Fort Orange Brewing

Made my way to Fort Orange Brewing on a recent Saturday. Fort Orange Brewing has the largest taproom in Albany. I know this may seem hard to believe if you’ve been there, but it is technically correct! Like many breweries origin stories, Fort Orange Brewing came to be in a garage with 3 friends and in 2017 moved into its current home at 450 North Pearl St in Albany, NY.

Fort Orange Brewing offers a traditional flight of four as well as their Gauntlet.

What’s The Gauntlet?

The Gauntlet is a tasting of all 10 of their draft choices. If you pop in on your birthday with a valid ID, you can receive a Gauntlet for free.

The taproom is large but not unwelcoming. The tanks are within view from the bar and seating area, and you can easily spot names placed on each tank.

Each of the tanks is named after one of the various owners’ children. A little extra personification that I loved. There is seating for groups of all sizes small to large. Picnic tables with movable benches fill the taproom and make for easily expanding a table as your group increases. During the warmer days, the large garage-style door that completes the front of the building opens up to allow everyone in and out to mingle.

Jenna at the bar at Fort Orange Brewing was super cheerful and attentive. The night we stopped in I lucked out as they had several dark beers on tap.

She served up my first choice of the evening which was the Pullman Porter coming in at 5.2% ABV. It had a lovely roasty coffee chocolatey nose, a light body, and a little sweetness to balance the bitterness, definitely smooth and easy to drink, but lacked the full body of a traditional porter. As for the smoke promised in the description, it was hard to find. I would have appreciated the smoke being a bit more pronounced.

Next on the tasting list was the White Chocolate Porter which is also 5.2% ABV. This porter was more medium-bodied than the Pullman with a chocolate nose. A nice smoothness and balance to the chocolate notes with a sweet finish. I would stop back in again for this one.

My next taste came from the Raspberry Stout, again at 5.2% ABV. Chocolate nose with subtle raspberry. Light to medium bodied so a little too thin to really drink like a stout. Aside from that, the initial flavor of chocolate with a subtle sweet raspberry finish was enjoyable.

The last stout of the day was Andy’s Mint Chocolate Chip Stout at 5.4% ABV. I immediately caught mint on the nose as soon as it was placed in front of me. Medium-bodied and smooth with notes of chocolate and mint, yet not overly sweet. Reminiscent of a Girl Scout thin mint cookie. Again, a little thin for a stout but overall, an enjoyable beer.

The last beer of the evening was Big Hop Energy a NEIPA coming in at 6.4% ABV. Hoppy and sweet on the nose with a smooth finish full of juicy citrus flavor, this one was a hit. I can picture myself enjoying a few pints on my next visit.

Beer it Forward You Say?

Fort Orange Brewing has a nice assortment of merchandise for sale alongside a giant chalkboard entitled Beer It Forward. The Beer It Forward Program is pretty straightforward; you pay for a beer for someone and write their name on the board along with who gifted the beer. I love this idea, makes for a nice community vibe. A great way to let someone know you’re thinking of them even if you’re not out the same night. A happy little surprise!

While Fort Orange Brewery doesn’t offer food other than flavored popcorn and small chip bags, they often have food trucks on the weekends. Outside food is always welcome as are well-behaved leashed doggos. You can check their website for an updated calendar of food trucks and special events. Fort Orange offers such a wide variety of events there is bound to be something for everyone. They have yoga with a pint classes, trivia nights, a cornhole league, bingo, and comedy nights. So, grab your friends and come on down for a fun night out in Albany!

A Little Bit Extra

Did you know that Fort Orange was the first Dutch Settlement in New Netherland which is present-day Albany? I certainly did not! The Fort is pictured in a mural on one wall of the brewery. The original Fort Orange was built in 1624 and established by the West India Trading Company and housed fur traders. The Fort Orange Brewery logo is a representation of the original Fort Orange.