Thursday marks a very special day for beer drinkers throughout America, so let me be the first person to tell you why: it’s National Beer Day. To celebrate the holiday, I took a tour of four breweries in central New York to experience the huge variety of beers the region has to offer.

Middle Ages Brewing Company – Syracuse Pale Ale

Lukas Halloran | Staff Photographer

 

We began the day at the Middle Ages Brewing Company in Syracuse, where we were greeted by its vice president, Isaac Rubenstein.

The top selling beer at Middle Ages is one you’ve probably seen a lot of on campus — the Syracuse Pale Ale. Pints are available at Faegan’s, and a six-pack costs $10 at Tops and many of the various corner stores on and off campus.

Syracuse Pale Ale is based off of an old English pale ale, made with four kinds of malt alongside pearl and cascade hops. It has a strong head and golden color. To me it smelled a bit floral and a bit malty, but not overpowering. From the smell, I wasn’t quite sure of what it would taste like.

I could definitely see why this is Middle Ages’ best seller. It was a smooth ride from the start to the finish. Opening with toasty and buttery notes and finishing with a slightly dry feel, the Syracuse Pale Ale is extremely easy to drink.

“It’s a very easy drinking pale ale, so it appeals to a wide range of people,” Rubenstein said. “It’s accessible, it’s thirst quenching, yet it’s flavorful. It’s not super hoppy like all these new IPAs, which we do also make. But it does have a little bit of hop character to it.”

Syracuse Suds Factory – Irish Red and Winter Wheat

Lukas Halloran | Staff Photographer

 

The next stop of the day was the Syracuse Suds Factory. Established in 1993, this popular destination in Armory Square is the longest running brewpub in Syracuse, general manager Patty Sheridan said.

I had the chance to taste two of its popular seasonal beers: the Irish Red and Winter Wheat. They both were very tasty, so I’ll be reviewing my favorite of the two — the Irish Red.

On the pour, it has a thick head and offers a vibrant reddish-brown color. It doesn’t look too carbonated, so I figured it would have a similar feel to a brown ale. The Irish Red has an easy aroma — nothing really stood out with the exception of a mild sweetness.

The Irish Red is sweet, smooth and light enough to have a few. It’s not a thick-bodied ale, so it was pretty easy from start to finish. One of the cool things about this beer — it has an apple and berries taste, right when it hits your tongue. It is fruity and sweet, and would go well with a variety of foods.

Empire Brewing Company – Slo-Mo IPA

Lukas Halloran | Staff Photographer

 

Another popular Armory Square brewpub — the Empire Brewing Company — introduced us to our first IPA of the day: Slo-Mo, 6.5 percent ABV.

One of the managers explained why he and the brewmaster think it’s going to become the brewpub’s best selling beer very soon.

“It’s our American IPA, and I think it’ll be our best seller in the future down the road just because the popularity of IPAs right now in the market is huge,” manager Steve Bode said.

The Slo-Mo has a golden color to it, with a bit of cloudiness to accompany the thick and foamy head. Once I got to smell it, I knew this IPA might taste a bit different than a typical one. I got a lot of citrus notes and only a hint of pine, when usually it’s the other way around.

That citrus smell matched the taste. When it hits your tongue, you might pucker up a bit, but it tastes very good if you like citrus fruits. The finish is long, bitter and sour, which is pretty common when drinking an IPA. To me, my mouth felt and tasted the same way it does when I eat a grapefruit.

“There’s great flavors in it, and even people that don’t really like hoppy beers do tend to like it, just because it has a big citrusy, sort of flavor to it,” Bode said. “It’s different than the other IPAs out there.”

The combination of its bold flavor and fair price — $5 for a pint — I can see why it may become the best selling beer at Empire.

Good Nature Brewing Company

Lukas Halloran | Staff Photographer

 

The last brewery we went to is a 50-minute drive from Syracuse, but is 100 percent worth the drive if you get the chance. The Good Nature Brewing Company is located in downtown Hamilton, within walking distance from the Colgate University campus. Known as “Hamilton’s living room,” this cozy nook has an incredible selection of beers and an extremely friendly staff.

“This is just really a great place to go. Everyone here knows you and it’s a great experience,” Colgate University senior Gary Mucci, a customer at Good Nature, said. “If you come Tuesdays, Tap Room Tuesdays, you can see all sorts of people. You can come for just one beer and hang out — it’s really a great time.”

Tap Room manager Brandon Frederick walked me through two flights of beers, including both seasonal and popular brews.

“The Blonde and the Brown (ales) are definitely our flagship beers,” Frederick said. “They’re the ones that are out in most retail locations for sale, whether you go into a bottle shop … or finding it on draft at your local bar.”

I decided to taste the flagship Good Nature Blonde Ale, which can be found in Syracuse. It’s lighter in color — kind of a light caramel — and had a relatively thin head with a buttery aroma.

It’s immediately refreshing and offers a crisp finish. It really has a simple taste for virtually anybody’s palate — it’s malty and tastes like buttery bread and crackers. It’s not bitter, which makes sense because of its low IBU rating, and is a malt forward beer. Because of its simple yet great taste, the Blonde Ale will complement many foods well.

Published on April 6, 2016 at 10:17 pm