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Agriculture
CRAFT BEVERAGES
New York is helping to lead the national surge in craft beverage production. From 2007 to 2011, the number of craft distilleries in New York increased from ve to more than 20. In 2015, the state an- nounced that the craft beer indus- try had grown 59 percent over 2013–14, with a total economic im- pact of $3.5 billion.
Dutchess County played an important role in this growth, with the majority of its distilleries and breweries opening since 2011.
Breweries include Hudson Val- ley and Two Way in Beacon; Mill House, Blue Collar, and Plan Bee Farm Brewery in Poughkeepsie; and Hyde Park Brewery.
Dutchess has three craft distill- eries. Denning’s Point in Beacon produces gin, vodka, and whiskey.
Dutch’s Spirits in Pine Plains makes moonshine, peach brandy, and six types of cocktail bitters on the foot- print of a historic Prohibition-era bootleg complex. Dutch’s bit- ters-making kit is available at Wil- liams-Sonoma.
At Taconic Distillery in Stanford- ville, founder Paul Coughlin has 115 acres where he grows corn for his bourbon and rye whiskeys. Coughlin distributes Taconic Dis- tillery’s o erings in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, and soon in all of New England.
“The demand for our spirits is growing,” says Coughlin. “We’ve got a good product, and loyal customers. People love it.”
New York is third in the country in wine production; Dutchess County facilities include Cascade Mountain
Winery in Amenia, Clinton Vineyards in Clinton Corners, and Oak Summit Vineyard and Millbrook Vineyards & Winery, both in Millbrook.
Millbrook Vineyards was found- ed in 1983 by John Dyson, a New York City deputy mayor under Ru- dolph Giuliani, former state commis- sioner of agriculture, and developer of the “I Love NY” advertising cam- paign. Millbrook produces 15,000 cases of wine each year. Sixty per- cent of its wine is sold to winery vis- itors at events, tastings, and tours.
“We’re in such a large demo- graphic market that the sky’s the limit with us for what we can sell out of the front door,” says David Bova, vice president and general manager of Millbrook Vineyards. “We have room to grow, and we’re growing as the market dictates.”
Millbrook Vineyards
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