Long Island’s oldest craft brewery, Blue Point Brewing Co., celebrated the 25th anniversary of its founding in 2023, a milestone that potentially marks a new, more mature business cycle for the industry. While new craft breweries continued to open, some older craft breweries are being sold while others are planning to grow by opening additional taprooms in 2024.
When Blue Point opened on River Avenue in Patchogue in 1998, it was the first brewery to open on Long Island since the closing of Linden Brewery in 1949. The craft beer revolution was slow to reach Long Island and it took more than 10 years for the next wave of craft breweries to open. This next wave included Greenport Harbor Brewing Co., Barrier Brewing, Port Jeff Brewing Co., Montauk Brewing Co., Great South Bay Brewery and Long Ireland Beer Company.
The years from 2015 to 2020 saw the fastest growth, with more than 40 craft breweries opening and several adding second locations. There are now more than 50 craft brewery taprooms across Long Island, including two that opened in 2023, Southpaw Brewing Co. in Yaphank and Take Two Brewery in Bay Shore.
Only one craft brewery closed in 2023, Peconic County Brewing Co., in Riverhead, but the industry showed other signs of a maturing market, with Long Ireland Beer Co. in Riverhead announcing that it is up for sale. Blue Point Brewing, which had been bought by Anheuser-Busch in 2014, was sold for a second time to Tilray Brands, which also acquired Montauk Brewing in late 2022. Tilray, a leading global cannabis company, said it plans to invest in marketing and distribution at Blue Point and Montauk to drive new growth opportunities.
Looking ahead to 2024, industry growth is not expected to come from the opening of new breweries but instead from well-established breweries expanding their footprint. Saint James Brewery, which was founded in 2012 and opened a taproom in St. James in 2020, recently expanded production at its Holbrook brewery and is looking for a location for a second taproom on the South Shore.
Great South Bay Brewery, which opened its brewery and taproom on Drexel Drive in Bay Shore in 2013, is planning to open a second taproom and casual restaurant in the spring at the new Station Yards mixed development next to the Ronkonkoma Long Island Rail Road station. The billion-dollar development from East Setauket-based Tritec Real Estate already has close to 500 apartments open and when completed is projected to have 1,450 apartments along with retail and office space.
The Davis family, which is now the majority owner of Great South Bay Brewery, also plans to open a third taproom and restaurant in a historic former bank building in downtown Lindenhurst, which has emerged as one of Long Island’s hot craft beer destinations. The new Great South Bay location will be across the street from Sand City South Brewery, which opened in 2021, and within walking distance of 27A Brewing Co., Breslau Brewing Co. and W A Meadwerks.
Other breweries looking to expand in 2024 include Bright Eye Beer Co. in Long Beach, which opened its brewery and taproom in 2020 and is close to opening a large event space on its second floor to accommodate private parties and other events. Somerset Brewing Co., which opened in West Hempstead in June 2022, is reportedly searching for a new location, having outgrown its current brewing capacity due to strong demand for its wide range of beers brewed by founder Manny Fajardo.
After 25 years of rapid growth and expansion for the craft beer industry on Long Island, the future continues to be bright. Craft beer lovers can look forward to more opportunities to enjoy their favorite locally brewed beers at new locations across the Island.
Bernie Kilkelly is the editor and publisher of LIBeerGuide.com, where you can find listings and directions to find great beer.
