Farm Brew Project at Carey Institute for Global Good Receives Regional Economic Development Council Award
250-year-old Dutch barn to house local farmstead brewery in Rensselaerville, N.Y.
RENSSELAERVILLE, N.Y. – Governor Andrew Cuomo announced this morning the Carey Institute for Global Good has been chosen as a Regional Economic Development Council Award winner and will receive $108,000 in funding to foster its farmstead brewery project in Rensselaerville. The award will help the Carey Institute for Global Good create the first local farmstead brewery in New York State, through a unique partnership with Albany architecture and engineering firm CSArch and its founder and President Randolph Collins, with strong support from Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy.
“Winning a Regional Economic Development Council Award shows the significance of the Farm Brew project at the Carey Institute for Global Good and the impact we will have on New York State. We congratulate Governor Cuomo for his leadership on behalf of upstate farmers,” said Carol Ash, President of the Carey Institute for Global Good.
“We are extremely grateful to the Regional Council, Governor Cuomo and County Executive McCoy for their embrace of this initiative, for seeing the potential in our vision and for supporting our collaboration with our partners on this innovative project,” Ash continued.
“This project will have an impact that extends beyond our county,” said Albany County Executive McCoy. “It will showcase our Hilltowns in Albany County and will become a showcase for others as our communities weave together our region’s history and roots with today’s efforts to develop and sustain small farms.”
The barn dates back to the 18th century, and is presently in a disassembled state on CSArch President Randy Collins’ property. CSArch and The Carey Institute of Global Good decided to partner to raise the barn again, and put it to good use.
“The award validates our vision, and provides a foundation for moving forward with our plans to they move from barn raising to brewing,” said Collins. “It is a fun project, as well as an important one. We are proud to be part of it.”
The Carey Institute of Global Good hopes to be producing beer on site within a year, and will be capable of making 2 ½ barrel batches of beer, equivalent to 60 gallons. In addition to creating a house label of beer, the Farm Brew will serve as a place for outside brewers to utilize and brew test batches using local ingredients.
Albany County was at one time viewed as the brewing capital of the United States. The Farm Brew project will utilize a farm brewery license that fits the Taste NY initiative through legislation signed by Governor Cuomo in January.