In the golden age of craft beer, no self-respecting small city can be without its local brewery. In the mighty first capital of New York we have not one but three indy breweries. From the raucous approachability of the pioneering Keegan Ales to the trendy, family-friendly vibes of Kingston Standard, and the understated warmth of Great Life Brewing, here is what to expect from each of Kingston’s breweries.
Keegan Ales
20 St. James Place, Kingston
Long before the Kingston real estate market exploded or IPAs became the liquid currency of the common people, before the Hudson Valley had even glimpsed its future as a craft beverage mecca, there was Keegan Ales in Midtown Kingston. When Tommy Keegan opened up shop on St. James Place in 2003, his was the only brewery between Brooklyn and Albany. (Chronogram editor Brian Mahoney paints a great picture of Kingston at the time in this loving obit of Tommy Keegan.) To this day, Keegan’s maintains the same easy balance of grit and warmth that drew people to it almost two decades ago. This is a place where blue-collar workers rub elbows with the city’s CPAs and lawyers. Everyone knows everyone and (in non-COVID times) they all throw their peanut shells on the floor. Though COVID restrictions continue to limit programming and keep everyone outside under a big tent in the parking lot, normally, Keegan Ales is famed for its live music shows, trivia nights, and the $3 Mason jar Thursdays (BYO jar). It’s a hometown watering hole kind of feel with a selection of beers that will please anyone. Aside from seasonally rotating specials, the five flagship brews are Old Capital, a golden ale; Hurricane Kitty, a copper IPA; Mother’s Milk, a milk stout; Joe Mama’s Milk, a coffee milk stout; and the youngest, Fun, a citra IPA.
Kingston Standard
22 Jansen Avenue, Kingston
With its crisp white exterior, black garage doors, biergarten seating, and craft brews, Kingston Standard was an unexpectedly trendy addition to Jansen Avenue, the short street that runs parallel to Broadway, behind the Burger King and the hospital. When the nano brewery opened Memorial Day weekend 2019 with a limited seafood-centric menu of lobster rolls and oysters, it heralded a new era for Kingston. Now two years later, Kingston Standard shares a parking lot with Village Grocery & Refillery, around the block from whole-animal butcher the Meat Wagon in an emerging mini-district of craft food and bev. (Don’t worry, the Burger King is still there.) In the summer, you’ll find kids running around as young, hip parents drink a beer and catch up with friends. The selection of draft beers ($6 for a 13.5-ounce pour) includes classic styles (pilsner, pale ale, saison), plus distinctive takes on popular styles such as the Brett IPA, fermented with funky Brettanomyces yeast, as well as traditional German-style lagers. In addition to fresh New England oysters, there is also sourdough pizza, and soft pretzels that you can nosh in the garage-turned-tasting room or al fresco at a picnic table. Local wine and cider are also available by the glass ($6-$10).
Great Life Brewing
75 Clarendon Avenue, Kingston
Great Life is Kingston’s most under-the-radar brewery, though it’s been around (and pouring excellent beers) since 2017. The low profile is perhaps attributed to its out-of-the way location, in an industrial warehouse off Albany Avenue, alongside the train tracks. Great Life has developed a faithful fan base of regulars who rave over “the very nice people…very good brew.” Come for the locally sourced beers, stay for the friendly unpretentious service and neighborly chatter. Their standard taps pour classic takes on witbier, cream ale, milk stout, and IPA, plus crowd-favorite the Juicy Joy IPA. Seasonal specials include Sap Sucker, K Town Brown ale, and Law Abiding Larry. With tall ceilings, steel I beams, and exposed brewing tanks, Great Life doesn’t try too hard to impress on the aesthetic front, but the beer is cold, consistent, and tasty. A rotating slate of food trucks, like Cider Brothers Roadhouse, Off the Hook, the Crazy Box Bakery, Woodstock Eats, and Buff & Alonia Pork keep the regulars fed and happy.
