Alcohol: Argyle gears up

By Gordon Woodworth, Chronicle News Editor

Businesses are wasting no time after Argyle voters on Nov. 5 overwhelmingly approved four initiatives to allow the sale of alcoholic beverages in the long-dry town.

The laws will take effect as soon as the election results are certified, says the State Liquor Authority’s Audrey Ruffinen.

Vote totals should be certified by the end of the month, says Washington County Deputy Democratic Elections Commissioner Mindy Suprenant.

• “The Stewart’s Shops application for a beer license in Argyle is in the mail!” tweeted company president Gary Dake.

Stewart’s spokeswoman Erica Komoroske told The Chronicle, “We plan to reallocate [cooler] space for Stewart’s Mountain Brew and other beer offerings as soon as we have our beer license in hand.”

Will they carry Argyle-connectd craft beers? “While it isn’t in our immediate plans to carry Argyle Brewing Co. and Highlander Brewing Co. products,” Ms. Komoroske said, “we are always looking at ways to support local businesses.”

Auction Barn Restaurant owners Kia and Brady Wolff said, “We have started the process, and plan to do beer, wine and cider,” as well as expand the menu, in the new year. The Wolffs own the building and will take over operation of the Route 40 eatery on Jan. 1. “Argyle is a great little community,” Mrs. Wolff said. “Hopefully this change will be a benefit and bring some more businesses to Argyle. We look forward to serving people that enjoy having a drink with dinner.”

• Highlander Brewing co-owners Rick Dennis and Jeff Kroosz said they applied for a liquor license back in July. Mr. Dennis was among a group of Argyle residents who pushed for the “wet town” initiative.

He has a small tap room next to his planned brewery on his farm on Route 47. He said he plans to sell Pumpkin Ale, Blonde Ale, Truman Brown Ale and an IPA.

Mr. Dennis’s wife Lisa will have a food trailer with soups, chilis and wraps to start. “The liquor license requires that you have some food available,” Mr. Dennis said.

Mr. Kroosz calls Highlander “the epitome of the farm brewing legislation. We’re a great example of what they set out to do.”

Mr. Dennis said he is “99.9% sure” Highlander is the only operation in the state that grows its own hops and barley, produces malt, and brews its own beer on one site. A fourth-generation farmer, he said he’s trying to “keep the farm sustainable in an industry that’s hard to survive in. This is our niche market.” He said he will continue to sell malt, which he converts from barley he grows, to other Washington County brewers, including Argyle Brewing, Battle Hill in Fort Ann and Slate Town in Granville.

• Argyle Brewing Company doesn’t plan a tap room in its namesake town, says Chris Castrio, who owns the brewery with Rich Thomas and Matt Stewart.

“We’re pretty well established here in Greenwich, and in Cambridge,” he said. “We could open more tap rooms. Would we move into Argyle? Probably not, but never say never.

“More likely would be having a presence in Stewart’s and in any restaurant that may open up there. We definitely want a presence in Argyle. I live in the village. But the most feasible option at this point would be a presence in another tap room.”

Mr. Castrio says Argyle Brewing was the first craft brewery to open in Washington County. “I believe we had a lot to do with the vote,” he said. “Since we opened in 2014, people have become educated about craft brewing and tap rooms, and we’ve developed a nice little community.”

He said Argyle Brewing is supported by a variety of Washington County businesses, including DK Machine in Fort Edward, which supplies precision ball valves for the brewing process; Fronhofer Design in Cossayuna, which makes custom brewing systems; and Highlander Brewing that supplies malt for their beer.

“This is an industry now,” he said. “It’s got its feet under it.”

Hope for the old IGA?

Would the former IGA store in the center of Argyle be a possible location for a new restaurant?

The long-vacant building is owned by a New York City corporation named Marche LLC, according to Washington County land records. It is not listed for sale, according to MLS records.

Town Board member Patrick Sullivan said he’s unsure if there’s enough land on the 22,000-square-foot parcel to accommodate a septic system.

“Any restaurant needs a septic system, and they are very expensive,” he said. “There’s no sewer in Argyle.”

He said the site was also formerly a Village Highway Department, and it’s unclear if there are underground oil tanks or other environmental issues.

“I’d love to see something happen there,” Mr. Sullivan said. “I’d be very supportive. But it’s going to be tough.”

Plus, several people pointed out it’s very close to the Argyle United Methodist Church. Whether a restaurant that sells alcohol would be allowed there is unclear. — Gordon Woodworth

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