By Sydney L. Loftus , Executive Director, Madison County Historical Society
Travel with the Madison County Historical Society on a guided Hop Heritage and Cuisine Tour around Madison County on Sunday, Sept. 14, from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Reservations to book your seat must be made by Sept. 5. Stops along the way include sites related to the 19th century hop industry in Madison County from a beautifully well-preserved 1867 limestone English oast house, to a double pyramidal hop kiln, to dormitories that once housed hop pickers, to Foothill Hops, an active hop yard. Light fare and craft brew will be served at the stops at area restaurants. Participating restaurants are: Blue Barbecue of Chittenango who is pairing with Brown's Brewing of Troy; Meyers Chocolates of Oneida who is pairing with Ommegang Brewery of Cooperstown; and Nirchi's Italian Grill of Cazenovia who is pairing with Middle Ages of Syracuse. Butternuts Brewery of Garratsville will also be making an appearance at one of the kiln stops on the tour with a savory beer can chicken recipe.
The tour also includes sites in Bouckville from James D. Coolidge's hop yard and gravesite to his son, James E. Coolidge's home- present location of the Ye Olde Landmark Tavern. James D. Coolidge is credited for introducing hops commercially to New York State in 1808. In the fall of 1816, he transported a load of hops to the New York City market. Thus, earning his place in Madison County and New York State history. Nearby counties saw how lucrative hops were becoming for Madison County farmers that they followed suit. By 1880, Madison, Otsego, and Oneida Counties were producing over 80 percent of the nation's hops.
Other sites viewed will be those newly identified by the Cultural Resource Survey of Hop Heritage Sites in Madison County, a project funded by Preserve New York, a grant program of the Preservation League of New York State and the New York State Council on the Arts. A report on the survey with many photos of sites will be give at 10 a.m. during the 13th Madison County Hop Fest on Saturday, Sept. 13.
The 13th Annual Madison County Hop Fest has expanded to a weekend long event commencing Friday, Sept. 12 through Sept. 14. On Friday, Sept. 12, join them at the Ye Olde Landmark Tavern for a paired brew dinner with Cooperstown Brewing. Tickets are $40 and can be purchased at the restaurant, or at the historical society, or online at www.mchs1900.org. Reservations must be made by Sept. 5. On Saturday, Sept. 13, join them on the society's grounds at 435 Main St. in Oneida for Taste of Hops: a food and brew pairing from noon to 2 p.m. Tickets are $15 advance, $20 at the door if available, only 200 will be sold. Saturday's activities continue under the Brew Sampling Tent from 2:30-5:30 p.m. where participants can sample various styles of craft brew for over 20 breweries. Tickets for the brew sampling are $25 advance, $30 at the door. Advance brew tickets can be purchased at Arnie's Produce/Kraig's Kegs in Sherrill, Roger's Market in Hamilton, the historical society, or online at www.mchs1900.org. The Hop Fest opens at 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with day-long presentations on hop culture, a raffle, hopshop, and home brewer demonstrations. At 2 p.m. join them for the crowning of the Madison County Hop King, Dan Mitchell, owner of Ithaca Beer Co.
For more information about the 13th Annual Madison County Hop Fest and purchasing tickets, please contact the Madison County Historical Society, 435 Main St., Oneida, NY 13421, 315. 363.4136, 315.361.9735, email history@mchs1900.org, or visit website at www.mchs1900.org. All proceeds from the Hop Fest support the educational programming at the Madison County Historical Society. The Madison County Hop Fest is a 21-year and older event. Admission is charged only for the brew dinner, brew sampling, restaurant and brew pairing, and the hop heritage and cuisine tour.

 


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