part of the state)! We are looking for writers, photographers, and bloggers to help bring the craft beer of Upstate New York to life! Send an e-mail or give a call and become part of the scene. Phone: 518-944-6125 E-mail: upstatebrewyork@gmail.com Facebook.com/upstatebrewyork
Sarah Jean Condon Photography
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Butler does it The
Empire Brewing’s Tim Butler talks about his beginnings and how to become a better brewer
Empire Brewing’s Golden Dragon - a Thai Basil flavored beer - awaits its food pairing at the Sherwood Inn in Skaneateles. - Sarah Jean Condon
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Empire’s Deep Purple flanks a slice of New York Style Cheesecake with a Concord Grape reduction at the beer dinner in August.
Tim Butler’s favorite time of the week is By Ben Sunday morning. And his favorite thrill as the head brewer of the Empire Brewing Company in Syracuse is that of any. “The best thing we do at Empire is our Blues Brunch on Sundays. We have a live band going, the beer is flowing, the bloody marys are flowing, it is a good time,” Butler said in early August at a beer dinner at the Sherwood Inn. Courses from the Sherwood’s chef Dan Hudson where paired with five Empire brews (see inset). “One of the best things for me is when I am at home - and by home I mean Empire - and I just see a bunch of people around the bar drinking our beer that is really the coolest thing.” Butler has been the brain behind the company’s 33 brews for the past six years. Before Empire he spent a half dozen years with the Middle Ages Brewing Company in the Salt City and before that he spent a year at now defunct Towpath Brewing, also in Syracuse. There was a time before all of the professional experience though. After serving as a combat medic in the U.S. Army,
- Sarah Jean Condon
Meyers
Butler worked on a homebuilt, homebrew, 15-gallon system. “My homebrews were coming out good. My friends were like, ‘Man, you are makin’ good beer.’ From that point, I went to a local brewery and brought some of my beer and said, ‘Try these, please.’ They tried them and put me on the bottling line two days a week. I moved up to assistant brewer and the rest is pretty much history,” Butler said. Butler took the time to answer a couple of questions about beer, home brewing, and how he gets better at a job he is already pretty good at.
Q A
OK, right off the rip...for us homebrewers...what is the secret to brewing awesome beer? (We aren’t pulling any punches) Beers are made just by being spontaneous and creative. I certainly carry that through my professional brewing. We are going to have some beers tonight that are kind of funky, kind of esoupstatebrewyork.com - 7
teric. The main thing is, really, its just beer when it comes down to it. People stress out about it so badly, especially on a home-brew level, and I always say, “I am not going to make anything that sucks. It may be not quite what I was shooting for, but it isn’t going to suck. It is going to be drinkable.” From that point you can tweak your recipes and hone in on the style and exactly what you are looking for.
Q A
What do you, yourself, prefer to drink? I am a hop head. I really like IPAs across the board. I do like to play with herbs and spices, I am really starting to dig that. I am kind of all over the board. I like malty beers, but if I had to pick one style it is the IPAs.
Q A
Empire Brewing head brewer Tim Butler address patrons at a beer dinner at the Sherwood Inn. - Sarah Jean Condon
When it comes to brewing, do you enjoy the IPAs as well? I just like to brew. It doesn’t matter what is, just as long as I am brewing. That is my passion, that is my love. As long as I am in the brewhouse making beer what’s coming out doesn’t really matter. I don’t think I have a favorite brand or a favorite style to make. I just like makin’ beer.
Q
Getting back to the secrets thing though, what is some of the biggest areas that brewing on any level requires and what are some of the hardest things to achieve to have consistently good beer?
A
Cleanliness is huge. You can’t make good beer without being clean. I think the hardest thing to achieve is balance of flavors. You can dump a lot of hops in and get a really bitter beer, but it’s about playing with ingredients and understanding what they are going to do and translating that to the glass is the toughest part. You really have to understand balance and ingredients in order to achieve that. Sometimes there are mistakes. Sometimes you overuse an ingredient. You have to pull back the next time that you use it. I always error on the side of caution if I am using a new ingredient or a new spice or herb. 8 - upstatebrewyork.com
The Sherwood Inn’s Empire Beer Dinner Course One: Happy Hour hors d’oeuvres including NY State Cheese display, oyster shooters, fried chick peas, Empire Amber beer battered chicken wings. Featured Beer: Amber Ale, Skinny Atlas Light Course Two: Heirloom tomatoes baked in fresh pastry crust with local feta cheese minced herbs, and olive oil. Featured Beer: Empire Golden Dragon
I’ll start off on the low end of it and then the next time I’ll ramp it up if I feel like it needs more. All of that is opposed to starting guns ablazin’ and tasting it and saying, “Oh my god there is too much rosemary, or too much whatever.” Balance is tough.
