The craft beer boom has sparked nearly as many Long Island microbreweries as there are North Fork wineries, but with so many to choose from, it’s tough to decide which to visit.
Readers of the Press have helped narrow it down. Barrage Brewing Company was named Best Craft Beer Brewery on Long Island in the 2017 Best of Long Island competition. And Pindar Vineyards won Best Local Winery on Long Island in that annual contest.
At Barrage, founding brewmaster Stephen Pominski, Jr. started with two taps in a family room-turned-bar that had once been their garage. Now, Barrage Brewing has dozens of different beers as he continues to expand his research and his repertoire, testing different recipes with hops and yeasts and other key ingredients, some locally sourced, others from around the world. The creations speak for themselves with intriguing names like Insane Ale (a pilsner), Devil’s Whisper (a porter blended with cappuccino and tiramisu milk), Assault N Fudgery (a salted caramel and fudge porter), One Ryed Monkey (a rye IPA) and Yada Yada Yada (a brown ale).
At Pindar Vineyards, they know that a good wine is like a great poem. Enjoying a glass can be an uplifting experience, delighting the senses as it satisfies the soul. Since Pindar’s founding four decades ago, it has become one of Long Island’s best-known wineries.
Nestled on 500 acres on the East End, it grows 17 varieties of grapes, carefully crafting them into some 23 varietals and proprietary blends. Each year, it produces about 70,000 cases. But it’s never forgotten its roots, nor its family tradition. At its flagship vineyard, wine lovers can tour the production facility, and taste great wines from the barrel!
To find all the other Best of Long Island contest winners, visit bestof.longislandpress.com Nominations are now being accepted for the 2018 Best of Long Island program here.
Barrage Brewing Company is located at 32 Allen Blvd., Unit E in Farmingdale. They can be reached at 516-986-8066 or barragebrewing.com
Pindar Vineyards is located at 37645 Main Rd. (Route 25), in Peconic. They can be reached at 631-734-6200. pindar.net
