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Mean Max Brew Works Crafts Kind Beer

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By Julia Howard

For business owners Dave Walls and Matt Barry, Mean Max Brew Works is built on a foundation of family, friends, and a passion for making great beer. If you ask Dave Walls, though, he may give all the credit to his brother-in-law Matt Barry. “Matt is the core of this company and everything he brings to it,” says Walls.

Walls and Barry began brewing beer as a hobby in 2010, and over the next two and a half years, they were making more beer than they could enjoy themselves. “We gave a lot away,” laughs Walls, “and people were complimenting on what we were making.”

Katherine’s drawing of the original Mean Max, provided by Mean Max Brew Works.

In 2012, Walls and Barry put together a business plan and were inspired to name the business Mean Max after a funny altercation between Walls’ 18 lb. Main Coon cat, Max, and their five-year-old niece. Their niece later drew a picture of “Mene Max,” describing him as “not that mean.” “It speaks perfectly to the body and drinkability of our beer despite the alcohol content,” explains Walls.

 

Barry and Walls opened a taproom and production facility in downtown Glens Falls in 2014, where Barry is the head brewer. They maintain 21 taps of Mean Max beer at the retail space, including pilsners, lagers, barrel-aged stouts, IPAs, sours, and “everything that fits in the cracks,” according to Walls. Barry brews five days a week in a small, three-barrel operation.

Walls and Barry have learned to “never say never” as Mean Max is committed to making an A to Z variety of beer. “Pallets evolve, and we are always trying new things,” says Walls. “We didn’t come from this line of work, so we have a consumer perspective, and making quality beer is our main focus,” he adds.

Photo provided by Mean Max Brew Works.

In addition to their taproom, Mean Max Brew Works self-distributes to numerous bars, eateries, stores, and beverage centers; as far north as Lake Placid and as far south as Amsterdam and the Capital District. In Saratoga, you can find Mean Max beer at Harvey’s, The Local, Kings Tavern, Henry Street Taproom, City Tavern, Dizzy Chicken, Minogues, and EBI.

 

 

In 2021, Barry and Walls pursued local farmers’ markets, and you can find their beer at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market on Saturdays and the Spa City Farmers’ Market on Sundays.

In reflecting on the beginnings of Mean Max, Walls pays homage to his friend and mentor Shawn Whalen, who was chef-owner of Bistro Tallulah in downtown Glens Falls. 

This week’s recipe: Mean Max Beer Cheese Sauce

Longtime Garlic Grower Finds a New Home at Farmers’ Market

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By Himanee Gupta-Carlson

Photo provided by Saratoga Garlic Co.

Bill Higgins began growing garlic in 1998 on farmland in Northumberland, a community between Schuylerville and Saratoga. He sold the garlic to a food distributor at the Chelsea Market in Manhattan, and over time, began consulting with chefs to create a line of prepared products.

Over the years, his enterprise Saratoga Garlic Co. expanded, supplying grocery stores, restaurants, and wholesalers with sauces and pickled products.

The business kept growing, and then last fall Higgins went small. He applied to become a new vendor with the Saratoga Farmers’ Market, joining the market’s cadre of local farmers, home producers, and artisans.

Photo provided by Saratoga Garlic Co.

Now, Higgins spends Saturday mornings at the market’s winter location in the Wilton Mall, offering samples of their garlic products, greeting new customers, and reconnecting with friends.

Their experience is helping them understand better what their customers like. It also captures the community feeling that the Saratoga Farmers’ Market creates.

“We wanted a more direct connection and additional insight to what our end consumer is looking for,” says Max Higgins, who coordinates sales for Saratoga Garlic and is Bill Higgins’s son.

So far, the experience has been great. “Everyone at the market has been very welcoming and we’ve really enjoyed the positive atmosphere each Saturday,” Max Higgins says.

On top of that, they have discovered that old friends from elementary and high school days are market regulars, as well. And, says Max Higgins, “the live music is great.”

Saratoga Garlic Co., photo by Pattie Garrett

Saratoga Garlic Co.’s signature product is aioli, a garlic sauce with a mayonnaise base. The company offers five varieties, along with a pickled garlic product. The sauces can be used to season dishes, as a spread on crackers or bread, or as a condiment to such things as steaks, pork or goat, chops, or fish.

