North River Hops and Brewing

This place is awesome. They have GREAT beer. It is a cool small brewery were you can try a flight, enjoy a pint or fill a growler. Perfect place to go with friend, family or alone. The owners are really nice and easy to talk with. I will return often.

I met up here with cool cats like Bill Z & Tim F as part of a group of Unilocalers for this impromptu event (OK…it was planned but not THAT far in advance) and it was a blast. The owner was really cool and I had a 4 full glass beer sampler. The choices were based solely on his recommendations. There’s nothing better than a great time with fun people and drinking beer. I’m not a huge beer drinker so I’m not very picky when it comes to choices; I’ll try them all. Our group was hungry and we went next door to Mexicali Blue and that’s when the fun really began.
To see what happened next, check out my Mexicali Blue review… seriously…right now.

The beer is SO GOOD! I went to meet a friend, and I had no idea of the location. It’s really hidden. It was PACKED, and I know why. Every single beer I had was wonderful. The staff was seriously awesome too. I can’t wait to go back. I need a growler to go next time.

It’s rare — at least in my travels so far — to find a brewery where the focus is almost entirely on the beer and your enjoyment of it. That focus is much appreciated. The décor is pretty straightforward: a row of stools at the bar, the owners and a lot of beer and equipment behind the bar, and a reasonable amount of beer literature and North River products decorating the walls.
And then there’s the beer — 10 from which to choose this time. If you’re a newbie you should definitely get a flight, there’s so much to sample. They’re really good about suggesting which beers pair well which which types of food, and I was surprised to find out just how many local restaurants are already carrying North River brews. Once you find what you like, if you purchase any growlers, take the punch card for future purchases.
Our group had planned an hour for a visit. For a truly enjoyable first-​time visit, you should plan for at least 90 minutes. If you want some food with your drinks, you can order some from next-​door Mexicali Blue. You also need to include some time to get to know the owners, who have mastered in one other important part of serving beer: the art of conversation.

I was pleased to hear that a craft brewery opened up in my area. As a growing trend nationally (that I’m quite fond of) it’s nice to see more and more populate the Hudson Valley and add to the overall NY State scene. After passing by this place on several occasions, a group of us decided to stop in on a Monday night to finally check it out.
North River Brewery’s location is a bit hidden, so you’ll have to really look for it — a member of our group claimed his GPS took him on a odd path, but finally lead him here. It’s essentially attached to Mexicali Blue and across the parking lot from a Walgreens in the village of Wappingers. Parking is ample here and mixed in with all of the other local shops
Once inside we were greeted at the bar by the owner himself. It’s a family run operation and the owner is a real pleasant friendly guy who chatted with us the entire time we were there. We discussed his beers in detail and it seems that they have some great ideas brewing here (no pun intended?). They have about 10 beers at the current moment, a majority of which are IPA based selections. You have options to order by the beer or dive into their flights. You can either have 4 full flight glasses or 8 half filled flight glasses (if you opt for the 8, they’ll toss in the other 2 choices as well, so you’re essentially getting 10). I opted for the larger amount to get the best of all worlds. For the most part they were all very enjoyable but the two that stood out the most for me were the Paddle Steamer Pale Ale — a smooth, not overly hoppy IPA and BLM — a session amber ale with a nice caramel malt taste. If you’re not sure of what you’ll like best, I absolutely recommend a flight (large or small) and going from there
They sell growlers to go, but if you decide to stay and get hungry, you can purchase food (delivered there) from local restaurants in the same plaza (Mexicali Blue — which carries rotating taps of their beers, and Giacomo’s pizza). This is an absolutely worthwhile place to check out and I’m hoping they’ll continue their success here in Wappingers and expand from there.

We came upon this place after the Stormville Airport Flea market. Even though they didn’t have food — we were able to order from the mexican place next door– the brewery itself is excellent. the beers are delicious, made from the best ingredients and served fresh on the spot (no bottles, I mean). You can take it to go as well. Its a family owned place, which makes it warm and cozy, sort of place that knows its frequent customers by name, sort of place that warms your soul.
This is the antidote to the big BUDweiser and to the huge factories, this brewery is small, artisanal, family-​owned, uses local farm ingredients, has concern for the community and the environment since this is where the family lives.
We will be back.
:)

Friendly husband and wife team! First trip was to try a flight and to my surprise and delight, they offer 4 full or 8 half flight samples. Choosing the 8 half samples allowed me to try almost all the beers they had on tap at the time. Second trip was just a stop by to fill a growler. It was a bit crowded but the wife came out to get my growler, brought it back to where I was able to wait and then checked me out right on their iPad. Great service!

Despite living within a mile of North River, it took me half a year to learn of its existence. North River is unique for delivering one of the best independent brewing operations in the Hudson Valley… from one of the most underwhelming locations. Located on the backside of a crappy coffee shop and opposite a McDonald’s is not where one would expect to find some Hoppy Magic. But this family-​operated Brewery will take you by surprise in more ways than one.
When it comes to beer, I have two standards – quality of the beer and quality of the atmosphere. Let’s start with the atmosphere. This tiny brewery has a public area little more than a hallway and a bathroom. With about eight stools, this place reaches capacity at 35. There are only four rotating workers here. The eccentric father has been making beer and wine his whole life – and he has perfected the art. Alongside his wife, their son, and their son’s wife – this location offers some of the friendliest and most well informed beer-​lovers you could ask for.
When you go, you have to start with a flight to get a handle on the array of beer offered – from their basic and beautiful Tarwe to a Belgian Triple that will knock your socks off. Whether you are a casual drinker or know the difference between IBUs and EBUs, this place will be a pleasant surprise to your pallet. Oh, and before you go, make sure to check their website for special weekends. Every once in awhile they brew a small batch of something special – like a spicy Imperial or a sour Tarwe. If you have the luck to get your hands on one of these extraordinary brews, you’ll understand why this place has a special place in my heart.
A side note regarding catering and parties. For my wedding, we had three different five-​gallon kegs from North River. They were extremely easy to work with. They provided a mobile bar that fits up to five such kegs – and the price couldn’t have been beat anywhere. We then had our wedding after-​party at the brewery itself. With almost no notice, they offered some of the best service I have ever experienced – congratulating us in their outdoor sign and helping nearly thirty guests with ease.
North RIver Brewery is still in its infancy. It deserves your support.

Delicious beer. Very friendly staff. They know what they’re doing! Great to have a good local brewery. We’ll be frequenting this place!

Very nice beer. Extremely friendly service. I liked the layout of the brewery. And the beer was good too. I would return.

Excellent beer. Passionate and knowledgeable Brewers. Very exciting to see my hometown have a high quality brewery. Good luck!

Super friendly service and a nice selection of brews. Tried the 8 selection flight which gives a half sample of their full available run. At $ 7 it’s definitely the way to go. There is only a small bar area for in-​house tasting and no food, so it’s all about the sampling here. Bring your growler to bring home your favorite.

Great brews from some great folks! The porter was great, so was the S’mores Stout. The Tarwe was our favorite! They had an awesome Wheat Wine too. If you enjoy local breweries with great flavor, check these guys out. DO NOT be put off by the fact it’s in a strip.

I have thoroughly enjoyed their beer. I have stopped by 3 times so far and they have a great product. They have a good selection of beer that will remain year-​round (i believe they said 4 beers are permanent). Also, it is nice to see the new limited batch brews coming in. Keep up the good work!

Fantastic brews. Authentic local taste by people who know what brewing is about. ¹⁰⁄₁₀ would drink again.