Get excited for community trivia, food trucks, live music, and a brand-new menu from the happening Westchester bar and beer hub.
In 2016, after a decade in Brooklyn as a freelance television editor and semi-pro metal and punk touring musician, Evan Perdomo-Cohen grew tired of the daily grind. Seeking a career change, he and his wife purchased a home in Peekskill. “I thought about what I was really interested in…craft beer,” he says. “I dropped off résumés but couldn’t get any footing because I had no industry experience.”
Having grown up in Croton-on-Hudson (his parents moved to the Rivertown when he was two), Perdomo-Cohen had frequented The Green Growler on visits and was familiar with owner Seana O’Callaghan. Upon his move to Peekskill, seeing a “Help Wanted” sign at the craft-beer taproom and shop, he inquired about a job and was told he could start the next day.
With his foot in the industry door, Perdomo-Cohen spent time learning as much as he could about the day-to-day from his new boss. He’d then manage The Green Growler for about a year, during which time he expressed interest in opening a similar concept elsewhere in Westchester. Turns out, O’Callaghan wanted to sell, and he was a willing buyer.
Now an owner at The Green Growler, Perdomo-Cohen honors the spirit of O’Callaghan’s original. “Seana was amazing during the transition and took me under her wing before I took over,” he says. “I wanted to continue what she had done for many years. I kept it as a craft-beer taproom and bottle shop with a focus on the Hudson Valley.”
That’s not to say things haven’t evolved. Perdomo-Cohen is as much into the bar’s live music scene as he is into its beer selection. Funk, electronica, punk rock, adult contemporary, and New Orleans-style jazz are some of the styles that’ll be featured at his version of The Green Growler. He’s also added a well-attended Wednesday trivia night that’s often sponsored by a local brewery; Duncan’s Abbey, Sloop, Broken Bow, and Industrial Arts have all been a part of it.
The food menu has grown as well. Flatbread pizza, paninis, burrata salad, cookies from Baked by Susan, and a cheese selection curated by Murray’s should keep your appetite at bay. (If not, you’re free to bring your own food from a local restaurant.) Additionally, food trucks like Leila’s Crepe Station and Latusion have popped-up in the parking lot, and Perdomo-Cohen has partnered with Croton’s The Blue Pig on an ice-cream-and-beer-pairing event.
In the future, Perdomo-Cohen hopes to continue working with other Croton businesses in an effort to help everyone thrive and bring the community together. “We’re a hippie bar with open-minded people that like to have a good time,” he says. “This place will never be exclusive. All are welcome. If you like beer or want to like beer, we have a place for you.”
The Green Growler
4 Croton Point Ave
Croton-on-Hudson
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