So I will be driving from the Harrisburg area up to Rochester, NY for other reasons. Just wondering if there is anywhere worth stopping on the way. Scanning the route I'll be taking, looks like maybe Selin's Grove Brewing in Selinsgrove, PA is a must stop. Another promising one is CB Craft Brewers in Honeoye Falls, NY.
I can assure that CB Craft Brewers is not a promising choice, don't bother. The beer is just really not all that good. Bullfrog Brewery seems to be on your way, I think that's definitely a must stop. I would check out Horseheads Brewing, in Horseheads, NY. Abandon Brewing Company in Penn Yan, NY is quite good, as well. The Olney Place on Keuka Lake has a great taplist usually, with great food as well. When you get to Rochester, hit up Stoneyard Brewing in Brockport or Roc Brewing in Rochester. Don't miss AJ's Beer Warehouse in Henrietta or Nathaniel Square Corner Store in Rochester if you want to hit some bottle shops.
Thanks guys. Definitely had my eye on Stoneyard as I'll be riding my bike on the canal trail in that direction. I might check out Bullfrog, but what turned me off of them was I had their Edgar IPA once and thought it was just so-so.
Stoneyard makes some great beer, but they don't make a whole lot of it- hope they have some good stuff on when you go. Even if they don't, they get some great guest kegs as well, and the food is mighty good. Don't give up on Bullfrog just based on one beer. I happened to really like Edgar, but they make a ton of other really cool stuff as well. They nail sours really well, if you happen to like that kind of beer.
In Rochester, Swift Water is worthy of a visit. Mt. Hope, near Ford St. And if you are game, bike through Mt. Hope Cemetery, or Genesee Valley Park.
Agree, Selinsgrove is a must, Bullfrog is great as well. Yorkholo in Mansfield, PA is also an option. Two new ones on the way - Rusty Rail in Mifflinburg and West Branch in Lewisburg....should both be operational by this fall. If you be happening thru on August 8th - BrewBQue Event in Lewisburg should be great this year.
I was at bullfrog a week or so ago, and it was better than Selinsgrove (which I was at a few years ago). I'd put Old Forge in between the two in my rankings. I've only been to each place once, so it could have been the occasion
So it turned out to be a pretty good trip beer-wise. Got to hit the Genesee Brewery, Swift Water, Tap & Mallet in Rochester...Griffon Gastropub in Niagara Falls, Bullfrog & Selin's Grove on the drive home. Unfortunately missed out on Stoneyard because we were biking from Rochester to Niagara and when we got to Brockport Stoneyard wasn't even open yet. The surprise of the trip was definitely Genesee, which is a really cool brewery with great food. I did have a cream ale, which was awful but they actually had an IPA that was solid. Swift Water was very cool as we got to talk to the owner/brew master and he even gave us some tastes of stuff that was still fermenting and isn't even available yet. The Swift Water DIPA 'Brah' is world class if you ask me and was the beer highlight of the trip. Was very impressed with the draft list at Griffon Gastropub in Niagara. They even had Maine Beer Co. And really good burgers. Bullfrog was okay. Nothing stood out and the crab cake sandwich wasn't great. I should have gotten the wings as someone suggested. I only stopped in Selin's Grove and got a growler to go. Seemed like a cool place. Got a single IPA called Sustainable IPA which was one of the better single IPA's I've had. Reminded me a little of Lagunitas. Thanks everyone for the suggestions. Rochester was actually a pretty cool town, which I wasn't expecting.
Awesome! I make the trip from Baltimore to Rochester 3-4 times each year and more breweries popping up on the drive is great news. In my opinion, the beer quality at Bullfrog is better overall than Yorkholo. I've also been to Selin's Grove but only got the framboise (which was excellent) so I need to go back and sample more of what they offer.
It's been a while, but I seem to recall that Rochester has some good options if you're a fan of English-style or cask beer. Old Toad, Monty's ring a bell. One of my first beer trips was to Rock-chester. Fun back in the day. Tap and Mallet good spot today.
