A Ridgewood man who transformed an industrial space into a thriving brewery is now facing the possibility of closing his doors after a decade in the community.
Bridge and Tunnel Brewery, located at 15-35 Decatur St. in Ridgewood, has become a beacon for beer enthusiasts, achieving what many others dream of.
At its peak, the taproom boasted 16 beer varieties and earned several prestigious accolades, including the Ruppert’s Cup during NYC Beer Week, just two years after opening, and the New York State Governor’s Cup.
Yet, despite its success, founder Rich Castagna says one major event has placed his brewery in jeopardy: the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It disrupted what was probably the beginning of our real momentum as a brewery,” Castagna said.
During the pandemic, Bridge and Tunnel Brewery adapted, shifting to canned beer sales for the first five to six months of 2020 and offering outdoor seating when allowed. However, these adjustments were temporary, and the next three years severely strained the brewery, Castagna told the Ridgewood Times.
“In that first year, we weathered a lot of storms, but when winter came, they shut us down again, and all the gains we made, we lost,” Castagna said. “Every time there was a COVID spike or shutdown, we were in that fear environment. Our sales would contract to a point where every gain that we made was lost.”
In addition to COVID-related setbacks, many of Castagna’s longtime customers—who had supported him since his early days brewing in a single-car garage in Maspeth—left the city. With about 80% of his loyal customer base gone, rising costs became another looming challenge.
“There’s not a lot of customers, and they’re price conscious, they’re price sensitive, because everything is expensive now,” Castagna said. “You can’t just do a knee-jerk ‘okay, I’m gonna raise the prices’ to the point where now I’m making money again because now those few customers that you have… you can’t do that to them.”
The brewery also suffered from inflation, and last year, a trusted distributor dropped them in favor of larger, more affordable beer companies. Even though Bridge and Tunnel Brewery sells pints for $7—still cheaper than the NYC average of $8 to $10—this wasn’t enough to stave off financial pressures.
In addition, the brewery’s 10-year lease is set to expire in two months, and rent is expected to increase.
In an effort to help save his business, Castagna launched a Patreon page to encourage customer support and provide a steady income stream. Each membership tier offers benefits, from a pint of beer per month to behind-the-scenes access and discounts on merchandise. The highest tier, at $28 per month, provides greater beer allowances and additional perks. The lowest tier costs just $7, less than most streaming services.
Castagna knows he’s not alone in this struggle. Many craft breweries have faced similar financial challenges due to the pandemic, with some forced to close.
Beer Boom, a documentary released during the pandemic, chronicled Castagna’s journey and the rise of craft beer in NYC. Sadly, many of the brewers featured in the film have since closed their doors due to financial strain.
A 2020 analysis by The Brewers Association found that businesses saw a 50% decrease in sales during the pandemic, and the New York State Brewers Association reported that taprooms, like Bridge and Tunnel’s, were hit particularly hard. While the number of breweries statewide has remained steady, fluctuations similar to those in the city have occurred.
Paul Leone, executive director of the New York State Brewers Association, noted that this year is especially tough for New York City brewers. Many who opened in the past decade now face lease renewals with significantly higher costs.
“The most frustrating part of that is that many of these breweries built their business in neighborhoods that were less than desirable when they first opened, and now those same neighborhoods they helped rejuvenate are pricing them out of those locations,” Leone shared.
As a husband, father, and devoted beer craftsman, Castagna hopes to keep Bridge and Tunnel Brewery in its Ridgewood location long enough to see 2025. However, without community support, that goal may soon become impossible.
