It's All About Variety at Craftsman Ale House

If you like a variety of craft beer and a friendly and welcoming environment, the newest bar on Harrison Avenue might be the place for you.

Offering eight rotating varieties of draft beer and 50 different bottled brews, the opened its doors in December hoping to offer Harrison residents a new place to sit back, relax, and enjoy the tastes of some of the region's premier refreshments.

Co-owners Joe Vicidomini and his wife Liana Zamora decided to open the new bar at 235 Harrison Avenue late last year with a focus on specialty burgers, wings, homemade mac n' cheese and quality beer and liquor.

Zamora said the couple chose Harrison because they had friends in the area and thought there was room in the market for their type of establishment.

"(Harrison) needs a place like that, it doesn't have a craft kind of beer place that's close," Zamora said. "We've had a lot of beer people who come in and are so happy."

Vicidomini has been passionate about the beer industry for years, and has been researching micro-breweries in the area trying to find what makes a quality craft beer. The hope is that the Craftsman Ale House will be a place for beer lovers that also offers a large dining room with a relaxed atmosphere.

Craft beers like Blue Point, Brooklyn, Captain Lawrence, Ithaca and Dogfish Head are among the bar favorites, but the variety is widespread.

"It's all local breweries," said Zamora. "We have gins that are from Brooklyn and vodkas that are from Long Island, so we are trying to keep it local."

Although nothing has been changed in the building structurally since Anthony's Bar & Grill left last year, the inside of the bar and dining area has been changed drastically. A large chalkboard now displays the drink specials and a new paint job gives the inside a different feel. Eight flat-screen televisions provide everyone with the chance to catch their favorite sporting event.

"We just added our own flavor and made it more of a beer and burger place," Zamora said.

That new atmosphere has created a bar scene that also allows for a family and lunch crowd to visit during the afternoon and evening hours.

"It's definitely a bunch of things," said Zamora. "It's a bar, I've seen a lot of dates there, a lot of families and we have a couple of parties coming up; so it varies in what it is."

Since its opening, Zamora said the community appears to be embracing a new option for food and drink right in the middle of town.

"People are glad to have those types of beer close to their homes," she said. "They're happy it's there."

The Craftsman Ale House is open Monday though Friday from 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. and weekends from 1 p.m. to 12 a.m. The bar offers a variety of specials including brewery events, beer brunches, beer tastings, brew school 101 and more.