photo by Nicole Ficarrotta
When you think of Oktoberfest you typically don’t think of face painting and hayrides; you think of great beer, but Crossroads Oktoberfest in Malverne had all of the above and then some. I had the opportunity to speak with the brewers and representatives who poured at the event to learn about the breweries since I’m new to the craft beer world.
Four Long Island breweries participated in the third annual Crossroads Oktoberfest. Each brewery brought their own seasonal beer, which ranged from pumpkin beers to Oktoberfest style. There were also many IPAs and a beer for every pallet. Whether you prefer pale ales or dark lagers, Crossroads had a craft beer for you.
Lithology, which opened in Farmingdale only six months ago, is new to the world of micro brewing. Lithology brought their L.B.I.P.A as well as one of their pumpkin beers. Since I am not pumpkin’s biggest fan, I tried the IPA, a pale ale made from five different hops.
Port Jeff Brewing Company reminded me of a nice summer spot with just one sip. Maybe it was the big sailboat on the truck or maybe it was the name of two of the beers they brought, 5.4% White’s Beach Wit and their 7.7% Party Boat IPA. As someone who never wants summer to end, it was nice to feel like I was back in summer even if it was only for a few minutes. Beach is a light beer, golden in color, perfect for a nice relaxing day at the beach; they try to name their beers after events they will pair well with. Port Jeff Brewing Company, located in the heart of Port Jefferson is currently working on their new Ship Wreck Series, which will consist of sour beers.
If you find yourself in Oceanside looking for a deliciously hoppy beer, I would suggest stopping in at Barrier Brewing Company and ordering SmackDab (American Pale lager). Barrier’s table had a large fan base at Crossroads and many people were signing their praises. After tasing SmackDab, I saw why. SmackDab is a lighter beer with an extremely hoppy flavor. With a hint of citrus, SmackDab is a brew that you won’t be able to put down.
Although each of the breweries brought great choices to the festival, my favorite of them all was the 5.5% Milk and Honey Brown Ale from Moustache Brewing Co. As the name suggests, it was a darker beer, which I thought was great for a fall. Milk and Honey is not a combination you would normally find in a beer, so the style initially drew me in. After one sip of this unique combination, I had to go back for more!
I spoke with Matthew Spitz, co-owner of Moustache Brewing Company, to learn about his thought process behind his brews. “Coming up with a new beer is like cooking, it’s a lot of trial and error,” Spitz said. “You have to come up with a flavor pallet in your head and see what works well together.”
Even though Moustache Brewing is a fairly young brewery, they already have four standard IPAs and a new IPA hitting the tap next month. Any given day you will find eight beers on tap, the four core IPAs (soon to be five) and four beers that are continuously changing.
Crossroads Oktoberfest was truly an event for the whole family. Mom and dad can grab a few cold brews, the kids can hit the playground, and together, the whole family can enjoy some great food at one of the many food trucks.
Since Crossroads was my first craft beer festival, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I quickly found the people were friendly and the beer was delicious. I didn’t know all of the different styles and flavors that is found in beer beer, but I am looking forward to trying many more.
