Queens brewery to take on craft beer industry with slated July launch
Something’s brewing in Queens.
Anthony LoSardo, a Bayside, Queens resident, is looking to take on the craft beer industry with the launch of Bayside Brewery in July.
The idea behind the company started around 2012 after LoSardo got tired of spending nights working in Manhattan and wanted a new job.
Knowing nothing about brewing beer, LoSardo opened up his grandmother’s garage in Bayside, purchased a how-to book, trademarked the company name and got to work.
“I just went for it,” he said. “I was always a fan of beer but making it was all brand new for me.”
After going through a months-long trial and error process — resulting in gallons of beer being dumped out — Bayside Ale, the first of three lines for the company, was created.
“Before not too long, I had a recipe that everyone loved,” LoSardo said.
The Queens resident — who said his family were his biggest supporters — added that it took about 150 brews before he got the technique set, which guaranteed getting the exact finished product every time.
Once he nailed down the recipe, LoSardo decided to attend Long Island University-Post to earn his accounting degree to move forward in his plans on making Bayside Brewery a reality.
While on the university’s campus, he presented his business plan to members of various departments — starting a relationship with the school that has moved the company forward.
After the presentation, LoSardo was approached by at the time freshman biology major Safraz Bacchus, who since has become responsible for the company’s yeast department, cultivating yeast for each brew.
Bacchus is just one of many LIU Post students who have become part of the company — with the director of finance being a senior finance major, director of public relations a senior management major, and director of marketing a junior marketing major.
“I was able to get students from each department, top students,” LoSardo said. “They aren’t your average person. They really fell in love with the business.”
The official launch for Bayside Brewery — whose slogan is “I’ll Drink To That” — is slated for July and plans are to open up a location in either the Flushing or College Point area of Queens or in Plainview, Long Island.
And although Queens is home to a few other breweries, Lo Sardo believes his experience, and the company’s research and consistency will put their product above the rest.
AKickstarter campaignwas also started to raise funds that will go towards further research and development, and marketing for the company. The campaign has raised $6,405 of its $18,000 since Monday night.
Bayside Brewery currently has three lines of beer: Bayside Ale, Long Island Tea Ale, and Cross Island IPA.
When asked about the taste, LoSardo said that the product has a sweet and citrus flavor which is “very clean and swallows nice.”
“It tastes so good in so many different ways,” LoSardo said.
