A Beer For Whatever Ales You
Thursday, April 25, 2013 at 9:10AM Slide show courtesy of Paradox Brewery: The new tasting room under construction
While the brew master and the team at Paradox Brewery anxiously await the testing of their water system, getting phase three power and some last minute state permits approved, work continues on building out the bar in the tasting room above the brewery.
I asked founder Paul Mrocka what he hopes will be a typical experience for Northbound vacationers on a hot summer day, who pull off at exit 27 and see the new Paradox Brewery.
“You’d walk up stairs, sample our brews, fill up your growler or a 2.5 gallon plastic insulated keg, perfect for the boat because you don’t have to refrigerate it, and be on your way,” Paul told us.
For the uninitiated, a growler is an amber colored glass jug that holds around a half gallon of beer (almost a 6 pack.). They are commonly sold at breweries and brew pubs as a means to sell take out craft beer.
A properly sealed growler will hold carbonation indefinitely and will store beer like any other sanitized bottle. The brewery will also offer a boat friendly 2.5 gallon plastic refrigerated mini keg. (Each would require a deposit and are returnable.).
And what will be in those containers?
“Hopefully we are going to have four different types of beer. To start we are doing a Pils (pilsner) and an IPA (India Pale Ale – a very hoppy beer).
“The water here is so great for pilsner. The water is very soft. It’s just like in the Czech Republic (the birth place of pilsner).
“Both of these beers are two extremes on the taste palette. Hopefully we will do two specialty beers, mainly for local consumption and for the growlers. I think we can sell a fair amount of it".
Paul estimates the alcohol content of the Pils will be around 5 per cent and the IPA around 6 per cent.
“We are just kegging initially. We have a bottler to use in the future, but initially we just don’t have the space”.
Locally, the beer will be on tap at several area restaurants.
“The Timberwolf will be our premier pub for whatever we have -- all four beers. Joe (from the ‘Wolf) said whatever we have he will put on. If we are closed, just head on down to The Timberwolf and get your growlers filled there.
“Bill over at Witherbees is interested in carrying our beer and so is this new Sticks and Stones Restaurant. Steve and Gary (S&S owners) want to do beer pairings with their menu".
The beer will also be on tap at Basil and Wick, in North Creek.
The brewery plans to do all of their distribution locally.
“I don’t think the beer will go further than 100 miles away. That’s only 100 clients. After that we would have to go to a distributor”.
“The one great thing is we have no debt, we don’t have to be out their touting our beer because we need money to pay the bills. We don’t want to rush out there.”
As for projected production, Paul is not sure what his numbers will be.
“I think everybody I have talked to in the industry – I told them I was aiming for 500 barrels a year and they have told me, I will blow that number away”.
Our first goal is hitting the summer market here. Toward the fall we will stat moving our beer towards the Glens Falls, Queensberry and Saratoga regions.
“Then we will be able to ramp up and maintain that market and the market here and then when we expand we will probably do some bottling during the winter months to get our bottles in local stores (That’s once the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms approves the labels).
"We are very, very excited about being here in Schroon and about the future."
Got a favorite style of beer you’d like to see brewed? Tell us in comments, where you can also eave your questions for Paul.
Reader Comments (7)
Since you asked...I'm kind of a beer wimp. No Guiness for me. I'm a light beer person. Have a feeling it's rare to see a small, independent brewery do a light beer, so maybe you could be a frontrunner in this...?
JoAnne -- you will be happy to know that Pilsner is a light beer. Perfect for a hot summer's day.
Cheers
AB
While on a trip to Portland, OR I fell in love with their locally brewed wheat beer.
Really delicious. Anything like that coming from your new brewery? Great to have a new business in Schroon Lake.
What a great idea. Good luck. I look forward to raising a pint this summer
I love the fact that so many have taken an interest in our small brewery. Craft beer is that, craft beer. I think we will leave light beer to the big guys. Our Pilsner will be light in style but not what a domestic light beer drinker might expect. It will be have more body and a bit more of a hop profile. I would hope that you will try it. We will at sometime make a wheat beer or what the Germans call Weizen. There are many style of that type of beer. Remember the flavor comes from the style of yeast that you use.
Paul
Paul I will absolutely give the pilsner a try. Worst case scenario, I will drink iced tea while hubby kicks back a few pints; I can be his designated driver.
By the way, you may want to do a wristband or something for designated drivers. That way, you can keep them in free soda or iced tea as a gesture, and the bartenders know that the person is driving and has agreed not to drink. Think it would be a great gesture for your business to make.
Avid homebrewer from albany coming up to open up the cottage we have in the town of Schroon lake this weekend... When do you expect to start pouring your first batches?