Although this sector’s growth may have slowed somewhat due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the craft beverage industry is booming in New York State and Orange County.
The New York State Craft Brewers Association reported that in 2018 there were approximately 20,000 full-time jobs created by the craft beer industry. A total of 1.2 million barrels of craft beer were produced and the economic impact of this sector, on the state economy, was an impressive $3.4 billion.
The New York State Economic Development Corp. has more current numbers (2021) on its website, which indicate there are 1,288 licensed craft beverage manufacturers and 897 farm licensed manufacturers in New York State. New York State’s roster of craft beverage manufacturers includes: 450 wineries, 462 breweries, 186 distilleries and 72 cideries. The total economic impact of the craft beverage industry in New York State is, according to the latest estimates, $5.4 billion. New York State ranks No. 4 in the nation for number of wineries, No. 2 in the nation for number of breweries and No. 3 in the U.S. in wine production and number of distilleries, according to the ESD.
In Orange County, it seems like only a few years ago that the pioneers in this sector first opened their doors. Back in 2018, the New York State Brewers Association said there were 11 craft brewers in Orange County, employing a total of 370 workers that generated an economic impact of nearly $127 million.
Today, it’s hard to keep up with the many entrepreneurs opening new locations and existing craft brewers expanding their operations within Orange County. The Partnership teamed up with the county’s Office of Tourism, & Film to provide the following snippets on upcoming expansions/openings of craft brewers in the county as well as a list of existing and planned businesses within our borders. The list indicates that despite the pandemic, new jobs and beneficial economic impacts are on tap from this sector in the months and years ahead in Orange County.
Plans for Growth
Aspire Brewing will transform 30,000 square feet of a mostly vacant 90,000-square-foot commercial building in the Town of Wallkill into a micro-brewery and hospitality attraction, featuring a casual dining restaurant, an outdoor patio and a unique indoor entertainment space. The firm was recently awarded a CFA grant and will receive $500,000 from Empire State Development. Aspire Brewing is hoping to complete renovations by the summer of 2022.
Humble Acres Brewery is a planned tourism destination in Greenville. The brewery and organic farm will be located on a 104-acree parcel. The building to be constructed will total 10,000 square feet with the brewery on the main floor and a restaurant on the second floor. Organic produce will be grown on the site and used for the restaurant and beer production. Construction on the venture is anticipated to begin in June of this year.
Orange County Brewing is now licensed as a farmer brewery in New York State as Orange County Brewing Company LLC or OCB. The project started in December 2020 when the firm purchased and added brewery equipment to its current distillery space. The beer will be sold at its current retail location in New Hampton, which operates as Brown Barn Farms. The firm received licensing as of February 1, 2022— 26 weeks from when it applied. The company hopes that if all goes well, it will have a marketable product by St. Patrick's Day weekend 2022. The firm is also planning to open a location in Goshen.
Clemson Bros. Brewery is expanding to Pine Island. Owner Kenan Porter plans to have the new location up and running by the fall of 2022. The Pine Island brewery-restaurant will be Clemson Bros.’ third, in addition to its original Downtown Middletown brewery and its New Paltz location, at the former The Gilded Otter.
What’s Already Here:
- Apex Brewery, Monroe
- Clemson Bros. Brewery, Middletown
- Drowned Lands Brewery, Warwick
- Equilibrium Brewery, Middletown
- Fox N Hare Brewery, Port Jervis
- Glenmere Brewing Company, Florida
- Long Lot Farm Brewery, Chester
- Newburgh Brewing Company, Newburgh
- Rushing Duck Brewing Company, Chester
- The Brewery at Orange Hops, Walden
- Tin Barn Brewery, Sugar Loaf
- Westtown Brew Works, Westtown
What’s Recently Opened:
- Foreign Objects Brewing, Monroe
- Shepard’s Eye, Village of Florida
What’s in the Pipeline:
- Aspire Brewing, Town of Wallkill
- Humble Acres Brewery, Greenville
- Clemson Bros. Brewery, Expansion in Pine Island
- Orange County Brewing, Goshen
For more information on this sector, please visit the Office of Tourism & Film’s Craft Beverage section at: https://orangetourism.org/explore/craft-beverage/
