EAST FISHKILL, N.Y. -- Sports fans, beer fans and even families were pumped on Sunday afternoon to get their first looks at Sloop Brewing Co.'s newest location at the former IBM plant in East Fishkill.

"My father worked on this site for 37 or 38 years," said Rudy Saporite, who was sitting at a picnic-style table with about 15 family and friends.

Saporite has seen the plant (now known as the Hudson Valley Research Park) go from bustling to almost vacant, until a recent efforts to revitalize the nearly forgotten property.

Saporite said he was blown away to learn the brewers who popularized the Juice Bomb IPA were coming to his neighborhood.

"To see this site developed into something usable is awesome," Saporite said. "For that 'something usable' to be a really awesome brewing company it's even better."

Sloop started as two friends selling their beer at farmers markets throughout the Hudson Valley in 2012.

It then moved into a barn in Elizaville in 2014, only to "max it out" within four years.

The updated 25,000 square-foot facility maintains an industrial vibe and pays homage to the previous occupants by makiung use of old equipment that was left behind.

A set of old lockers holds condiments -- each compartment is labeled. Floppy disks decorate the glass-top bar. A gas control panel with as many buttons as are in a cockpit has been simplified to have one working button and one function.

"We said, 'what can we use this for?'" said Sloop Brewing Co. Director of Sales and Marketing Joe Turco. "So we put a chiller inside, and ran water lines through it, so you got cold water coming out of there."

Turco said the decision to move most of Sloop's operations to this research park was an easy one.

He said the new location will allow the company to brew more (and different) beers, offer food and get new markets hooked.

"Location was huge," Turco said. "Trailers can come off I-84, pick up beer right at the loading docks, and get right back on the roads."

This weekend's grand opening was also a homecoming celebration of sorts.

While it is available throughout the Northeast, the first Sloop beer sold back in 2012 was sold in here in Dutchess County.

To Turco, it makes sense for the company to take its next steps steps in canning and food service here, just of I-84.

"We're kind of coming home," Turco said.