Blue Point Brewery is Long Island's Best

Blue Point Brewery Takes Home Top Honors at  Golden Tap Awards Gala

BAY SHORE, NY. (May 23, 2011) - The Golden Tap Awards Gala, one of the premiere events of Long Island's first Craft Beer Week, was be held last week at the Boulton Center for the Performing Arts in Bay Shore. Awards were given in a number of people's choice categories, including Long Island Beer of the Year. Blue Point Brewery took top honors in several categories and Harold "Hap" Boening, President of Boening Bros. Inc., was honored as the Lifetime Achievement honoree. Nearly 1500 Long Island beer enthusiasts participated in the online voting for five of the nine awards presented at the Gala on May 19, 2011.

The winners are:

BEST LONG ISLAND BEER BAR: The Cortland (Bay Shore)

BEST NEW YORK STATE BREWERY: Blue Point Brewing Co. (Patchogue)

BEST LONG ISLAND BREW PUB: Southampton Publick House (Southampton)

BEST LONG ISLAND NEW BEER OF THE YEAR-2010: BP Toxic Sludge (Blue Point Brewing Co.)

2011 LONG ISLAND BEER OF THE YEAR: Toasted Lager (Blue Point Brewing Co.)



Four additional awards were given during the evening's festivities. The results of an industry-only vote named Mr. Phil Ebel of the Great South Bay Brewery in Bay Shore as Best Long Island Brewery Sales Rep., the Beer Pioneer Award honored Mark Burford and Pete Cotter of the Blue Point Brewing Co., the Lifetime Achievement Award was bestowed upon Hap Boening, President of Boening Bros. Inc., and homebrewers Jim and Jean Thoms took home the 2011 Brewer's Cup from B.E.E.R (Brewers East End Revival).

The emcee for the evening's festivities was Long Island funny man, comedian, Mr. Dan Wilson, best known for his appearances on MTV, A&E, HBO, ESPN and Lifetime. Attendees at the Golden Tap Awards sampled some of the Beer of the Year nominees and enjoyed light fare prepared by local eatery, Milk and Sugar. The event was sponsored in part by LIBeerEvents.com.