MagicWig Productions today announced the public television premiere of Brewed in New York, its original 13-episode TV series about New York State’s rich culture of craft beer. The show will premiere July 5th and air on PBS stations across the state throughout 2018. MagicWig has offered a wide range of creative services to clients throughout the United States since 2002, but this series marks the company’s first foray into episodic television.
Presented to public television by WXXI Rochester and produced with support from Empire State Development, each half-hour episode of Brewed in New York highlights breweries in a different tourism region of the state. Guided by co-hosts Matt Archambault and Maya Contreras, viewers will experience how each area’s unique geography and character have influenced its hometown brewers’ craft.
In producing the series, MagicWig traveled to every corner of the state to capture stories from Brooklyn Brewery, Sloop Brewing, Brewery Ommegang, Empire Brewing, Southern Tier Brewing, and many more. Engaging “Craft 101” segments in each show use motion graphics to teach viewers about topics from fermentation to glassware selection. All post-production was completed at MagicWig’s facilities in Upstate New York.
“One thing that struck us as we documented these stories was the sense of camaraderie and pride among brewers,” said MagicWig President Justin Maine, Executive Producer of the series. “Rather than viewing new breweries in their neighborhood as competition, craft brewery owners understand that having more successful breweries in a region makes it a better destination for beer tourists. That New York pride extends to our crew; we’re thrilled to be helping advance this collaborative industry and encouraging people to explore our beautiful state through this series.”
With now over 400 breweries, New York is currently ranked fourth in the country for number of craft breweries. But brewing craft beer is not about mass production; it is about passionate New Yorkers in towns across the Empire State employing artisan skills to infuse the values of their communities into flavorful and memorable brews. And it’s that total community experience, captured in Brewed in New York, that is giving New York another asset for attracting visitors and dollars to the state.