Tucked away on a winding rural road by the pretty village of Tivoli, Lasting Joy Brewery is a thoughtful and passionate oasis. Its light-filled taproom with floor-to-ceiling windows and a hexagonal bar, its 32 acres of rolling fields bordered by lush woodland, the memorable events held here, and the warm, family-friendly welcome have made this place a favorite hangout for folks from all over the area.
Emily and Alex Wenner knew from the very first that they’d be keeping the vibe mellow and the ingredients local, and it’s that philosophy that has guided the debut of their full-on kitchen, Gather at LJB. For the first couple of years after opening in June 2022, the brewery hosted food trucks, but the Wenners soon realized that having food available full-time and exactly the way they wanted it—especially when hosting their growing calendar of catered events—would be a big plus, so they’ve gone all-in on Gather, with a fresh, locally sourced and seasonal menu of food that goes well with fine beer: great burgers and popcorn chicken, hand-cut fries, toasted garlic hummus, giant pretzels, and cookies that melt on your tongue.
Being a brewery, of course, the beers are the stars of the show. Alex fell in love with the brewer’s art when all he had to work with was one burner in a cramped Brooklyn kitchen; now that he’s got his own 15-barrel system to work with, there’s just no end to what he can and does accomplish, with five classic offerings always available and four seasonal choices inspired by local ingredients and tasteful, bold creativity.
The story of much Lasting Joy beer begins right here on the property.
So here’s the story of how they craft these mighty fine beers, from their American Light Lager, Clouds Over Clermont (a hazy IPA), the Heartbeet of the Hudson (local beets and a hint of bittersweet chocolate in the flavor), Pick-Your-Own Raspberry (a brut IPA “like an effervescent daiquiri”), and Berry Trifle, a sour ale that’s aged for a year in oak. And those are just the house classics that are always available; you’ll also find special seasonal options at any given moment.
The story of much Lasting Joy beer begins right here on the property, where local farmer Ken Migliorelli grows some of their cereal grains. The grain then goes to nearby Hudson Valley Malt, where it’s brought to peak flavor and function using the time-honored process of floor malting. “It’s a specialized, hyper-local product that travels about 3 miles in the process of being grown, malted and brewed into beer,” Emily says.
The 50-pound sacks of malted grain are milled in Lasting Joy’s own milling room before being heated into mash in a giant kettle called the mash tun—extracting the yeast-friendly sugars—and then being transferred to a boil kettle, where the liquid boils for another hour. That’s the point at which, depending on the type of beer, hops from the HOPGUILD may be added.
“The spent grain gets dumped out and turned into high-quality cattle feed." – Co-Owner Alex Wenner
“The mash tun has a false bottom so that only the liquid gets transferred to the boil kettle,” Alex says. “The spent grain gets dumped out and turned into high-quality cattle feed. Local farmers are thrilled to get that for free, and we’re thrilled not to have to pay to dispose of it, although sometimes we use a little to mix with peanut butter and make dog treats.”
The liquid then goes into the conical stainless-steel or oak fermenters, where the yeast does its magic for anywhere from two to eight weeks. (Oak is typically used in the creation of sour beer varieties.) As fermentation slows, special ingredients like fruit are added at just the right moment—earlier for a beer that’s intended to be drier.
Once it’s fully fermented, the beer is transferred to a pressurized brite tank for carbonation and then to kegs and cans to be served to thirsty patrons.
Once it’s fully fermented, the beer is transferred to a pressurized brite tank for carbonation and then to kegs and cans to be served to thirsty patrons. A typical batch is between 340 and 450 gallons. Last year, Lasting Joy turned 20,000 pounds of grain into beer.
“It’s great for local ag that New York State brewing is back,” Alex says. “Historically, it was an important piece of the local economy. And for me, the brewing is still the fun part—from getting the grain in to tasting the results.”
Lasting Joy Brewery
485 Lasher Road, Tivoli
845-757-BEER lastingjoybrewery.com
