In an exciting development for a Hudson Valley Venture Hub supported company, Kingston Standard Brewing Co. has been awarded $550,000 from the Empire State Development’s Restore New York Communities Initiative. The announcement, made by Governor Kathy Hochul, marks a significant milestone for both the company and the broader Kingston community.

In early 2024 the Hudson Valley Venture Hub met co-founder, Tait Simpson, who explained the growth vision for scaling up the existing business and brewery company. Given the company was less than 5 years old, and had growth plans that included high-technology brewing plans that would capture CO2 in the brewing process, the project was a great fit for the Hudson Valley Venture Hub. With the program’s accelerator services, the Kingston Standard worked with an advisor to work on the pitch deck and pro forma to test to see if the growth plans were a fit for local private capital. At the same time, Tait was looking into every possible grant opportunity. When Kingston Standard was chosen for the City of Kingston’s Restore applicant, the Hudson Valley Venture Hub recommended that Tait work with Choice Words, who helped the Hudson Valley Venture Hub win the Innovation Hot Spot destination in 2023. The HVVH awarded Tait a microgrant for this project, matching the cash that Kingston Standard put in for the service. 

With the funding from the Restore grant, Kingston Standard will reconstruct a portion of an adjacent commercial building, half of which is currently vacant. The renovation is set to transform this underutilized space into a cutting-edge, zero fossil fuel facility, marking a pioneering step in environmentally conscious micro-brewery manufacturing. The newly developed space will encompass over 5,000 square feet, incorporating innovative technologies such as CO2 recapture, electric steam generation, and an offsite community solar farm. This initiative not only aims to advance the craft beer industry but also to set a benchmark for small scale sustainability in manufacturing.

The project is expected to create eight new full-time positions in manufacturing and administration, contributing positively to the local economy. Mayor Steven T. Noble expressed his enthusiasm for the project, noting, “We were so pleased to support Kingston Standard in their application for this year’s round of Restore New York grants, which will help with the growth of their business and the overall economic revitalization happening across Midtown Kingston.” He also highlighted Kingston Standard’s strategic location on the Empire State Trail and its role in the adaptive reuse of existing spaces.

Governor Hochul emphasized the importance of such programs, stating, “Revitalizing and rehabilitating vacant and blighted areas of our communities brings new energy and investments that support local and regional growth. Restore New York helps our municipalities plan for the future by catalyzing economic growth and supporting housing, businesses, and cultural spaces.”

Co-founder Tait explains how Kingston Standard Brewing Co. has been “planning this project for quite some time and are so excited to get underway with the next phase of the Kingston Standard story.” Tait shares that they “feel honored to have the support from our neighborhood, our amazing customers, the City of Kingston and now NY State.” 

As Kingston Standard Brewing Co. embarks on this ambitious project, it stands as a testament to the dynamic interplay between community support, innovative business practices, and state-level investment. The transformation of this space into a model of sustainability and economic vitality underscores the positive impact that targeted revitalization efforts can have on our local communities.

Stay tuned for further updates on the progress of Kingston Standard’s groundbreaking project!

Photo credits: Loj Architecture & Building Science

Written by Lorena Marron, Senior Marketing Research Aide at the Hudson Valley Venture Hub. Undergraduate student at  SUNY New Paltz, majoring in Marketing and International Business.