north fork craft beer festival guide - 2010

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2 North Fork Craft Beer, BBQ & Wine Festival Guide


Beer lovers rejoice! In what can only be described as the most talked-about and most-anticipated festival of the summer, the 4th Annual North Fork Craft Beer, BBQ & Wine Festival returns to Martha Clara Vineyards in Jamesport, NY on Saturday, August 14th. Another sold out show is expected.

More than fifty craft brewers will gather on the picturesque North Fork of Long Island to participate in this year’s annual North Fork Craft Beer, BBQ & Wine Festival. “Long Island wine country has led the way in developing awareness for locally made high quality wine. This beer festival will highlight Long Island’s locally made beer,” said Mark Burford, Brewmaster, Blue Point Brewing Company.

The largesT gaThering of BrewmasTers ever on long island

This year’s festival will be credited with the largest gathering of brewmasters ever to be on Long Island at a single event, 25 in all, representing some of the oldest, most established breweries on Long Island (Blue Point Brewing Company and Southampton Ales & Lagers) as well as some of the newest (Barrier Brewing

Co. and Great South Bay Brewery). Back for the second year in a row,

the Boston Beer Company, the makers of Samuel Adams, will bring two recipes to be judged in a head-to-head consumer taste test as part of their annual national Beer Lover’s Choice competition. Long Island’s North Fork Craft Beer, BBQ & Wine Festival will be among the first stops on the polling tour and has been named an official polling place for the 2010 competition. “It may be the largest single event polling place for this year’s national competition,” said event producer Andy Calimano of Starfish Junction Productions. Attendees at the Festival can vote for one of this year’s contestants: (SAMPLE A) Belgian Style IPA or (SAMPLE B) American Rye Ale.

The event will feature wines for sampling from Martha Clara Vineyards, Osprey’s Dominion, Jamesport Vineyards, Palmer Vineyards, Waters Crest Winery, and other specially selected Long Island wineries. Gourmet barbeque from Maple Tree BBQ and live music from the band Energy Express will add to the enjoyment of the day.

The 4th annual North Fork Craft Beer, BBQ & Wine Festival has two

ticket options: VIP (1-6pm, $75) is SOLD OUT and a limited number of tickets remain for General Admission (2-6pm, $50). Tickets can be purchased at www.NorthForkCraftBeerFestival.com. Tickets include a 6 oz. souvenir tasting glass with the freedom to enjoy 2 oz. samples from any exhibiting brewery. It also includes wine sampling from select Long Island wineries. Designated driver tickets are available for $12 each. All paid attendees get a coupon for a barbeque sandwich and side order as part of their admission price. No one under 21 is permitted and photo ID is required for entry.

The event is produced by Starfish Junction, winner of two prestigious awards honoring events produced for the beer industry: The 2008 Philly Craft Beer Fest (www.PhillyCraftBeerFest.com) was named one of the “Top 10 Beer Festivals in America” by Forbes Traveler and The 2007 North Fork Craft Beer, BBQ & Wine Festival (www.NorthForkCraftBeerFestival.com) was awarded the North Fork “Event of the Year” honor from Dan’s Papers. The event will help to raise funds for the Peconic Bay Medical Center as well as the Terry Farrell Firefighters Fund.

LI’s North Fork Readies For Best Fest of the Summer by Lynda CaLimano

fun in the sun while enjoying great craft beer at last years craft beer festival


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Think Global, Drink LocalTwo local brewers wiTh sTyles all Their own By Samantha Dym

long ireland beer company

Long Ireland Beer Compa-ny caters to LI’s working men and women. Whether you’re coming back from a long day on the road or just stopping off at your local pub, you can be sure if Long Ireland’s Celt-ic Ale is on tap, you will taste something fresh, crisp and delicious. And while the beer speaks for itself, the owners, well, they’re just as unique as the beer they’re selling.

Meet Dan Burke, of Shore-ham, and Greg Martin, of Port Jefferson, two men on a mission to bring Long Islanders home-made craft beer. Interestingly enough, Dan and Greg did not grow up together. In fact, they met when they both worked for an oil burner company that they both hated. Greg says he started making beer with a home brew kit his mother bought him a few years back. Dan was interested because, well, he loves beer! Dan says he gave Greg $100 and they’ve been partners ever since.

