New York State is the epicenter of a great number of cultural trends, not the least among them being the locavore movement. Farm-to-table essentially began here, and its influence has spread not only to fresh and unique food, but to fresh and unique beer, as well. Beer represents another facet in the growing demand among citizens of the Empire State for products that are representative of the communities in which they live. This demand is slowly spreading from beer made locally to beer made with local ingredients, as well.

New York State has well over one hundred operating breweries, which represents a remarkable jump in just the past ten years. There are beers representing every possible style, the differing tastes of every region, as well as encompassing the history of our towns and communities in ways that other products simply cannot. I happen to represent one of the newest nano-scale operations in the state, the Bly Hollow Brewery, maker of the Beer Diviner line of beers. We are proud to announce a new beer, our Original Pale Ale, which is made with locally-sourced hops and malts, making it the first all New York beer to be produced since the craft beer boom began. This got me thinking: why not travel all across the state to meet brewers big and small, celebrate the people, the history, and the distinct notions that make us New Yorkers? And why not start on Long Island, set to become a craft beer powerhouse in the coming years?

So, here I am. Next week, March 18^th-23^rd, I will be traveling all across the Island to visit many of the breweries who have opened their doors to me. There are far too many breweries, brewpubs, and craft beer bars in Nassau and Suffolk for me to visit in a mere week, but I have compiled an extensive (and probably optimistic) itinerary. I am pleased to announce my planned visit to these breweries:

• Barrier Brewing Company, Oceanside
• Barrage Brewing, Farmingdale
• Black Forest Brew Haus, Farmingdale
• Blue Point Brewing Company, Patchogue
• Brickhouse Brewery, Patchogue
• Great South Bay Brewing Company, Bay Shore
• Greenport Harbor Brewing Company, Greenport
• Long Ireland Beer Company, Riverhead
• Oyster Bay Brewing Company, Oyster Bay
• Southampton Publick House, Southampton

This list is subject to change, and will probably grow once I have arrived.

I look forward to experiencing the best beer that Long Island has to offer. Please, join me in my trip, or follow my progress on LongIsland.com and on my blog, inthenameofbeer.com.

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Greg Back is a brewer, blogger, and beer geek visiting from the Albany area. He is currently in the midst of a long journey across New York to introduce the Original Pale Ale, a beer made with locally-sourced ingredients by the Bly Hollow Brewery, as well as to meet people all across the Empire State who share his love of beer. Follow his progress next week right here on LongIsland.com, and also visit his website, inthenameofbeer.com.