The TAP New York Craft Beer and Food Festival celebrates its 21st gathering of craft breweries this Saturday and Sunday, April 28 and 29 at Hunter Mountain. The event New York State’s largest craft beer festival, the largest single-state craft beer festival in the nation and was voted the Fifth Best Beer Festival in the country by USA Today readers.
This weekend, 126 New York-based craft breweries will be on hand, pouring more than 400 varieties of local beer. We’re not talking about big-corporation beer that comes out of huge vats in a 300,000-square-foot plant, or beer that is rushed through the brewing process to get it on the shelf as quickly as possible. We’re talking about handmade beer with personality and genuine taste, made with pride by people who truly enjoy a quality, flavorful beer.
Many of the invited brewers produce their beer for sale only in their locations – restaurants, brewpubs or small breweries; others are large enough to distribute on a broader scale, but maintain an excellent quality through their commitment to hands-on craft-brewing of their product. You will find beers that offer a variety of color and flavor that the big brewers don’t: everything from pale ales and pilsners to weissbiers, porters, stouts and Scotch ales, from hearty Bohemian and Bavarian-style lagers to glorious Belgian-style ales and much more.
TAP New York is also a competition, with beer experts and guest judges awarding the Matthew Vassar Brewers’ Cup, the F. X. Matt Memorial Cup and the Governors’ Brewers Cup on Saturday. Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals are also awarded in style categories including Wheat Beers, Light/Dark/Strong Lagers, Pale Ales, Light Ales, Brown Ales, India Pale Ales, Strong India Pale Ales, Strong Ales, Porters, Irish-Style Stouts, English-Style Stouts, Belgian Ales, Strong Belgian Ales, Barrel Aged Beers and Sour Beers.
Want to check out the winners of last year’s competitions for the Best Beer and Best Brewery in New York State and in the Hudson Valley? Or just want to enjoy a glorious spring day in the Catskills with plenty of fun, food and tasty beverages? Get your tickets to TAP New York now at www.tap-ny.com/purchase.html. The price of admission, which includes food as well as beer samples, is $77 in advance, $82 at the door for Saturday (2 to 6 p.m.) only; $67 in advance, $72 at the door for Sunday (noon to 4 p.m.) only; and $123 in advance, $133 at the door for both days. Designated drivers get in for $30 per day.
You must be 21 years of age or older to attend TAP New York. Valid ID must be carried at all times and produced upon request. No infants or children will be permitted to enter the event.
Join the family! 