Q A
Continuing on the balance idea, what are some of the craziest things you have dropped in a pot? We have a beer tonight that has some thai basil (Golden Dragon) and that is one of the most unique ingredients that I have ever used. We also make a beer with lavender. I have used white peppercorns before. I have also used beets. That beet beer was
Course Three: Chilled sliced beef ternderloin topped with curly endive, gorgonzola, fried shallots, cayenne pepper vinaigrette. Featured Beer: Local Grind Course Four: Grilled cajun shrimp served with creamed sweet corn, local pea tendrils, and citrus creme fraiche. Featured Beer: Empire India Pale Ale Course Five: NY Cheesecake with concord grape sauce Featured Beer: Deep Purple
pretty awesome. You have to look at what is around you, what ingredients are around you. Almost anything can translate into beer.
Q A
Finally, we all want to make beer as popular as what Empire makes. How do we all improve? Drinking more beer is going to make you a better brewer, believe it or not. That is how you learn. You have to read and selfeducate. This is an industry that is always changing. Even now after doing this for 14-15 years there is something that I learn every day. Reading, keeping yourself educated and drinking beer is the best way to get better.
Beereview - Black Horse Ale To make a complete confession, this was the first Black IPA - insert other assorted style titles here - that I ever had. I was not disappointed at all. The hops come through strong in the head, and therefore the nose, when it first hits the tongue you get those hops again. Then this one makes that magical transformation to the roasted smooth, sweet of the malt. It really finishes smooth and crisp for a dark beer. It is a touch more expensive - about $6.50 per 22 oz. - but it is a really good value for the investment. If you have never had a BIPA, try this one. - Ben Meyers Click over to upstatebrewyork.com to see a video Beereview
Brewed by: Horseheads Brewing Inc. Style: Black IPA ABV: 7.4% IBUs: 65.0 Availability: Starting during the month of March Meyers’ Rating: 11 out of a 12 pack
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Beereview - Dundee Oktoberfest As the days get a little more crisp, I like to have something a little more malty, just like any other great beer drinker. The Oktoberfest is smooth and has a nice malty ease to go with the copper color. There isn’t much in the way of hop character, of course, and you can go through a bunch of these pretty easily. I enjoy much of what the Dundee line puts out, and it isn’t going to dent your wallet as much as some of the other beers that we all enjoy. This is a good introduction to the next color level for new beer drinkers as well. - Ben Meyers Click over to upstatebrewyork.com to see a video Beereview
Brewed by: Dundee Ales & Lagers (Rochester) Style: Marzen Lager ABV: 5.5% IBUs: 15.0 Yeast: Lager Bittering Hops: Galena Aroma Hops: Hallertau Malts: 2 Row, Black, Crystal, Vienna, Munich & Chocolate Availability: Fall (August - October)
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Meyers’ Rating: 10 out of a 12 pack
Ya gotta
Every season we scour Upstate New York State (east, central, and west) to bring you three beers that, frankly, you gotta have. Here they are for this fall
Tri-these West
Pumking Southern Tier Brewing, Jamestown Available in the 22 ouncers, this big boy packs a punch at 8.6% ABV. Here is what you find out about this Imperial Pumpkin Ale when you click over to the Southern Tier Brewing Company’s website, “All Hollows Eve is a time of year when spirits can make contact with the physical world, and when magic is most potent. It is thought that we harness this magic to brew our powerful pumpkin ale.” This is one of the best beers to bring to Thanksgiving Dinner that we can find.
Central
Country Pumpkin Ithaca Beer Company, Ithaca
There is always a beer this time of year that you feel like you should top with whipped cream. For us, this one from the Ithaca Beer Company, you really feel like you could fill a pint glass and add a dollop of sweetness to the top. From their website: “The masterful blend of 2-Row, Vienna, Munich, Caramunich and Honey malt with Magnum hops balances the sweet pumpkin with an aroma of nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger and allspice to create a rich, malty ale for the autumn season.” With a 6.3% ABV it is not overpowering.
East
Bear Naked Ale
Adirondack Pub & Brewery,
Lake George
This is the best selling beer that the Adirondack Brewery makes and it is available all year long, but there is something about a nice amber ale that makes it nearly as appealing as the spiced brethren we have here. This beer is named for the black bears that populate the mountains that fill up on fermented fruit this time of year. Since the bears are filling up for the long winter, you might as well enjoy a couple of these (a 5.0% ABV) to get ready for the cold as well. upstatebrewyork.com - 11
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