Capital Craft Beverage Trail Expands Into Montgomery, Fulton and Schoharie Counties

Officials celebrate regional tourism milestone at Second Act Spirits in Amsterdam

AMSTERDAM, N.Y. — Local officials, craft beverage makers and tourism leaders gathered Thursday to celebrate the official expansion of the Capital Craft Beverage Trail (CCBT) into Montgomery, Fulton, and Schoharie counties—marking a major milestone for the growing regional initiative.

Hosted at Second Act Spirits in the city of Amsterdam, the event showcased the newly expanded trail, which now connects visitors to even more local breweries, distilleries, wineries and cideries throughout the Mohawk Valley and beyond. The Capital Craft Beverage Trail now includes 51 producers across 11 Capital Region counties.

“Bringing the trail into Montgomery County and our neighboring counties is a win for both tourism and small businesses,” said Montgomery County Executive Pete Vroman. “Our local producers are doing incredible work, and this partnership helps put a spotlight on their efforts.”

Michael DiCrescenzo, co-owner of Altamont Vineyard & Winery and president of the Capital Craft Beverage Trail, reflected on the trail’s beginnings:

“In the fall of 2015, I received a call from John Curtin of Albany Distilling Company asking if I would like to participate in Drink Albany in the parking lot of C.H. Evans Brewing,” DiCrescenzo said. “He went on to say that he and Alejandro del Peral of Nine Pin Cider Works and C.H. Evans Brewing were starting a beverage trail in Albany, and since Altamont Vineyard & Winery was the only other craft beverage maker in the county, it wouldn’t be right if we weren’t included. Here we are 10 years later, and the same entrepreneurial spirit continues, opening the doors to include other craft beverage producers around the Capital District.”

“The beverage trail is thrilled with the response of craft beverage producers and consumers in Fulton, Montgomery and Schoharie counties to our expansion,” said Teresa Casey, executive director of the Capital Craft Beverage Trail. “The trail has always enjoyed strong support from consumers in the western part of the Capital Region, and we are excited to hear that lots of new customers are already visiting the tasting rooms of our new members—passports in hand.”

“The expansion of the Capital Craft Beverage Trail into Montgomery, Fulton and Schoharie counties is a toast to the entrepreneurial spirit of our region,” said Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara. “This trail not only celebrates the craftsmanship of our local producers—like Second Act Spirits right here in Amsterdam—it drives tourism, supports small businesses, and keeps our local economy thriving. I’m proud to support this exciting collaboration and to see the city of Amsterdam take its well-earned place on the map for craft beverage innovation.”

“Being added to the Capital Craft Beverage Trail is a huge step for our tourism efforts,” said Morgan McClary, Montgomery County director of communications and tourism. “It gives us a new way to share our county’s amazing small businesses and give people a reason to spend a weekend exploring, tasting and enjoying everything we have to offer.”

The Capital Craft Beverage Trail was launched in 2015 to promote tourism and collaboration among local craft beverage producers.

With a growing emphasis on agritourism, the trail gives visitors a curated way to explore the region’s diverse and award-winning beverage scene.

Visitors can now pick up a Capital Craft Beverage Trail passport, which allows them to collect stamps at each participating location across the expanded trail. As they sip and explore Montgomery County’s craft beverage scene and beyond, their stamps can earn them fun prizes while supporting local makers. Passports are available at any participating location or at the Montgomery County Visitor Center at 54 Bridge St., Amsterdam.

More information on the trail and a full list of participating locations is available at www.capitalcraftbeveragetrail.com.