Tickets are now on sale for next week’s Farm + Beer Expo at Brooklyn Brewery. On Tuesday, January 31st, from 7-10:00 p.m., Farm + Beer Expo will benefit John Gorzynski (Gorzynski Ornery Farm), whose farm was one devastated by last year’s Hurricane Irene. Nestled in a valley of the Catskills, Gorzynski Ornery Farm is where John and his family have been farming for over 20 years. John is a longtime advocate for organic agriculture and small-scale growers, especially in his local Farm Bureau. In 2002, however, he dropped their organic certification for the farm in protest of the newly enacted federal standards and changed the name of his business from “Gorzynski Organic Farm” to “Gorzynski Ornery Farm,” in ironic protest. He recently dropped his membership in Farm Bureau but continues to be a mainstay at Saturday’s Union Square Greenmarket.
The Farm + Beer Expo builds on hurricane farm relief efforts currently underway in NYC, while offering this all-you-can-eat-and-drink beer event. Unlimited 7-ounce beer samples will be provided by:
- Wandering Star will be tapping their last keg of 2010’s all Massachusetts malt and hop Berkshire Hills 01201 Saison;
- Brooklyn Brewery, offering a wide variety of its brews;
- Sierra Nevada (bringing its Estate Ale);
- Tundra Beer (one of the few beers currently meeting the Greenmarkets’ standard of making beer with at least 50 percent of the ingredients grown by the brewer);
- Kelso, which will be making a special locally-sourced beer for the Expo;
- Along with Empire Brewing, Lagunitas, Peak Organic, Maine Beer Co., Ommegang, White Birch Brewing, and more TBA.
Food will be provided by Jimmy’s No. 43, DNA Info, and East Village Meat Market, among others. Expo participants include From Shoe Town to Brew Town’s “Craft Brewing Meets Green Development,” an architect’s forum to discuss efforts to develop green breweries in the region; Brooklyn Brew Shop with homebrew demonstrations and brewers’ kits available for purchase; beer authors Erica Shea and Stephen Valand will be on hand to sign their book, Brooklyn Brew Shop’s Beer Making Book; NYC Homebrewers Guild; Sam Merritt from Civilization of Beer; Cicerone Program; Sean Lynch from Pipe Dreams (a line cleaning service) will explain how great bars tend great beer; The Village Voice’s Choice Eats; Beer Sessions Radio; and additional craft beer companies (TBA).