Montauk

Montauk Brewing Co. Celebrates 10 Years with New Hang Ten IPA

By Oliver Peterson

6 minute 06/22/2022

Montauk Brewing Company celebrates 10 years with their Hang Ten IPA

Montauk Brewing Company celebrates their 10th anniversary at the end of this month, including a special limited release anniversary beer, Hang Ten IPA, hitting stores in July.

On June 30, 2012, three friends who had just opened New York’s easternmost brewery loaded their first Montauk Brewing Company keg onto a small cargo trailer attached to a seat post of a beach cruiser. That keg was pedaled to Harvest restaurant just up the street and tapped immediately for the local community to enjoy.

For the next year, Montauk Brewing Company self-distributed to local East End accounts and slowly built a buzz around their new brand with a big future.

A year later, in 2013, Boening Brothers Distributors took Montauk Brewing Co. in from the rain, giving the new brewery their first home inside a real beer wholesaler and immediately got to work alongside the Montauk team. From there, the small company continued to cement its place in the local, and then national beer lexicon.

Montauk Brewing Company co-owners Joe Sullivan, Eric Moss and Vaughan Cutillo. — Montauk Brewing Company co-owners Joe Sullivan (who is no longer involved), Eric Moss and Vaughan Cutillo. Photo credit: Richard Lewin

After an overwhelming amount of requests from the NYC market, Montauk added SKI Beer as their next partner and launched in fall 2015 with draft only, a plan that has served them well. While there was certainly magic behind the brand, it was simple things — blocking and tackling with pint glasses and coasters, and walking around the city with a Montauk Brewing Company Wave Chaser IPA tap handle in their back pocket that built upon already existing momentum.

Also in 2015, Montauk Brewing found a home for their beer at Citi Field, where the New Yorks Mets play baseball. At the time, the company had built the brand to include three beers in cans: Session India Pale Ale, Driftwood Ale and Summer Ale.

‘Brightly colored and nautical themed Montauk six-packs started to fly off shelves and loyal fans proudly tagged Montauk Brewing on Instagram at a feverish pace. With hard work, quality beer, a great team and passionate fans; Montauk Brewing Company has since risen to be one of the top craft breweries in the country while also digging deep in their home market.

Remarkably, by 2019, the company had grown to be among the top 100 craft breweries in the U.S. based on sales volume, while still only being distributed in the NY Metro area. According to the Brewers Association, Montauk’s production increased 22 percent in 2018 to 39,000 barrels, making it the second-largest brewery on Long Island at the time behind Blue Point, which produced 90,000 barrels.

Finally, on April 1 of this year, Montauk co-founders Eric Moss and Vaughan Cutillo boarded a small boat on a Friday afternoon just as the wind and waves kicked up on the Hudson River. In keeping with their grassroots beginning and entrepreneurial spirit, the first keg of Wave Chaser IPA was delivered to their first account in New Jersey by way of boat.

A third wholesale partner, Kohler Distributing was waiting on the other side to welcome them to their first state outside of their home market. The small and mighty Montauk team was also there, ready to celebrate the evening and get ready for their most exciting year yet.

This year, 2022, marks a decade of fresh beer and good vibes for the brewery, which is celebrating with special events, a limited “Brew Barn” can release in partnership with Surfrider Foundation, commemorative merchandise and a packed innovation pipeline.

Montauk Brewing’s team says the company’s “Come As You Are” motto is all about welcoming new fans to the brand while celebrating those who have supported them from day one. “Whoever you are, wherever you may be from, enjoy a cold Montauk Brew Co. beer or hard seltzer and join (our) family who live the no-frills good life at the red Brew Barn located steps from the surf – right where it belongs,” they explain in their 10th anniversary announcement.

As part of this celebration, Montauk Brewing Company will release a small batch of Hang Ten IPA in 16oz 4-pack cans at the brewery that will be available at retailers throughout Long Island, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, Staten Island, Westchester, Rockland and Putnam counties in the beginning of July.

But if anyone happens to be near Montauk starting this Thursday, June 30, Montauk Brewing invites beer fans to grab a 4-pack fresh off the canning line from their tasting room, located at 62 South Erie Avenue in downtown Montauk!