Feb 12, 2008
Cortland Beer Company Introduces Product at Chill-A-Bration on March 1st.

Cortland’s first-ever celebration of all things winter – the Saturday, March 1st Chill-A-Bration in Court House Park – will unveil another first for Cortland New York. Saturday, March 1st during Chill-A-Bration the public will be invited to sample, for the first time, the first beer from Cortland Beer Company.

Cortland Beer Company is the creation of local residents Terry Vestal and Dan Cleary. Cortland Beer Company was created in October of 2007. The first beer from Cortland Beer Company “Crown City Kolsch” is expected to be in local bars and restaurants this spring.

“Cortland is a great community, with a proud history,” said Dan Cleary. “Crown City Kolsch is a local beer that celebrates this history.” Cortland Beer Company will expand its product line throughout the year.

During Chill-A-Bration the public will be invited to sample and share their opinion on the Crown City Kolsch brewed for Cortland Beer Company. Owners Dan and Terry as well as Brewer Chuck Williamson will be on hand to gather feedback from local residents.

“We want this beer to be about Cortland,” said Terry Vestal, “The flavor, the look, the beer is all about Cortland.”

Other cities in the region have their own local beer company. Dan and Terry felt it was time Cortland had its own -- Cortland Beer Company. The business is dedicated to making a product Cortland can be proud of.

Terry and Dan’s original idea was to put a full brewery or brewpub downtown. With a late 2007 hops shortage they would not have been able to secure this essential ingredient without contracts already in place.

As a solution this year, they are contract brewing with ButterNuts Beer and Ale. As the company and product line grow they plan on introducing a brewery in Cortland. Cortland Beer Company has a website at www.cortlandbeer.com <http://www.cortlandbeer.com/> that outlines their process, vision and will announce when and where local Cortland Beer Company products are available.