Rochester, N.Y. — Tap it Forward Festival goers will get the first taste of an extremely rare beer brewed and barrel-aged by Genesee Brew House. Only 60 barrels of Reisky & Spies Bourbon Barrel-aged Old Ale will be available, starting at the Sept. 8 festival. The limited-release beer pays homage to the now-shuttered Reisky & Spies Brewery, established in 1874 in the same location as the Genesee Brew House. The beer connects the rich history of Rochester brewing with the beer renaissance celebrated by the Tap it Forward Festival. Forty of New York state’s 354 breweries will participate in the festival that spotlights the revitalized beer industry. A waitlist has started for breweries that still want to participate. In addition to the breweries, consumers and brewers can connect with 20 ingredient and equipment suppliers, beer-industry partners, artisanal chocolate and pickle makers, hop and malt farmers, and more.
“Tap it Forward is far more than just another beer festival. It’s a gathering of the brewing community that celebrates New York state beer,” said Paul Leone, executive director of the NYS Brewers Association. “This event uniquely celebrates craft beer and the people behind the scenes who support our brewers. It’s a great event to taste and learn about the high-quality beer coming out of this region.”
The Tap it Forward Festival is 5-9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 8. Tickets are available for $20 at tapitforwardfest.eventbrite.com and include 15 sampling tickets, access to vendors, food trucks, backyard games and live music from The Barry Brothers. Proceeds benefit the New York State Brewers Association, which brings together the beer industry, providing leadership and advocacy. The goal of the Tap it Forward Festival is to showcase Rochester and New York state as great-beer destinations.
“The Tap it Forward Festival is Genesee’s way to give back to the community and celebrate the “585 Brewers Collaborative” getting together over the past few years to hang out, drink beer and talk shop. Now it has become something so much more,” said Dean Jones, Genesee Brew House brewmaster. “This is the local beer industry’s version of a big family reunion — and you’re all invited.”
About Reisky & Spies Bourbon Barrel-aged Old Ale
Reisky & Spies is a Bourbon Barrel-aged Old Ale aged for nine months in Kentucky bourbon barrels. With a 10.3% ABV, it’s a sipping beer with rich and complex malt notes of dark chocolate and subtle fruit intertwined with flavors of bourbon, vanilla and oak from the barrel aging.
Only 60 barrels of the rare beer will be released in four-pack, 16 oz. cans and draft starting Sept. 8. A limited 100 cases of cans will land in Rochester bottle shops and craft beer retailers, with another 200 cases available at the Genesee Brew House. Draft will be offered in snifters, growlers and crowlers at the Genesee Brew House, as well as craft beer bars in Rochester and Buffalo. This exciting beer is available for a limited time only, so fans are encouraged to try it and buy it while supplies last.
Keeping in the spirit of bringing beer industry partners together, Genesee Brew House teamed up with Iron Heart Canning to pack this special beer by using a mobile canning line right on-site at the Pilot Brewery. Iron Heart Canning will also be at Tap it Forward Festival, where brewers and beer lovers can discover more about mobile canning and its recently announced plan to put down roots in Rochester, a place it says has “such a rich brewing tradition.”
About The Barry Brothers
The Barry Brothers are a blues-folk-roots rock band from Hume, New York. The band, formed in 2011, is made up of three brothers: Patrick Barry (guitar/harmonica), Benjamin Barry (bass) and Bradford Barry (drums). Formed in the wake of Patrick and Benjamin’s former alt-rock band, The Barry Brothers combine outlaw country, storytelling lyrics, pop melodies, big stadium riffs, soaring solos, bluesy folk, old-timey vocal harmonies, and rock and roll. The band released its debut EP, “Yawnin’ in the Dawnin’,” in 2011 and followed it up with their latest release, “Hume Sweet Hume,” in 2014.
About Genesee Brew House Pilot Batch
Each beer in the Pilot Batch series is originally created and first crafted on the 20-barrel pilot system in the Genesee Brew House, and is then proudly brewed and bottled at the Genesee Brewery. Since 2012, Dean Jones, award-winning brewer with more than 25 years of brewing experience, has been the Brewmaster of the Pilot Batch system in the Genesee Brew House. He frequently collaborates with other Rochester brewers and artisans on his brews.
About the Genesee Brew House
Once a century-old packaging center, the Genesee Brew House transformed a 9,200 square-foot space into a world class beer destination. The first floor of the Brew House features interactive exhibits, multi-media content, a retail shop and a pilot brewery complete with a tasting bar. Upstairs, there is a pub-style restaurant with a 41-foot bar (hand-crafted out of old, wooden Genesee brewing tanks), outdoor terrace seating and a rooftop patio.
The Genesee Brew House tells a story of the Genesee Brewing Company that dates back to 1878. The brewery lays claim to being the oldest and one of the longest continually operating breweries in the United States. By using an eclectic mix of vintage barrels, reclaimed wood, exposed ceiling, neon signs, new technology and modern exhibits, The Brew House will bring Genesee’s story alive for generations to come.
About Genesee Brewing Company
Established in 1878, the Genesee Brewery—New York state’s oldest brewery—makes the classic Genesee line of beers and the Original Honey Brown Lager, as well as Seagram’s Escapes. The Genesee Brewery also manufactures beer and other alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages under contracts on behalf of other companies. For more information, visit www.geneseebeer.com.