Bill Higgins worked with a number of chefs to perfect his recipes over the years. He and his family still grow their own garlic, which is German white, a porcelain variety known for big bulbs, a robust flavor, and high tolerance to his sandy soil. The family also occasionally grows dill for their pickled products and has discussed the prospect of trying out such items as saffron, which flavors one of their aioli sauces.

This week’s recipe: BLT Burritos with Sambal Aioli

Local Businesses Expand Roots in the Community

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By Julia Howard

At the farmers’ market, Saturdays are an opportunity to stock up with local products for the week to come. But what if you didn’t have to wait for Saturday to stock up on your favorite farmers’ market foods? Mangiamo, Saratoga Chocolate Co., Nettle Meadow, and Springbrook Hollow Farm Distillery have big news to share as they work to ease access to their products by opening new locations and expanding their offerings locally.

Mangiamo

Mangiamo, photo provided

Mangiamo, a business offering a variety of homemade pasta, has recently opened shop in Grant Plaza at 75 Woodlawn Avenue in Saratoga Springs. “The only reason I was able to open a retail shop was because my market customers were looking to buy pasta during the week,” explained Rose Contadino, owner of Mangiamo.

Contadino began Mangiamo in May 2018 and sold her fresh pasta exclusively on Saturdays at the farmers’ market.“My customers have been very supportive of me opening the shop, and I am extremely grateful for all their wishes to see me succeed,” said Rose.

Mangiamo’s new location is open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The store enables Rose to make pasta on the premises and also to expand her offerings as the business grows. “At the shop, I offer a variety of weekly flavored pastas like roasted garlic and herbs and I always have cheese raviolis and a special ravioli for Friday and Saturday,” she explained.

Saratoga Chocolate Co.

Saratoga Chocolate Co., photo provided

Saratoga Chocolate Co. will bring sweetness to downtown Saratoga Springs when their new shop opens on the lower level of the Saratoga Marketplace this spring. “We’re excited to create a space where people can experience and enjoy chocolate,” said Allison Rose.

Chocolatiers Allison and Hank Rose started Saratoga Chocolate Co. in 2016 and have worked to grow the business while balancing an active work and family life. At the farmers’ market, Saratoga Chocolate Co. quickly earned its reputation for hand-crafted truffles and decadent chocolate bark and bars.

This spring, the store location will offer a variety of their chocolates, and shoppers may also watch the sweet confections being made. “The farmers’ market community has really supported us and helped us to develop our business,” Allison explained. In addition to chocolates and truffles, the Roses are planning to offer a variety of cocoa infused food and drinks at the new location.

Nettle Meadow

Nettle Meadow, photo by Pattie Garrett

Nettle Meadow began the year with exciting news of their new cheese plant, aging space, and retail space at the historic Hitching Post restaurant on 9N in Lake Luzern. “We will have a much larger retail space for customers to come and try our cheese and buy cheeses and other local products at a more convenient location,” said Sheila Flanagan, one of the farm owners.

Nettle Meadow started selling goat cheeses on a small scale around 1992. Sheila Flanagan and Lorrain Lambiase bought the business and expanded production in 2005. “Farmers’ markets are one of the most important aspects of our business because it gives us direct interaction with our customers,” said Flanagan. “We look forward to reaching more people through tastings and direct sales at the new location in Lake Luzerne.”

Nettle Meadow’s new location plans to open on Memorial Day weekend with a Grand Opening celebration. The retail location will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily and the tasting room will be open Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Springbrook Hollow Farm Distillery

Springbrook Hollow Farm Distillery, photo provided

Springbrook Hollow Farm Distillery has completed plans for a new taproom and production facility directly off of Rt. 149 in Queensbury. The expansion is planned to be completed by the end of 2020 and will feature a 100-person taproom where patrons may enjoy local cider, wine, craft beer, and a variety of Springbrook Hollow’s hand-crafted, artisanal spirits including vodka, gin, moonshine, and award-winning limoncello.

Springbrook Hollow Distillery opened in 2014 and has expanded its reach throughout New York, Vermont, New Jersey, and Connecticut. “We love the hands-on experience of sharing our products and our story with customers and want to enhance this experience on-site,” said Matt Colucci, one of the distillery owners. For Springbrook Hollow, this new facility means more production, upgraded equipment, and a place for people to gather and enjoy local beverages.

While these businesses work to offer customers new shopping experiences and a wide variety of products, you can continue to find them together in one place every Saturday at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market.

