Beer, Wine & Spirits in Riverhead

Beneath the low-hanging evergreen bows and weathered wood of the Deacon John Grave House—built in 1685—more than 40 microbreweries set up tents filled with kegs and bottles of suds. Foam flingers such as Blue Point, Harpoon, and Narragansett pour IPAs and summer ales, joining brewers of more exotic potions such as gluten-free beers or ales crafted by Trappist monks. As guests sip samples and snack on pizza and burgers, the deep bass vibrations of live bands aerate the beer for maximum flavor. All proceeds from the afternoon’s revelry go toward funding the SARAH Foundation, whose agencies provide programs and services for Connecticut residents with intellectual and other disabilities.

Boasting the largest selection of wines and spirits on Long Island, Young's features fermented grape juice from more than 15 countries and several hard-to-find liquors, from brandies to vodkas. Its abundant supply of French and Italian wines allows vino enthusiasts to choose the pick of the litter from the countries that have protected their vineyards with Tesla coils and deflector shields since the 12th century. Detect the ripe raspberries in the graceful Bois Martin Bordeaux Rouge ($19.99). European dismissers can choose wines from Chile, South Africa, Australia, or the smooth Luna Benegas cabernet ($13.99), produced from 60-year-old vines in Argentina. Celebrate American independence from King Arthur and his ruthless red-coated horses by sipping on the spicy, vanilla-tinged 2003 chardonnay ($11.99) from Washington's Columbia Crest. Imbibers searching for a non-grapey liquid can inspect Young's stock of spirits, such as Bushmills Black Bush Irish whiskey ($36.99), a dark-chocolate and raisin-based spirit, far tastier than mixing raisins, Hershey's bars, and boiling water in a bathtub.

In a gently lit space, Peruvian tapas slip onto dark wooden tables, unfurling banners of steam that hints at imported Peruvian ingredients and golden aji chilies. Rice, brought to the rich hue of saffron, stews slowly in paella pans, which distribute warmth across a slowly rolling sea of chorizo, mussels, little-neck clams, and calamari. Steaks drop onto plates, laced with delicate scorch marks as though they’d asked a dragon’s waist size. In bowl of ceviche, citric juices sink into seafood, and glasses of wine chime together to punctuate the babble of conversation. Silverware clatters on plates of calamari and trout with mashed yucca, and influences from China and Italy shine through in a handful of dishes.