The Path to Lasting Joy
Welcoming the Hudson Valley’s newest brewery…
As you drive on Lasher Road from 9W to 9G a metal screen catches your eye from the road. A large black barn with a modern addition unveils itself to you. Compelled to stop, you park and make your way toward the steel structure. You’ve just found Lasting Joy, a brewery of another kind.
Good for you. Sit down, have a beer.
Emily and Alex Wenner, former Brooklynites, are the owners and visionaries. They are hands-on, friendly, knowledgeable and 100% committed to making sure everyone has an enjoyable experience. There’s something for everyone, and it’s hard to say what’s more impressive – the beer, the views, or the architecture.
Alex and Emily wanted to create a space that would be a reflection of the Hudson Valley’s natural beauty. Walls of glass provide a connection between the inside and outside, while the wood beams provide warmth. As the steel weathers and rusts in the way that old farm equipment does, it will become even more a part of the landscape.
“Often, when you’re at a brewery the beer is the only thing that matters,” Emily explains. “There was a disconnect between the craft of brewing the beer and the experience of enjoying it. Lasting Joy came out of our desire to focus on comfort and hospitality.” And create a place where Alex and Emily’s four children are welcome too. The details convey that comfort matters and all have a place here: beer aficionados, those who don’t drink, people of all ages and abilities, even four-legged furry friends. There are purse hooks and changing tables in the bathrooms.
They were lucky early on to connect with Aron Himmelfarb of Auver Architecture. “Emily and Alex had a very strong and consistent vision,” Aron says. “This made my job easy.” He immediately understood that they were thinking outside the box and joined them on their quest for the perfect site.
The Process:
photos courtesy Emily Wenner
When they finally came across a barn with thirty acres on Lasher Road being sold as an estate sale, Emily and Alex both knew right away that this was where they wanted to be. “The barn looked like a five-day-old bruise and was full of tractors, but it was set back from the road and you could see the Catskills,” Emily says. They went for it.
What followed was more challenging. In February of 2020 they were granted building approvals. Everything shut down shortly thereafter, so they couldn’t even get bids for the construction. They had a plan for a massive project but no way to execute it.
Throughout the construction, there were bumps along the way. For example, all the beer making equipment, which is manufactured in Los Angeles, was ready long before they were ready for it. “Where’s your forklift?” asked the delivery driver when he showed up as scheduled with all of the equipment. Their response: “Where’s YOUR fork lift?” They didn’t know they would be the ones moving equipment off the truck. Furthermore, there was nowhere to put it since the barn floor wasn’t complete at that time.
In the end, the delayed timing worked in their favor in terms of Covid restrictions. They opened on Father’s Day of 2022; people were more than ready to sit around and enjoy a beer.
For Alex the highlight of this journey has been “seeing people walk from the parking area through the field. The first impressions people have as they try to figure out what they’re seeing and take in the whole experience, that’s a really good feeling.”
What’s on Tap Now at Lasting Joy…
Alex has been brewing for over ten years and played a key role at Coney Island Brewery prior to opening Lasting Joy, which brews and distributes four core beers that are sold year round, as well as several seasonal brews. Right now they have two saisons (traditional and cherry), a blueberry wheat beer, a Berliner that tastes great on its own or served old world style with one of their shrubs added in, and a Brave Noise IPA brewed to support a local women’s shelter in solidarity with all of the women who are making brave noise about sexism in the craft beer industry. They also have a Kellerbier brewed to raise money for World Central Kitchen in Ukraine. Coming up for the fall we’ll have an Oktoberfest, a double IPA, and two pumpkin beers.
UD Q&A
answers by Emily Wenner
1. What’s your favorite farm or farm stand in the Hudson Valley?
I’m obsessed with Montgomery Place. They have the most amazing produce, bread, jams, cheeses- everything! And the way they style and present it all is like out of a dream, it’s so gorgeous. Their Concord grapes are my favorite end of summer treat.
2. What’s your favorite restaurant?
This is a hard pick!! To be honest, Aba’s Falafel is a big favorite at the brewery. It’s not a full service restaurant, but the food is excellent and they’re always so friendly. We also love Giobatta and The Corner in Tivoli, and Trag Haven has killer burgers.
3. What do you love most about your home?
Just yesterday our kids started their 5th year of school since we moved here. What I love about the home that we’ve created in the Hudson Valley is how deeply connected everyone is. I love that there is a healthy mix of old timers with deep roots, and transplants like us who were compelled to move here by the natural beauty and community connections the area has to offer. One of my daughters popped into the nurse’s office yesterday to say hi, and the nurse texted me to let me know. Her husband took gorgeous drone footage of the brewery while it was under construction, and their family throws a great Halloween party. It’s just an incredibly close knit and welcoming place to raise kids and start a business. We’ve received so much support and warmth from everyone since we’ve opened. I really hope that our guests and community see that Lasting Joy is a love letter to everything that is special about the Hudson Valley.
