News
April 4, 2017Sixth Annual Hudson Valley Hops Fundraiser Celebrates Bicentennial of Erie Canal
On Saturday, April 8 from 4PM—7PM, the Albany Institute of History & Art will host the sixth annual Hudson Valley Hops. This fun, regional craft beer tasting event is a fundraiser for the museum and is sponsored by TimesUnion.com/TableHopping. It’s an opportunity for the community to sample the flavors of Capital Region craft brewers, see brewing and distilling artifacts from the Albany Institute’s collection, meet industry experts, and receive a commemorative glass. This year, the fundraiser will toast the bicentennial of the groundbreaking of the original Erie Canal with an Irish Red Ale invitational, an IPA contest, special music, and more. Tickets are available at www.albanyinstitute.org.
The theme of the event is the start of construction of the Erie Canal in 1817. In recognition of the generations of Irish who were involved in canal construction, three breweries will bring Irish Red Ales to share, including Adirondack Brewery, Chatham Brewing, and Brown’s Brewing. Adirondack Brewery will bring Ryan’s Irish Red which was developed and brewed by their production manager Ryan McDermott. Chatham Brewing will bring one of their popular recent brews. “Irish Red Ale is a great style to mark the arrival of spring,” remarked Tom Crowell, co-founder of Chatham Brewing. “We brewed this beer for St. Patrick’s Day at the request of a local Irish Pub.” Brown’s Brewing collaborated with revered Albany Brewmaster Bill Newman to create O’Bill’s. O’Bill’s pays homage to the thousands of New York bound Irish immigrant laborers who landed in Albany’s Ferry Street docks in the early nineteenth century and took hard labor jobs digging out New York State’s Erie Canal with picks and shovels. “This beer is for THEM,” says Newman. “Be sure to hoist a sample at the Albany Institute on April 8th and toast the Irish and their industry that made a mark on our waterways that lives on to this day!” Guests will also enjoy period music courtesy of George Ward, the designated balladeer of the Erie Canal and a talk about the history of beer by William Schaefer.
In addition, there will be a chance to make history with a special contest to determine the best IPAs in the Hudson and Mohawk Valleys. The Master of Ceremonies for this blind taste test is Steve Barnes, restaurant critic and writer for the Albany Times Union. Judges include: Kevin Tighe, longtime beer manager at New World Bistro and Bar and now poised to open Tighe’s Bistro Americain; Dimitrios Menagias, Executive Chef of The City Beer Hall; and Tess Collins, owner of McGeary’s Irish Pub.
Great local flavors will come from current producers. Participating breweries include: Adirondack Pub & Brewery, Argyle Brewing Company, Brown’s Brewing Company, Chatham Brewing LLC., C.H. Evans Brewing, Green Wolf Brewing Company, Rare Form Brewing Company, Rip Van Winkle Brewery, Shmaltz Brewing, S&S Brewery, and The Beer Diviner. New this year, guests will select their favorite brew in the People’s Choice Awards!
April 8 will also be the launch of the 2017 edition of the Albany Institute’s historic beer pint glass collectibles. The new design features an image from a Beverwyck Brewing Co., tray c. 1900 from the museum’s collections. This is the third in a series of glasses that showcase historic brewing advertisements and design collateral from the Albany Institute’s collections.
The Albany Institute of History & Art thanks the event sponsors, including Timesunion.com/tablehopping and New World Bistro. Special thanks to Mr. & Mrs. William M. Schaefer, Morgan Linen, as well as Martin, Harding, & Mazzotti. The firm is offering free rides home to participants of Hudson Valley Hops who call 1800-LAW-1010 (1-800-529-1010).
Tickets are available online at www.albanyinstitute.org, by calling (518) 463-4478 ext 412, or at the door. Cost in advance is $35 non-members/ $30 members. Cost at the door is $40 non-members/ $35 members.
