beer tour rochester ny

THE BEST Rochester Beer Tastings & Brewery Tours

Beer tastings & tours in rochester.

• Beer Tastings & Tours
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1. Canandaigua Wine Trail Experience

2. Canandaigua Lake Brewery Tour

Keep the fun going with other experiences in the area.

All day Guided Winery Transport for Six

Wine Tasting with a View at Canandaigua City Pier

Fingerlakes Wine selection, Wines around the world,

Buffalo New York Food Tasting Tour

Oswego History Food & History Tour

• Crush Beer & Wine Tours
• Portage Tours
• Lightning Limousine & Transportation

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Trip Ideas & Itinerary 

Cheers to this news—Rochester has been named one of the top cities for beer in the country! In fact, Matador Networks called Rochester the “ best city for beer in the northeast ” and Smarter Asset ranked us on the list for best cities for beer drinkers in the U.S. With more than two dozen breweries in Monroe County alone, it is no surprise that visitors looking for cities with an amazing beer scene visit Rochester. 

Enjoy lunch and one of the best views in Rochester at  Genesee Brew House . Genesee is the oldest brewery in New York State and is a leader in the brewing community. Opt for a classic Genesee Cream Ale or one of the craft options from the Genesee Pilot Brewery embedded within the Brew House. Take your brews to the Genesee patio and enjoy one of the best views in the city of High Falls, a 96-foot waterfall in the middle of downtown Rochester.

After Genesee, enjoy a drink at Three Heads Brewing . Order one of their rotating seasonal craft brews and enjoy it on their patio. (Pro tip: Visit on one of their live music nights!)

Continue your city-centric brewery tour at  Strangebird , the 2022 New York State Craft Brewery of the Year! The brewery boasts 24 rotating taps with a variety of styles and flavors, and a locally sourced, seasonal food menu. Grab dinner, or just have one of their beverages including a selection of wines, cocktails, and non-alcoholic options.

Your final stop today is Rochester’s original craft brewery,  Rohrbach Brewing Company . Founded in 1991, Rohrbach’s has been an institution in the local craft beer scene for more than 25 years. Visit the brewery’s Railroad Street Beer Hall (located in the public market district) and enjoy a classic Highland Lager or Scotch Ale, or a seasonal recipe like the Great Pumpkin or the Red Wing Red Ale.

After a hearty breakfast, start the second day of your brew tour with lunch and some flights at  Sager Beer Works . This cozy tap room is tucked away on a side street in the Neighborhood of the Arts. BONUS: After you finish up at Sager stop by Living Roots Winery , which is the first urban winery in the Finger Lakes and just steps away from Sager Beer Works.

Next up is Copper Leaf Brewing , located right by the Erie Canal in Pittsford. Offering a variety of hand crafted ales and lagers along with barrel aged and wild ales, they have brews on tap and cans to go.

There are several other breweries in the City of Rochester that are nearby, including Fifth Frame Brewing, Swiftwater Brewing, Nine Maidens Brewing Company, Heroes Brewing and Iron Tug Brewing, which is located in the popular Park Avenue neighborhood. 

Fairport Brewing features two locations: one in Rochester's Neighborhood of the Arts and the other in the village of Fairport. Be sure to try a Fluffy IPA or a Timbucha (Kombucha brewed in house) during your visit. Also in the village of Fairport is the dining and drink destination of Parce Avenue, where you will find two additional breweries, a restaurant and Iron Smoke Distillery . 

Your tasting adventure will next take you into the Finger Lakes as you follow the  ROC/FLX Craft Beverage Trail . With nearly 30 wineries, breweries, cideries, and distilleries on the map, and more popping up every day, the Rochester/Finger Lakes craft beverage culture is in full force.

Wrap up a weekend of exploring Rochester’s beer scene with a visit to  Young Lion Brewing , a women owned and operated brewery, tap room & event space overlooking the north end of Canandaigua Lake.

Good Times for All Times await if you’re 21 years or older. Are you?

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An American Tradition since 1878

Genesee Brewing Company

Genesee Brew House Tours & Tastings

142 Years of Beer

Founded in 1878, The Genesee Brewing Company, based in Rochester, New York, is one of the largest and oldest continually operating breweries in the USA.

Brewing American Classics

This is a place where honest people have brewed honest beers for generations. Today, more than 500 employees focus on crafting and bottling quality beers everyday.

A community-centered farm brewery in the heart of Rochester’s historic South Wedge neighborhood.

Swiftwater trivia every tuesday.

Visit the taproom

We’re located on Mount Hope Ave. with indoor and outdoor space to enjoy. When visiting the taproom, you’ll see the heart of Swiftwater in every detail, and we hope you’ll enjoy our beer just as much as we love making it! 

