Clemson Bros. Brewery at The Gilded Otter

Clemson Bros. Brewery at The Gilded OtterClemson Bros. Brewery at The Gilded Otter
Clemson Bros. Brewery at The Gilded OtterClemson Bros. Brewery at The Gilded Otter
Brewery, Bar, Eatery

3 Main St
New Paltz, New York, 12561
United States

(845) 256-1700 | map
gildedotter.com
BEER STATS
Average:
3.6
Beers:
32
Ratings:
245
PLACE STATS
Average:
3.75
Reviews:
57
Ratings:
76
pDev:
14.13%
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by garuda:
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Rated by garuda from Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -6.7%

Oct 09, 2013
More User Ratings:
Photo of geektastically
Rated by geektastically from New York

4.75/5  rDev +26.7%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | food: 5
my absolute favorite place.
Mar 17, 2019
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Reviewed by crenegar from New Jersey

3.85/5  rDev +2.7%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 3.75 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5
Haven't been here recently but am planning to visit this weekend so I will try to update this review. In checking out the website I see they are charging $7 for a beer, that's pretty steep for a brewpub. I can get beers in the city for less than this. It says 16oz too but unless they are using different glasses than the last time I was there the pours are the stupid shaker glasses so we're looking at more like 14oz. At $36 for a six pack equivalent, maybe I won't be visiting this weekend.
Jan 16, 2017
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Reviewed by eluvah from New York

3.08/5  rDev -17.9%
vibe: 2.5 | quality: 3.75 | service: 2.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 2
Went for lunch. 2 other people at a big bar. The bartender barely acknowledged me. Had the Irish Stout. The beer was good, a solid offering for this style. Had the southwest chicken sandwich with a side of fries. Everything was over cooked. The total for the meal without tip was $22. I left feeling like I was robbed.
Mar 29, 2016
 
Rated: 3.66 by Soloveitchik from New York

Mar 27, 2016
 
Rated: 4.26 by BuddyZ from Pennsylvania

Oct 12, 2015
 
Rated: 3 by schroeder1200 from New Jersey

Aug 23, 2015
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Reviewed by Rifugium from North Dakota

3.59/5  rDev -4.3%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 3 | service: 4 | selection: 3.75 | food: 3.75
We chopped up a VT trip by stopping in here for lunch. Very large space, huge bar, lots of tables, lodge-like restaurant kind of vibe. Not very intimate, but certainly quite nice. I wasn't too impressed by any of the beers, but judging by what seemed to be a list of every beer they've ever made lining the walls, I'd say they're definitely good at experimenting with different styles. The Irish stout was decent, but everything else I had was pretty basic, and not really good. Service was fine. Food was pretty good, with a menu containing lots of pub grub, as well as some more interesting entrees.

It's definitely worth stopping in here if you're in the area, but considering the beer, I'd say it's probably not worth going out of the way for.
Aug 01, 2015
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Reviewed by Eamonn-Cummings3 from New York

3.65/5  rDev -2.7%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5
Beautiful looking place right along the river. It can get very busy at certain times of year, so it shows a little wear and tear. Beer selection is always good and varied with a focus on German styles. The beer is not always great but often at least good. Food is more hit or miss than the beer.
May 08, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by mikebogs33 from New York

Feb 27, 2015
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Reviewed by DoubleSimcoe from Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -20%
New Paltz is a seriously lovely town with some good bars, restaurants, shops and the Shawangunk Mountain escarpment behind as a gorgeous backdrop. Gilded Otter was my second and last beery stop during my quick visit to the Paltz on a beautiful, cold late-autumn day.

At the edge of town (or the beginning of it if you come from the Shawangunk range), the Otter is a large brewhouse with a vast wrap-around bar, a massive dining area and lots of light. The Canadian-mountain-lodge thing It’s got going is the same I’ve seen in countless breweries around the country, particularly those located near the mountains (Adirondack comes to mind, but also Uncle Buck’s in Grapevine, Texas).

