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Greenberg fosters a close rapport with the brewers and his distributors who are in synch with the overall culinary goals of Stone Barns. One highlight for beer lovers, surely, is the annual Sausage & Beer Dinner; in 2011 Barber and Greenberg worked with an area maltster, and local breweries to showcase five malts (rye, spelt, emmer wheat, triticale—a hybrid of wheat and rye—and roasted barley) alongside fresh sausages and cured meats followed by a five-course tasting menu featuring Blue Hill Farm pork, local grass-fed venison, beef, and lamb, and Stone Barns Bourbon Red turkeys.

PHILOSOPHY

Farm-to-table cooking meets local Hudson Valley brewing in the name of art, no stone unturned. “It’s know your farmer, know your brewer,” says Greenberg. That collaborative relationship extends to diners who come in on a Sunday, as I did, with an interest in beer. Greenberg (or any of his fellow servers, who are all highly trained on the beers available) take diners on a journey with beers that spread beyond a single course. “Because it’s carbonated, there’s a little bit more going on with the beer than the wine, and can be more filling, so I’ll pick a bottle that will stretch over maybe one or two, maybe three courses, depending on the size of the bottle and what Dan and Greg have written as far as the menu, and I try to find something that is a little more versatile.” Beer is often used in the kitchen as well, from soups and broths to deserts. Will brew tanks ever grace the halls of Stone Barns, I ask? He nods and smiles wryly, indicating a room adjacent to the hayloft structure where the beer-and-sausage pairing dinners are held. “We had to put a giant generator in the bay there. That would have been perfect,” he says. In other words, it would not be wise to rule it out.

KEY BEER

Local New York area brewers shine here, obviously, especially Kelso of Brooklyn (also called Greenpoint Beerworks), constantly at work on a number of experiments for the restaurant including brews infused with farm-grown lavender, lemon verbena, farm-fresh honey, house-made apple-mint tea, chocolate mint, fall harvest honey, and roasted beet puree.

Pearl River

DEFIANT BREWING CO.

6 Dexter Plaza • Pearl River, NY 10965 • (845) 920-8602 defiantbrewing.com • Established: 2006

SCENE & STORY

In a narrow old artillery factory built “before electricity” and currently lined with gleaming copper tanks, Bronx native and head brewer Neill Acer holds court over one of the most distinctive and worthwhile little brewpubs in America. holds court over one of the most distinctive and worthwhile little brewpubs in America. The crowd, a mix of office professionals, firemen, police, and other locals, is loyal and friendly, drawn by the good beers and house-smoked barbecue, which alone is worth a drive from New York. Served heaped on platters, this is some of the best pulled pork, brisket, and dry-rubbed ribs (served with pickles and mac-and-cheese) you will find anywhere in the Northeast.

Perched on a stool behind the bar, Acer stokes a vibe of easygoing misbehavior among patrons. “We work pretty late and we like to brew in front of people. There is a convenience level to being a microbrewer . . . just be in a little room with your favorite people and music playing in the background.” It’s clear he dearly loves his chosen path. “When I discovered how to make beer, it was like someone taught me how to make fire,” he laughs.

PHILOSOPHY

Thanks to rigorous training at the Siebel Institute and stints setting up several different brewpubs, Acer has a capable hand with a huge swath of beer styles, from pre-Prohibition-style lagers to 15% ABV Imperial Stouts. And while he can rather effortlessly brew across entire stylistic valleys, he hasn’t lost sight of his mission. “There is a level of David and Goliath to doing what we do as brewers,” says Acer of the Defiant name. “You are really fighting for huge powers. Right here in the Northeast, this is the jewel in the