What makes these guys so interesting is the level of cus-tomer service they bring with their product. Dan and Greg believe customer satisfaction is so important that when they left their job to focus on Long Ireland Beer they put 100% of themselves into it. They actually self distribute!

“No one is gonna push our product better than us,” Dan continued, “We know being in the service business what not to do.”

Dan and Greg interned under Rob Leonard at New England Brewing Company in Woodbridge, Connecticut. That’s where they learned to make the beer they now sell. You can’t purchase Long Ireland by the bottle. But Dan and Greg have more than 100 accounts across Long Island, so odds are, if you’re at a bar/ pub you may see their beer on tap with their unique logo.

You can catch Dan and Greg at the North Fork Craft Beer Festival with Celtic Ale, a beer made from four different malts, honey and oats.

Fire island beer company

Want to feel like you’re on vacation without spending the travel costs? You may want to try Fire Island Beer Company’s Lighthouse Ale.

If you’ve ever taken the fer-ry from Bay Shore to Fire Island, you’ve probably seen deer walk-ing on the beaches, an amaz-ing sunset or perhaps a beach party. The people that go there are fun and laid back.

“That’s how our beer is,” says Fire Island Beer Company President Jeff Glassman.

Fire Island Beer Company was started by two brothers and a cousin with a love for craft beer. Their family would spend summers at Atlantique Beach, a place that’s special for Jeff and his cousins, Tom and Bert Fer-nandez. They started their first batches of homemade beer at The Shack, the only commercial property in the area.

Fire Island Beer Compa-ny’s Lighthouse Ale is the com-pany’s flagship brew, a toasty beer with a light caramel finish made from quality ingredients and great for all seasons.

“It’s nice to see Long Is-landers value something that is local,” says Glassman.

Local indeed! In fact, you can order Fire Island Beer at a number of restaurants and bars. Island Mermaid of Ocean Beach is just one of many that serve Lighthouse Ale.

Lighthouse Ale isn’t the only beer Jeff and his cousins sell. They also brew Red Wagon IPA. This particular beer has more hops and is very big on fla-vor. Fire Island Beer didn’t want to stop at just two varities—this year they will launch their first fall seasonal. It’s a limited re-lease called Fire Island Pump-kin Barrel Ale, described as a masterpiece of hops, herbs and spices.

You can catch Fire Island Beer Company at the 2010 North Fork Craft Beer Festival. We highly recommend you try the Lighthouse Ale and Red-wagon IPA, different beers with great taste from what Jeff and his cousins like to call, “The other New York.”


Cooking With...Beer?No BBQ is complete without Beer… aNd that iNcludes the foodBy AlexAndrA Hein

Beer is not only great for the atmosphere of a backyard BBQ, but it can actually become the ingredient that makes the BBQ, and not just in the sense of refreshment. In a growing trend, beer is becoming a main ingredient for the preparation of grilled favorites.

Chefs all over Long Island are tweaking their favorite recipes to add an element different from what they may find in their neighbor’s backyard.

Websites like beerbbq.com have recipes for beer BBQ sauce, beer BBQ meatballs, beer BBQ ribs and beer BBQ “pit boss” ribs, all of which call for different amounts of beer, but don’t specify the type, leaving the chef to choose his or her favorite brews to use.

Different recipes, like “Texas BBQ Ribs” on mixingbowl.com, may suggest a specific kind of beer to add a certain

flavor to the recipe. The website suggests

three 12-ounce bottles or cans of a dark beer to help emphasize the sweet and spicy glaze. The next item, “Super Spicy Ribeye Steaks,” called for light beer instead.

Choosing to grill with beer rather than wine is not only cheaper, but also less acidic. Additionally, beer won’t overpower the other ingredients you choose to marinade with.

Lucy Saunders, author of Grilling With Beer: Bastes BBQ Sauces, Mops Marinades & More, Made With Craft Beer, says, “Beer’s flavors can be so different—citrusy hops, fruit flavors, nutty aromas—a whole range of malt and caramel notes that [are] missing from wine or vinegar-based marinades.”

here are a few tips from sauNders’ GrillinG With Beer. rememBer:

• Beer is, by nature, bitter. It comes from the hops. Sweet foods are well-paired with the hops.

