You can find microbreweries on Long Island, but they are really brewpubs, restaurants that have a tiny brewery attached. But Blue Point isn't a restaurant. It's a brewery with a tasting room. The long bar leaving barely room enough to get to the bottles and jugs of beer lined up against the wall. Loyal clientele, warm and friendly folks, stop by to refill their jugs and down some of the very generous "samples."

Started by Mark Burford and Pete Cotter in December, 1998 Blue Point is now producing over 10,000 barrels of beer a year, and developing a reputation for quality brews. The beers include several ales, a porter, oatmeal stout, and pilsner, as well as a barleywine style ale with a who-can-resist name Old Howling Bastard. But their signature beer is a toasted lager made from six different malts and special lager yeast. Why toasted? It refers to their direct-fire brew kettle whose hot flames gently 'toasts" the beer.

After sampling about a half-dozen brews we asked the young woman tending the bar if a tour would be possible. "Sure" she replied, as she filled jug after jug with the pale, not-so-pale, and deep rich dark brews. And soon we were standing listening to Pete describe how he and his partner started the brewery, what's involved in making beer. His enthusiasm is catching.

Don't think you'll finish a jug? Winter Ale and Summer Ale are being sold in six-packs in the Brewery as well as in some Long Island supermarkets and beverage places.