Up in Saratoga

Druthers is right there in Saratoga. Their beer won't knock your socks off but it's solid and the food is pretty good. Common Roots is ~20 minutes north in Glens Falls and I like a lot of their stuff. And there's Power's Pub in Clifton Park -- I believe they sometimes get Hill Farmstead on draft but I could be mistaken.

Best to ask this in the Mid-Atlantic forum and hear from others who are local.

 

+1 for druthers, but yeah, wrong forum.

 

Hit EBI for packaged beer. Henry St. Taproom has a solid taplist and the typical beer bar/gastropub set-up. Saratoga's breweries are mediocre, Common Roots in S. Glens Falls is the best local producer. I don't like their "Light" series of IPAs, but their other beers are usually quite good.

 

Another vote for Henry St. Taproom. Great list there the one time I went.

 

I like Druthers. I like Henry Street tap room. There was a new brewery that I didnt get a chance to try last Summer --Artisanal Brew Works- its over by the Spa State park. Browns in Troy is decent and so is Albany pump station if its still there. I believe there was something else that just opened on Excelsior Avenue and I know its not the old Saratoga brewery --the address made it sound like it was past EBI towards I-87. I see you've gotten some decent responses from the New England crowd here but maybe ask a moderator to move this to the region that NY is in & maybe you'll get some additional ideas.

 

Shmaltz is about a 1 minute drive from exit 10 on the Northway.

 

Another vote for Common Roots. I enjoyed my visit there last summer.

 

Common Roots is the best brewery in the whole Capital Region, so that needs to be a stop you make. It's only about 15 mins North from Saratoga in South Glens Falls. If you do head up there, Mean Max is a mile north of CR on the same road -- BUT AVOID DAVDISON BROS. I REPEAT, AVOID DAVIDSON BROS.

As far as IN Saratoga:

- Artisinal Brew Works is doing some really nice things just outside the downtown area. Beautiful space, beers are cheap there and they've got a good variety. If it's nice out, take your beer downstairs and sit in the Adirondack chairs.

- Racing City Brewing just opened a few weeks ago. I went opening day and the only beer of their own they had on tap was a session IPA, solid enough. They've got a few more of their own things now, guest taps from other NY breweries and they also have wine.

- R.S. Taylor has a taproom south of the main drag that's really quiet and enjoyable. Awesome beers, too, and unlike pretty much anyone else they specialize in English-style beers. Their English IPAs are absolutely fantastic, the coconut cream stout is worth getting a couple growlers of and everyone there is very friendly.

- Druthers has solid beer, good food and a terrific outdoor space, just don't expect the beer to blow you away.

Bars:
- Pint Sized is the best beer bar in 'Toga. Just a terrific selection, a cozy space and they're also a bottle shop with a small but well-curated selection. Grab a beer and sit outside on their little patio and people watch.

- Henry St Tap Room has a great taplist, terrific food and a beautiful, inviting space. It skews on the expensive side, but for sure worth going.

- Saratoga City Tavern has the biggest taplist around. 50+ taps. You'll find some eh stuff on it but they're also guaranteed to have some things you haven't had and some standout beers.

- The Sinclair. Really, really cool spot. It's part arcade/craft bar/beer garden. Like HSTR, it can skew expensive, but it's tough to beat grabbing a great beer and playing Ninja Turtles the arcade game or Tekken 2.

- Spa City Tap & Barrel has good craft, but you're not gonna find HF, Industrial Arts, Hudson Valley or stuff like that there. They do, however, have darts, pool, TVs and Golden Tee.

Any more questions let me know. I'm in Saratoga all the time so I'm very familiar with anywhere you'd wanna go.

 

Forgot to mention but yeah, EBI is the best beer store in Toga. Big selection, plenty of fresh stock, good prices.

Avoid Minogue's like the absolute plague.

 

The local has a solid taplist and food. The barrel house across the street also has a good taplist.

If you are up for a little bit of a drive for world class beer Suarez family and sloop are right near each other and great

 

I have heard rumors about a new brewery coming to Saratoga. Anyone heard these?

 

https://www.saratoga.com/whatsnew/2018/03/food-drink-restaurant-news-roundup/

 

Thats around the block from where Olde Saratoga was. Easy stop off the Northway.

 

Yes sir ... very good ! I enjoy going there. There is also a craft distillery in the same building.

Artisanal came out with canned beer in stores, last year, but I have yet to buy it, as I object to the not-so-cheap price. As I've said elsewhere, I don't mind paying "bar" prices for pints at the taproom, but not at the beverage center. I have noted that they've lowered the price of their 4-packs since they first started selling in stores. Guess others felt the same as me.



Another recommendation would be the Saratoga Farmer's Market, Saturdays, May thru October in High Rock Park. Booze is an agricultural product in NYS !! In addition to farmers selling produce, and the handmade breads and cheeses, etc.,.. these days you can also find booths offering locally-produced beer, wine, cider, vodka, and so forth. Produced from NYS-grown ingredients.

 

Yeah Artisinal was super overpriced when they did that first canning run ($16-22) but they've settled into good pricing structures now. Their wit, oatmeal stout, etc are like $11-12 for a 4-pack, pale ales are a buck or two more and IPAs/DIPAs are like $16.

 

I have now heard from a few different people who live in Saratoga that another brewery may be coming to town. Not Racing City but a new one. Not sure if anyone else has heard this but could be cool for the town.

 

R.S Taylor & Sons is a farmstead brewery in nearby Washington County NY. They have recently opened, not a new brewery, but a 'satellite' taproom in downtown Saratoga Springs. Maybe that is what you heard about. Could prove to be a gold mine during racing season, if they do things right.

 

Thanks for this thread!

Are there any cheaper alternatives to EBI in the area? Been there once and they had a good selection, but if I remember correctly their prices weren't the best.

 

In Saratoga? No. And honestly, compared to the region at large, EBI is in line with anyone else.

Saratoga also has Minogue's (which is awful, do not go there) and Pint Sized. Pint Sized can skew a little more expensive, but they're a tiny shop and they sell zero macro, so I get having to charge a little more than a place like EBI for craft.

Also, EBI's selection is MUCH better now than it was even 2-3 years ago. Only downside is you can't grab loose cans/bottles out of any of the 4 or 6-packs that you want.