When I visited on a Monday afternoon only a couple of die-hard mountain men (all beards, red cheeks and warm wool hats) were at the bar, drinking and then drinking again. The seven beers on tap were unexciting to say the least. This appears to be a Brown-IPA-Amber kind of brewery, if you know what I mean. I tried the Stone House Cream Stout and didn’t like it. Too heavy, too sweet. They also have a Kolsch, an IPA and a Dunkelweizen.

Seven dollars for a pint, $4.75 for a ten-ounce pour. They also offer 22-oz servings, pitchers and growlers. Service was alright, atmosphere was so-so and the beer was not so good, so I don’t feel enticed to come back any moment soon. Baccus just up the road is a much better option for beer.
Dec 13, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by Mikexw from New York

Nov 17, 2014
 
Rated: 3.76 by Gkruszewski from New York

Nov 07, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by Spreetaper from New York

Sep 02, 2014
Photo of jam_fanz
Reviewed by jam_fanz from New York

3/5  rDev -20%
The food here is excellent but i find the beers to be bland. I've been here lots of times and have never been impressed with any of the beers. Not horrible by any means just kind of OK.
Aug 30, 2014
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Reviewed by WillieThreebiers from Connecticut

3.91/5  rDev +4.3%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 3.75 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5
Recently returned, now that Clemson Bros have bought out Gilded Otter. Place layout is pretty much unchanged, 2 floors of table seating and a curvy bar that seats about 25. More beers on tap, both CB & GO offering. Friendly service. Reasonable food.
Aug 12, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by mdowes from Connecticut

Aug 04, 2014
 
Rated: 2.5 by traxstar7 from Texas

Jul 17, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by mmmbeerNY from New York

Jun 05, 2014
 
Rated: 2 by NJBeer265 from New Jersey

Jun 02, 2014
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Reviewed by orcrist_cleaver from New York

3.45/5  rDev -8%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 3.25
Set on the far end of town in a scenic spot overlooking the Walkill River Valley beyond to the 'Gunks, the exterior stonework and the timber rafters inside make it look like a mountain lodge. The dining room is set amongst copper brewing kettles, a bar gigantic bar (75 feet plus), and an upstairs loft. It can get VERY noisy in here and at times sounds like a cafeteria (this sense is added to that silverware is left in holders on the table-nice when you drop you first fork on the floor I guess). In the summer, I'd recommend sitting on the outside patio. The wait service is not always up to par, but it is a college town meaning a lot of turnover. The bartends stick around long enough to know your name though.
The food is consistently adequate, and the base menu hasn't changed much in the last few years; however, the head chef seems to put some interesting specials on. Their wings are exceptional especially if you mix the bbq and hot sauces together.
In back of the bar is a series of cascading glazed, wooden signs etched with beers they have brewed, numbering around 30+. They usually only dabble with about a third of those, and some seem to be retired for good. You can always expect some combination of a kolsch, light lager, amber, pale, ipa, stout, seasonal, and altbier. Yeah, they also make a pretty darn good root beer, even better when mixed w/ Wild Turkey. Prices are high @ $7/pint. Growlers are $16.20. Go b/t 4-6 during the week for happy hour when they lower beer prices and app prices to $5.
This place seemed to be stuck in a rut, satisfied with maintaining the status quo. I've noticed some recent innovations w/ menu specials as well as the return of some beers, which hopefully suggest they have found their swag again.
Jun 01, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by acurtis from New Jersey

May 09, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by Paul68 from New Jersey

Mar 01, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by metter98 from New York

Feb 09, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by sirsteve42 from New York

Jan 29, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by shoretaxi from New Jersey

Jan 25, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by LizCollins from New York

Oct 21, 2013
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Reviewed by Freggs from New York

2.98/5  rDev -20.5%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 2.5 | service: 3 | selection: 3 | food: 3.5
I was on a weekend getaway in the Catskills and wanted to check out New Paltz. After driving through the zombie apocalypse formerly known as the "Borscht Belt" I was glad to reach the other side of the mountains. The brewery hits you as soon as you enter the town from route 299E.

