Things to do, places to eat, shows to see, places to stay in Madison County, NY      

_The Farm Bureau released this press release yesterday:

S.5078, a bill sponsored by Senator David Valesky, took an important step toward adoption today when it cleared the State Senate Committee on Commerce, Economic Development and Small Business. The goal of the bill is to recreate the once vibrant New York hops growing industry and add to the already booming agri-tourism business.

_The agriculture and beer industries in New York State are already major job creating engines, pumping more than $4.7 and $1.2 billion into our economy each year respectively. The Farm Brewery license bill will allow for better synergy between these two important industries by allowing farmers to operate on and off premise accounts and also supply hops to other craft breweries.

The bill requires that a large percentage of the hops and other ingredients used to brew beer at a farm brewery be purchased within New York State. In the late 19th century, New York grew about 90 percent of the nation’s supply of hops, only to see the industry disappear with the advent of industrialized beer production. The rise of smaller niche and craft breweries represents a unique opportunity for hops farming to once again flourish in New York State.

“This bill represents a true win-win,” said Julie Suarez, director of public policy for New York Farm Bureau. “The licensing provisions will allow a farm brewer to bottle and sell their products on or off premises and in the wholesale or retail markets. This opens up new and exciting opportunities for farmers to enter the craft beer business and to increase farm related tourism. At the same time, the provisions that require farm brewers to use an escalating percentage of locally grown hops, will stimulate new opportunities for growers. Hop barns once dotted New York’s landscape, and if this bill is enacted, they will again.”

"This legislation is a real victory for the agricultural community and small businesses. In addition to providing new opportunities for farmers through increasing demand for local products used in beer production, it will stimulate agri-tourism much like we’ve seen with farm wineries in New York, and has the potential to create new jobs," Senator David J. Valesky (D-Oneida), sponsor of the legislation.

S.5078 was referred to the Senate Finance Committee for further review. A companion bill is carried by Agriculture Committee Chairman Bill Magee in the New York State Assembly.

_Madison County has a long and storied hop farming tradition.  However, Madison County has never, ever been home to a commercial brewery.  That all changes officially tomorrow as Good Nature Brewing will open its doors and tap lines to the public. Owners Matt and Carrie sent out the good news via email this morning:

The big day is finally here!  We are fully licensed, and will be opening our tasting room for tastes and growler fills this Thursday (TOMORROW!), Friday, and Saturday.  Thursday we'll open from 3-7PM, Friday from 3-8PM, and Saturday from 12-8PM.  We have GNB growlers available here, but feel free to bring your own for filling.

We'll also be taking orders for our second generation of GNB pint glasses!  If you order now (instead of waiting until they come in) you get a dollar off!  

We are located at 37 Milford Street Suite #3 in Hamilton (across from Ray's and next door to M&M Press.  Look for the sign!  Call or email if you need help finding us.   

(315)824-1560

Starting next week, we'll go to our regular tasting room hours. 
Sunday/Monday:  Closed
Tues-Thurs:  12-7PM
Fri-Sat:  12-8PM

Tours by appointment!  

Cheers! 

Carrie & Matt 

_

The Central New York Region offers a taste of everything you’d find on a trip to New York State. Literally. The seven-county area is host to a variety of restaurants and pubs touting local dishes made with farm-fresh ingredients and paired with beer and wine straight from the area’s vineyards and hop yards. In fact, in the 1880s, New York State produced 80 percent of the nation’s hops, and most of those hops came from Madison, Oneida and Otsego counties. Visitors to the region are invited to celebrate the historic culture of New York State’s hop industry by touring a beverage trail or two.

