These days, beer is a big deal.
There is no shortage of beer fests celebrating hops. From Glens Falls to Albany, towns and cities all over are giving beer connoisseurs the chance to taste craft beers from area brewers. Two groups from Saratoga Springs have put their own spin on the typical beer fest and are finding it to be pretty successful.
The event is called The Night at the Brewseum. Organized by the New York State Military Museum in Saratoga Springs and the Saratoga Springs Lion’s Club, the night is not just an evening of beer tasting – but also wine sampling, good food and military history.
The idea came about after a brainstorming session between the folks at the museum and the Lion’s Club.
“We were thinking about potential fundraisers. The Galway Lions Club has always had an Oktoberfest that has been positively received in their community, so we thought we would give it a shot,” said John McDonald of the Lion’s Club.
By putting their own spin on the event, Night at the Brewseum, now in its second year, has people returning for more than just a taste of local craft beer.
Jim Gaffney of Glens Falls said he tends to be a regular at area beer fests, and said it’s the little things that set the Brewseum apart from the rest that make the event a must-do this year for him and his wife.
“It’s almost like beer is secondary these days. Whatever beer fest you go to, you can find those craft beers in almost any store, certainly a beer wholesaler – so it’s not so much the beer anymore that brings people in. You need to give them something else,” Gaffney said.
The fact that the Brewseum offers wine, Gaffney said, opens it up to a wider range of people.
“It sounds like a simple thing, but I know a lot of people where one of them likes beer and the other doesn’t, so they wouldn’t normally go to a beer fest. The fact that the Brewseum offers wine, suddenly you have something for both sides of the equation,” he said.
Maestros of Saratoga Springs is catering the event for the second year – another reason Gaffney finds the event to be a winner.
“Most beer fests you go to, you get some free pretzels and have to pay for a hot dog,” he said. “At this you get great food included in the cost of the ticket. It just has a different feel to it – more people are dressed up. When my wife and I usually go to a beer fest we wear jeans, T-shirts and baseball caps. Last year, we got a little dressed up and will do the same this year. It’s a nice night out.”
Local vendors including Druthers Brewery, Saratoga Eagle, Olde Saratoga Brewing Company, Frederick Wildman and Adirondack Winery will be offering samples of their unique drinks. Members of the breweries will also be available to talk about the beers and wines.
“It’s a wide range – not just local beers,” said McDonald. “There are over 30 different brands of beer and hard ciders.”
The entire military museum will be open for the evening showcasing military history dating from the American Revolution to the modern wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“We have the World War I and World War II exhibit, the 19th Century National Guard exhibit, the Revolutionary War exhibit, two temporary exhibits – a battlefield and tank exhibit – and for the kids of the ‘50s and ‘60s, we have a pretty large GI Joe display,” said Lance Ingmire of the New York State Military Museum.
Ingmire said having the event at the museum not only makes for interesting ambiance, but also creates interest in the museum to those who may not have known about it before.
“Last year, of the 400 people, I would hazard to guess that a good 300 of them had never been inside the museum and almost all of them were local,” he said.
McDonald said last year’s event was a huge success.
“We had 400 people, the place was jammed and everyone had a great time,” he said.
The event last year raised $8,000. This year, with more sponsors involved, McDonald is hoping for $15,000. The money raised goes to the New York State Military Museum and the Saratoga Springs Lion’s Club to support its mission of sight, hearing, youth and diabetes-related issues within the community.
The Night at the Brewseum will take place on Friday, March 22, from 6 to 10 p.m. at the New York State Military Museum at 61 Lake Avenue in Saratoga Springs.
Tickets are available at the Friends of the NYS Military Museum website at friendsofthenysmilitarymuseum.com, the museum gift shop, through the Saratoga Springs Lion’s Club and at the door the night of the event. Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the door. Non-drinking tickets are available for $10 at the door. The event is for people 21 and over only.