This was on Easter Sunday, so I didn't expect a large crowd, and there wasn't. The bar, which is large and sits facing some sweet copper brew vats, was virtually empty. The restaurant itself was wide open with lots of natural light, very nice. The host was friendly and promptly sat us by a bunch of stainless steel vats at the center of the building. Definitely your typical Easter Sunday crowd of large families, however the restaurant is large. Gilded Otter has a "newish" Catskill mountain lodge vibe. Once we were seated we ordered a flight. Here's where it got pricey, they only has six beers, and one was kicked so they made a black and tan instead. Each taster was 3 oz and cost $8 (for the six). That's higher then I typically pay. All the drafts were $6 and served in 14oz glassware. Again, expensive.

The six beers included the following, a light lager, an amber, another "hopper" amber, an IPA, a altbier, and an Irish stout. Then the black and tan of course (mix of IPA and Irish stout). The light lager was ghastly. Not sure if the glass hadn't been rinsed or what, but it tasted like old bathroom soap and smelled of it too. The "ambers" were lifeless and again imbued a taste of soapiness. Next, the IPA, which was a bit more interesting, but still fairly tame. My wife thought it left a weird wax taste on the pallet, which it did. The alt was decent and was definitely the best of the lineup. Finally, the Irish stout. Brewed in the style of a dry stout you would expect some roasted manliness, but it frankly didn't have much going on. Still, it was drinkable.

At least the food was better, and it came out ten minutes after we ordered. That allowed us to leave quickly as well! Next time you are in New Paltz, don't waste your money at Gilded Otter, go to Bacchus instead. I'd give it a couple of years, then try the place again, perhaps improvements will be made.

Overall - Too expensive for what they are serving. The glassware was undoubtedly "soapy" and the beers left a lot to be desired.
Apr 12, 2013
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Reviewed by JessicaLeigh from Massachusetts

3.98/5  rDev +6.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3.5
I've been going to the Gilded Otter for a few years now every time I get to New Paltz, which is a cool little town. In the summer the GO has a tiny patio that overlooks the road- and it is hard to get seating outdoors, which is OK by me. I'd rather be inside looking at the tanks. I love the board of beer names, but they don't always have what is up there. Which is disappointing because some of them sound awesome. The food (some local ingredients/items) and service (lots of college kids) are pretty good. I have taken a growler or two back to Massachusetts with me and the beer is decent- a little overpriced. In that area it was the only game going for a while so I think it was the novelty factor more than anything else. Now you can scoot across the Hudson and hit up a few other brewpubs. GO is a good place overall and being a lover of motorcycles- there's always a few nice bikes to eyeball in the parking lot on the way out. In the fall, go hiking and pumpkin picking and then hit up the GO afterwards.
Feb 08, 2013
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Reviewed by tobelerone from New Jersey

3.4/5  rDev -9.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.5
This was a pretty pleasant place to visit on a late afternoon in early spring. There are tables outside but even indoors, with lots of pine and tons of windows, sunlight was streaming in and it was pretty lovely.

Service was adequately attentive and friendly. I didn't eat but despite the so so comments here and elsewhere the food looked decent enough and ran the gamut from standard bar food to slightly more upscale pub dinner stuff.

The beer is pretty mixed. I had a flight and a few pints and cant say I was terribly impressed. None of the beers were excellent; a few were good, a few were mediocre, and a few were bad. Prices are a little on the high side across the board; I believe growler fills were 15 dollars, which seemed absurd to me given the quality of what they're brewing here.

Long story short this place is worth a pop in for a taste if you don't have super high expectations going in. Again, its a pleasant setting to spend an hour or two in but the beer is unremarkable.
Apr 10, 2012
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Reviewed by bourbonbock from New York

3.75/5  rDev 0%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 3
I've been to the otter a few times now and have been very pleased. Definitely a place to drop by for happy hour or dinner.

A. This place has a great vibe since its in New Paltz and right near the river. There is a great patio and an expansive bar with plenty of tables. The lighting is great and the staff is very accomodating but the acoustics make it hard to talk if someone is a few seats down.

Q. The beers are refreshing and always hit the spot. Nothing stands out as extrordinary but a very solid selection. The food is average which seems to be because they rush the food right to the table. Nice selection of entrees and bar food some of which is made with the beer itself.

