Adirondacks, New York
19 Fun & Interesting Adirondack Breweries to Visit
Breweries are a staple in the Adirondacks. Rolling farmlands provide ample space to grow and harvest premium hops and wheat. The pristine mountain streams allow brewers direct access to pure water to create products unlike anything you’ve tasted before. Every brewery has a unique story; most offer hot meals to savor with your cool drinks! Whether you just got off the lake, slopes or just escaping to a cute cabin in Upstate New York for the weekend, the breweries across the Adirondacks are worth exploring. Here are some of our favorite spots scattered among the towns in the Adirondacks and why we love them.
Table of Contents
TOP 19 CRAFT Breweries in the Adirondacks
The following list includes breweries from around the Adirondacks and nearby regions. If you’re in the region for a while, don’t miss our other Adirondack travel guides:
- Cute Small Towns in the Adirondacks to Visit
- Beautiful Things to Do in Lake Placid (A Year-Round Guide)
- Unique Things to Do in Saranac Lake (A Year-Round Guide)
- Best Restaurants in Lake Placid Region
- Most Gorgeous Lakes in the Adirondacks to Visit
1. Raquette River Brewing ★
Raquette River Brewing is a favorite Adirondack Brewery in Tupper Lake owned by natives who first started brewing in their garage with a $4,000 brew kit! Born from a passion for craft beers, this brewery is full of lively patrons seven days a week and is dog friendly for visitors stopping by on a walk. The indoor seating area features a stunning live edge bar, and the outdoor patio is full of Adirondack chairs sat around a cozy firepit. While the brewery menu only includes craft beer creations, foodies can choose from a variety of eats at the food trucks lining the streets. Raquette River Brewing also hosts a ton of events beer lovers can attend including collaborated beer launches with other local breweries, live music, and 5K events.
- Location: Tupper Lake, New York
2. Hex and Hop
Hex & Hop is a memorable hidden Adirondack gem with two locations: the brewery/meadery in Bloomindale and a tasting room/farm co-op on Broadway in Saranac Lake. This brewery prides itself on providing high-quality beers and meads made with local ingredients in a homelike atmosphere. Visitors can enjoy their drinks with delicious food in a pet-friendly environment with fire pits and live music. All of their cider and meads are 100% gluten-free. For those looking for some more fun, Hex & Hop hosts a variety of workshops, brewfests, trivia nights, and other events where you can try some unique brews while supporting some worthy causes. They LOVE supporting their community!
- Location: Bloomingdale, New York
3. Ray Brook Brewhouse ★
Ray Brook Brewhouse offers innovative brews and cuisine to travelers looking for the ultimate Adirondack experience. The Ray Brook Brewhouse’s Brew Wizard and Chef draw creative inspiration from the serene, natural beauty of the surrounding mountains. They craft both traditional and wild brews with local and exotic ingredients. The brewery itself is warm and rustic, welcoming to both local regulars and travelers. Some of the more unique drinks they offer include Haulin Oaks (Cherry and Oak), Moon on the Lake IPA, and Apricot Wheat. Ray Brook also serves a full menu of delicious appetizers, including Brewtine fries, beer brined wings, and corkscrew calamari, in addition to flatbreads, burgers, sandwiches, and more. Weekend visitors should note this brewery is closed on Sundays.
Hands down, one of our favorite breweries in upstate New York. We loved almost every single beer we tried at Ray Brook Brewhouse! And the food? Delicious. Gerry is obsessed with the chicken wings here. Order them with the parmesan-garlic + buffalo sauce. Thank her later.
- Location: Saranac Lake, New York
4. Common Roots Brewing
This microbrewery in South Glen Falls is a family-owned establishment whose brewing craft can be traced all the way back to the Old World. The beers at Common Roots are a mix of traditional and new world formulas. Sporting a beautiful new facility after a devastating fire to the original building, visitors can enjoy a drink at the taproom, in the expanded bier garden, or while enjoying a tasty meal in the full-service restaurant. Before your visit, check out the beer archive to get a history of all the products including core beers, seasonal beers, and beers available for sale by the case. Common Roots is a community-based brewery, built by and for supporting the community. They host a variety of events including community biking, Monday night trivia, and Pride Happy Hour.
