As one of our favorite breweries, I was not surprised when JD made a beeline for Southern Tier Brewing Co. as soon as we entered the gates to snag a taste of their Bourbon Barrel Aged Back Burner Barley Wine. We’re both big fans of the standard Back Burner and the aged version did not disappoint.  Oak meets smooth caramel notes and at 14.1% abv, it packs a punch without being too boozy or overpowering in any way.  A very enjoyable brew and one that I was happy to start with.

Conveniently, our friends from Custom Brewcrafters were at the next booth over with a taste of their Krysztoff Baltic Porter, named 2011 Beer of the Year by The New York Cork Report.  Another delicious beer with some serious decision making power (10% abv) this bold brew had us doing the smile-and-nod. From there, slightly nervous that the day would head south quickly otherwise, we sought out some snacks in the main lodge.

Once you’re in the festival, all of the beer samples as well as the food is free and readily available everywhere you turn.  This years featured theme was Caribbean Food, although we got our hands on everything from hot dogs & hamburgers to pierogis with sour cream.  Of course there were plenty of treats that fit the theme a little better… we enjoyed Curry Chicken, Oven-baked Sweet Plantains, and burned our tongues on Conch Fritters.

Saturday was a blur of good food, great beer, and even better people. I cannot say enough about the craft beer community… We met so many great people at TAP New York, many of whom we hope to see again soon.  At 5pm, when the festival had closed for the night, we did some hanging with Rochester’s own Three Heads Brewing and the Dupa Dupa Dupa crew (you’ll find their picture right inside the TAP NY program).  From there we headed up to Tannersville for the official Sixpoint Craft Ales after party at The Spinning Room Bar, where we rubbed elbows with none other than Jan Matysiak, brewmaster and creator of Sixpoint Resin and the newly launched Apollo, a wheat beer brewed with a traditional Bavarian yeast.  We also ate SPAM fries and spent some time chatting with Adam Lang and his lovely girlfriend Aliza.  For those of you that know how much we love Sixpoint, you can imagine how much we enjoyed meeting those guys! (like I’m pretty sure JD has a man-crush on Jan…)

Right about now is when my memory starts to fade in and out… though I do remember that the cab driver from Smiley’s Taxi was totally cool and not at all creepy like the cab driver we had in Jamestown when we visited Southern Tier in February.  Stay tuned for a recap of Sunday, when I actually remembered to take some pictures!

The post TAP NY 2012 – Day One first appeared on The Craft Beer Blog.

http://www.stoneyardbarandgrill.com

What: Bar & Grill with 21 rotating craft beers on tap.

Where: 1 Main Street, Brockport, NY 14420 (corner of Main St & the Erie Canal)

When to go: Wednesday nights are “Beer Masters” nights.  Enjoy special “Cookin’ with Beer” menu items and once you join their Beer Masters club ($20 for the year), you’ll get discounts on craft beer every Wednesday night.   **The last Wednesday of every month is Beer Masters University where they give patrons the opportunity to learn about craft beer including trivia, tastings and giveaways from 7-9pm ($5 for members/$10 for non-members)

Stoneyard Bar & Grill is one of the few options in Brockport for both a nice sit-down meal and good craft beer.  For those of you that might be familiar with this small college town just west of Rochester, it’s the location of the old Jimmy Macs. The dining room is at street level, with the bar located downstairs, right next to the canal.  Their canalside location makes it a summer hot spot for boaters and bikers along the Erie Canal.

Great specials every day of the week offer something for everyone, not to mention their amazing craft beer selection. They offer 21 rotating beers on tap and a nice variety of craft bottles and cans.  I’m telling you guys, their beer selection is killer, including many beers rarely seen on tap locally.  The guys in charge here really love craft beer and it shows in what they choose to put on.  They put on mostly sixtels (1/6 kegs that yield about 50-55 beers each) so it’s not uncommon for beers to rotate in and out in a matter of days.  This provides a constant variety of taps to choose from and ensures you always get a fresh beer.

The last Wednesday of every month they hold “Beer Masters University” where they pick a topic and school patrons on beer styles, processes, etc. along with tastings, trivia and giveaways.  Tomorrow’s event features the brewers from Rochester’s own Roc Brewing Co. and their great selection of  beers, including a taste of the Kyoto Protocol, their Sumatra IPA showcasing a blend of beer & coffee through a collaborative effort with Joe Bean Coffee Roasters.  I just saw the special menu items for this event on Stoneyard’s Facebook page and I cannot wait to try this meal…

Dark Mild Pulled Pork Sandwich topped with Cullinan’s Revival Red BBQ Sauce and apple slaw on a fresh baked Brewers Yeast Roll with a side of Crispy Brewers Fries and Roc Brewing Oatmeal Stout Ice Cream Floats for dessert!

I’ll see ya there!

The post Local Spotlight: Stoneyard Bar & Grill, Brockport, NY first appeared on The Craft Beer Blog.