Ithaca Beer Co. to launch Brew York with New York–grown ingredients

ITHACA, N.Y. — Ithaca Beer Co. plans to launch the state’s first commercially produced beer made with “predominantly” New York–grown ingredients. It will be available year-round and statewide.

It’s called Brew York and described as a pale ale that “uses nearly 70 percent New York–grown barley and 100 percent New York hops,” the office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a news release.

Brew York will be available in both bottles and draft starting May 15.

Ithaca Beer’s investment in this new product line supports Southern Tier Soaring, the region’s “strategic plan to revitalize communities and grow regional economies,” Cuomo’s office said.

Ithaca Beer created Brew York to “showcase the state’s high-quality agricultural ingredients, and highlight New York’s advancement in supply and pricing that makes it feasible for commercial brewers to commit to buying and using local ingredients,” the release contended.

Ithaca Beer, which isn’t a licensed as a farm brewery, isn’t required to use local ingredients. However, the company is sourcing 66 percent of its malting barley from 1886 Malt House in Fulton and from New York Empire Malt in Champlain in Clinton County.

The brewery is also “exceeding” New York’s 2019 farm-brewery license requirements by using 100 percent hops produced by Chimney Bluffs Hoppery in Wolcott in Wayne County and Ledyard Farms in King Ferry in Cayuga County.

The release of Brew York has been in the making for more than a decade, Dan Mitchell, president of Ithaca Beer Co., said in Cuomo’s release.

“In 2004, we introduced an all New York State hopped Double IPA while working on getting the Northeast Hop Alliance off the ground. We spent significant time in front of state legislators requesting support to bring back the once thriving [New York State] hop industry, and working closely with [the New York] Farm Bureau to raise awareness and funds. It’s been a huge boost for those of us working on projects like this to have Gov. Cuomo behind us. When I first began working on Ithaca Beer, there was definitely some support, but the governor has created incredible awareness about all the great food and beer produced in New York State, and for all the farmers who support our local efforts,” said Mitchell.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com