NEW WINDSOR, N.Y. (October 25, 2016) — The Hudson Valley Economic Development Corporation (HVEDC) announced today that Angry Orchard, the most popular hard cider brand in America, and five additional craft beverage companies have joined the Hudson Valley Food & Beverage Alliance. The new members include 1857 Spirits/Barber’s Farm Distillery, Applewood Winery, Nahmias Et Fils, Hudson Valley Brewery and Taconic Distillery.
The Hudson Valley Food & Beverage Alliance brings together a growing base of food and beverage related businesses with a diverse membership, including business owners, farmers, manufacturers and distributors with notable experience in the food and beverage market. As a cluster initiative of HVEDC, the Food & Beverage Alliance was developed to provide a means of connecting area businesses with economic guidance and marketing resources.
“The Hudson Valley has become a food and tourism destination in large part because of the burgeoning craft beverage industry, which HVEDC has worked hard to boost and nurture through our Alliance initiative,” said Laurence P. Gottlieb, president and CEO of HVEDC. “The fact that Angry Orchard – with its deep experience in hard cider and national notoriety – has chosen to set up in the Hudson Valley and become members of the Alliance speaks volumes. Angry Orchard and our other new members of the Alliance are already contributing to the growth of the industry through their investment, job creation and passion for the craft. We are excited to have them all on board.”
Angry Orchard, the national leader in hard cider, has opened the doors to its own orchard and Innovation Cider House in Walden with a new self-guided cider tour and tasting room aimed at educating visitors on the history of cider, how it is made, and the importance of high quality ingredients. The cider company, owned by the Boston Beer Company, produces more than a dozen varieties of hard cider made with apples grown in parts of Europe known for traditional cider making fruit, as well as areas of the United States, like the Pacific Northwest, and apple-rich Hudson Valley of New York. With the recent purchase of its 60-acre farm in Walden, however, Angry Orchard’s head cider maker Ryan Burk hopes to use more local apples. “Orange County has a great agricultural history, and a vibrant group of apple growers, cider makers, and small business owners who have been incredibly welcoming since our move to Walden,” said Ryan Burk, head cider maker for Angry Orchard. “We are proud to be a member of the Alliance, and are grateful for all that it offers, including working with other members.”
Located in Middleburgh, the Barber family farmed dairy and produce for six generations in the heart of the Schoharie Valley. Now it makes the excellent 1857 Vodka, using potatoes grown in nine feet of rich “Barbour Basher” alluvial soils of the bottomlands, and spring water that comes from an aquifer beneath the soil. The handcrafted, small batch, naturally gluten-free farm-to-bottle vodka is available from the Tasting Room at Barber’s Farm Road Stand in Middleburgh, online, and in restaurants and liquor stores in the region.
Applewood Winery is located in Orange County’s oldest working farm in Warwick in the heart of the Hudson Valley. Started in 1993, it uses grapes and fruits from its own vineyard and orchard and from orchards across the state. The winery makes Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Riesling and barrel fermented reds, as well as their Naked Flock Hard Cider Made 100% from fresh pressed New York Apples featuring four varieties offered year-round, and seasonal selections too. the wines can be found at the Applewood tasting room, and the ciders are also distributed throughout New York and New Jersey.
Nahmias et Fils distillery in Yonkers is proudly the sole producer of Mahia in the United States. The traditional Moroccan liquor is distilled from dried figs and flavored with anise seeds. The crystal clear alcohol has traditionally been made by master distiller David Nahmias’ family in Taznakht, Morocco. He now hand crafts it in the Yoho art district near the Yonkers waterfront, with his wife, Dorit. The couple also make a craft whiskey from organic rye purchased from upstate New York. The Nahmias’ Mahia is sold locally at Liquorfellers in Yonkers, Rochambeau Wines in Dobbs Ferry and Dylan’s Wine Cellar in Peekskill.
Located on East Main Street in Beacon, the Hudson Valley Brewery is a new player in the craft beer industry. It’s first releases are now in production. These include Soleil, a blended sour farmhouse ale that is rehopped with marigold, rose petals and cornflower, and Make Believe, a blended sour farmhouse ale aged in oak wine barrels, dry-hopped with Citra and Galaxy. Owner John-Anthony Gargiulo benefited from a $450,000 grant from Empire State Development that helped the project move forward.
Tapping into the farm-to-table and farm-to-bottle movement, Taconic Distillery’s Dutchess Private Reserve Straight Bourbon is cut with natural spring water from Rolling Hills Farm in Stanfordville, New York. This October, the distillery is celebrating its annual release of the Double Barrel Bourbon Whiskey with Maple Syrup. Taconic Distillery’s spirits are available at fine restaurants and liquor stores across the Northeast.
More information about Angry Orchard (http://www.angryorchard.com/), 1857 Spirits/Barber’s Farm Distillery (http://www.1857spirits.com/), Applewood Winery (http://applewoodwinery.com/#winery-home), Nahmias Et Fils (http://baronnahmias.com/), Hudson Valley Brewery ( http://hudsonvalleybrewery.com/) and Taconic Distillery (http://www.taconicdistillery.com/) can be found by visiting the companies’ respective websites.
About the Hudson Valley Food & Beverage Alliance
The Hudson Valley region boasts the most vibrant and growing base of food and beverage-related businesses in the nation. Alongside many well-known industry names and successful and growing industry players, the Food & Beverage Alliance brings organizations within the food and beverage industries together, helping area businesses forge strong partnerships. The alliance provides access to economic guidance and marketing resources to businesses throughout the region.
About Hudson Valley Economic Development Corporation (HVEDC)
HVEDC is the leading economic development agency for the seven-county region of Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Rockland, Orange, Ulster and Sullivan counties. The public-private partnership markets the region as a prime business location to corporate executives, site selection consultants and real estate brokers. HVEDC helped start the organizational, branding and promotional effort for NY BioHud Valley, Hudson Valley 3D Printing, Hudson Valley EDs & MEDs, Hudson Valley PLAY and the Hudson Valley Food & Beverage Alliance. To learn more, call 845-220-2244 or visit http://www.hvedc.com.
