T
he craft beer explosion has taken the nation by storm—and despite its reputation as a wine region, Long Island has been no exception. Both forks have established their own craft breweries, brewpubs and artisanal beer stores in recent times, and this summer, the draft list is looking more varied than ever. R i v e r h e a d ’s f i r s t b r e w e r y, L o n g I r e l a n d (longirelandbrewing.com), will be celebrating its fifth anniversary this year by releasing their annual Summer Ale. “It’s a golden ale and it’s brewed with Pilsner malt, wheat malt and dried lemon peel, so it’s got a nice little citrus hint in the back of it that’s light and crisp,” says Long Ireland co-founder Greg Martin, noting that it will be available in six packs of 12 oz. bottles this year. Long Ireland will also have its flagship Celtic Ale and popular Breakfast Stout available for the drinking. The tasting room is open Thursday and Friday from 3–7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 1–6 p.m. Also turning five this year, GREENPORT Harbor BrewING (harborbrewing.com) is planning to mark the occasion
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Taste of two forks
with a grand opening party at their new Peconic location on Saturday, July 12 from 3–8 p.m., featuring three bands and local food trucks. While the brewery will be up and running by July, the new space will be far from complete. “The production space will be operating, and we will be conducting tours, so people will be able to see the system in it’s completion,” says co-founder Rich Vandenburgh. “The tasting room will be open and functioning, albeit in a kind of a rustic, initial-stage setting.” A larger brewery space means more variety. “With the opening of the bigger production brewery, we’re going to be using the Greenport space as a pilot brewery for smaller, more experimental beers,” says co-founder John Liegey. “It would be great to build a little bit of a treasure chest of beers for the summer and for the party.” Greenport Harbor released their Summer Ale in May, which will be followed by a Citrus IPA in June, and their Anniversary Ale in time for their celebration. They’ve also put out their popular Hopnami Double IPA, which hasn’t been seen in more than two years.