The calendar may say September, but the folks at Long Ireland Beer Company are thinking about St. Patrick’s Day.
This Saturday, Sept. 17, the brewery will host its sixth annual “Halfway to Saint Patrick’s Day Party.” Festivities will include 12 Long Ireland beers on tap, food trucks like the Grill Boys and Chiddy’s serving up their specialities, live music performed by Long Island’s own Gallagher Brothers Band and bagpipes.
Celebrating the halfway date to St. Patrick’s Day has become a traditional event for these Riverhead brewers.
“A lot of breweries do anniversary parties on their opening day,” said co-owner Greg Martin. “But we opened on March 1, then started selling beer two weeks before St. Patrick’s Day, so we didn’t want to do a big party just two weeks before St. Patrick’s Day.”
Instead, Martin and co-owner Dan Burke decided to celebrate on the holiday’s halfway point.
“We’ve been very fortunate that the party has grown every year and people have a good time,” Martin said.
Another tradition associated with Long Ireland Beer Company’s halfway party is the annual release of their wet hop brew, Wet Hop Co-op IPA.
“We always release our wet hop beer on the Friday night before,” Martin said. “That’s the beer we brew with the locally grown hops on Long Island. Then it’s on tap all day for the party.”
Tickets to Saturday’s event are available at the door for $18 per person. A special $15 online ticket offer is available at libeerevents.com. It includes two drink tickets and one commemorative souvenir pint glass.
Guests are encouraged to dress up in green for Saturday’s celebration. Festivities will kick off at 1 p.m. and go until 6 p.m.
Long Ireland Beer Company is located at 817 Pulaski Street in Riverhead. For more information, call (631) 403-4303 or visit longirelandbrewing.com.
