Greetings, Great Beer Now fans and followers! This is the sixth entry in a multi- part series of blog posts relating to the Great Beer Now Country Bales and Autumn Ales Beer Tour 2018, which took place in west central New York. I made my way from Syracuse to Binghamton and back, stopping along the way to visit some of the best breweries, wineries, and distilleries the area has to offer. Grab a beer and follow along on my journey through this scenic section of New York State. Cheers!
Syracuse, New York has undergone many changes over the years. The city has seen much of its traditional manufacturing and other industrial- related jobs dwindle in number, replaced by a new economy emphasizing medical, education, and other services. Also on the rise is craft beer and the brewery that has operated longer in Syracuse than any other is Middle Ages Brewing, located at 120 Wilkinson Street, Syracuse, New York .
Back in Time
Middle Ages Brewing was founded by Marc and Mary Rubenstein in 1994 and it occupies a large building that once housed an ice cream factory. The brick building has an industrial vibe on the outside but walk into the tasting room, and you feel like you’re inside the safe and friendly confines of a friend’s basement, ready to drink beer and relax.
The tasting room is where most guests convene and its many charms include a fireplace, picnic table seating as well as more traditional round and square wooden tables, and board games for entertainment. Middle Ages Brewing has outdoor seating, too, and while they don’t serve any food of their own, it is common to find food trucks on site.
Beers in Shining Armor
Middle Ages Brewing can be counted on for about 20 to 25 beers on tap. Here is a listing of the beers I tried, listed alphabetically by name, followed by the style and my Untappd rating on a five point scale:
- Apricot Ale, Fruit Ale, 3.75
- Dragonslayer, Russian Imperial Stout, 4.5
- Fearless 2018, Coffee Stout, 5
- Jester’s Nectar, Witbier, 4.25
- Single Batch #28, New England IPA, 4.25
- Swallow Wit, Witbier, 3.5
Overall Average Rating: 4.21
I liked what I sampled at Middle Ages Brewing. I particularly loved the two dark beers, Dragonslayer and Fearless 2018. In fact, Fearless 2018 easily ranks among the very best beers I have tasted all year long. It’s a bourbon barrel aged imperial coffee stout with 12 percent alcohol by volume. Its taste elevates your senses and sets your imagination soaring.
Medieval Moments
Middle Ages Brewing is one of the older and better- known breweries in the Brew Central region and among the breweries I visited on this Central New York tour, Middle Ages was the one I was most familiar with. I didn’t know much about the facility or what to expect when I visited, but I had heard of the name and I had already tried some of the beer. Middle Ages beer was sold in my old stomping grounds of Ohio so I already had some idea about the brew and its quality.
Middle Ages Brewing is a large regional brewery and it has a commanding lead among Syracuse brewing operations in terms of barrels of output and overall influence. If memory serves me correctly, Middle Ages Brewing has an output that falls somewhere between 10,000 and 15,000 barrels per year. The brewery has grown since it was founded in 1994, yes, but they haven’t grown so fast that quality has suffered. They have kept the growth moving at a steady pace.
I took a quick tour of the brewhouse at Middle Ages before settling in for some beer in the taproom. The taproom is warm and welcoming and I noticed several people were hovering around the fireplace and sipping on suds while others were watching sports on one of the televisions. Stepping up to the bar to try some beer, I got an excellent education from the server. He filled me in on the brewing process used for specific beers and let me know what was behind the different flavors. I was blown away by the Fearless 2018 Coffee Stout and it was cool learning exactly how this masterpiece came into being.
The inside tasting room at Middle Ages Brewing isn’t gigantic by any measure and it was relatively quiet when I visited, but I could see how this place could become loud and raucous on weekends. You can bring your own food with you, if you like, or purchase food from one of the food trucks, if any happen to be on site. With entertainment, I know that Middle Ages Brewing has added live music to the mix so don’t be surprised if you visit on a Friday or Saturday and arrive to the sound of guitars and drums.
Syracuse is not the city it once was. Like other eastern urban centers, Syracuse has felt the pain of downsizing and elimination of industrial jobs. The past is likely gone for good, but beer lovers can relive the past and experience the modern economy of the future at the same time at Middle Ages Brewing. It’s a place designed for not only drinking beer, but for getting to know your beer on a more intimate level. I liked my time spent here and the medieval theme that surrounded me and I’m convinced you will feel the same way. So be sure to visit Middle Ages Brewing the next time you’re in the Syracuse area and experience a little enlightenment of your own. And tell them Great Beer Now sent you.
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