• Hops also help to settle the richness of creamy, oil-based or cheese dishes.

• Beer tenderizes meats, which make it an ideal marinade component, even for fish.

• The longer the beer is cooked the stronger the flavor of it will be.

Try to remember this when purchasing your beer of choice!

And finally, here is a recipe for one of the most popular beer BBQ dishes:

Beer Can Chicken from foodnetwork.com

iNgredieNts:1 (4-pound) wHole cHicken

2 tABlespoons vegetABle oil

2 tABlespoons sAlt

1 teAspoon BlAck pepper

3 tABlespoons of your fAvorite dry spice ruB

1 cAn Beer

directioNs:Remove neck and giblets from chicken and discard. Rinse

chicken inside and out and pat dry with paper towels. Rub chicken lightly with oil, then rub inside and out with salt, pepper and dry rub. Set aside.Open beer can and take several gulps (make them big gulps so the can is half full). Place beer can on a solid surface. Grabbing a chicken leg in each hand, plunk the bird cavity over the beer can. Transfer the bird-on-a-can to your grill and place in the center of the grate, balancing the bird on its two legs and the can like a tripod.

Cook the chicken over medium-high, indirect heat (i.e. no coals or burners on directly under the bird), with the grill cover on, for approximately 1 1/4 hours or until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the breast area and 180 degrees in the thigh, or until the thigh juice runs clear when stabbed with a sharp knife. Remove from grill and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.


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Since the early 1970s, a few visionaries, like Louisa Har-grave and her husband Alex, began buying old farmland on Long Island and started planting grapes. Today, some 37 years later, there are 50-plus vine-yards and wineries, encompass-ing over 3,000 acres, producing over a half million cases of wine a year.

I am often asked about the quality of Long Island wines. This has been a difficult ques-tion to answer over the years. Long Island, more so than most wine-producing regions, is vin-tage driven. Meaning, depend-ing on weather conditions year to year, the quality of wine will be adversely affected. Too much rain, not enough rain, not enough sunshine or, as in 2005, which most winemaker’s con-sidered a banner year with three months of beautiful sunshine, only to get hammered for more than a week of rain that October. For those that were able to har-vest early or had well-drained vineyards, the wines are show-ing some true potential. But for some that year, they lost half their crop.

Most of us like to compare Long Island wines to our Califor-nia pallet. Long Island should never be mistaken for California, which offers big ripe fruit -driven wines with alcohol levels well over 14 percent. Long Island just does not have the long con-sistent hot growing seasons like Napa or Sonoma. What Long Island does have is a dramatic maritime climate (located be-tween the Atlantic Ocean and the Long Island Sound) with more than 200 days of sun-shine. These two factors, along with the skilled winemakers and vineyard managers here on Long Island, gives us the poten-tial to produce quality wines.

Great wines are made in the vineyard, showing a sense of place. In the past, the wines of Long Island might have been lean, tight or herbaceous, with too much acidity. Today’s wines are truly showing their sense of place, wines that are light bodied and fruity in style. Over

the years many thought Mer-lot, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon should be the bench marks for the region. True in some years, these wines show beautifully. But a lot of times the fruit isn’t rich enough and the acidity is too high. Long Island wines are generally too delicate to handle a lot of oak.

Conventional wisdom rates Merlot as the best red, with Chardonnay dominating the whites. I feel some varietals like Cabernet Franc and Sau-vignon Blanc done right here on Long Island, can show the region’s true potential. We can also find rewarding Rieslings, Gewurztraminers, Pinot Blanc, Chenin Blanc, even Roses and Sparkling wines.

The best wines have a style of their own, leaner than California, lower in alcohol and higher in acidity. A good wine can be described as balanced when all four components (fruit, acidity, alcohol and oak) are in harmony. No one component dominates any of the others. Long Island winemakers are starting to hit their stride. We are seeing some examples of fine Sauvignon Blancs with great aromas, fruitiness, zest, vi-brant and tangy flavors, pairing well with the regions abundant seafood and shellfish.

