Four Reasons to Try Riverkeeper’s Beer
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Riverkeeper joined staff from Peekskill Brewery and Captain Lawrence Brewing Co. in Peekskill Friday to brew the first collaboration beer made to support our mission of protecting the Hudson River and clean drinking water.
Are we excited? Um, yes. You should be to. Why?
It’s an Imperial IPA (or will be)
IPAs are hoppy, aromatic and high in alcohol. Imperial IPAs, well, they’re the assertive darlings of beer geeks everywhere. Of course, as Peekskill Brewery’s brewer Matt Levy told us, you never know quite what you’ll get when you try a new recipe. But the goal is to make a fresh IPA that “lets the hops shine” keeps the sweeter malt flavors in the background – and clocks in above 7.5% ABV.
In any case, the beer is being brewed with malted barley from England, Belgium and the U.S., and four types of hops from two Yakima Valley farms. For beer geeks out there, the hops in use are Warrior, Tahtanum, Mosaic and Centennial that will give this IPA a citrus flavor that is “distinctly American.”
It’s a Hudson River beer
Peekskill draws its drinking water from the Wiccoppee Reservoir on the Peekskill Hollow Brook, a tributary of the Hudson River that flows out of the majestic Hudson Highlands. The characteristics of that water make Peekskill’s award-winning beers distinctive.
“It’s hard, mineral-rich water. It’s good for crisp, fresh, hoppy beer,” said Michael Benz, Brewery Ambassador for Peekskill Brewery. “Water is the most important ingredient.”
(Elmsford, where Captain Lawrence Brewing Co. is located, gets its drinking water from the New York City supply, which Riverkeeper works to preserve.)
There’s also a little bit of Peekskill in the brew, thanks the Cool Ship (not a P-Funk song, as it turns out), which exposes the beer to the open air in a controlled environment, allowing fermentation with unexpected yeasts in the ambient air. There are only four other breweries in the country that use this technique, according to the brewers.
It’s all about clean water
Proceeds from the sale of this beer benefit Riverkeeper, and our mission to protect clean water. Collaborating with two Hudson Valley breweries allows us to highlight the importance of clean drinking water—as a critical ingredient for both beer and life—and a clean Hudson, which supports communities and tourists alike, helping small businesses like these breweries thrive.
There are three chances to try this one-of-a-kind brew:
- Wednesday, Sept. 24, from 5-7 p.m. at Peekskill Brewery, 47-53 South Water Street, Peekskill, NY.
- Friday, Sept. 26, from 4-8 p.m. at Captain Lawrence Brewery, 444 North Saw Mill Road, Elmsford, NY.
- Saturday, Oct. 4, from 2-9 p.m. at the Hudson Hop & Harvest, a free festival expected to draw 10,000 people for beer, food, music, and a farmers market on the Peekskill Waterfront, which boasts a jaw-dropping panoramic views of the Hudson River.
Peekskill Brewery and Zero to Go are making this festival zero waste! All cups, plates, utensils and food waste will be composted, and all vendors are being encouraged to reduce, reuse and recycle to the maximum degree. Riverkeeper volunteers will be assisting at composting and recycling stations on Saturday, and a shoreline cleanup Sunday morning to ensure the park is left cleaner than before the festival. (Volunteers get a T-shirt, food and a growler fill: Sign up to help today!)
“The focus of the festival is on the river and the harvest bounty,” Benz said.
Riverkeeper’s kegs will be empty by the end of the festival. “It will all be drunk fresh, which is always the goal with these hoppy beers,” Levy said.
You can name it!
Suggest a name for our beer by Sunday at riverkeeper.org/beer. Riverkeeper staff will select finalists, and then you can vote for your favorite on social media using the #hudsonbeer hashtag. We’ll announce the winner at Peekskill Brewery at our tasting event Wednesday, Sept. 24.
Draw inspiration from the beer itself: Assertive. All about clean water. Distinctly American.
Sounds like Riverkeeper, doesn’t it?