It’s the perfect matchup: They both have “sloop” in their names and on their logos. Both entities are deeply invested in historic restoration projects: the Sloop Brewing Company in the 19th-century Elizaville barn where it now brews and serves its tasty products, and the Beacon Sloop Club in the Woody Guthrie, a reproduction of a classic Hudson River ferry sloop that is the baby brother to the Clearwater and also serves as an ambassador for environmental education, folk music, maritime lore and Hudson Valley history. Plus, everybody knows that sailors love their grog.
On Saturday, May 14 from 1 to 8 p.m., Sloop Brewing will host an outdoor beer-sampling event in the scenic apple orchard where the restored barn is situated. A ticket costing $60 (adults over age 21 only) entitles the holder to unlimited tasting, including special beers brewed just for this event. Plus, there’s a pig roast and vegetarian fare, live music, a souvenir beer glass, karaoke, a guided brewery tour, a bonfire, games and other activities. Parking is free, and overnight camping is available at a nearby commercial campground (a handy and safe option if you anticipate getting three sheets to the wind).
Funds raised will go toward the not-for-profit Beacon Sloop Club’s capital campaign to complete restoration of the 37-year-old Woody, which is currently undergoing major structural repairs at the Hudson River Maritime Museum. So not only will you have big fun by attending, but you’ll also help speed the beautiful rivercraft’s return to its mission of offering free educational sails on the Hudson. And if you’ve tried any of Sloop Brewing’s beers, ales or sauers, you know that they are complex and delightful, with a sophistication that belies their rustic origins in a former hayloft.
It’s a no-lose proposition. Come on out this Saturday afternoon for “A Day at Sloop Brewing,” located at 1065 County Route 19 in Elizaville, near the Columbia/Dutchess County border. To purchase tickets online, visit Brown Paper Tickets at https://sloopbrewing.bpt.me. For more info, call the brewery at (518) 751-9134 or visit https://beaconsloop.org.