S. The staff has always been great and is able to accommodate any request in a reasonable time.

Get the wisconsin cheese curds!
Jan 21, 2012
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Reviewed by Beerquester from Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -6.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 2.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5
This place was easy to find at the end of the main street just before the river in downtown New Palz. Plenty of parking and the building is newer and has a rustic lodge type feel to it, with some outdoor seating. They don't open until 4:00 pm. presumably to leave mornings free for brewing in their inhouse system.

We sat at the bar and ordered a sampler of the beers, which totalled 8. I wasn't too impressed with the first one and kept trying others, hoping to come across one to my liking. Worked my way all through them and still not all that impressed. In the end, I was all psyched up by the nice web page, the nice restaurant, the beer selection, only to be disappointed with the beer quality.

A board on the wall listed over 30 beer styles which they have brewed this year and will brew soon. I suggest to the brewer to try fewer styles and make them better quality and more consistent. The menu listed awards won for their beers in 2000, 2001. I wondered why nothing more recent.

I did order a pint of the blueberry wheat which they add a handful of fresh blueberries to the top. This one wasn't as bad as the others.

Bottom line, don't go too much out of your way if you want good beer. If travelling through the area, I suggest Keegan Ales in Kingston, one exit up the road.
Aug 16, 2011
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Reviewed by TheDeuce from New York

3.6/5  rDev -4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3 | selection: 4 | food: 4
Gilded Otter Brewing Company…in New Paltz, NY.
Stopped here in the middle of Ragnar Relay New York, a punishing relay in Upstate.

Atmosphere – large old stone building, decent looking on a quiet street at the end of New Paltz. Inside there are two floors, large bar with tables surrounding. We sat at a six seater. Nice looking.

Quality – I was only able to have one beer given that we were still running a long term relay. That said the beer was quality and some of the others I had a look at seemed decent too. Nice mix of styles as well.

Service – We had a new waitress, polite and eager, but needed some help at times. No problem and no major issues.
Selection- again seemed to have a nice mix, some seasonals, and a range from stouts and IPAs to German specialty bocks.

Food- Had a burger, we mostly stuck to sandwiches, food was good, maybe a little overpriced.

Value- decent for what we got.

Overall-enjoyed being able to stop in, would love to come back and try more.
May 25, 2011
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Reviewed by Sammy from Canada (ON)

3.26/5  rDev -13.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3
Sizeable, bright, airy restaurant/brewpub wth passable beers.A good sized bar. Nothing special, and the stff as is typical in these large places do not know their beers, or make up an answer. At least the beer was not served too cold. Nice town,I suggest on walk about if you are here, but was very crowded mid-August day. Friendly service. Not worth going too far out of way, was on my route to Albany. But you can pass up this place if time is important, and not miss much. More of a family restaurant.
Aug 21, 2010
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Reviewed by UDbeernut from Florida

3.88/5  rDev +3.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4
Located on the next to the Plattekill River just west of the center of new Paltz is on of the few brewpubs in the Hudson Valley.

The Gilded Otter has a large resturant area with plenty of tables, a fairly sizeable bar, and a nice patio for good weather.

On draft are usually around 8 beers, all of which they brew on premise. Most beers are tasty and close to their respective style.

Food is usual pub food well executed. Atmosphere is a nice mix, nothing roudy or out of hand.

I think the food is a bit expensive but New Paltz is a bit of a tourist area during the nicer weather.
Aug 10, 2010
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Reviewed by donniecuffs from New Jersey

3.68/5  rDev -1.9%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
A: The first time I hit this place, it was chock full of down-to-earth locals and beer aficionados, but on several return trips, the fratboy and tourist quotient had gone up significantly. However, I do give the ski-lodge feel a thumbs up, and furthermore they occasionally have some nice relaxing jazz or acoustic live performances.

SEL/Q: The selection is always fairly varied, with up to eight taps open at times, and the brewer does a great job rotating in new seasonals. The quality though suffers from inconsistency. I've had some tremendous beers, only to return when a new batch is complete and find that the same beer style tastes totally different..and a few notches lower. The only beers that I've had which have been consistently good are the Rail Trail Pale Ale, the Hefeweizen, and the Altbier.

