"By reducing regulation and removing unnecessary barriers to growth, New York’s craft beverage industry is thriving, driving tourism and creating jobs across the state," Governor Cuomo said. "The inaugural Taste NY Craft Beer Challenge will celebrate the best of New York's craft beers and connect our world-class beverage producers to new consumers and markets. When New Yorkers buy New York products, everybody wins.”
Under the leadership of Governor Cuomo, New York is now home to 321 microbreweries, farm breweries, and restaurant breweries, up from only 50 total breweries in 2011 and representing a 542 percent growth in the industry. This growth was achieved through a series of legislation and economic incentives, including the creation of the Farm Brewery License in 2012, providing tax credits for brewers, modernizing the state’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Law, and providing promotional funding. No state has done more to assist and promote craft manufacturing than New York.
State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, "The Governor has led the way in creating innovative and exciting new ways to spotlight New York's small beverage producers. This unprecedented promotion, coupled with the business friendly changes in legislation, is supporting the growth of craft beverage businesses across the State. It's also providing a boost to New York farms supplying the local ingredients behind their unique products."
State Liquor Authority Chairman Vincent Bradley said, “From the start, Governor Cuomo has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to New York’s craft beverage industry by cutting taxes, eliminating fees and reducing regulations to make it easier to launch and grow new businesses. The result is hundreds of new small producers opening over the past six years that are creating jobs, economic development and driving tourism in every corner of our state.”
Nearly 70 breweries, representing regions from across the state, have signed up to participate in the challenge, including:
- 42 North Brewing- East Aurora, NY
- Adirondack Brewery- Lake George, NY
- Aurora Ale & Lager Co- King Ferry, NY
- Barrage Brewing Company LLC- Farmingdale, NY
- Big aLICe Brewing Company- Long Island City, NY
- Big Ditch Brewing Company- Buffalo, NY
- Big Slide Brewery & Public House- Lake Placid, NY
- Binghamton Brewing Co.- Johnson City, NY
- Brewery Ommegang- Cooperstown, NY
- Broken Bow Brewery- Tuckahoe, NY
- Brooklyn Brewery- Brooklyn, NY
- Brown's Brewing Company- Troy and North Hoosick, NY
- C.H. Evans Brewing Co- Albany, NY
- Captain Lawrence Brewing Co- Elmsford, NY
- Catskill Brewery- Livingston Manor, NY
- Chatham Brewing- Chatham, NY
- Clemson Bros. Brewery- Middletown, NY
- Community Beer Works- Buffalo, NY
- Coney Island Brewery- Brooklyn, NY
- Cooperstown Brewing Company- Cooperstown, NY
- Diversion Brewing Co.- Chemung, NY
- Dublin Corners Farm Brewery- Linwood, NY
- Empire Brewing Co- Syracuse and Cazenovia, NY
- Fairport Brewing Co.- Fairport, NY
- Genesee Brewing Company- Rochester, NY
- Great Adirondack Brewing Company- Lake Placid, NY
- Grist Iron Brewing Company- Burdett, NY
- Great South Bay Brewery- Bay Shore, NY
- Gun Hill Brewing Company- Bronx, NY
- Hopshire Farm & Brewery- Freeville, NY
- Knucklehead Craft Brewing- Webster, NY
- Lake Drum Brewing- Geneva, NY
- Lake Placid Pub & Brewery- Lake Placid, NY
- Lithology Brewing- Farmingdale, NY
- Mill House Brewing Company- Poughkeepsie, NY
- Montauk Brewing Co. – Montauk, NY
- Moustache Brewing Co.- Riverhead, NY
- Naked Dove Brewing Company- Canandaigua, NY
- Nedloh Brewing Company- Bloomfield, NY
- New Paltz Brewing Co. (Pfälzerbräu)- Wawarsing, NY
- Newburgh Brewing Company- Newburgh, NY
- Oval Craft Brewing- Plattsburgh, NY
- Oyster Bay Brewing Company- Oyster Bay, NY
- Paradox Brewery- Schroon Lake, NY
- Pine Island Brewery- Pine Island, NY
- Prison City Pub & Brewery- Auburn, NY
- Red Shed Brewery- Cherry Valley, NY
- Reinvention Brewing Co- Manchester, NY
- Rip Van Winkle Brewing Co.- Catskill, NY
- Roc Brewing Co., LLC- Rochester, NY
- Rohrbach Brewing Company- Rochester, NY
- Rushing Duck Brewing- Chester, NY
- S&S Farm Brewery- Nassau, NY
- Saranac Brewery- Utica, NY
- Seneca Street Brew Pub- Manlius, NY
- Shmaltz Brewing Company- Clifton Park, NY
- Shrewd Fox Brewery- Eldred, NY
- Sixpoint Brewery- Brooklyn, NY
- Southern Tier Brewing Company- Lakewood, NY
- The Beer Diviner- Troy and Petersburg, NY
- The Flagship Brewery- Staten Island, NY
- The Roscoe NY Beer Co- Roscoe, NY
- Transmitter Brewing- Long Island City, NY
- War Horse Brewing Company- Geneva, NY
- Willow Rock Brewing Company- Syracuse, NY
- Wolf Hollow Brewing Company- Schenectady, NY
- WT Brews- Baldwinsville, NY
