home in Troy, New York for its Upstate New York-focused 518/838 brands and portfolio of craft beers, 518 Craft, operating under a New York State Farm Brewery License that permits brewers to serve beer by the glass without an additional permit. The facility includes a tasting room and bottle shop on Monument Square in downtown Troy. The tasting room opened in July 2018 and during the COVID-19 pandemic added a chocolate shop and coffee shop. By 2018, Shmaltz had also acquired Alphabet City Brewing Company, which had been founded on New York City's Lower East Side in 2012. Shmaltz rebranded the graphics and product names and continues to market the Alphabet City brands in New York City, where they are distributed by Manhattan Beer. Alphabet City brands include the year-round 7th Street Blonde Ale and Village IPA and specialty releases such as Sugar Plum Fairy dark ale, Black Tart sour ale, and Loisaida Milkshake IPA. In its 2017–2018 season Shmaltz donated a portion of the proceeds from its She'Brew Double IPA to Planned Parenthood and the Pink Boots Society scholarship fund. In 2020, the company teamed with Moustache Brewing to release She'Brew #RBG IPA, a tribute to Ruth Bader Ginsburg, for a pandemic-delayed International Women's Collaboration Brew Day. A portion of the profits go to the ACLU Women's Rights Project and the Pink Boots Society. Shmaltz also marked Hanukkah and the company's 24th birthday by releasing Golden Jelly Doughnut Pastry Ale. 25th anniversary In September 2021, marking its 25th anniversary, Shmaltz Brewing announced the farewell season of the Shmaltz brand with new and vintage releases including a one-season-only brew called Exodus 2021 Barleywine Ale. The company also announced a nationwide "Farewell to Shmaltz Tour" which began with ProBrewer's "Class of '96" event during the Craft Brewers Conference in Denver, Colorado on September 10, 2021, coordinated by Cowan. Cowan retained his staff and the company pivoted to focus on Alphabet City Brewing Company, the 518 Craft tasting room in Troy, and a consulting practice helping other craft brewers. See also Beer in the United States Barrel-aged beer References Companies established in 1996 Beer brewing companies based in New York (state) Food and drink companies established in 1996 1996 establishments in New York (state)