- Location: South Glen Falls, New York
5. Big Slide Brewery & Public House
Home to the Giant IPA, the Big Slide Brewery & Public House is a favorite in the Adirondack region and the winners of multiple awards, including Best Restaurant in the Adirondacks and Best Local Brewery. Big Slide boasts a cool atmosphere with stunning features and outdoor seating. The white peach Berliner Weisse is popular– a traditional sour wheat beer, it is perfect for those who love tartness. They also provide a stocked farm-to-table food menu with a mix of entrées, small plates, pizza, sandwiches, and more. The pizza looked so good here. This brewery also loves hosting themed food nights throughout the week so check the schedule to see what’s on the menu!
- Location: Lake Placid, New York
6. Ausable Brewing Company ★
Ausable Brewing Company is a lively farm-based nano-brewery every beer lover has to try. Settled in beautiful Keeseville only a 5-minute drive from the Ausable Chasm, this brewery is super close to some of the most beautiful waterfalls in New York State. It’s fixed on 140 acres in the Champlain Valley and sports indoor and outdoor barn seating with live music and scenic views. Their brew menu features high-quality lagers, ales, and refreshing non-alcoholic house sodas. For hungry patrons, there is a weekly schedule of fantastic food trucks to pair with your drinks. Ausable Brewing Company is only 10-minutes from Lake Champlain, a perfect relaxing stop to make after a day of fun on the water or winter lake activities. This brewery is only open Thursday through Sunday so make sure to plan accordingly.
- Location: Keeseville, New York
7. Bolton Landing Brewing Company
Bolton Landing Brewing Company is a family-owned microbrewery sitting right on the stunning shores of Lake George. It’s a perfect spot for boaters, hikers, shoppers, and anyone else perusing the area. The brewery features a state-of-the-art 7-barrel brewhouse where all the beer is crafted onsite. Visitors can have a drink in the newly constructed taproom, relax on the outdoor patio overlooking the water or play shuffleboard with friends. The atmosphere is lively and welcoming, with live music playing in the taproom during the week. Beer drinkers of all types will find something they love on the menu, including light beers, IPAs, pale ales, bitters, malts, and sours. They also serve appetizers, sandwiches, wines, and other spirits for purchase.
- Location: Bolton Landing, New York
8. Paradox Brewery ★
Paradox Brewery is a Veteran owned craft brewery with 40 years of experience creating beers across the region. This is a favorite spot for IPA lovers. Founded in the heart of the mountains, Paradox is known for using pure Adirondack water found 600 feet below the surface to brew with premium hops and malts. They produce over 50,000 barrels a year using state-of-the-art GEA Craft-Star systems and were voted Best of the Adirondacks in 2021. Patrons can enjoy a drink in the spacious tasting room or outside on the balconies overlooking the mountain backdrop. Paradox offers a variety of drink specials such as $10 4oz. Flights, glass + pour specials, wine slushies, and seasonal brews on tap. This brewery is not currently filling growlers due to Covid-19 safety measures.
- Location: North Hudson, New York (an hour south of Lake Placid)
9. Switchback Brewery
Right over the border into Burlington, Vermont, Switchback Brewery is an employee-owned brewery worth the trip for visitors in the Adirondack region looking for quality drinks. Switchback Brewery is minutes away from the shores of Lake Champlain and within proximity of several other breweries in the area, making it a perfect stop to add to a brewery tour. Patrons can enjoy an award-winning drink inside the sleekly designed taproom or out on the patio, playing yard games and enjoying the fresh air. Their Polish wheat beer, Katie’s Love Poem, recently won a 2022 World Beer Cup award for Best Historical Beer. Visitors can also choose from a selection of year-round lagers and IPAs and limited-time specials.