SRV: Similar to the Atmosphere, the service has taken somewhat of a dip in recent trips, with some of the tightly-dressed younger female bartenders paying more attention to some of the fratboy patrons than they should, and it takes a while to place your order. That being said, on some of my earlier trips the bartenders have been super friendly and knowledgeable.

F: I have never had a bad meal at this establishment. Nothing leaps out as the best meal I've ever had, but everything has been very tasty.

I'm going to wait until the college year is over before I go back, and see if the dip in atmosphere and service is just a seasonal thing.
Jan 19, 2010
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Reviewed by capps24 from New York

4.3/5  rDev +14.7%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
If you are looking for a good brewery/resteraunt in the New Paltz/Poughkeepsie area, this should be one of your stops. The atmosphere is top notch, some of the beers were very good (loved the Three Pines IPA) and the food was excellent as well.

There was a good crowd at the bar, and surrounding bar tables. Service was good as well. Very clean place.

I would reccomend pulling a seat up at the bar, and hanging out there. Much quicker service. I like the fact that they have all of their beer names on the wall, even if they are not in season. It gives you a chance to see what you could get for the future.

Definately going back soon!
Jan 02, 2010
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Reviewed by erosier from Connecticut

3.73/5  rDev -0.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 2.5
This place is at the end of a quaint downtown main street in New Paltz with a decent sized parking lot, but it was still full when we got there, I take that as a good sign. The atmosphere inside is good, it kind of feels like a town tavern after a long day of work, really a nice, warm, relaxing atmosphere.
Inside is really spacious but they have seating all over the place. Seating outside (with heaters) and seating upstairs as well as the main dining area. The bar area is kind of small compared to the place, but with 9 types of beer on tap, who is complaining, there's enough styles to keep everyone happy too. Stout, Alt, Pale Ale, Oktoberfest, Pumpkin, IPA, 2 Lagers, and a Dunkel. Really nice selection. No incredibly strong imperials which lets you drink more and probably doesn't cost as much to make. They have growlers, took a few of the Alt home with me.
The food selection was OK, there wasn't a whole lot and everything they had for dinner sounded really good with one strange ingredient that I didn't think went well together, but it was still pretty good food in the end. Service was good as well, they brought the growler right to my table! The food was reasonably priced, wasn't incredibly expensive but it wasn't cheap either. The beer was actually cheaper than what I was expecting so that is a plus.
Overall a pretty good experience and I would go back the next time I am in the area.
Oct 22, 2009
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Reviewed by BeerTwigs from New York

3.55/5  rDev -5.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5
The Gilded Otter is located in downtown New Paltz with a friendly atmosphere. The food is good, and the beer rotation fits the seasons. Of course I am not too much of a food critic so you can take that with a grain of salt. The have a solid beer line up and usually ramp up a few seasonals depending on the season. The Rail Trail IPA is a good brew as well as the Maibach... The Duseldorf Altbier is a tasty brown ale with a medium level of hops (2 Time GABF Winner). With Fall storming in I suggest stopping in to see there fall line up. I definitely suggest checking the place out
Sep 02, 2009
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Reviewed by cavedave from New York

4.25/5  rDev +13.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
A beautiful location, on the way out of New Paltz, next to the Wallkill River, next to the rail trail bike path, and in the shadow of the 'Gunks, holds a beautiful brewpub called The Gilded Otter.

The place is popular, on weekends and holidays, it is sure to be full. Service, however, is always prompt and knowledgeable. Their brewmaster, Mr. Currier, is quite talented, and beers range from interesting, to very good, with the one exception being their seasonal Imperial Stout, which is an absolutely world class stout. The Three Pines is always avail. though, and is a great take on an IPA (try it in a sampler). Growler pours are always spot on. Prices for both beer and food are on the border between reasonable and a bit pricey, but compare favorably to other brewpubs with less ambiance, worse service, no view.
Aug 10, 2009
Clemson Bros. Brewery at The Gilded Otter in New Paltz, NY
Brewery rating: 3.6 out of 5 with 245 ratings