A ‘stoutstanding’ idea to brew up business

Keli W. Rodriguez 4 years ago

CANANDAIGUA — Picture big white fluffy snowflakes falling from the sky. 



a man standing in front of a sign: David D'Allesandro, owner of Frequentem Brewing Co. in Canandaigua, came up with Stout Month as a business pick-me-up during a normally slow time of year.

© Photo Provided
David D’Allesandro, owner of Frequentem Brewing Co. in Canandaigua, came up with Stout Month as a business pick-me-up during a normally slow time of year.

While cold, it’s not that deep-in-the-bones stay-in-the-house-under-the-covers-until-May frigid cold that a warm coat, hat and gloves (or perhaps the mittens in the Bernie Sanders inauguration memes that are making the rounds so hysterically on social media) won’t cure.

But it helps to be sipping a big-bodied stout by a firepit to help cut the bite of winter’s cold. 

Stouts, according to David D’Allesandro, who with wife Meagan owns Frequentem Brewery in Canandaigua, are a really cool style for these months.

“In the winter, people want big red wines, they want bourbon or whiskey to warm them up,” D’Allesandro said. “And the big roasty character of stouts l think lends itself really nicely to colder months.”

And, so far this January, locally made stouts are proving to be good for the beer business during a usually slow time of year. 

January is Stout Month in Canandaigua, and Frequentem and fellow craft brewers at Peacemaker, Naked Dove, Square Knot, Three Huskies and Twisted Rail are showcasing their stouts all month long.



Those who try Canandaigua's stouts fill out a passport card and earn a free glass at the end.

© Photo Provided
Those who try Canandaigua’s stouts fill out a passport card and earn a free glass at the end.

Here’s how it works. Customers get a stamp on a passport card after trying a stout at the participating breweries. At the last stop, you’re given a commemorative glass — a unique item engraved with the logos of each of the participating breweries.

D’Allesandro hit on the idea as a way to drum up business during a slow winter month while at the same time recognizing the local craft beer community, which embraced the idea.

“I don’t see why this couldn’t work here, and pull people down from the city, from Buffalo, from Syracuse and south of here, and get people in the door and keep January busy,” D’Allesandro said.

Three weeks in, and the response seems to be nothing short of “stoutstanding.”

D’Allesandro has been releasing a small batch stout each Friday — this weekend, it’s a vanilla almond imperial stout — to go with a larger batch of maple pecan stout, which he probably will have available through February. The first, an Italian breakfast stout, sold out.



a man standing in front of a barrel: Nate Crane, head brewer at Square Knot Brewing Co., toasts stouts during Stout Month in Canandaigua.

© Photo Provided
Nate Crane, head brewer at Square Knot Brewing Co., toasts stouts during Stout Month in Canandaigua.

Over at Square Knot Brewing, head brewer Nate Crane is offering a vanilla fudge imperial stout that will be available all month. But hold on, there’s more, in the way of peppermint hot chocolate and maple hazelnut coffee stouts, the latter made with Finger Lakes Coffee Roasters, to close out the special month.

“There’s really nothing better on a cold day than warming up with a stout. I think the fun part is there are so many different things you can do with it,” Crane said. “If you look from brewery to brewery, we all have something different going on.”



a man holding a glass of wine: Todd Reardon, owner of Peacemaker Brewing Co., is a participant in Stout Month in Canandaigua.

© Photo Provided
Todd Reardon, owner of Peacemaker Brewing Co., is a participant in Stout Month in Canandaigua.

Stout Month gives people something to do at a time during a downtime for breweries, said Kim Porter, of Naked Dove Brewing Co., which is offering a secret and potent stash of its 2019 Russian imperial stout.

Porter has seen visitors from Buffalo hit each of the Canandaigua breweries during their weekends away from home. She’s seen couples steal away on little date nights during quiet times during the week, and one couple on staycation told her they hit a brewery each day of the week.

“I love that it’s bringing people out,” Porter said. “It’s bringing people out in a time when it’s important we all support each other. This is a perfect example of that.”

Peacemaker Brewing owner Todd Reardon, who is offering chocolate peanut butter and chocolate salted caramel stouts this month, said the group is also looking at doing other collaborative beer month events, featuring IPAs, sours or some other styles.

Denise Chaapel, manager of the downtown Business Improvement District and owner of Sweet Expressions, said the idea has potential.

At her chocolate shop, Chaapel said she sees people from Pennsylvania, Buffalo, and Ohio regularly, many of whom are coming to the area for craft beer trails. It used to be only wine trails.

“People are coming and they’re staying overnight and doing different trails,” Chaapel said. “Canandaigua is definitely becoming a destination for breweries.”

D’Allesandro said Canandaigua really has something special brewing here.

“If you want to go to Seneca for wine tours, you want to come to Canandaigua for beer,” D’Allesandro said. “That’s what we’re trying to market.”

Once January transitions to February and winter segues into spring and then summer, you don’t have to forget about stouts.

“I seem to like them better in the colder weather, although I’m not afraid to drink a stout in the middle of summer,” Reardon said.

Where they are

Here’s where to find the participating craft breweries in Stout Month in Canandaigua.

Frequentem Brewing Co. is at 254 S. Main St.

Dobbers Sports Bar & Grill and Three Huskies Brewing is at 401 Lakeshore Drive.

Peacemaker Brewing Co. is at 39 Coach St.

Square Knot Brewing Co. is at 20 Pleasant St. 

Twisted Rail Brewing Co. is at 169 Lakeshore Drive.

Naked Dove Brewing Co. is at 4048 state Routes 5 and 20.



a man wearing glasses and smiling at the camera: Mike Murphy

© Messenger Post Media
Mike Murphy

Eat, Drink and Be Murphy

The Eat, Drink and Be Murphy column explores the region’s bounty of food and drink — and the people who bring it to you — soup to nuts, accentuated with a craft beer or Finger Lakes wine. After all, who doesn’t love to eat and drink? Email assistant editor Mike Murphy at [email protected] or call 585-337-4229 with ideas and suggestions.

This article originally appeared on MPNnow: Eat, Drink and Be Murphy: A ‘stoutstanding’ idea to brew up business

Continue Reading
Next Post

Global EMS and ODM (EMS & ODM) Market 2020 Segmentation, Future Business Strategy, Manufacturers Analysis and Forecast by 2025

Sun Jan 31 , 2021
The MarketWatch News Department was not involved in the creation of this content. Jan 29, 2021 (CDN Newswire via Comtex) — The recently distributed report entitled Global EMS and ODM (EMS & ODM) Market 2020 by Company, Regions, Type and Application, Forecast to 2025 is well crafted using a combo […]

You May Like