- Location: Burlington, Vermont
10. Zero Gravity Craft Brewery
Zero Gravity Craft Brewery is an elegant beer hall only a 15-minute walk from Switchback Brewery. The bar is stunning, with wooden arched mirrors and antique features. You can enjoy a drink on the cozy couches of the furnished corners indoors or outside on the covered, heated patio that welcomes dogs on leashes. Zero Gravity has a variety of menus: a draft menu of unique beers (also featuring cider, wine, and cocktails), a coffee and waffle menu, and a full menu of delicious entrées. The draft menu is full of creative creations, rare finds, and collaborations with other favorite breweries. One of the favorite drink choices here is the I’m A Radio– a Summer IPA brew with peach and lemon peel.
- Location: Burlington, Vermont
11. Waterhole (Saranac Lake)
Right on Main Street in Saranac Lake, the Waterhole Music Lounge is a lively and favorite bar for locals and travelers. This is not a brewery but they do offer one of the largest selections of craft beer in Adirondacks. So if you want to taste different local beers without driving around to various breweries, this might be a good option. The establishment also has a spacious balcony looking down at a music stage where they host a variety of entertainment.
The lounge plays a heavy role in the Winter Carnival and hosts a free summer event called Party on the Patio every Thursday from April to October. If you like to avoid the crowds, consider visiting another day, or attending the event early. For weekend and paid events, you can buy tickets on the website.
- Location: Saranac Lake, New York
12. Fulton Chain Craft Brewery
Tucked away in Old Forge, Fulton Chain Craft Brewery features up to 10 different beers on tap on any given day created with 100% NYS and 85% NYS grains. Only minutes away from Old Forge Pond, this brewery is perfect for boats and snowmobilers looking for a stop to refresh with a locally brewed masterpiece. On tap, they offer staple draft beers and seasonal drafts, specializing in ales, lagers, and IPAs. Visitors can also explore their nitro brews, spirits, hard ciders, and a selection of local wines. Want to try a bunch? Fulton Chain offers flights of four for $12. Patrons can take their favorites home with crowlers and four-pack cans available for purchase.
- Location: Old Forge, New York
13. Blue Line (Saranac Lake)
This unique brewery used to be a former car wash. Voted the Best Local Brewery several times, the Blue Line Brewery was built in the former Carcuzzi Car Wash and has been brewing exceptional drinks for over 20 years. They keep a fun running tally behind the bar counting how many pints and pizzas are sold, trying to catch up to the total of 231,266 car washes clocked by the previous establishment.
Locals love Blue Line for its bar food. They serve breakfast Thursday through Sunday and specialty pizzas and wings seven days a week. All beers on tap are available in 32 oz. crowlers. You can do a flight for under $10 to get a taste of everything.
Visitors can sit inside or outside on the dog-friendly patio looking over the beautiful scenery surrounding Lake Flower, where Saranac Lake harvests ice blocks every year to create the Ice Castle at the Winter Festival.
- Location: Saranac Lake
14. Artisanal Brew Works
Though not technically in the Adirondack Park, Artisanal Brew Works is well worth the trip. Settled in the big town/small city of Saratoga Springs, this is one of our favorite launching pads to the Adirondacks. If you choose to base yourself here/are near Saratoga Springs, you’re just 30 min from Lake George. Artisanal Brew Works specializes in New England style IPAs, sours, fruited ales, stouts, Belgians, and other craft beers. There’s a flavor for everyone, making this a perfect place to gather friends and family to enjoy a refreshing drink. Open Tuesday to Sunday, Artisanal is quaint, independent, brewer owned, and features a variety of food trucks at the taproom every week to pair with your drinks. Check out the food truck schedule online!
- Location: Saratoga Springs, New York
15. Lake Placid Pub & Brewery
Lake Placid Pub & Brewery is a microbrewery that truly respects the history and art of crafting beer. For more than 24 years, this brewery has won a ton of awards for its ales and lagers, gaining both local and national attention for its creations. They’ve brewed more 150 different beers over the years. The Ubu Ale is a favorite flagship beer, in production for 25 years, that sports a mix of dark fruit flavors and roasted malt. Interestingly enough, this beer is named after a legendary chocolate Labrador that had a knack for sniffing out good beer! If you want to try a variety of beers, the brewery offers sampler platters of 4 to 10 different drinks. This Lake Placid pub overlooks the stunning Mirror Lake from the balcony and patio, undeniably one of the best lakes in New York. It’s minutes away from Main Street and super close to local attractions.