The good news is Long Island is an exciting wine pro-ducing region with some great reviews. Long Island wines are increasingly requested not only in restaurants and wine shops across New York, but also out-side the region.

So take the opportunity to visit Long Island wine country on both the North and South Forks and sample directly from the producers and enjoy the beautiful scenery and great food. 2010 looks like the mak-ing of good year, with plenty of sunshine, we hope it stays this way till harvest.

Salute!

Written by Gregory Bartolotta,Sommelier and Wine Director,Barrique Kitchen & Wine Bar, Babylon Village, NY

The Essence of the Long Island Wine Country


Long Island, NY

Centerport, NY

Farmingdale, NY

Oceanside, NY

Fire Island, NY

Bay Shore, NYPatchogue, NY

Patchogue, NY

Riverhead, NY

Southampton, NY

Greenport, NY

Lake Grove, NY

Representing The Best Brewerieson Long Island

Barrier Brewing CompanyWelcome Long Island’s newest brewery: Barrier Brewing Company, the only South Shore brewery in Nassau County. Brewmaster Evan Klein is now ready to introduce his brews to the masses and launches with several beer styles. oCeanside (516) 316-4429BaRRIeRBRewIng.com

BlaCk Forest Brew HausCombine Germany’s rich history and excellence in beer brewing with America’s ongoing pursuit for perfection and you’ve defined the Black Forest Brew Haus. The Oktoberfest Bier took home the Gold from the Great American Beer Festival in 1999. Beer is brewed on the premises.Farmingdale (631) 391-9500BLackFoResTBRewHaus.com

Blind Bat BreweryLong Island’s only nano-brewery is quite possibly one of the smallest commercial breweries in the country. The brewery may be small, but beers are big on taste. Some of the production is limited and not all beers will be available at any given time. Seasonal beers pair nicely with the weather and local foods.Centerport BLIndBaTBReweRy.com

Blue point Brewing CompanyThe international award-winning Blue Point Brewing Company is known for their exceptional handcrafted beers. On tap in the tasting room you’ll be able to find the full selection of their beers and even some that are exclusive to the brewery. The 2006 World Beer Cup Gold Medal winner is their flagship beer, the Toasted Lager.patCHogue (631) 475-6944BLuePoInTBRewIng.com

BriCkHouse BreweryIf you're looking for delicious food, fun people and great beer, head to the Brickhouse Brewery. The Brickhouse Brewery building at the corner of Havens Avenue and Main Street is the oldest commercial building in Patchogue. It’s also where Long Islanders go when they want a great beer and a great time.patCHogue (631) 447-2337BRIckHouseBReweRy.com

Fire island Beer CompanyWhat happens when two brothers and a cousin develop a taste for craft beer and home brewing during the summers they spent on Fire Island? They start a brewing company! With two beers in production, the Red Wagon IPA and the Lighthouse Ale, they are making their mark on LI and beyond.Fire island (631) 482-3118FIReIsLandBeeR.com


Long Island, NY

Centerport, NY

Farmingdale, NY

Oceanside, NY

Fire Island, NY

Bay Shore, NYPatchogue, NY

Patchogue, NY

Riverhead, NY

Southampton, NY

Greenport, NY

Lake Grove, NY

Great South Bay BreweryWith a bronze medal from TAP NY already under its belt, the Great South Bay Brewery is off to a “great” start. One of the newest breweries on Long Island, you can enjoy their three inaugural brews (IPA, Blonde Ale, or Stout) at several locations Island-wide. Watch for the new brewhouse opening in January 2011.Bay Shore (631) EZ-AT-GSP GrEATSouThBAyBrEwEry.com

Greenport harBor BrewinG CompanyA relative newcomer to the LI beer scene, this East End brewery is quickly making a name for itself. Now in its second year, GHBC offers both seasonal and year-round beers. Visit the brewery’s website for tasting room hours of operation. Greenport (631) 477-6681hArBorBrEwinG.com

John harvard’S Brew houSeJohn Harvard’s Brew House is a division of the Boston Culinary Group. John Harvard’s has a rotating selection of eight beers on tap and was recognized in 2002 as the Best Craft Brewery in New York at the TAP NY Beer Festival.Lake Grove (631) 979-2739JohnhArvArdS.com

