Hudson Valley Brewery (2018)

I guess it's just bad timing on our part. Saturday is supposed to be pretty hot, too.

My wife was looking forward to having options. Usually it's me getting to try 4-5 different beers while she's lucky to find a sour/wild ale on the menu. That's pretty much how it went when we visited Equilibrium haha.

 

How persuasive are you? You could try the “I got lost” routine, and end up at Plan Bee (30+minute detour) then hit HVB on the way back for a crowler(s)

 

We ended up leaving without getting to try any of their beers after standing at the bar for almost 10 minutes. The place was pretty packed and the guys running the taps seemed to be more interested in bullshitting with regulars and helping young women.

 

That sucks. I did kinda get the sense the beertenders were looking down their nose at me when there but I've grown thick skin from my years in NYC plus liking a lot if snobby shit (coffee, bourbon, beer, food, women).

The thing I keep hearing about Beacon is all the BK hipsters are migrating there so your experience makes sense.

 

Cruised up there today and tried a few of their beers. Moon Roof is outstanding. The Valley Beer is nice, but more of a sour than a saison. I'm far from a hipster, and didn't get a rude vibe from either of the guys tending bar. Both were attentive and friendly. Only guy in the place I found annoying was a dude w the Draught Industry shirt on that walked in like he owned the place.

 

They are equally as disturbing as the Brooklyn poser assholes are, and they are growing in numbers. Part of me sees the irony in not wanting to hit Beacon back when it was a dangerous ghettoized pit, and now that it's upscale and safe, but infested with hipster assholes, I also rarely want to do anything there. Sad because at least at Bacchus Jason and Mike were down to earth guys who would share a beer with you and bullshit, and Bacchus was and is a very user friendly pub.

 

I have not yet been to Bacchus. Worth checking out? Hudson Valley was tolerable and I absolutely loved Dia:Beacon.

I have kind of convinced myself that somewhere upstate is the place for me to locate to and I was eyeing Beacon, but I guess I need to spend a little time there. I took my daughter to a nice park close to HVB and found a lot of different people there, not just the hipster types. I can get down with that. Plus I can actually afford Beacon and there's space, which is big for a person coming from New Mexico.

I think the best upstate drinking experiences I've had so far have been at Suarez (Dan and his wife are incredibly friendly) and Industrial Arts. It's amazing what a little friendliness, good service and good beer will do for a place's reputation.

 

It could be you have a higher tolerance than I do, as I know you are an UWS guy as well as a New Mexico guy, and I would survive under ten minutes in the UWS before needing to get into the woods. Could be you will love Beacon and not notice what I find impossible to ignore. Certainly some good beer at HVB and Draught, and great food up and down Main St. Bacchus is a hard pass nowadays if you are looking for their own beer, it is merely standard issue nowadays. Their tap list is great, but I prefer Underground Coffee and Ales in Highland which has even better lists and cleaner tap lines, and better food.

Suarez is my favorite, I guess no surprise to anyone who knows me.

 

Sad to hear about your experience @Xerlic. Kind of leaves a sour taste in my mouth about the place now. I've been there 3-4 times, was a bit slow once, but mostly fine. It is a specific vibe - it is not a place you go to BS with the bartender or talk with locals/regulars. You go to get a bunch of world class beers and go drink outside or around one of those barrels with your friends. Similar to As Is NYC vibe for me. Pretentious attitudes, incredible beers.

I absolutely love Beacon and haven't had hipster issues but I have a high tolerance being from the city. I tolerate the snobbish attitudes in exchange for the nice neighborhoods, high quality food/drink etc. Plus it's right on the Metro North, and there's amazing hiking in the area. Seems like a cool place to live. Can definitely see how it would turn people off though (the attitudes).

 

I would like to add my 2 cents...been to HV 3 times and never had issues with the staff...always friendly, and never got a whiff of attitude from them...and I'm very sensitive to that stuff.

 

NYC is killing my morale. Must escape. Haha.

If I could live at Suarez, I would.

 

I kind of regret posting my experience because I wasn't trying to shit on the place or try to convince people to not go there, but I guess it reads like that. If you've had positive experiences at the brewery, I certainly am not looking to change your opinion of that.

I saw the guy wearing the Draught Industries t-shirt that @JG__ mentioned. One of the guys doing pours kept getting distracted/talking to this guy despite the crowd which was kind of annoying.

I'm going to try to avoid posting anymore here. The great thing about this area is we have great beer from NYC all the way up the Hudson Valley. Plenty of great options.

Industrial Arts is great. I live nearby and have been there many times. Never had a bad experience. I'd also recommend District 96/Burger Loft next time you're in Rockland.

 

+New Sours Coming

 

heading up to HVB tonight to grab some beers for a camping trip this weekend..I see they fill crowlers, but do they do growers as well?..the website makes no mention of growlers, and i didn't want to waste car space to bring them up if they won't get filled

 

Just Crowlers.

 

Thanks..figured as much and left the growlers at home..grabbed a few crowlers at the brewery..nice place..laid back vibe..but not much going on..small bar area and not much seating...definitely has potential thou..wish i could get crowlers of all the beers and hooe they start filling growlers soon

 

I've spoken to the HV guys, and overheard them talking to other people, and the way they talk they'll never do growlers....that being said, never is a long time so who knows.