- Location: Lake Placid
16. Fiddlehead Brewing Company
Just across the border from the Adirondacks is another favorite Vermont brewery is Fiddlehead Brewing Company in Shelburne. Fiddlehead’s charming tasting room is open seven days a week, offering a variety of multidimensional draft beer pints, growlers, and bottled beers. The mission of this brewery is to focus on the arts and support the community. While there’s no kitchen, the brewery allows patrons to bring their own food or even order food from nearby restaurants such as Folino’s Pizza next door. Note, if want to purchase a growler, this brewery does not fill outside growlers. Winter and summer hours differ so if you plan to visit, make sure you look at their website before you visit.
- Location: Shelburne, Vermont
17. Great Adirondack Brewing Company
This brewery is a cozy stop on Mirror Lake only 3 minutes from Lake Placid Pub & Brewery. The roots of the Great Adirondack Brewing Company go back more than 20 years, starting at the turn of the craft-beer boom. Previously operating under the Lake City Brewing Company, this premier Lake Placid brewery produces over 350 barrels per year and has been awarded on several occasions. Avid beer lovers may be interested in joining the mug club to get deals on their favorite brews. The full-service food menu rotates based on the season, specializing in prime steaks, hand-crafted burgers, and fresh seafood. It’s good to note the brewery does close for periods such as Spring Break so check the calendar before you visit.
- Location: Lake Placid
18. Oval Craft Brewing
Oval Craft Brewing is a charming microbrewery located in the historic PAFB Fire Station of Plattsburg. Set minutes from the shores of Lake Champlain, beer lovers will enjoy a variety of styles from oatmeal stouts, New England IPAs, and hard ciders produced by head brewer, Jelly Jolicoeur. The mission of this brewery is not to go stale. Jolicoeur prides himself on keeping the tap fresh with a variety of flavors, where everyone can find a favorite. There’s no restaurant at the bar, but there are several local eats nearby on Peru Street. Looking for some special events? Outdoor lovers can enjoy the Oval Outings, a community challenge organized by the brewery that encourages people to get out and active through organized events. Oval Craft Brewing is close to several amazing New York State parks making it an easy stop for adventures in the region.
- Location: Plattsburg, New York
19. Coopers Cave Ale Company
This pub features indoor and outdoor dining, excellent brews, and an ice cream window perfect for summer treats! Open from Tuesday to Saturday, Coopers Cave Ale Company is a small gem in Glen Falls right off the Warren County Bikeway. They use the finest ingredients, including English floor malted barley, and focus on minimal intervention in their creations. Beers are available in bottles, bombers, growlers, and kegs, with an option to participate in the Mug Club if you can’t get enough! This brewery offers a full menu of comfort dishes such as battered mac and cheese wedges, pulled pork sandwiches, burgers, and several specialty 1/2lb Angus beef burgers. Craving an ice cream cake? They have those too if you order ahead!
- Location: South Glen Falls, New York
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About THE Adirondack Breweries
How many breweries are in the Adirondacks?
There are approximately 30 in the Adirondack Park and several more right on the border in New York State and Vermont that are worth the trip. If you’re looking for an easy way to hit them all, Visit Adirondacks created the Adirondack Craft Beverage Trail– a mix of all local breweries, wineries, distilleries, and cideries to keep you busy!
Which is the best brewery in the Adirondacks? (rated by google reviews)
If you can only visit 3 to 4 breweries, we recommend Paradox Brewery, Ray Brook, Ausable Brewing Company, and Raquette River Brewing. Not only are they some of our favorites, but these breweries have received several rave reviews from patrons for their unique tastes, delicious food pairings, and fun atmospheres. You really do feel like you’re experiencing the best of the Adirondacks with every sip!
Are there any brewery tours in the Adirondacks?
We haven’t tried them. But the folks at Hoppy Trails Brew Bus provide some group tours to different breweries. Call them up and see if maybe put something together for you and your private group. Otherwise, you could hire a local driver to drive your group around as you do your own brewery hopping tour.