Newburgh, which gets more than its share of bad press, has something to cheer about: The craft beers being brewed on South Colden Street are bringing some positive attention to the city, with “crafted in Newburgh” libations being served in more than 25 restaurants in the area.
Two Washingtonville High School buddies came home to the Hudson Valley to make it happen — Christopher Basso returned after six years at Brooklyn Brewery with Paul Halayko, a certified public accountant right behind him. With Basso”™s brewing expertise and Halayko”™s ability to crunch numbers, the pair came up with what they believe will be a winning addition to the region: The Newburgh Brewing Company.
“Chris has talked about this for a few years,” said Halayko, “and I listened. We love the city of Newburgh and would like to be part of its renaissance. The craft beer industry has plenty of potential, and there”™s still a lot of room in it to grow. I”™ve always had real admiration for the hard work that goes into a start-up company, and now I”™m doing it myself. It”™s a little scary, but it”™s a great feeling.”
With a combination of private equity from friends and family, along with some debt financing from Chase and the New York Business Development Corporation, the pair were off and running. “Besides our family and friends, we have a lot of people to thank. Cedric Carter (at the NYBDC) was a great guy to work with and very supportive,” said Halayko. “He”™s just one of the many people who helped make this happen.”
In the 22,000-square-foot building they purchased, the first two floors are dedicated to the brewery, the third holds company offices, where Halayko”™s uncle, Charlie Benedetti, takes care of the sales end of the business; and on the top floor, the finishing touches are being added to what will be the brewery”™s public tap room.
Newburgh Brewing Company already has its liquor license and will be ready to open by Memorial Day. Visitors will be able to tour the brewery, learn how beer is made and how Basso comes up with ideas for new ones.
The company produces four beers now, debuting two of them at The Wherehouse in mid-April. Wherehouse owner and Tarrytown native Dan Brown is another Newburgh transplant who shares the same feeling about the city as Basso and Halayko, opening his bar/restaurant down the street from Washington”™s headquarters three years ago and quickly becoming an anchor in the neighborhood.
More than 200 supporters showed up to welcome the Newburgh Brewing Company to the city”™s business community at a party at The Wherehouse, where Brown plans to add the new company”™s brews to the other craft beers he has on tap.
“It was great to see how much support we got from the people that came to our ribbon-cutting and then joined us for the event Dan helped organize. Friends and family — and folks who like to try new beers — followed our progress on Facebook and let others know about us,” said Halayko.
“Right now, our focus is on selling tap beer here in the mid-Hudson,” he continued, “but with our distributor also going into the Westchester, New York City and Long Island markets, there is the potential for us to grow, and that”™s exciting. It”™s way too soon to think about bottling our beer and selling it, that”™s two or three years up the road. Right now, we are concentrating on making this business a success and keeping those kegs going out the doors.”
