Northport's Harbor Head Brewery Opens Sampling Room

The crowd at Harbor Head Brewing Company in Northport Village over the weekend, when the brewery’s sampling room offered on-site consumption for the first time. Photo/Facebook/Harbor Head Brewing Company

By Janee Law
jlaw@longislandergroup.com

 The folks behind Harbor Head Brewing Company in Northport Village have gotten approval to serve up samples of their sudsy beers for patrons of the 81 Fort Salonga Road establishment.

Sosh Andriano, owner of both Harbor Head and neighboring Whale’s Tale restaurant, said the village zoning board gave approval for on-site tastings in December — previously, customers could only purchase beer from the brewery for off-site consumption, or try it at Whale’s Tale.

Harbor Head’s 250-square-foot sampling room, which Andriano stressed is not a “bar,” is intended to work hand-in-hand with Whale’s Tale. He’s hopeful restaurant patrons will swing by the brewery while waiting for a table.

“They’ll have an opportunity to go in there, ask some questions, try some of the product and decide what they want to drink at the restaurant, or take some stuff home with them,” he added.

The entire brewery, which opened in June 2017, spans 1,100 square feet of space in the Britannia Yachting Center; it’s found 20 yards off the back deck of Whale’s Tale.

Following zoning board approval, brewers got to work fine-tuning their offerings, Andriano said.

“We’re focusing on a couple of specific brands that we wanted to fine tune a little bit and are excited about,” Andriano said. “We’re trying to create a product that’s fun, easy to drink, has good flavors, is complementary to who we are and the restaurant that we have.”

He added that the sampling room first opened this past weekend. “We were really thrilled with the turnout. It was awesome.”

Andriano said the sampling room will continue to be open 1-6 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, and that there are plans to expand those hours once Whale’s Tale goes back to its summer schedule.

“We’re hoping that, when people come down to the yachting center, they’ll get an overall experience on the property, a destination center where they can have a fish taco, enjoy a sunset and have a blonde ale that’s made right next door.”

That’s the “summer vibe” they’re looking for, he added.