Here are some of the highlights of the area’s beverage trails and cuisine hot spots:

New York State’s very first official cuisine trail, the Cooperstown Beverage Trail, is located in Otsego and encompasses four establishments: Fly Creek Cider Mill, Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown Brewing Company and Bear Pond Winery . The trail offers tastings plus a close-up look at how the beverages are made on a tour. The Madison County Hop Heritage Trail is marked by hop kilns and other related hop sites still in existence documenting the agricultural impact of commercial hop production in the history of Madison County and New York State. Madison County was known as "one great hop yard" for a century. Sites on the trail include the Foothill Farms, Ye Olde Landmark Tavern, Coolidge Hop Farm, Chenango Canal Cottage Museum and many more. Sweet apple cider is pressed on an antique Boomer & Boschert press built circa 1890 at Harvest Moon Cidery at Critz Farms , and Owera Vineyards is comprised of four acres of Minnesota cold, hearty varietals Frontenac Gris and Marquette set amidst the rolling hillside near the village of Cazenovia.

The Saranac Brewery, founded in 1888 and located in the heart of Utica, in Oneida County, offers a hands-on tour. The aroma of fresh hops and malts leads visitors to the 1888 tavern to sample brews. The Saranac Brewery also concocts several tasty soft drinks like Root Beer, Ginger Beer and Orange Cream. The Number 5 Restaurant in Greater Binghamton presents a broad range of wines from around the world, with particular emphasis on California Chardonnays and hearty reds. Recipient of various esteemed awards from "Wine Spectator," "Wine Enthusiast" and "Restaurant Wine" magazines, the Number 5 Restaurant offers the largest selection of the highest rated wines available in upstate New York. Another superb establishment, Moxie Wood Fired Grill, welcomes guests with a warm, upscale ambience and trendier types of food – something you'd find in New York City.

Chenango County’s Black Bear Winery produces some of the finest fruit wines and hard ciders made from New York grown fruit picked at the peak of ripeness and pressed into luscious flavors. The American Hotel in Schoharie County features an award-winning, inventive, "American-French" cuisine all its own. The menu focuses on creative dishes that bring the enticing flavors of France, Italy, America and Asia to the table while also changing with the seasons as they feature local produce. The hotel’s extensive wine list includes over 2,500 selections and has been awarded the esteemed "Grand Award" from The Wine Spectator since 1981. The restaurant has received the DiRoNA Award since 1992 for the highest standards for food, wine and spirits, service, atmosphere and value.

Eateries featuring seasonal dishes based on farm-fresh ingredients right from the backyard. Wineries touting a variety of wines made from handpicked, ripe grapes grown in the area’s vineyards. Breweries offering the best of locally grown hops. And to top it all off, trails to walk visitors through this extraordinary, taste bud-pleasing experience. The Central New York Region offers all of this and more. It’s easy to see the historic culture of New York State’s hop industry is alive and well in the Central New York Region.

For more hop heritage trails or to plan a visit to the area, check out: www.JustGoCNY.com.

The 16th Annual Madison County Hop Fest fun-filled weekend starts at the Ye Olde Landmark Tavern in Bouckville for the Hop Fest’s Paired Beer Dinner on September 16 at 6 pm.  The five-course meal created by Culinary Institute Chef, Andrew Hengst will be paired with a variety of craft beer styles from Southern Tier Brewing Company.
The first course is a roasted vegetable samosa of chickpea salad with cilantro chutney paired with Southern Tier’s 422 Pale Wheat Ale. The second course is a garlic soup served with crispy chorizo and parsley oil paired with Southern Tier’s Phinn and Matt’s American Pale Ale.  The third course is crispy shrimp cake accompanied with a tomato and corn salad drizzled with jalapeno vinaigrette and paired with Southern Tier’s IPA. The fourth course is Pork Tenderloin, served with apple and herb stuffing, fried brussels sprouts, macaroni and cheese in a mustard aioli paired with Southern Tier’s Harvest Extra Special Bitter. The fifth course is a pumpkin cheesecake finished with a caramel praline sauce paired with Southern Tier’s Pumking Imperial Pumkin Ale.
Tickets for the dinner are $45 and seating is limited.  Please contact the society to reserve your seat online at www.mchs1900.org/hopfest, or by sending a check payable to the Madison County Historical Society by September 9th.