Drink up: Stewart International no longer a 'dry' airport

Grabbing a glass of beer or wine before a flight or ordering up a specialty cocktail seems to be an easy-to-accomplish activity at most airports.

But, due to a series of licensing snafus and clauses, that hasn't been an option at Stewart International, the small airport in New York's Hudson Valley operated since 2007 by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Thankfully, the situation has been resolved.

Now passengers may purchase not just soft drinks and water at the Quiznos and Euro Cafe outlets operated by Hudson Group at SWF, but a selection of regional and imported beer and wine as well.

"A lot of people like to have a little libation before they take off," said Tom Kornacki, Hudson's senior vice president, Food & Beverage. "Now they can have wine from the famous Brotherhood Winery in nearby Washingtonville, New York, as well as bottled beer from Brooklyn Lager Company, Sam Adams and Stella Artois."

Brotherhood Winery stakes claim to being America's oldest winery, is seven miles from Stewart International Airport and fits well, said Kornacki, with the Port Authority and Hudson's goal of bringing more local products to the airport. Along with the regional wines and beers now served on-site, the Hudson stores in the airport also carry Oliver Kita Chocolates from Rhinebeck, Nilda's Cookies from Poughkeepsie and books and postcards from Involvement Media in Fishkill.

"The airport serves about 400,000 passenger a year now," said Kornacki, "but as traffic grows and they succeed in adding international flights to and from Canada and Europe we hope to modify our license so we can also sell regional wines and beers in a store featuring a wide variety of local products."