LIVINGSTON MANOR, NEW YORK

Catskill Mountain’s rural mountain vista, Livingston Manor, is home to UPWARD BREWING COMPANY, opened in 2018 (four years after Catskill Brewery formed). A beautiful retreat in the hilly pastures nearing a natural spring on a 120-acre preserve at a black aluminum neo-Industrial hacienda, Upward’s loungey furnishings, stained wood bar back, snazzy wood-slat chandeliers, pristine swivel-chaired serving station (with twelve tap handles) and tiled floor-to-ceiling hearth give the cement-floored interior an exquisite appearance.

An open kitchen serves fine pub fare to go alongside basic nubian beer styles (such as a tart sour, dry-hopped lager and Citra-Mosaic-hopped India Pale Ale) emanating from the right side windowed brew tanks.

A private wood-tabled, aluminum-sided event room reinforces the delightful elegance. And there’s bench seating along the grassy fields.

My wife and I stopped in Friday evening in September ’23 to enjoy five draughts.

“Classic” dry Bohemian pilsner, Ascension, let sharp grapefruit bittering and spicy orange tang linger thru barley-malted baked breading.

Dry-hopped pale lager, Base Camp, hid tart peach inside musky mineral grained malting.

Easygoing Citra-Mosaic-hopped IPA, Breadwinner, let tangerine tanginess, mellow grapefruit bittering and candied orange tartness pickup dainty perfume spicing and mild dank pine tones.

Effervescent lightly soured tart ale, Watercolours, tantalized with its citric yuzu-juiced adjunct sitting atop acidulated wheat as dry lime-soured lemon zesting remained perky.

On the dark side, OM Oatmeal Stout brought dry Bakers chocolate, mildly bitter espresso, tarry Blackstrap molasses, musty dried fruiting and wispy anise spicing to a fulsome cacao nibs finish.