Cazenovia resident David Katleski, president of the New York State Craft Brewers Guild and owner of Empire Brewing Co., has been honored by the national Brewers Association for his “tireless efforts to make regulatory reform possible and change legislation” in New York state.

Katleski, who is currently working to develop a new farmstead brewery location for Empire off Route 13 in Cazenovia, received the F.X. Matt Defense of the Industry Award at the national Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America in Washington D.C., and accepted the award in front of 6,000 attendees and industry peers.

“It came as a great surprise,” Katleski told the Cazenovia Republican. “It’s certainly nice to be recognized by my peers for something I just thought was the right thing to do. I’m just trying to help New York grow.”

Katleski, who has been in the brewing industry for 20 years and founded the New York State Craft Brewers Guild 10 years ago, was specifically recognized for his efforts supporting and lobbying for the passage of five major pieces of brewery reform legislation passed in New York in recent years. These pieces of legislation include the small brewers bill, the farm brewers bill, the production tax credit, the brand label registration exemption and the alcoholic beverages transportation permit bill. These laws have helped reduce various and onerous taxes, fees, laws and regulations on small brewers throughout the state, with some even being considered at the national level.

“These have been good for New York and good for farmers,” he said. “Agriculture is the number one business in New York.”

Katleski, Empire Brewing Co. and the New York State Craft Brewers Guild are currently working to improve and increase the growth and malting of barley for beer production in the state, as well as working with Morrisville State College to create an accredited brewing program to educate students on the agricultural culture of beer. He said he hopes the Empire Brewing Co. brewery and restaurant location in Armory Square in downtown Syracuse may be used as the model for the program.

“The beer industry is growing by leaps and bounds in New York and Empire is on the cutting edge,” he said. “It’s not just about building a farm brewery in Cazenovia; it’s much greater than that.”

Empire beers have won numerous awards in national and international competitions, and have been widely recognized for their high quality. This latest recognition for Katleski as the “Defender of the Industry” will give him, his company and his state association greater recognition, respect and appreciation on the state and national levels. He already has had other state brewing associations looking to him for advice and guidance as they pursue their own legislative agendas, he said.

The 30th annual Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America for the nation’s small and independent craft brewers was held March 26 to 29 in Washington D.C. The CBC is the largest industry event, with thousands of attendees offered 80 seminars focusing on topics including sustainability, sales, packaging and export development, along with daily receptions, brewery tours and hospitalities.

With 2,336 breweries operating in the U.S. by the end of 2012 — an estimated 98 percent of which are craft-and another 1,254 breweries in planning — craft brewers are economic engines, bringing jobs, tourism and capital to communities around the country, according to the CBC.

For more information on the New York State Brewers Association, visit thinknydrinkny.com. For more information on Empire Brewing Company, visit empirebrew.com.

Jason Emerson is editor of the Cazenovia Republican. He can be reached at [email protected].