The Brewers Collective Turns on the Taps

In [our previous look][2] at [**The Brewers Collective**][1], it had left the now defunct “A Taste of Long Island” and just signed a lease on a 1,300 sq. ft. space in a Bay Shore industrial park. For the sixteen months, this cooperative of six members—Sarah Rich-Dougherty, Tim Dougherty, Terry Gillen, Jason Weingarten, Mike Depietto, and Mike Stetson—has been working steadily to open the brewery. But, as with many other breweries before, it hit unexpected snags along the way, from plumbing and electrical issues to meeting [byzantine][def] construction and town codes.

Finally, the **Collective** has procured the correct stamps and seals from the local government and is ready to power up its 3-barrel electric system, looking forward to welcoming enthusiastic beer drinkers into its new home.

I was lucky enough to get an invitation to **The Brewers Collective** tasting room during a private, [soft opening][op]. Beers on tap included: *Mattyweizen*, a Bavarian-style hefeweizen; *Cawfee*, a coffee porter; and, *Bayshore Badman*, a brown ale. I also got a taste of a few items fermenting in the back—a heather [gruit][] in collaboration with [**BrickHouse Brewery**][3], and *Charles Browne*, a brown ale, that according to [**The Brewers Collective**][1]’s website, “fell into a barrel where he’s been trapped, hanging out in the dark with nothing a variety of strange bacteria and wild yeasts for company.”

**The Brewers Collective** is the third brewery in Bay Shore, following [**Great South Bay Brewery**][4] and [**Destination Unknown Beer Co.**][5], and is helping make the town a destination for craft beer lovers along with noted stops on Long Island such as Patchogue, Riverhead, Holbrook and Farmingdale. As its name implies, there is strength in numbers.

**The Brewers Collective** official grand opening will occur sometime in late February or early March 2017. It is located at 1460 North Clinton Avenue, Unit C, in Bay Shore, New York. In social media, it is active on [Facebook][6] and [Instagram][7].

[def]: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Byzantine “Definition 4b: intricately involved”
[op]: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/soft_opening “Definition 1: An unannounced or lightly announced business opening, instead of or prior to a grand opening.”
[gruit]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gruit “An herb mixture used for bittering and flavoring beer, popular before the extensive use of hops.”
[1]: http://www.thebrewerscollective.com/
[2]: http://drunkandunemployed.com/2015/11/bay-shore-brewery-boom/
[3]: http://www.brickhousebrewery.com/
[4]: http://greatsouthbaybrewery.com
[5]: http://destinationunknownbeercompany.com
[6]: https://www.facebook.com/TheBrewersCollective/
[7]: https://www.instagram.com/thebrewerscollective