Moustache Brewing Co. Seeks Help To Win Grant

A local couple is seeking help to win a grant they say would help expand their new craft brewery.

Lauri and Matthew Spitz, owners of Riverhead's Moustache Brewery, have put out a Facebook appeal, asking for friends and supporters to vote and help them win a $25,000 grant in a the FedEx Small Business Grant contest.

"Vote for us and help us win a $25,000 grant so we can make more beer for you. You can vote every day and you don't have to log in to vote. Please vote and share with your friends," Spitz wrote on her Facebook page.

To vote, click here. 

So far, the business has garnered 150 votes; voting takes place through Feb. 23. Up to $50,000 will be awarded, with a $25,000 grand prize.

"If we win, we will use the money to get bigger tanks which will allow us to do seen times what we are doing now. We're already needing to expand and we can't make enough to keep up with the demand from the farmers' market and accounts," Spitz said.

The couple drew a big crowd at Saturday's opening of the Riverhead indoor farmers' market on Main Street. 

"We're so excited with the overwhelming response we've had to our beers. We're really hoping to win this grant so we can bring more amazing beers to everyone," Spitz said.

Craft beer fans who've been eager for a taste of Riverhead's own Moustache Brewing Co. were thrilled to see production kick off recently.

The new craft beer business, located at 400 Hallett Avenue in Riverhead, was born of the couple's passion for craft beer; the duo set up shop last February — and began brewing a few weeks ago.

A new tasting room is tentatively slated to open in March.

Moustache Brewing Co. is a 2 BBL microbrewery that aims to provide Long Island and the New York City area with fresh, local and handcrafted beers. 

"The beers are based on brewing’s tradition with a nod to the trends and uniquely changing future of craft beer. The beers are constantly changing to keep a unique homebrew spirit and to highlight fresh local ingredients available," according to the Moustache Brewing Co.'s Facebook page.

The couple is also selling Growler of the Month Club memberships on their website, to help raise capital.

The business is a dream for the couple; they first considered the Riverhead area after speaking to Dan Burke and Greg Martin, co-owners of Long Ireland Brewery.

"They told us how good the town was, and we wanted to be a part of the revitalization," Lauri Spitz said. "Craft beer has always been something we have been passionate about. We have been creating homebrews since 2005 and had always dreamed about opening a brewery. The timing was right in our lives and in the industry and we just decided to go for it."

Still, Spitz said, finances have been challenging. "Money has been the biggest hold-up," in opening the microbrewery, she said. "It's a super expensive business to start, unfortunately."

To that end, the couple has taken on some investors to help purchase larger equipment. 

Despite the roadblocks, Spitz said the journey has been rewarding. "If we had paid everyone to do everything for us, it wouldn't be the same," she said. "We've done everything ourselves."