LonG ireLand BrewinG CompanyLong Ireland Beer Company began a little differently than most businesses. Two friends had a crazy idea to go out and start a company because they wanted to do something they truly enjoyed—DRINK BEER! Their first release, Celtic Ale, has received rave reviews.port JefferSon Station (631) 403-4303LonGirELAndBrEwinG.com

Southampton aLeS & LaGerSThe Southampton Publick House has been a landmark for great beer and amazing food. Southampton Ales & Lagers is one of the most award-winning breweries in all the country. Over the last 10 years they have been ranked in the top 20 for medals won by a brewery.Southampton (631) 283-2800PuBLick.com

representing The Best Brewerieson Long island


Main Road, Jamesport631-722-3292 • www.elbowroomli.com

Appetizers

Mozzarella Sticks ...................................................................... 7.95Fried Calamari ........................................................................... 7.95Zucchini Sticks ........................................................................... 6.95Jalapeno Poppers ..................................................................... 6.95Chicken Fingers ........................................................................ 6.95Chicken Wings (plain or hot) ...........6.95 1/2 Doz .... 8.95 Doz.Onion Rings ................................................................................ 5.95

Breaded Mushrooms ............................................................. 6.95Breaded Caulifl ower ............................................................... 6.95Broccoli Cheddar Poppers ................................................ 6.95Buffalo Chicken Bites ............................................................. 6.95Order of Fries ........................................................................... 2.75Extra Salad .......................... 3.50 / Bleu Cheese $.50 extraYour Choice Combo (Pick Any 3!) ................................. 7.95

Snack Food

Homeade Long Island Clam Chowder (Red) or New England Clam Chowder (White)

Cup 3.95...........Bowl 5.50

Seafood & ChickenSurf & Turf* (Lobster Tail and Filet Mignon*, Plain or Marinated broiled to your taste) ............................................ 35.95Fresh Local Lobster (Seasonally Available) .....................................................................................................................................M.P.Broiled Rock Lobster Tails (Fluffy, white, and bursting from their shells! Served with drawn butter) ........ 34.95Broiled Bay Scallops (in light Wine Butter Sauce) ...................................................................................................................... 19.95Fried Bay Scallops (Breaded and Cooked to a Golden Brown) ......................................................................................... 19.95Fried Soft Shell Crabs (Tender & Breaded, just the way you like them!) ..................................................................... 22.95Fried Jumbo Shrimp (Breaded & Served with Tartar Sauce & Lemon Wedge) ........................................................ 19.95Baked Jumbo Shrimp Scampi (Swimming in a Delicious Sauce with a touch of Garlic) ................................. 19.95Fried Filet of Flounder Breaded (Served with Tartar Sauce & Lemon Wedge) ................................................... 18.95Broiled Filet of Flounder (Broiled in a light Butter Sauce) ................................................................................................... 18.95Fried Seafood Platter (Soft Shell Crabs, Scallops, Flounder, Shrimp, Baked Clams) ................................................. 23.95Broiled Seafood Platter (Lobster Tail, Scallops, Flounder & Shrimp) ................................................................................ 28.95Elbow Room Chicken (Grilled Breast, Roasted Red Peppers, and Goat Cheese) ................................................... 16.95

SteaksMarinated in Cliff ’s Special Sauce and then Broiled to Your Taste*

New York Shell Steak* ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 26.95Porterhouse Steak* .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 29.95Filet Mignon* .............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 31.95Broiled Steak Burger* (Freshly Chopped Lean Beef) ......................................................................................................................... 16.95

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Medium Rare ...... Red, warm Center • Medium ...... Pink/Hot Center • Medium Well ...... Broilied ThroughoutWell Done ....... Charred Outside, Broiled throughout inside ........ Not responsible for steaks ordered Well Done.

All Dinners served with French Fries or Baked Potato, Salad Rolls & ButterChildren’s Menu Available (12 & Under) $5.00 Extra Plate charge - No Substitutions

Baked Sweet Potato $.75 extra w/entree • Vegetable Ala Carte $3.00Homeade Creamed Spinach, Mashed Caulifl ower or Cut Green Beans.

