It’s no secret that the Hudson Valley is home to a number of breweries, each fermenting their own IPAs, stouts, and pilsners with wonderfully wild flavors and ingredients. Newest to this craft beverage scene is Orange County’s own Pine Island Tap House, which opened its Banished Brewing operation in early July. Since the tap house team was already familiar with top-notch brews, as it keeps quite a number on tap, it seemed like a natural fit for them to venture into brewing.
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Located in Warwick’s Pine Island hamlet, the taphouse opened in 2021 and has been a staple of the tight-knit community ever since. With a 26-tap capacity and food trucks every Saturday and Sunday, Pine Island Tap house is the premier spot for drinks with friends or a chill happy hour. Owner Peter Artusa assures that the venue also has a great synergy with Warwick Valley Winery and sells its standard apple cider year-round, keeps the seasonal flavors on rotation, carries all of its wines from the Black Dirt Red to the Pinot Gris, and uses the spirits in cocktails like Old-Fashioneds and Moscow mules.
As for what’s on tap, Pine Island Tap House showcases a number of Hudson Valley-based brews like King’s Court Brewing Company’s Summer Nights and Equilibrium Brewery’s Temporal Loops, in addition to its own new beers. Banished Brewery currently boasts two brews – a hazy NEIPA and a mild West Coast-style IPA – with plans to add a third red ale on tap as soon as this week, and a chocolate-oatmeal stout to be released when the weather cools down, just in time for fall.
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Before opening Pine Island Tap House, owner Artusa served in law enforcement for over 20 years, the majority of which he spent starting and running the K9 unit with the Warwick Police Department before retiring from the force in 2009. Shortly after his brief retirement, he owned a window and gutter cleaning company before opening Pine Island Tap House and Banished Brewing. Although brewing beers is a new endeavor for him, Artusa operates all his enterprises in a spirit of serving his community and, with the help of a brew master, he is excited for what’s to come for the taphouse.
Banished Brewing operates out of a portion of a former Pine Island Fire House, which used to house a different brewery and distributor that has since gone out of business. The new space is not only a farmhouse brewery, but a rental room for private parties and overflow from the taphouse when it’s packed from Friday bingo nights and live music events on the weekend. Banished Brewing is proud to create and serve New York beers, or beers made with at least 60 percent New York State hops and other local ingredients.
Along with brews, Banished Brewing dishes up bites as well. Stop by to try the Bavarian Beast soft pretzel or a charcuterie board, and wash it all down with Banished Brewing’s own Peter the Saint, a 6.8-percent American IPA that’s packed with hoppy goodness for a citrus and spicy flavor profile.
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As the summer simmers down, Banished Brewing looks to concoct more dark beers and IPAs, with hopes to venture into seltzers in the future. Canning and selling his beers commercially seems like a far-off dream for Artusa, but he believes that the right traction and notoriety could put Banished Brewing on the map in the region’s craft beverage scene. The customer response so far has been nothing but positive, and their support for the taphouse is the motivation behind Banished Brewing’s conception.
“With Pine Island Tap House and Banished Brewing, we want to offer great beers and great times to the Hudson Valley and beyond,” he enthuses.
Banished Brewing at Pine Island Tap House
682 County Rd 1, Pine Island
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