LIBeerGuide Destinations

MONTAUK  (11954)

The eastern-most place to enjoy beer on Long Island is in Montauk.  This once-sleepy town known for its fishing, beaches and historic lighthouse has become more popular in recent years for its nightlife scene, which has created some controversy among long-time residents.  What is not disputed is that Montauk has become a great beer destination, where you can visit a brewery, enjoy locally-brewed beers at lively beer bars and dine at a gastropub or restaurant with great beer, all in just one day or half a day. Here are LIBeerGuide's recommendations for visiting Montauk:

1) Montauk Brewing Co. -- Montauk Brewing was established in 2012 by three lifelong friends, Eric Moss, Vaughan Cutillo and Joe Sullivan, who focus on their individual areas of expertise -- Eric as brewmaster, Vaughan as head of marketing and Joe as head of business development. Montauk Brewing's initial growth came from the smart idea of contract brewing their flagship Summer Ale and Driftwood Ale to be distributed in cans, making them great beers to bring to the beach. While these beers and the popular Session IPA continue to be brewed and canned at Wachusett Brewing in Massachusetts, Montauk Brewing opened their own brewery in 2015 in a building that formerly housed Montauk Woodwork, owned by Vaughan's father. The new brewery's 15-bbl system allowed Eric to produce a wide range of beers and he has experimented with making beers using local ingredients including a Rye Pale Ale made with hops from Mattituck. The brewery's tasting room, which doubles as an art gallery showing local artists, is open during the off season from Thursday to Monday.

2) Shagwong Tavern -- the historic Shagwong in the heart of town dates back over 80 years and was well known for its no frills bar and fresh seafood. New owners took over in 2015 and have given the tavern a fresh look and a renovated kitchen that is winning high marks for prime rib, burgers and of course fresh seafood. Shagwong has 12 beers on tap with one of Montauk Brewing's beers always on.

3) Montauk Beer & Soda -- Montauk Beer is the best place in town to stock up on craft beer. The store does not have a growler station but the craft beer selection is very good, with of course Montauk Brewing cans available.

4) The Point Bar & Grill -- The Point is a popular sports bar with hearty pub grub and is also well known for its late night dance parties. Happy Hour from 4-7 pm on weekdays features 1/2 price beers and 1/2 off select apps.

5) Saltbox Restaurant & Bar -- for a more low key dining experience, check out The Saltbox Restaurant which is owned by the same folks as the Shagwong. Taking over the spot of a traditional Irish pub, O'Murphy's (which moved to a new location at Montauk Harbor), the Saltbox was transformed into an upscale gastropub with a menu focusing on locally sourced ingredients. There are 6 beers on tap including Montauk Brewing.

For visitors coming from New York City and other points west, Montauk's beer destinations are about a mile walking distance from the LIRR Montauk station, the last stop on the Montauk line.