Beer Here

Working at the New York State Museum I get the chance to do, and see, some really amazing things. I've held a fossil of the world's oldest tree, and have ridden on a WWII-era, M8 "Greyhound" armored car. I've seen ancient Clovis points, pottery shards, Mastodon tusks and some of the finest bronze sculptures produced throughout history. However, a few months ago, something extra-special happened. Craig Williams, a historian and curator at the museum, and Paul Mercer, a librarian in the Manuscripts and Special Collections unit of the New York State Library, asked if I would speak with a few folks about, Albany Ale and brewing in New York State. Never one to turn down the opportunity to talk about beer, I accepted.

Cheers to you, New York Historical Society.

It turns out, the two people I'd be speaking with were Nina Nazionale and Debra Bach of the New York Historical Society Museum & Library. Not only were they interested in New York's brewing history, they we're traveling to Albany to see what brewery ephemera and artifacts, both the State Museum and Library had, and were willing to loan, for their upcoming exhibition on the history of beer making, in primarily New York City, but the rest of the state as well.

I am very happy to announce that Beer Here: Brewing New York's History, opens to the public, on May 25, 2012. If you are anywhere near Manhattan between the end of May and and the beginning of September, please go check out this fun and exciting exhibit—I know I will!

Now, all I have to do is convince my bosses to do an exhibit on Albany Ale. I may have to ply them with beer.