Hundreds of cannabis, craft beer, and music lovers came out in full force to celebrate the unofficial 4/20 holiday at Blue Point Brewing’s second annual Shakedown on Main Street festival in Patchogue. The partygoers enjoyed sunny weather in the eastern parking lot of the brewery on West Main Street, outside Blue Point’s new beer garden.
For those unfamiliar with the significance (or who don’t follow Elon Musk), the number 420 has a special meaning for marijuana fans, signifying the time of day (4:20 p.m.) and the date (April 20) when cannabis culture is celebrated. Blue Point’s festival celebrated all things cannabis with an outdoor market selling merchandise from local vendors including arts and crafts, T-shirts, Grateful Dead memorabilia, and products made with cannabidiol (CBD), a compound found in marijuana that is also derived from hemp.
Highlights of the festival included performances from the hard rocking Tom Hamilton Trio and headliner Lettuce, a Grammy-nominated funk band that recently launched its own line of CBD oils in a partnership with an organically certified farm in Colorado. This year’s festival also featured a Midway area with pub games and an interactive paint wall, as well as food trucks to satisfy the munchies with favorites such as grilled cheese.
Blue Point introduced a new brew at the festival, Gelato Drip, which was brewed in collaboration with Los Angeles-based Sherbinskis, the founders of the Gelato cannabis strain, and Abstrax Tech, a leader in botanical extraction of terpenes. Terpenes are the naturally-occurring compounds that enhance the flavor and aroma of both beer and cannabis. Gelato Drip is a Hazy Double IPA (8% ABV) infused with a botanical terpene strain of Gelato and double dry hopped with Mosaic Incognito, South Passion, and African Queen hops for a smooth, citrusy brew with hints of pine and resin.
The full lineup of Blue Point beers was also on tap including Legalize Wheat, which was introduced for the first time at last year’s Shakedown event. This year’s version of Legalize Wheat used a blend of Sour Diesel terpenes derived from a popular cannabis strain also known as Sour D for its recognizable dank aroma.
Blue Point is already planning its 4/20 festival for next year, which could celebrate more progress on the rollout (pun intended) of recreational marijuana sales for adults in New York following the passage of new laws last year.
Bernie Kilkelly is editor and publisher of LIBeerGuide.com.
For more food and drink coverage, visit longislandpress.com/category/food-drink.
Sign up for Long Island Press’ email newsletters here. Sign up for home delivery of Long Island Press here. Sign up for discounts by becoming a Long Island Press community partner here.
