Photo courtesy of Montauk Brewing Company
In 2012, with their homebrews a hit at parties, three local friends who worked together for a solar panel installation firm pooled their savings to start Montauk Brewing Company in a little red woodworking shop across from a baseball field. Today, the business run by Vaughan Cutillo and Eric Moss (Joseph Sullivan, the third founder, is no longer involved in day-to-day operations) is ranked in the country’s top 100 craft breweries based on sales volume, according to the Brewers Association, which is even more impressive when you realize it only distributes in New York.
Still, the brewery’s growth is not that surprising considering its wide appeal, offering a roster of solid, approachable beers neatly built for the beach. It also has a strong and clearly defined brand identity—one that, with parts like stylish minimalist packaging, Instagram photos of surfing and sunsets (and plenty of Cutillo’s English golden retriever, Skydog), and an all-inclusive “Come As You Are” tagline, seeks to capture the real, authentic Montauk: the laid-back, beachy vibe and welcoming nature that once defined the former fishing village before it became a trendy summer playground for the elite.
Read more about another of Montauk Brewing’s offerings—Driftwood Ale—here.
Montauk Brewing’s success, Cutillo says, can be attributed to “making high-quality beer, not running out of stock, and honoring our incredible fans. No magic secrets, just a series of small wins and knowing there’s always a lot of work ahead.” He tells us there’s also a bit of luck on the horizon. To celebrate its seventh anniversary, the brewery will release a special-edition IPA later this month called Lucky 7.
The latest release from Montauk Brewing Company: Lucky 7 IPA. • Photo courtesy of Montauk Brewing Company
At a thematically consistent 7-percent ABV and brewed with Strata, Amarillo, and Crystal hops, Lucky 7 will “be smooth going down and showcase the strong citrus and tropical aromas and flavors of a hazy, juicy New England-style IPA, paired with a cannabis-like character for complexity,” Cutillo says. “We’re really proud of it and what it represents.”
What may be more noteworthy than ingredients or flavor profile here is how this hoppy beer will be packaged and sold: in four-packs of 16-ounce cans, exclusively at the brewery. With the service of a mobile-canning company, Lucky 7 will mark Montauk’s first on-site run in the 16-ounce size, which has become the standard vessel for IPAs produced in highly-limited quantities and sold super fresh at their source. Now that’s something to Mon-tauk about.
Read more about Montauk Brewing Co. in our archives here.
Only around 150 cases of cans will be available, Cutillo says, though some of the beer will also be kegged and served on draft in the taproom. Still, being it’s now high season in eastern Long Island, you might need a bit of luck to grab some if you wait too long. Keep an eye on the brewery’s social-media pages for a specific release date.
Montauk Brewing Company Lucky 7 IPA (coming soon), 7.0% ABV, $20 for four-pack of 16-ounce cans, 62 South Erie Avenue, 631-668-8471, montaukbrewingco.com.
