In a hop yard with clucking guinea hens and a crowing rooster, an oversized beer stein changed hands this Wednesday, May 16. The gesture, performed at the Owl Valley Farm in Pottersville, New York, symbolized the transfer of the Adirondack Craft Beverage Trail initiative from the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce to the Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce & CVB. The event was the official announcement of the transfer and was attended by members of both chambers, Adirondack Craft Beverage Trail partners and the press.
The Trail, launched by the ARCC in 2014, runs from Lake Placid to Clifton Park with stops at wineries, breweries, distilleries and a cidery. Amanda Blanton, ARCC Marketing and Communications Manager, says the Adirondack Craft Beverage Trail “… got a lot of great responses. I feel that it did help grow the craft beverage industry in our region, which is fantastic.” However, says Blanton, the Adirondack Regional Chamber is a business-to-business chamber, and it seemed appropriate that the Lake George Chamber, which is more tourism-based, take over the initiative.
“With this passing of the stein from the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce to the Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce,” says Lake George Chamber Executive Director Gina Mintzer, “Our goal is to continue the trail initiative specifically so that we are able to market this attraction, because the trail in and of itself is an attraction.” Mintzer notes that since the original Adirondack Craft Beverage Trail map was produced, several new producers have come to the region who can be added to the initiative. “It helps us grow jobs, economic development, especially for these producers, most of whom are year-round businesses in our region. That is a huge initiative of our own,” says Mintzer, referring to the Chamber’s Lake George 365 initiative that promotes the area as a four-season destination.
Mintzer says a formal re-launch of the Adirondack Craft Beverage Trail will be held during the Adirondack Wine & Food Festival, which is coming to the Lake George Festival Commons June 23 and 24, 2018. The event draws more than 6,000 craft beverage fans to Lake George. Mintzer also sees the festival as an opportunity to connect with several dozen producers from across the state. “We want to be part of the statewide network of trails,” says Mintzer.
The Village and Town of Lake George have awarded the initiative $5,000 in Occupancy Tax funds, and the initiative has applied to the town of Queensbury for additional seed money. “Our goal is to be self-sustaining through membership, partnership, sponsorship and advertising,” says Mintzer. Once funding is stable, Mintzer hopes to have a major Craft Beverage Trail event that will draw people to the area, “…put heads in beds.”
Wednesday’s announcement was made at Owl Valley Farm to highlight the local producer aspect of the Adirondack Craft Beverage Trail. Rich Lemelson has been growing hops on the farm for six years. He sells his crop to the Adirondack Brewery, a stop along the Craft Beverage Trail. According to Lemelson, his hops have been used in Adirondack Brewery’s Harvest Red and NY Common brews. In a good season, with favorable weather, he says he can produce 1,000 pounds of hops on his two-acre hop yard.
His daughter bought the property several years ago with plans to farm. “My daughter wanted to start a vineyard,” says Lemelson, but “I found hops growing wild at Northwest Club in Minerva… I just thought it was something neat to grow. It’s a lot of work, an enormous amount of work. But, it’s doing okay.” Success isn’t guaranteed. The rainy weather last June brought downy mildew to his crop. The cones he managed to save from the disease were killed in September by a week of 90-degree temperatures.
This year’s crop is off to a good start. The vines are trained to grow up strings of coconut fiber and by late August will have reached 20-feet high. “They are an ungodly plant,” says Lemelson, noting the vines can grow as much as one foot a day and tend to invade the nearby lawn.
Attending the ceremonial “Passing of the Stein” were Jesse Tyree of Black Dog Designs and Dave Skibinski of the Johnsburg-based Live More Adventures. Black Dog Designs did the original design work for the Adirondack Craft Beverage Trail initiative and will work with the Lake George Chamber going forward. Skibinski operates a tour company that organizes group trips with activities such as rafting, hiking, camping and fishing. His tour packages often include craft beverage tastings.
Tanya Brand, Warrens County Department of Tourism Group Tour Coordinator also attended. “This is a huge draw, for both domestic and international,” says Brand. “They (tourists) want to taste our local flavors, so to speak, and I promote it where appropriate.”