The Magic of Maple: New Spins on an Old Favorite

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by Kristin Cleveland

 

Sap lines at Slate Valley Farms

As light returns to our region and cold nights alternate with warm days, sap runs in the trees and maple sugaring season begins. On Saturday, March 16th, the Saratoga Farmers’ Market celebrates this sweet time of year with Maple Day! Vendors throughout the market will offer maple-inspired samples and recipes, and Gina Willis, manager of the maple production at her family’s Slate Valley Farms, will introduce a new spin on this traditional treat: maple syrup infusions.

Willis grew up learning about making maple, honey, and other farm products with her parents Pat and Susan Imbimbo. She earned a degree in Agricultural Business and Horticulture at SUNY Cobleskill and then returned to help run the family farm.

Sugar House at Slate Valley Farms

This decision makes Willis unusual in the maple industry, as most maple operations are run by men. Willis is excited to take up the family tradition and also innovate. Last summer she attended classes at the Maple Producers Convention to learn about naturally infusing a variety of flavors into maple syrup. She has since tested over 30 infusions in her commercial kitchen, and on Saturday she’ll bring samples of four (vanilla bean, blueberry, Ceylon cinnamon, and coffee bean) plus a bourbon barrel aged maple syrup. In addition, she’ll offer samples of all of the grades of syrup made at Slate Valley Farms during the 2019 harvest.

Willis is also continuing a project, started by her grandmother, of sharing a wide variety of maple recipes, from sweet to savory, salty to spicy. Instead of a traditional cookbook, Willis is developing a cooking video web series. She’ll provide a sneak preview at the market, giving out recipes like Maple Apple Sheet Cake and Savory Maple Rice and Beans, which she loves because it combines “northeast sweet flavor with southwest zest!”

Willis is thrilled to devote her life to both the beloved traditions and new possibilities of maple. She enjoys having a connection to her family’s woodlands and managing them year-round to ensure a great maple season. She explains, “Being able to have an occupation that allows me to be in tune with nature is a wonderful perk.”

Also at Saturday’s market will be an opportunity to try an old New England sugaring tradition, sweet maple syrup drizzled over a sour dill pickle, plus some local vendor creations like maple-vanilla Italian cream sodas, real maple lattes, and maple cheesecakes.

Saratoga Cafe Brings its Special Touch of Sweetness to Farmers’ Market

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By Julia Howard, Market Director

 

Photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett

My first taste of mixed berry jelly from The Country Corner Cafe convinced me that not all canned fruits are created equal. The flavor was pure fruit enhanced by a touch of sweetness. I was excited.

“We use half the sugar in our jams and jellies and pies,” said Roseann Hotaling, of The Country Corner Cafe. “We want the flavor to shine through and not the sugary sweetness.”

The cafe is well known for its breakfasts and lunches in Saratoga Springs. Now, Hotaling and her son Eric are taking some of their favorite products a step further, supplying them to local businesses and selling at farmers’ markets.

The Country Corner Cafe made its debut at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market this year, offering jams and jellies along with pies and fudge at the Wednesday market.

Roseann Hotaling of The Country Corner Cafe, photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett

“Farmers’ markets are such a great opportunity to visit and interact with people,” said Hotaling. Besides the Saratoga Farmers’ Market, she offers her products at the Nine Pin Cider tasting room, Impressions of Saratoga and the Spa City market.

Such home arts as baking, canning, and preservation run deep in Hotaling’s family history, which stretches back to her childhood in Walton, NY. Her grandmother and mother taught her the art of preservation, and after earning a degree in restaurant management, Hotaling began working first in a hospital/nursing home food facility and then with the state’s Child Nutrition Services program for public schools. This role brought her to Saratoga Springs in 1988, as director of the school district’s nutritional services.

The closing of a downtown luncheonette created an opportunity for Hotaling to start her own restaurant and in 1991 The Country Corner Cafe was born.

Hotaling has passed her knowledge of baking, canning, and preservation on to her sons Jared and Eric, who worked alongside her in the cafe kitchen. Eric continues to work with the restaurant, much to Hotaling’s delight.

“He has such an attention to detail and pride in everything he makes,” Hotaling said. “It’s a pleasure to work with him.”

Hotaling also recently celebrated the birth of a granddaughter, a sign perhaps that a family tradition will continue.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market is 3-6 p.m. Wednesdays and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays at High Rock Park through October. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for updates and special events.