CAIRO, NEW YORK

Inside a former bottling plant alongside Catskill Park in the trout-fishin’ town of Cairo, OLD FACTORY BREWING COMPANY has occupied this red brick walled, cement-floored warehouse space since December 26, 2020. Owned by Tim Cornelison and his son, Old Factory churns out a consistent variety of reliable mainstream fare.

A covered front porch leads patrons to the old Industrial watering hole. Its beautiful epoxy-stained ivory slate bar top with Classical gold trim siding welcomes happy quaffers with twenty seats flowing down a narrow hallway leading to a patio-tabled backspace. There are 24 draught handles stationed at the bar. The restored block wood front wall, strung Edison lights and work lamps add to the small town rusticity.

Sandwiches, wraps, burgers and mac ‘n cheese fit the small pub menu on my dusky November ’24 stopover.

Soft-tongued lemon spicing and subtle floral daubs perked up Brilliant Blonde, despite its dishwater Seltzer phenols.

Mild apple-orange-pear fruiting picked up mild fungi musk for Nutrunner Pale Ale, a honeyed pale malted moderation.

Leafy hop oils soaked the honeyed orange-red-yellow fruiting surfing the lemon Seltzer fizz of seasonal Octoberfest.

Buttery Hogan’s Alley Red retained raw-honeyed astringency for apple, orange and peach fruiting given dewy peat mossing.

Dry NEIPA, Window Bars, placed lemon-soured guava and green grape tartness next to milder orange peel sweetness.

A dark bronze hue stood out for fruitier NEIPA, Cairo Haze, regaling grapefruit, navel orange, peach and mango fruitiness over dry oated wheat.

Juicy Mosaic hopped West Coast IPA, Mosaic, showcased lemon-peeled yellow grapefruit bittering complemented by mild mandarin orange sweetness contrasting lacquered pine resin.

The only dark ale on my autumn visit was Lil Holiday Stout, a wintry celebrator with dry-spiced chocolate roast, light vanilla creaming and pine nut toasting.