USA, NY: Shmaltz Brewing Co. opens new brewery in Saratoga County

A ribbon-cutting ceremony and preview event attended by local officials, politicians, business development leaders and craft-beer industry professionals was held in Clifton Park on May, 13 afternoon to welcome Shmaltz Brewing Co. to Saratoga County, The Saratogian reported on May, 13.

Founder and President, Jeremy Cowan led a small assembly of well-wishers on a tour of the nearly 20,000-square-foot brewing facility.

“The town of Clifton Park welcomes Shmaltz Brewing,” Clifton Park Supervisor Phil Barrett said. “They represent a growing segment of the economy, and their commitment to locating in Clifton Park is a significant private-sector investment for our town.”

The brewery plans to hire upwards of 10 full-time staff members for the new operation, in addition to the dozen staffers currently handling sales, marketing and contract brewing operations. The space also touts a 1,700-square-foot tasting room and roughly 800 square feet of office space.

“It is wonderful to see a company like Shmaltz Brewing establish operations in New York’s Capital District,” Democratic U.S. Congressman Paul Tonko said. “Our region’s rich agricultural heritage coupled with the booming market for craft beers will provide them with the opportunity to hit the ground running. Small businesses like Shmaltz Brewing are the success stories of our recovery, and it is my pleasure to welcome them to Clifton Park and upstate New York.”

Saratoga Economic Development Corp. President Dennis Brobston told Cowan that his decision to locate the $3.25 mln, 50-barrel brewery in Clifton Park “is proof that if you build the right business environment, small businesses will have an opportunity to flourish. This project was successful because we had prepared sites and buildings, a business-friendly local community like we have in Clifton Park and access to capital. … When everyone works together, business happens.”

“Small businesses with hard-working owners and dedicated employees are really the lifeblood of our local economy, and the team at Shmaltz Brewing is clearly hard-working and dedicated. We thank them for the jobs they have created, the investments they’ve made in our community and for helping us to expand our offerings to tourists looking for locally made craft beers via their really cool tasting room,” Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce President Todd L. Shimkus said.

Shmaltz Brewing Co. joins other recent brewing endeavors in the region, including Davidson Brothers Brewing Co., owned by Rick and John Davidson, who invested $3.5 mln to open a 20,000-square-foot brewery in a former movie theater in Queensbury; and Druthers Brewing Co., located at 381 Broadway in Saratoga Springs and owned by public finance lawyer Chris Martell.

15 May, 2013