*Consuming raw, or undercooked meats or fresh shell eggs may increase the risk of food bourne illness, especially if you have certain medical conditions.

Open 7 Days a WeekMany Different Local Wines to Choose From

6 Beers

On Tap

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Cliff ’s Elbow Room

Shrimp Cocktail ......................................................................... 8.95Clams Casino ............................................................................. 7.95Chopped Chicken Livers .................................................... 5.95Raw Clams on the Half Shell*...6.95 1/2 Doz ..10.95 DozSteamed PEI Mussels ............................................................. 9.95

Fried Clams .................................................................................. 6.95Creamed Herring .................................................................... 5.95Raw Oysters on the Half Shell* ....................................... 7.95Our Own Baked Clams ....................................................... 6.95Jumbo Zesty Shrimp .............................................................. 9-.95


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Wined UpLong IsLand vIneyards are fast becomIng some of the best In the worLdBy Samantha Batel

With 60 vineyards and more than 50 wine producers, Long Island is the youngest and fastest-growing wine region in New York. The production of more than a million gallons of wine annually on some 3,000 acres of planted land adds up to a lot of merlot, gallons of cabernet and a ton of sauvignon.

Now in the middle of summer, Long Island’s vineyards are in the swing of business. With dozens of locations and wine tastings to choose from, locals and out-of-towners alike can take their pick. Starting with the oldest and the largest vineyards, foodies and novices will certainly have their fill.

Established in 1973, Hargrave Vineyard in Cutchogue was the first on the Island. Now owned by the Borghese family, the Castello di Borghese Vineyard and Winery continues the tradition.

“We grow our own grapes, we harvest our own grapes, [and] we make our own wine,” says Ann Marie Borghese, co-owner of the vineyard. “It’s bottled here on the premises, and then it’s sold on the premises.”

Borghese recommends Sauvignon Blanc ’09, one of their signature wines, and Rosé ’09 as favorites for this time of year. “[Those] two wines for summer wines are just really the happy wines,” she says.

Castello di Borghese Vineyard and

Winery offers daily wine tastings and a Winemaker’s Walk, consisting of a behind-the-scenes tour and a classic tasting. And with plenty of awards to their name, including a Double Gold for their Merlot 2003 and Chardonnay 2007 from the 2009 “Best-of-Appellation” evaluation tasting and a Silver Medal for their 2005 Merlot and 2008 Riesling at the 2010 Finger Lakes International Wine Competition, the Borgheses have a lot to offer.

“People want good wine that they can sit down and have dinner with,” Borghese

says. “They’re very interested in palate-friendly wine [and] food-friendly wine. Since our vines are the oldest on Long Island we have a lot more nuances in our wine [because] the vines have more age to them and they’re just more lively and more vibrant.”

And along with exceptional taste comes an array of choices. Voted as the best local winery for the fifth time by Long Island Press readers, Pindar Vineyards Winery is the largest vineyard, with 17 varieties of grapes and 23 original

blends across more than 500 acres.“We started planting grapes in 1978, and

we made our first wines in 1980,” says Pindar Damianos, the vineyard manager and

owner. “We’re the oldest family owned and still operated winery on Long Island.”

For the summer months, Damianos says, Pindar’s Riesling ’08 and Sauvignon Blanc ’08 are doing really well. But this does not come at a cost to the rest of their selection, he says.

“If someone likes semi-sweet wine, we make that; if they like drier

wines, we make that too. Pretty much the taste profile is across the boards,” he says. “If

you come to visit us, you can find a wine that is well-priced and find a wine for everybody’s tastes,

really.” Pindar provides daily tours and wine tastings, and

now celebrating its 30th anniversary, is offering a 25 percent discount off the purchase of a case or more of wine. Their sister winery, Duck Walk Vineyards, also pays tribute to the Damianos’ passion.

With many vineyards and wineries to choose from, Long Island is sure to please even the pickiest of palates. Let the tasting begin.

For more information about Long Island’s wine country, visit www.liwines.com/index.ihtml to check out

vineyard and winery listings near you.

Richard Ritter/Castello Di Borghese Vineyard and Winery

north fork craft beer festival guide - 2010

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