‘Cue & Brew offers a wide range of local liquors, barbecues and events
‘Cue & Brew opened in the Hudson Heritage Plaza over the summer, offering barbecue, New York craft beers and spirits, a warm atmosphere, and trivia nights.
When you walk into Cue & Brew, you’re welcomed by the calming atmosphere and chic decor. The furnishings are comfortable, the barbecue is tasty, and the people are friendly. What more could you ask for?
It wasn’t an ordinary night at Cue N’ Brew on October 3 — it was trivia night, hosted by DJ Tony Flash. There was an extra T.V. broadcasting Jeopardy, not sports. Three teams were competing for the ultimate reward: a ‘Cue & Brew gift card. The participating teams were the Florida Flunkies, Old Fashioned, and the Cue’ Crew.
The teams’ hands dashed to their buzzers, and first blood belonged to ‘Cue Crew, answering for the definition of a “muse” with their buzzer resting on the counter above the cheesecake.
The plant-topped wooden dividers make for a cozy enclosure of the hardwood tables, all of which defy the barbecue joint stereotype by not being sticky.
In the day, the large, wood-framed glass windows provide plenty of natural light.
The bulbed lighting is warm yet bright, allowing the booze to flow well into the night until closing time.
Portraits of a highland cow and a succulent add life to the walls, adding to the succulents on the tops of the wooden dividers. There’s also outdoor seating. A stylized American flag hangs near the entrance to the patio. All of these features come together to give the joint an open yet homey feeling.
“We oversaw the design and construction on the inside of this place along with our builder, so it was a collaborative effort,” said Steve Klein, the owner.
On top of being the owner, Steve Klein is an adjunct professor of paralegal studies at Marist College, is running for Poughkeepsie Town Justice, and is in charge of a law firm. Safe to say, he’s a very busy man.
Every table is equipped with two essentials, a sauce bucket, and a roll of paper towel. There’s also the obligatory salt and pepper.
The sauce bucket contains four bottles: Sweet Heat, which is tangy and pineapple tasting; Brew Sauce, a savory, tangy vinegar kind of liquid; Goldy Locks, mustard with a kick; and Sweet Baby J, a sweet, mellow barbeque sauce. All of them work exceptionally well with the brisket, pulled pork, sausage, and daily specials. “Our head chef, Jeremy, came up with them,” Steve added.
There’s also the pivotal “brew” element of ‘Cue & Brew. The chairs at the speckled concrete bar are plush and comfortable, stably propped up by four legs, and with a quality cushion with back support.
The bar is stocked with bartending accouterments like tiny skewers, brass cups, straws, and their house-dehydrated orange slices in a mason jar tucked into the corner next to the dehydrator, shining from the lighting.
I also spoke to assistant manager and bartender Jess Cohen, who mouthed the answer to a trivia question while making a drink.
“We’ve got 57 kinds of bourbon, I just did inventory today,” she added. “We’re constantly picking more bourbons, we didn’t start at 57, we’re constantly growing our selection.”
Steve added to that count stating, “We have over 70 bourbons and whiskeys, because thats what goes great with barbeque.”
There were plenty of craft beers, all of which were listed proudly on a blackboard above the bar. “All New York state local, and we rotate through them,” Cohen stated. There were also some local heavyweights to be found like Ragtime Rye and Hudson Whiskey NY’s Do the Rye Thing.
They also have a formidable arsenal of cocktails, the most popular of which is the C&B Margarita, consisting of milagro tequila, smoked pineapple puree, house orange, lime, and agave. The pineapple puree is made by cutting a demerara-covered pineapple in half and smoking it. “All the specialty drinks were designed by our bar managers,” Steve noted.
