1. Red C
Sloop Brewing Company, Wappingers Falls
“This is a great beer, it’s very bold,” says Daniels about this red-hued ale that is made of three different hops, all beginning with the letter “C.” “It’s very exciting to see these local boys grow up and form their own real brewery.”
2. Freshchester Pale Ale
Captain Lawrence Brewing Company, Elmsford
Daniels can’t say enough good things about this aromatic brew. “It’s citrusy, it has some bitterness; it’s really good. [Head brewer Scott] Vacarro is one of the most award-winning brewers in the state. Hands down.”
3. Mother’s Milk
Keegan Ales, Kingston
“Everyone loves this dark and creamy milk stout; it’s one of the most popular beers around,” says Daniels. “No wonder it was named one of the top 10 stouts in North America by the New York Times.”
4. Newburgh Brown
Newburgh Brewing Company, Newburgh
Verging on black, this ale pours with a light tan head and has beautiful highlights in the glass. The flavor is dominated by malty sweetness and gentle hints of chocolate and toffee. “[Brewer] Chris Basso is going to be developing some interesting beers for Newburgh,” says Daniels.
5. Nimptopsical
Rushing Duck Brewing, Chester
Created with five different varieties of malt, this Scotch ale yields flavors of toffee, burnt sugar, toasted bread, and overripe fruit. The name comes from Ben Franklin’s 1737 book The Drinker’s Dictionary, and is used to describe someone who has had too much to drink. “I wrote them a letter saying that I had been in business for 12 years, but I had just fallen in love with this beer,” Daniels says. “It was something I had never tasted before. There was something about balancing all the flavors and the size of the bubble and the aftertaste.”
» Back to Ultimate Guide to Local Beer in 2013
