Not Your Average Black Friday at Long Ireland

For some, the thought of shopping on Black Friday is just not very appealing.

So what else to do on a day many people have off from work? A day when those not at work or at the malls may otherwise be left watching Christmas ads on TV and eating Thanksgiving leftovers?

Brewers and co-owners at Long Ireland Beer Company are hoping some will show up for the second annual release of their Black Friday Impreial Stout.

"We were brewing an imperial stout last August, and we knew we would have it out for a limited time. So we figured there would probably be a lot of people hanging around on Black Friday who aren't interesting in going to the malls – people in visiting relatives, just staying in while others are shopping. And we thought it would be good to start our own tradition," said co-owner Dan Burke.

But for those who are out and about on Black Friday, Burke said Empire State Cellars at Tanger Outlet Center will be offering tastes starting at midnight.

Altered slightly from last year's recipe, the special bottle release is the Pulaski Street brewery's latest in a string of limited bottle releases.

Burke said that from the start of conceptualizing the annual Black Friday Imperial Stout, the idea was to offer a new version each year, "even if the year before was a stellar batch."

This year's stout, weighing in at 8.5 percent alcohol by volume, will offer more notes of chocolate, and a little more body compared to the inaugural batch. It is brewed with seven different grains, and magnum and willamette hops. In addition to a new brew, Tony Celentano of Smithtown's Tap and Barrell will be offering beer-flavored waffles, an upgrade over last year's food spread.

Corked and caged 750 mL bottles, of which there are about 1,200, will be going for $15 and can be found at 20 different bars across Long Island.

Next in line for the brewery's bottle releases is the Double India Pale Ale, which is currently fermenting. The Winter Ale, brewed with ginger, allspice and cinnamon, five grains and three different styles of hops, recently hit shelves in 22 oz. bottles, with more to come.