When Mike Philbrick first set his eyes on homebrewing, the trend had just started becoming popular. "A couple of my friends had kits and the Philadelphia micro-brew scene was really bustling," says Philbrick. "I was excited about the large variety of beer styles coming out and wanted to try it myself."
Ten years later, and thousands of batches down the line, Philbrick had an idea for a company and a design to get the ball rolling. The girlfriend that bought him his first beer kit was now his wife, and they had a child together with another on the way. The Port Jeff Brewing Company concept came to pass on Christmas day 2009, but it would take another year before they were able to move into the brewery they're in currently.
"We moved into the building in January of 2011 and completely remodeled for the brewery. It used to be a year round Christmas store," says Philbrick.
The doors on the Brewery finally opened in September of 2011, and the brewery has been building its ever-expanding roster of Long Island favorites since then. Most of their beers have a nautically themed name, honoring the Port Jefferson location. Since their opening, the company now has a system in place which produces around 1400 barrels a year, or 42,000 gallons of the sudsy treat, with hopes of an expansion in the spring to increase their production even further. The company does sales all over Long Island and into Westchester, as well as in New York City.
Locals know Port Jeff for its constant and creative tweaks on their old favorite recipes, a trend Philbrick doesn't want to end any time soon. "We embrace new ideas weekly. Whether it be tweaking a regular offering with different dry hops or flavorings or developing new beers we try to have something fresh and new every month," says Philbrick. "We have put out barrel and sour programs into full swing so expect some unique aged offerings in the near future."
Philbrick also hinted that we may be able to expect some canned versions of Port Jeff classics in the coming year. Keep your eyes peeled, readers.
