Old Serotta factory now Artisinal Brew Works

[RWHowe]

I had a Belgian style beer in the old Serotta factory last night.
Last night was the soft opening, grand opening on Saturday, July 23rd.

http://artisanalbrewworks.com/

My assessment, they are brewing LegendTi worthy beers!
Will post pics tonight.

[BobC]

This is great news! I was wondering what was going on there -- I thought it was going to be a niche Bourbon distillery. I just was up in Saratoga last week to drop boy #1 off with my folks (he went to RPI's Engineering Summer Camp) & took a ride by there. Brought back a case of Messiah (by request from friends and co-workers) and a case of Olde Saratoga Oatmeal Stout for personal consumption.

I'll be back up in 2 weeks -- definitely going to go visit! Olde Saratoga brewery (which is much much improved), Druthers on Broadway & now "the brewery formerly known as Serotta." Life is good.

[RWHowe]

There is a distillery in the building as well but they are not open for business yet.
The brewery and distillery are separate, different owners.

[Hilltopperny]

I will have to check this out. Like Belgian style beers and not too far away:beer:

[redir]

How's the beer?

[tv_vt]

Sad, though, too. Would rather that world class bikes were still being made there.

[572cv]

Sad, though, too. Would rather that world class bikes were still being made there.

Sure enough. But with three Serottas here, a good brew after a fun ride is not a bad combination. Maybe they could make a Legend Lager, an Ottrot Oat Stout (say that five times after drinking two), Atlanta IPA, branch out into Meivici Mead, or do a CdAle ;-)

And for world class ti in the neighborhood, I gather one can just go west from Saratoga Springs on rt 29 about 32 miles and get to an old textile factory...

[Birddog]

Sure enough. But with three Serottas here, a good brew after a fun ride is not a bad combination. Maybe they could make a Legend Lager, an Ottrot Oat Stout (say that five times after drinking two), Atlanta IPA, branch out into Meivici Mead, or do a CdAle ;-)

And for world class ti in the neighborhood, I gather one can just go west from Saratoga Springs on rt 29 about 32 miles and get to an old textile factory...

Or they could make a "knock off" of Fat Tire Amber Ale and call it "Colorado Concept".

[cachagua]

Do they give you a free one if you ride up on a Serotta, is what I want to know.

[Louis]

Do they give you a free one if you ride up on a Serotta

They'll say "What's a Serotta?"

[RWHowe]

I rode up on my Bedford and my wife was on her Giant mtb. The first thing the owners said to us, after hello, was "maybe we should get a bike rack." I told them they should. As the owners are all local, they are aware of Serotta and that the building was the Serotta factory.

Unfortunately, I did not get a free one!

[AJM100]

Go there in August . . . Saratoga Springs is awesome and the horses will be on the track . . . :hello:

[Corso]

Could their logo be any more hipster-trendy?

[MattTuck]

Could their logo be any more hipster-trendy?

Nothing like opening a craft beer brewery in the 8th inning of the craft beer wave... Sadly, they may share the same fate as the previous tenants.

[Fivethumbs]

...

[sandyrs]

Nothing like opening a craft beer brewery in the 8th inning of the craft beer wave... Sadly, they may share the same fate as the previous tenants.

The name is pretty terrible too...

A new brewery near me opened recently. It's a beer hall style brewery, so no distribution, no beer to go. Only available on-site at the bar/restaurant. I think this is one of the only promising approaches I've seen to opening a brewery so late in the game. The food was really good and the beer was worth going back for.

[MattTuck]

The name is pretty terrible too...

A new brewery near me opened recently. It's a beer hall style brewery, so no distribution, no beer to go. Only available on-site at the bar/restaurant. I think this is one of the only promising approaches I've seen to opening a brewery so late in the game. The food was really good and the beer was worth going back for.

Agreed. And a lot of people in the craft beer game have moved in this direction. It is a lot easier to make money selling a pint for $6 or 7 out of an on site keg, than trying to get distribution into a crowded retail and bar environment.

That being said, there are still some big question marks on whether the demand will be there long term. Or if people get tired of craft beer and turn to craft artisinal rum, or whatever the new trend will be. A return of the local brewery/brew pub is kind of a cool idea, but one wonders if we are saturated at this point.

[Cat3roadracer]

We are saturated in the Albany, Troy, Saratoga area. And they are all crowded, every night of the week.

Best of luck to them.

[moose8]

Nothing like opening a craft beer brewery in the 8th inning of the craft beer wave... Sadly, they may share the same fate as the previous tenants.

People have been saying this for a long time but it seems like a lot of them are finding success. Seems if you are hyper local you can make it work. I wish them luck!

[RWHowe]

A shot of the building and front door

[RWHowe]

this is the distillery, once the main factory floor

[RWHowe]

this was the main office area

[RWHowe]

This was the paint area. The paint booths were torn out, the floor was torn out and the concrete re-poured to facilitate the flow of water to the drains when cleaning the tanks.

[RWHowe]

excellent Belgian Triple

[Louis]

excellent Belgian Triple

Based on the image on that goblet, I'd say it looks like you have to be a hipster to truly enjoy the brew. ;)

[AllanVarcoe]

A shot of the building and front door

There is an "S" logo carved into the bottom of that first pillar so maybe if they see the HT logo they'll remember what Serotta was. Ha!

