A chat over a beer with Vaughan Cutillo
Montauk Brew Co. is the spot to enjoy a perfectly suds-upped beer (or seltzer) in between waves and a place to pat more than a few dogs. And while you might know it from long summer days spent on the patio—outside of summertime Brew Co., has a few more things on the horizon. Quite literally. December 23rd marks the release of a brand new DIPA aptly called On The Horizon, representing a look forward for the brand, the humans behind the brand, and Sky the dog as we glide into 2022. And potentially looking ahead to some new markets. In that vein, we caught up with Vaughan Cutillo, co-founder of Brew Co., to talk more about the new brew and their love and responsibility toward the Montauk community at large.
It’s authentically the Montauk vibe, the no-frills good life that the brand embodies and so, our fans look to us to provide tasty beer and just a great feeling.
So Vaughan, would you say there is anything new on the horizon? If so, what’s the horizon tasting like these days?
Vaughan Cutillo: Well this has been quite a year, and we’re looking forward to turning the page and hitting 2022 full speed ahead. To celebrate that yearly transition, we brew a special beer called On The Horizon that will be released at the taproom on 12/23 and sent out to a small number of retailers in our distribution footprint of Long Island and NYC. OTH is packed with Citra and Cashmere hops and checks in at 7.8% ABV, with notes of lemon, lime and citrus with herbal aromas.
Does this new IPA release have any significant meaning to it?
VC: Don’t spend too much time looking in the rear-view mirror, that’s the idea behind On The Horizon DIPA. Take a glance at the prior year and then look through the windshield at the year ahead because that’s where you make it count. Celebrate one year’s transition to the next with this delicious Double IPA. On The Horizon, get it?
What does a typical day in the life of a brewery founder look like? Is there less beer sipping than one might think?
VC: It’s a fun industry to be in and we do as a team, celebrate the fruits of our brewer’s labor. But the Montauk brand is so much more than just quality beer. I think we truly capture that “lifestyle brand” that a lot of companies dream of being. It’s authentically the Montauk vibe, the no-frills good life that the brand embodies and so, our fans look to us to provide tasty beer and just a great feeling.
What’s the next big market you want MBC to break into and why? (Florida maybe?)
VC: I heard the beer at the K-Swiss x Whalebone event in Miami went over well, so who knows! Florida could be fun. Right now we don’t have set plans to open any new markets this coming year, but things can change quickly. We have a lot of interest from New Jersey, Connecticut and upstate New York along with states like Florida, Texas and California. Stay tuned!
In your opinion what is Montauk’s, as a community, identity? What sets it apart?
VC: Montauk is just such a special place, it’s like there are magnets in the sand that hold people here. The community is extremely supportive of its own and that has certainly helped us to grow over the years. We’re born and raised here, so most people out here wanted to help us succeed and keep locals, local. Montauk is home to a gritty, hard-working bunch of characters that protect its uniqueness. I think the one thing someone told me last year that has stuck with me was that we are here to shepherd the Montauk Name, the Montauk Vibe. Montauk will be here long after we are gone, so we have to do our best to tell the real Montauk story and stay true to its roots. I think your fearless leader over at Whalebone told me that, and we are doing our best.
If Brew Co. were a band, who would it be?
VC: AC/DC meets Jurassic 5.
Something everyone should see in Montauk’s “off-season?”
VC: Just go outside and open your eyes.
WB: What are we pairing to eat with the Horizon IPA?
VC: Something local, maybe just simple bay scallops with garlic. If you can find bay scallops.
Something you’d want anyone interested in getting into the beer game to know?
VC: Getting beer from grain and hops to liquid in a 12OZ can and then getting that box of six cans onto store shelves is a lot harder than it sounds.
Which beer-related game is actually superior?
VC: Tailgating with friends.
The most unusual flavor you’ve wanted to incorporate into a brew?
VC: Well our first beer release in the taproom in January is called The Montauk Monster. It’s the brainchild of Stevie our brewer. 10% ABV and all the ingredients, lots of them. We’ll see what flavor that is, but he hasn’t had a miss yet so we are excited! The other day he asked us to give him two ingredients with high sugar content and the responses were pretty great. We’ll see how that one turns out.