Syracuse, N.Y. — What do you call a sports team that wins three out of four championships? A dynasty, right?
The Ale ‘n Angus Pub in downtown Syracuse is now a dynasty. It won the New York Beef Council’s “Best NY Burger” contest Monday for the third time in four years.
That makes Ale ‘N Angus owners Randy and Anne Beach and their son, Matt, candidates for the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) in the world of burgers. Think NFL quarterback Tom Brady and his seven Super Bowl rings.
And the Ale ‘n Angus, at 238 Harrison St., has two other wins in a previous incarnation of the statewide burger contest. So that’s five total victories.
The winning burger in Monday’s four-finalist cook-off at Onondaga Community College was the Ale ‘n Angus “Hot n’ Smokey Candied Bacon Burger.” It combines an 8-ounce Angus beef burger with jack cheese, candied bacon, a house-made onion spread, chipotle mayonnaise and honey.
“It was Matt’s creation,” Randy Beach said. “He’s the MVP.”
The “AG Burger” from the Angry Garlic restaurant in Baldwinsville took second place in the 2021 contest. Other finalists were the “Mick Jigga” burger from Illusive Restaurant in Rensselaer and the “Benny Burger” from Ben’s Fresh in Port Jervis.
The finalists were selected via an online nominating and voting process that began in April.
“It was a tough one,” Randy Beach said of the final round. “That burger from Angry Garlic looked mighty good.”
The burger contest has always been a way to promote New York-raised beef and the restaurants that use it, said Jean O’Toole, executive director of the Oneida County-based beef council. That’s even more important now, she said.
“I think it’s really important now that we’re coming back and our tastebuds are craving those great burgers and other things,” O’Toole said. “And now we can go out an enjoy them in the community and with the camraderie at your favorite burger place.”
Although the contest has been run since at least 2011, the rules changed four years ago to ensure that no specific burgers repeat as winners. Previous winning restaurants must now enter a new burger.
Ale ‘n Angus won twice in the old format with its Power Play Burger, an Angus patty topped with prime rib and American cheese. (The pub is located just down the street from the Onondaga County War Memorial, and is a home bar for the Syracuse Crunch and its fans).
The Power Play won again in 2018, the first year of the new format. In 2019, Ale ‘n Angus won again for it Beef on Weck burger — a griddled burger topped with sliced roast beef, cheddar cheese and horseradish sauce on a kummelwick roll.
In 2020, the Ale ‘n Angus run was interrupted when the top burger went to the “The Mighty Declan Burger” from Monirae’s in Pennellville, Oswego County.
O’Toole is hoping to put together a NY Burger Tour promotion featuring the winning burgers and finalists from recent burger contests.
She’s also hoping to launch an online contest pitting Ale ‘n Angus’ 2021 New York winner against this year’s winner from Iowa, since the Iowa Beef Council is a sponsor of the New York contest.
At Ale ‘n Angus, the new winner will go on the menu alongside previous winners and other burgers.
Although the pandemic seem to be winding down, the pub’s hours are still somewhat limited due to the lack of office workers downtown, the difficulty in finding staff and other other factors. It’s open now 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday.
“We’re hoping to get back to normal soon,” Beach said. “It’s been a long year.”
The “Hot n’ Smokey Candied Bacon Burger" from the Ale 'n Angus Pub in downtown Syracuse won the Best NY Burger Contest for 2021 sponsored by the New York Beef Council. From left are owners Randy Beach, Anne Beach and their son, Matt Beach.
More on restaurants and dining in CNY:
First Look: Popular Marshall Street restaurant reemerges in Fairmount with a fresh approach
Four Upstate NY pizzerias named best pies in the state
Rides and games coming to the NY State Fair Food Fest starting this week
First Look: A trendy Syracuse diner transitions from colorful breakfasts to exotic burgers and fries
Don Cazentre writes for NYup.com, syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. Reach him at dcazentre@nyup.com, or follow him at NYup.com, on Twitter or Facebook.