Chatham Brewing burger wins best in NY

Chatham Brewing took the top prize in the statewide competition with its Loaded Brewery Burger. It is the first time the brewery has won the competition.

“We entered last year and made it into the top 10,” said Tom Crowell, co-owner of Chatham Brewing. “This is our first year winning.”

The Loaded Brewery Burger, served on a sweet roll, is built from a beef burger with beef from Trowbridge Farms in Ghent, white cheddar macaroni and cheese, applewood bacon, and molasses barbecue sauce.

The burger was run as a special at the brewery earlier in the year, and it received positive feedback from customers, Crowell said.

“It seemed like, looking at past winners, they leaned towards more exotic burgers that were more than plain lettuce and tomatoes,” he said.

It was amazing to win the competition, Crowell said.

“It’s a great feather in our cap, and a nod to our culinary team,” he said. “It’s also a great testament to the beef we get from Trowbridge Farms.”

This is the eighth year the beef council has hosted the competition, said Chrissy Claudio, director of producer communications and consumer engagement at the New York Beef Council, which is based in Utica.

“It really highlights the creativity of the restaurants that participate in the competition,” she said.

Burgers from competitors in the top 10 were judged by a nine-person panel made up of a variety of experts from the beef industry, including executive chefs from food distributors and beef producers.

Judges traveled to the restaurants in the top 10 and tasted the burgers completely anonymously, and judged the burgers based on taste, appearance and presentation, and eating experience.

“They sent three secret shoppers to us in the month of April, and we didn’t know who it was,” Crowell said. “It was a little nerve-wracking on our staff not knowing who was a judge, but it made it interesting.”

The brewery has already been getting attention from across the state due to its win, Crowell said.

“We’ve had people that we know send us press from Syracuse, Lake George, the Capital Region,” he said. “I definitely think it’s getting a lot of recognition statewide.”

Crowell is also looking to attract new customers after winning the competition, he said.

“We’re hoping it brings in new customers from the Hudson Valley and Capital Region who are curious about what the best burger in New York tastes like,” Crowell said. “And, of course, we hope they enjoy some beer while they do.”

Crowell said the brewery plans to enter the competition again next year

Chatham Brewing will continue offering the Loaded Brewery Burger, even if it’s not on the physical menu.

“We can still make it, it doesn’t have any special ingredients,” he said. “It will always be available if people want to come and try it.”