BALLSTON SPA, NEW YORK
Established in 2015 at its main brew site in Delmar thirty miles south, the village of Ballston Spa now houses the small secondary satellite taproom of small-batch farmhouse brewery, REAL MC COY BEER CO. Only one mile from Speckled Pig behind a post office in a bright yellow house, this second site came to fruition, November ’20.
Located at the birthplace of Abner Doubleday, a high ranking 19th century military officer best known as the inventor of baseball, Real Mc Coy’s casual coffeehouse-like atmosphere spreads to its cozy eight-seat wood bar, orange plastic furnishings, interesting wall maps, small fireplace and pantry. Two small tables near the front and eight-seat community tables fill out this quaint beer cafe.
My wife and I consumed three fine proprietary beers on site while visiting November ’22 and I sank another three two months hence on New Years Eve at an antique side table in the cozy side lounge.
Crisp German-styled light pilsner, Schuyler, let spritzy lemon liming and mild herbal musk top maize-dried mineral graining.
Herbal lemondrop tartness tempered the banana-clove sweetness of No Name Hefe, leaving a trace of sourdough breading on the spicy plantain finish.
Spicy grapefruit, orange and pineapple tanginess picked up red apple and Bosc pear crisping for Doubleday IPA, an Imperial styled medium body with dry pine tones drifting thru distant fennel, anise and carrot snips.
Dry bronze-hued Her Majesty’s Malt ESB retained a dewy earthiness, waddle-seeded rye spicing and brown rice over caramelized brown breading.
Better still, English Coffee Infused ESB let pre-roasted coffee tones dominate peaty black tea musk and black tea tannins. Try with a lemon twist.
Lovely soft-toned flagship, Delmartian New England IPA, flung lemony grapefruit zesting at sour gooseberry-guava tartness and dry wooded herbage.
