The Real McCoy Beer Co. lawsuits are a pair of dueling actions tied to the collapse of the craft brewery’s Slip 12 brewpub in Albany. Landlord Redburn Development Partners is suing owner Mike Bellini for $713,948.15 in unpaid rent and related debts, and Bellini has countersued the project’s architect and contractor for more than $3.3 million, blaming construction delays and an 84 percent cost overrun for putting the business under. All three Real McCoy locations have closed.
Redburn’s Suit Against Bellini
Redburn Development Partners evicted Real McCoy from the Slip 12 space in November 2025 after roughly six months of inconsistent operation and unpaid bills. A lease termination notice was posted at the property on November 11, 2025.1Times Union. Real McCoy Beer Slip 12 Albany Warehouse Closed
Redburn’s complaint against Bellini and Real McCoy Beer Co. seeks $713,948.15, broken down as:2Albany Business Journal. Redburn Development Sues Real McCoy Beer
- More than $177,000 in unpaid rent, maintenance, and utilities.
- $90,000 owed to subcontractors who filed liens against the property, which Redburn says Bellini is responsible for.
- More than $446,000 of a $480,000 tenant improvement allowance Redburn had provided under the lease.3Times Union. Real McCoy Beer Slip 12 Warehouse Redburn
Bellini’s Suit Against the Architect and Contractor
On March 20, 2026, Bellini and Real McCoy Beer Co. filed suit in New York State Supreme Court in Albany against Cotler Architecture, a Latham firm led by principal Derek Gribulis, and Northeastern Construction Services of Colonie, led by Mark Gambacorta. The complaint alleges breach of contract and seeks compensatory damages “in excess of $3,301,433.”4Yahoo News. Real McCoy Beer Co. Blames Architect, Builder
Bellini blames the two firms for the delays and cost overruns he says destroyed his business. The suit also accuses Cotler Architecture of failing to report or supervise the contractor’s delays and ballooning costs, allegedly to preserve Cotler’s business relationship with Northeastern Construction Services.4Yahoo News. Real McCoy Beer Co. Blames Architect, Builder
Collecting from Northeastern may be difficult. As of late May 2026, the company appears to be defunct: its website is offline, its phone number is disconnected, its Facebook page has not been updated in nearly two years, and reporters could not locate contact information for Gambacorta.4Yahoo News. Real McCoy Beer Co. Blames Architect, Builder
The Construction Problems Behind the Dispute
The Slip 12 build-out was contracted to take 95 days and cost roughly $800,000, with a completion deadline of February 10, 2023. A certificate of occupancy was not issued until March 13, 2025, more than two years past deadline, and the final price came in at approximately $1.48 million, an 84 percent increase, even though the scope of work was never modified.4Yahoo News. Real McCoy Beer Co. Blames Architect, Builder
When the brewpub opened in mid-May 2025, the brewing equipment sat idle because required electrical work had not been completed. Bellini blamed insufficient electrical infrastructure at the site.5Times Union. Real McCoy Beer Slip 12 Albany Warehouse Review According to his complaint, he could not pay the electrical subcontractor because of the broader overruns, leaving a space designed as the company’s main production site unable to produce beer.6Times Union. Real McCoy Slip 12 Lawsuit
Other Debts Hanging Over the Brewery
The two lawsuits are not the full picture of Real McCoy’s obligations. Records indicate that small-business lender Pursuit made loans to the brewery totaling $1.4 million, secured by the brewing equipment now sitting unused inside the Slip 12 space.6Times Union. Real McCoy Slip 12 Lawsuit State tax records from mid-February 2026 show the company owes more than $27,000 in unpaid sales taxes.4Yahoo News. Real McCoy Beer Co. Blames Architect, Builder
What Happened to Real McCoy’s Locations
Real McCoy had three locations at its peak: the original Delmar garage where the brewery was founded in 2016, a Ballston Spa taproom in the historic Abner Doubleday House that opened around 2019, and the Slip 12 brewpub.7Times Union. Real McCoy Sets Opening Date at Albany’s Slip 12 All three are now closed. The Ballston Spa taproom served its last pint under the Real McCoy name on December 29, 2025.8NEWS10. Real McCoy in Ballston Spa Closing Taproom to Undergo Rebrand The Delmar location closed by the end of 2025, although its state liquor license remains active.3Times Union. Real McCoy Beer Slip 12 Warehouse Redburn The company’s website has been taken down.
Where the Litigation Stands
As of late May 2026, both suits remain active and are in discovery.3Times Union. Real McCoy Beer Slip 12 Warehouse Redburn Trevor Telisky of Telisky Law, who represents Redburn, has said his client’s claims are “unaffected” by Bellini’s separate action against the architect and builder. “We look forward to prosecuting (it) irrespective of any third-party actions,” Telisky stated.4Yahoo News. Real McCoy Beer Co. Blames Architect, Builder
Redburn has since obtained legal clearance over the contents of the Slip 12 brewpub space and is marketing it for lease at approximately $13,000 per month. The space includes a nanobrewery, a bar, a custom kitchen with a wood-fired pizza oven, and seating for more than 400. No new tenant had been announced as of late May 2026.9Yahoo News. Real McCoy Exit From Slip 12