Anyone who fancies themselves a beer aficionado knows that microbreweries (or craft beers) have been having somewhat of a renaissance since the late 1990s. All one has to do is take a walk down the beverage isle at Whole Foods to see the myriad and eclectic varieties of micro brewed beers. The breweries themselves have such distinctive names such as Smutty Nose or Fat Tire (a wonderfully crafted beer from Colorado), and the beers they put out often times contain rather exotic ingredients for beer such as chocolate (chocolate stouts seemed to be all the rage last fall) or cherry (as in Sam Adams Cherry stout). Some breweries are taking the craft brewery market one step further by offering organic beers. Now, while all this diversity is well and good, for those beer drinkers looking for a well crafted IPA (Indian Pale Ale) or a rich milky stout, the experience of choosing or even finding one amongst all the varieties can be quite the overwhelming experience. For those people I say fret no longer! Over the Fourth of July weekend I had a truly memorable beer moment. I met with Tommy Keegan, proprietor and brew master of Keegan Ales, located in historic Kingston. If you’re looking for well crafted, non- frou frou beers, then the three varieties from Keegan Ales are it!



Keegan Ales is actually located in the same space formerly occupied by the now defunct Woodstock Brewery. Keegan Ales is family owned and operated, although it is Tommy Keegan who runs the day to day operations. The space was purchased from the city of Kingston in the summer of 2003, and by autumn of that year Tommy was cranking out hand crafted beer. The love and appreciation of good beer seems to flow in the Keegan family. It all started when Tommy bought a home brewery kit for his father (whom Tommy describes as a beer nut) one father’s day. As fate would have it, this kit also sparked Tommy’s curiosity, and before long he was off to the University of California at Davis for their Master Brewers Program. His father by the way now owns his own brew-pub in Long Island.



The recipes are all Tommy’s creation. He wrote them down on the first day and hasn’t touched them since! His philosophy on beer is a no frills attitude that is reflected in his decision not to offer any seasonal ales or expand his permanent collection, though possible future plans of opening a restaurant on site is not out of the question. And quite frankly his three beers (Old Capital, Hurricane Kitty and Mother’s Milk) are perfect the way they are. Old Capital is an homage to Kingston’s history as the first capital of New York state. It is a wonderfully refreshing and crisp beer with a fabulous light honey color. Hurricane Kitty is Tommy’s spin version of an Indian Pale Ale. For those of you not familiar with Indian Pale Ales, it is a beer with extra hopps. Way back during the height of the British Empire and its many colonies, the British would import beer brewed from India to the mainland. In order to keep the beer fresh, extra hops were added for the long voyage. Lastly there is Mother’s Milk, a creamy stout (think Guinness) bursting with flavor. While this one may be a little rich for the summer, Mother’s Milk will go wonderfully with a fall or winter stew.



Upon entering the Tap Room (part bar, part community hang out) at Keegan Ales, I could not help but pick up on a true community vibe. There is nothing forced or artificial about Tommy’s commitment to the local community, just like his beer. The Tap Room is open Thursday and Friday from 3 to 7 pm and on Saturday from noon to 7 pm. While the Tap Room is open, you can enjoy live music from local bands along with your free samples of ale. You can also enjoy a free brewery tour. Tommy does not charge a fee from the bands to perform, so in essence he offers these local bands a free place to get their music out to the public. Naturally, the Tap Room is already booked (band wise) for the remaining Fridays during the summer. Keegan Ales’ support of the local community does not end there; they are also members of the Arts Society of Kingston and feature exhibitions of new artists monthly. The space itself is very warm and inviting, with comfy couches, votive candles and knowledgeable staff. The commitment to the local community is not really surprising since members of Tommy’s family can trace their roots to Kingston all the way to pre-Revolutionary times.



You can find all three beers at various local restaurants and stores. On my way home I stopped at two convenience stores, and both of them carried all three ales (one of the stores was on Route 28 all the way west of Kingston). Keegan Ales also participates in the Kingston Farmer’s Market every Saturday from the end of May through the end of October from 9 am to 2 pm. Of course, you can also pick up your favorite Keegan ale at their Tap Room. All three varieties come in growlers ($8.95) and six-packs ($8.75), kegs ($135.00), quarter barrels ($70) and 5-gallon containers ($55). There is no need to pre-order the kegs and barrels, just give them a call or stop in. Keegan Ales is located at 20 St. James Street, in Kingston. For more information, call 845 331 BREW or visit them on the Web at www.keeganales.com.