Almost every major brewery distributes their products in aluminum cans, but now, smaller, local, craft breweries are also breaking away from selling only pints and growlers. Jumping on the craft-can trend is Peekskill Brewery and its head brewer, Matt Levy. In May, the brewery unveiled two of their flagship brews: NYPA (New York Pale Ale) and Eastern Standard, an IPA, in 16-ounce “tall boy” cans.
Peekskill Brewery plans on releasing more of their creations, and by the time this article hits the street, they’ll have canned their single-hopped, fruity, and extremely crushable Amazeballs (another pale ale) and the hoppy, sought-after, and well-reviewed Higher Standard, a double IPA.
The cans are only available at the brewery and retail for $16 to $20 per four-pack. “We’re a small operation,” Levy says, “so the product suffers when you expand to bars and restaurants. If the cans sit too long, they’re no longer fresh. You should drink them asap, because the hop character diminishes over time.”
It doesn’t stop at cans, either. Levy plans to do some limited-release sours and stouts in large-format bottles, so they can be aged.
If you’re jonesing for a super-fresh quad of cans, you can “tap” them at one of Peekskill Brewery’s release parties, where you can get the brew you seek at its peak. “We’re canning one to two days before the party, so that’s when the cans are at their freshest,” Levy explains. “The releases are fun. We have beer and food outdoors, live music, and more.”
The best way to stay updated on release party dates is to tune into the brewery’s Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts.
