06/04/2020
Life in the Finger Lakes magazine recently caught up with George and Kristy Aldrich, the owners of Reinvention Brewing Company, which is located in Manchester just off Exit 43 of the New York State Thruway. Read on to learn a little more about the owners and their wonderful craft beer!
When did you start to find your passion for craft beer?
George started home brewing in his apartment kitchen back in 2004 after seeing an episode of Alton Brown’s “Good Eats” on Food Network. Every vacation we have taken since then, with or without our kids, has included visiting numerous craft breweries around the country, with some of our favorites being in California, Colorado and Vermont.
How did you come up with the name for your craft brewery?
The name really has a double meaning. George is a biomedical engineer, so inventions, patent art, gears and wrenches seemed like an appropriate theme for our logo and tasting room decor. But, we’re also “reinventing” ourselves and taking on a new career path with this business.
Kristy and George Aldrich
Why did you choose Manchester for the location?
We literally pulled out a Finger Lakes Beer Trail map and said, “who needs a brewery?” There was a big hole right along the Thruway between Victor and Geneva. We started looking for property that would be fairly close to George’s job in Victor and our home in Canandaigua, and were lucky to find this cute, vacant building, formerly a florist and an ice cream shop, in the village of Manchester. It’s a great location just a half mile off the Thruway on State Route 21, which is a high-traffic route into Canandaigua, and kind of a gateway to the Western Finger Lakes.
What’s your favorite beer right now? Why?
Both of us agree: Daybreak on Weathertop Pale Ale. It’s a light and refreshing, lower alcohol beer that’s perfect for warmer weather. It showcases all local hops, grown primarily at Weathertop Farm & Hopyard in Palmyra, and has 100% New York State ingredients.
What are your strengths that helped to create a successful craft brewing company?
You absolutely have to start with a quality product, and George has that down as Director of Brewing Operations. He has been brewing now for 16 years, and always strives to stay true to classic beer styles, while adding innovation and creativity to keep things fresh and interesting. Kristy is our people person who runs the front of the house and interacts the most with our customers and staff. We all take pride in creating a small-town, friendly atmosphere for our local regulars and new customers alike. Kristy coordinates a lot of unique events that help bring the community together, and we partner with many other small businesses, which benefits everyone.
You can only have one beer for the rest of your life. What is it?
George: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale – it’s a classic!
Kristy: I’m too indecisive to pick just one! Some of my favorites include 21st Amendment Hell or High Watermelon, Southern Tier PumKing, or any of The Alchemist’s IPAs.
What future plans do you have for Reinvention Brewing?
Our immediate focus is preparing to re-open in phase 3, and allow customers to enjoy beer on-site again. We are also excited about being able to resume our 2020 growth plan, and breaking ground on a brewery expansion project this summer. The addition will allow us to increase production and distribution.
Visit reinventionbrewing.com to learn more
