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Long Ireland Beer Company co-owner Dan Burke (Credit: Barbaraellen Koch)

Long Ireland Beer Company uses local hops to do more than just sell beer. On Friday, they used proceeds from their latest wet-hopped brew to kick back some cash to the farmers who grew the hops themselves.

Called the Wet Hop Co-Op Session IPA, Long Ireland co-owner Dan Burke said it was made with hops from Wading River’s Condzella Farms, Riverhead’s L.I. Hops and Weskofske Farms in Peconic. Some 40 kegs were brewed using three varieties including Cascade, Centennial and Willamette.

“It’s a base of pale malt and that’s got a real nice floral earthiness and bitterness to it,” said Burke. “All pint sales today will go back to the farmers, as part of our thanking them and give them a little boost to keep things going for next year.”

Burke said Long Ireland Beer Company will only have their Wet Hop Co-Op on tap for the next week or so and that’s it. The rest of the kegs have been delivered to other bars and restaurants around Long Island.

Thor Kampfer, one of the owners of L.I. Hops, said he likes being part of the whole craft beer movement on Long Island — a sizable one at that, with six breweries in Riverhead and Southold alone.

“I decided to be a part of the craft beer community by growing hops without being a brewery. This event is great for bringing the community together to let people know about it (the wet hops). We all do it because we enjoy it.”

The celebration continues tomorrow at Long Ireland Beer Company with their 5th Annual Halfway to St. Patrick’s Day Party, complete with live music, food trucks, bagpipes — and, of course, beer.

Long Ireland Beer Company’s 5th Annual Halfway to St. Patrick’s Day takes place tomorrow September 19 from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. They are located at 817 Pulaski Street in Riverhead.

L.I. Hops farmer Thor Kempfer (left) with Long Ireland co-owners Dan Burke (center) and Greg Martin (Credit: Barbaraellen Koch)
L.I. Hops farmer Thor Kempfer (left) with Long Ireland co-owners Dan Burke (center) and Greg Martin  (Credit: Barbaraellen Koch)
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