Welcome to West Shore Brewing Company! We’re an up-and-coming brewery in Western New York and we’re excited to be joining a large family of local breweries. As we near closer and closer to the launch of our first offering—Historic Rail Pale Ale (an American Pale Ale)—you may be wondering about our name. Where did it come from and what does it mean? Well, so glad you asked!
We’re named after the historic West Shore Railroad
Our namesake dates all the way back to 1885, when the West Shore line was born. Over the years it became a subsidiary of the New York Central Railroad, as their more profitable route allowed for a more complete system. The West Shore ran from Weehawken, NJ up the West Shore of the Hudson to Albany, and then on to Buffalo. For this reason, it was used primarily to transport freight, though it did offer some passenger service, as well. [For more about the West Shore Railway see our About Us section]
Unfortunately, the one thing we can all rely on is change. In 1952, the West Shore Railroad formally merged with the New York Central and was no longer recognized under its original name. However, some of the rail line is still around today and is in use by CSX, primarily up the Hudson, and around Rochester. In recent years the Western portions of the route have been abandoned, the most recent being converted to a bike path through Clarence and Akron.
We’re hoping the memory of this historic line is rekindled by the launch of the West Shore Brewing Company.
Working on the railroad—it’s in our blood
West Shore’s owner and operator, Josh Dziomba, has a unique interest in the rail line for one major reason: his great grandfather, Anthony Borysik was employed by West Shore from 1918 – 1968, so the railway is near and dear to Josh’s heart. Anthony worked primarily on the Syracuse division over the majority of his career, hauling freights over the West Shore as well as passenger trains out of Central Terminal by the 1960’s. It’s this investment in the establishment of New York’s history—and what the railroad has meant to his family—that is so important to Josh. Which is why West Shore was the only namesake that fit quite right when planning his brewery.
Remnants of the past
Coming soon, you’ll have access to a small slice of American history. We hope you’ll sip West Shore’s carefully crafted brews and imagine a different time and place—when New York State was a place less traveled, and our livelihood relied on Iron Horses traveling swiftly along rivers, through fields and past forests to deliver both goods and people safely to their charted destinations.
