Founded in 2002 on a wooded property outside Lakewood, New York, Southern Tier Brewing Company makes craft beer with an unusually experimental streak, from its pioneering dessert stouts to its expansive 2X lineup. The brewery has grown from a local small-batch operation into a producer distributing handcrafted ales in more than 30 states, while its Lakewood campus pairs a 110-barrel brewhouse with smaller systems for testing new ideas. Its quality team monitors fermentation, yeast, packaging, and sensory character in a dedicated laboratory.