Crazy to see the manufacturing floor without machines, benches, welders...

[rnhood]

Doesn't seem like a very big building. But Sierra Nevada started in a small little shop too, and with some energy and big ideas just look where they are today. Wishing the best for that brewery.

[oddsaabs]

When I saw the post title I thought, "Someone's making beer in that old building behind the firehouse in Middle Grove?"

[Mr. Pink]

Saratoga rocks. Lived there from 04 to 07. Broke my heart to leave, but my job went to India. Wondering just the other day how the old factory would fare, and I'm happy it's something, anything. Bit distant from the main drag. They're going to have to do some promotion to get them inside. Should be an excellent warmup for a SPAC concert. Good luck to them.

Edit: for newbies to Saratoga who visit the brewery, the Automotive museum is just a short drive down the hill in the state park. Always well worth a visit for motor heads. A converted old spring water bottling plant.

[Satellite]

This is my dream! To open a micro brewery restaurant in an amazing building like Serotta. We have a micro brewery opened in an old grade school it's amazing. Something about beer and pizza in a unique place.

[572cv]

Edit: for newbies to Saratoga who visit the brewery, the Automotive museum is just a short drive down the hill in the state park. Always well worth a visit for motor heads. A converted old spring water bottling plant.

Water bottling plant goes to cars, bike factory goes to beer. Sort of karmic turn about going on.

Maybe I'll get the 2cv down there for the Citroen Rendezvous in june next year. Now I know where to get a beer.

[likebikes]

so twee my teeth hurt.

[Mr. Pink]

Water bottling plant goes to cars, bike factory goes to beer. Sort of karmic turn about going on.

Maybe I'll get the 2cv down there for the Citroen Rendezvous in june next year. Now I know where to get a beer.

For a very proper cocktail, when you're in town, 9 Maple. One of the best bars you've been to. A dying breed.

[Llewellyn]

It's not a business name that exactly rolls off the tongue.

[rileystylee]

I think people will shorten it to Anal Brew works .
Sorry.

[oldpotatoe]

Could their logo be any more hipster-trendy?

sure it could..

[oldpotatoe]

This is my dream! To open a micro brewery restaurant in an amazing building like Serotta. We have a micro brewery opened in an old grade school it's amazing. Something about beer and pizza in a unique place.

How do ya make a $million in the micro brew biz? Start with 2$million. ;)

[rileystylee]

This is my dream! To open a micro brewery restaurant in an amazing building like Serotta. We have a micro brewery opened in an old grade school it's amazing. Something about beer and pizza in a unique place.

Better not serve pizza, you might end up getting sued by someone:D

[Satellite]

Better not serve pizza, you might end up getting sued by someone:D

Only half the building is the brewery the other half could be a dental office or Saul Goodman's office.
I

[ColonelJLloyd]

excellent Belgian Triple

Awfully pale and overly cloudy for a tripel.

Logo reminded me of this place which just opened locally.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-A123VbE8KGw/AAAAAAAAAAI/AAAAAAAAABk/4_AT88E-QJg/s0-c-k-no-ns/photo.jpg

[malcolm]

I love craft brews especially good IPAs but the industry is reaching frozen yogurt territory as in one on every corner.

They need to offer something different or do an exceptional job at what they do. Good product/beer is becoming a given. I've only done a tasting at a couple breweries in the past year or so that the beer wasn't pretty good.

Grand Teton Brewing in Victor, Idaho does a really good job. Fairly simple digs, big brewing space, small basic tasting room/bar. Huge porch and yard, with a permanent food truck. Kinda family oriented, they do brew soft drinks, lots people, few kids and dogs playing in the yard. Good place to spend a summer afternoon.

[BobC]

Just went to the place yesterday evening.

Overall, the beer is quite good -- but you have to enjoy Belgian styles. It was nice to go to a brewery in which every beer wasn't hoppy. I liked Brown Ale (sweeter than most) & the Triple (very smooth).

It was weird being back in the factory (last time I was there was to pick up my CSI for a repaint).

My only question is who owns the house now?

[54ny77]

that looks delicious! i hope to get up there for a visit this summer.

to the naysayers, ya know, instead of crapping all over the business from a distance and opining on their impending doom, how about go and visit the joint, pass along a good word, ya know?

helps the economy and all that.

at least they're out there giving it their best shot. what have you pooh-pooh'ers done lately to stake yer claim in the biz world, risking your own capital?

excellent Belgian Triple

[verbeke06]

This makes me sad. Next thing you know Vanilla will be a cupcake shop.

[Satellite]

This makes me sad. Next thing you know Vanilla will be a cupcake shop.

That sounds fantastic I love Vanilla Cupcakes!

[Louis]

That sounds fantastic I love Vanilla Cupcakes!

How about strawberry frosting? (and sprinkles!)

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_U0Ww-pLbOqA/TJKznMrkTqI/AAAAAAAAAAs/L914NRkihrA/s1600/cupcakeandbicycle.gothamist.jpg

[RWHowe]

My only question is who owns the house now?[/QUOTE]

The house and factory are one property. So it is owned by the guy that bought it all and is starting the distillery in the factory building. The house is rented out to 3 or 4 twenty somethings.