Seneca Lodge Craft Brewing

 

Went there with my wife in the fall of 2016. This place is awesome. The service was fantastic and the food was prepared perfectly. Their prices are very responsible. In their defense of their beer selection, they told me they were in the process of expanding their brewery. My wife and I can't wait to go back.

 

What a unique place. I was very happy to find. A museum of local history on the walls as you drink very good in-house brews. Met some very nice, fun servers and customers.

From Corning it was a short drive to Watkins Glen, and I took the wife to Seneca Lodge. This is an old mountain resort with your classic wood cabins and things. It is dated and old (just like the clientele), but charming.

The bar is unique, filled to the brim with stuff, tchotchkes, racing memorabilia and several layers of dust. Most folks were drinking Michelob Ultra or cheap red wine and waiting for a table to feast at the buffet in the communal dining hall. It was like stepping back in an old postcard from the 50's.

Only five beers on tap: IPA, Session Pale, Blonde, Amber, Peach Blonde. We had the IPA, of course, and it sure was decent. Lounging outside with views of Watkins Glen and the mountains and the lake was fabulous.

I would recommend this place for its uniqueness, if not for the beer.

 

 

Only stopped in for a drink,great vibe, very historic for F1 and NASCAR fans

 

This place is a legend. Where else can you belly up to a bar and view significant vintage racing memorabilia surrounded by unique taxidermy, old firearms and other ephemera, all ramdomly pierced by arrows?
The proprietor Jack Brubaker is a living legend I'm these parts, and he and his staff serve up local brews, imported favorites, and now even have their own brews on tap.
This bar is my 'happy place', and I try to vacation in the area every year or so. Many legendary nights have transpired within these hallowed walls... some of which I even remember!
Located on the entrance to Watkins Glen State Park, it is not unusual to sit out on the deck near dusk and watch deer grazing nearby.
They also rent rustic cabins and motel rooms, and its neat to have your wakeup call delivered by some racing club roaring around famous Watkins Glen International, several miles away.
Oh, right... this is B/A... yea... Jack makes good beer!

Seneca Lodge is located near the Watkins Glen "Gorge" State Park. This used to be the regular hangout for Formula 1 drivers from the 1950s until the 1970s. The bar room, which is off the main dining hall, is festooned with old Formula 1 memorabilia. In addition there are over a hundred college pennants hanging on the walls. The look of the entire place, as the name implies, is rustic.

I've only started to go to Seneca Lodge when I found out they were brewing. They have a large nano-brew kit in the back and are expecting to expand within the coming year (as of November 2012). Currently they feature five of their brews. These include staples like their IPA, APA, and Porter. They seasonally rotate the other two taps. Recently they had a fairly good pumpkin ale on tap. On of their better seasonal offerings is an amber-hued "Belgian Ale" that they feature in the Spring. None of the beers are outstanding, however they offer good quality at a reasonable price. Their IPA is probably their most enjoyable "regular" brew. Look for regular changes based on the seasons, they never seem to have the same rotational beers for very long. This is due to the small batches being made. I always look forward to a tasting at Seneca Lodge after a day spent on the Finger Lakes wine trail. Nothing like beer after wine.