Greetings from MTK: Field Trip: Home Brew

I've dragged Rick to a fair share of wine tastings this winter, so it seemed only right that we give equal time to beer, especially since a brewing company opened five minutes from our house last summer. Not only is The Montauk Brewing Co., located in a distinctive red barn across from Lions Field and next door to St. Peter's Catch, the only one in the hamlet, it's one of only twelve on Long Island.

Checking out what's brewing in the little red barn on South Erie

Joe Sullivan, the founder and brewer, was manning the tasting room the day we stopped by. He and his two partners, Eric Moss and Vaughn Cutillo, are as homegrown as the beer they craft. East Enders all, they currently have their beer produced upstate, but, buoyed by a successful summer, have applied for permits to produce it locally, better "Sharing the true spirit of Montauk through good beer," as their tagline says. You can't buy the brew house's beers by the bottle, but it is currently on tap at Harvest and The Point and at fifteen or more local bars and restaurants in season. If all you want is a taste ($8), they're open Saturdays and Sundays this winter from noon - 5 p.m. Or you can take home a growler ($22).

We sampled four brews: their aptly named flagship beer, Driftwood Ale (an American E.S.B.), East Bound Brown (a brown ale, which probably goes without saying), Scottish Ale and IPA, which I understood Joe to say was Indian Pale Ale. Well, I thought, that dovetails nicely with Montauk's Native American history and the brewery's distinctive arrow head logo. Turns out it stands for India Pale Ale, which shows you how much I know about beer. I was basically along for the photo op, but happily discovered the tasting room also features the works of local artists on its walls. A nice touch.