Large groups and beer tours are welcome! We encourage contacting us ahead of time so we can best accommodate everyone.

Since opening in 2015, Swiftwater has gained a reputation for not only great beer, but also for a simple and well-executed menu of from-scratch food offerings. As a farm brewery, we are deeply committed to the local farming community by utilizing many fresh and seasonal ingredients whenever possible. We take pride in freshness, sustainability and overall quality in all things offered at the brewery. 

Swiftwater Beer is available to go!

Swiftwater Merch

Take Swiftwater Brewing home with you! We’ve got tees, tanks, hats, glassware and more!

Gift Cards Available

Give the gift of Swiftwater! Get a voucher to send to a friend or grab one for yourself. 

At Swiftwater, our overarching mission is to create high quality, innovative beer while providing an atmosphere for our customers and colleagues that foster camaraderie and acceptance.

• (585) 530-3471
• Rochester, NY
• [email protected]

12 Can’t-Miss Breweries in Rochester, NY

Rochester is a city known for its many industries, cold winters, and beautiful waterfalls. However, if you love beer, there are also many amazing breweries in Rochester, NY that you won’t want to miss.

During my travels, I’ve had a chance to visit many fantastic craft breweries in the city limits and throughout the rest of Monroe County . In fact, I’ve visited so many great ones that I thought I’d share my favorites here.

Before starting, it’s worth noting that, while there are many other great Finger Lakes breweries within a short drive of the city, I decided to keep this list to just the ones within Monroe County so as to not overwhelm your liver with too many choices. However, there are so many great breweries near Rochester that you are sure to have trouble picking just a few to visit from this list.

So, without further ado, here are a few of the best Rochester breweries to check out.

Fifth Frame Brewing Company

Fifth Frame Brewing Company is unique among breweries in Rochester because it is the only one that also roasts its own coffee beans. In fact, this brewery is open all day and is one of the best Rochester coffee shops to check out in the morning.

In the afternoon and evening, this spot turns into a delicious brewery and restaurant in the heart of downtown Rochester. The highlights here are the coffee-infused beers made with their own beans, and, not surprisingly, there are a fair number of these coffee beers.

Of course, if you are looking for something more traditional (or don’t want a caffeine-filled beer in the evening), Fifth Frame also offers a wide range of delicious styles. I especially enjoyed their delicious IPAs.

Iron Tug Brewing

Iron Tug Brewing is located on Rochester’s Park Avenue in an area of quaint shops and only a short drive from the Rochester Museum and Science Center and the George Eastman Museum . While this brewery features the smallest physical location of any of the other breweries on this list, its beer is well worth trying while you’re exploring the area.

Iron Tug doesn’t have official flights but does offer smaller pours of their beers. This allowed me to try three of the nine beers they had on draft.

The beers here were about half IPAs during my visit, but the rest were a nice mix of styles. I opted to try two IPAs, the Sea-Dweller Cthulhu Triple IPA and the East vs West Round 9 New England IPA, as well as the Bumpa’s Orange Creamsicle Sour.

All three beers were very, very good, but my favorite was the sour as it was a great mix of sweet and sour with a big orange creamsicle flavor.

Stoneyard Brewing Co

Stoneyard Brewing Co is located in Brockport, about 25 minutes west of the city, but if you’re looking for the best Rochester, NY breweries, this is a spot you won’t want to miss.

Stoneyard is kind of hidden just off the main road in Brockport and located in a fairly non-descript building. In fact, I had to do a double-take before I realized I was in the right spot.

That being said, their location directly along the Erie Canal makes this a really neat spot to visit, and I quite enjoyed sitting out on their patio next to the canal during my visit.

When I visited, I had a chance to try three of their beers.

The Lilac Wheat was a touch sweet and a touch sour and was a great beer for a hot summer day. The Juicehead New England IPA was good, though wasn’t a standout from other New England IPAs you’ll find in the region.

The best beer I tried, however, was the Tropical Fruit Punch Nectar which was absolutely amazing and tasted exactly like the fruit punch I used to drink as a kid.

Genesee Brew House

Genesee Brewing is the oldest brewery in Rochester and, while you might not necessarily think of them as craft beer, they do brew a great variety of beers at their Rochester brewery.

Adjacent to the brewery, you’ll find the Genesee Brew House , a three-story building that offers the chance to try their beer and some of the delicious food put out by their kitchen. For me, though, the highlight here is the view from the roof where you’ll find incredible views of High Falls and the Rochester skyline.

Even if Genesee doesn’t have the best beers in the city, those views make this one of my favorite places to visit in Rochester .

Nine Maidens Brewing Company

Nine Maidens Brewing Company is located in a large brick building not too far from Cobbs Hill Park in eastern Rochester.

What stood out to me about Nine Maidens was the incredible inventiveness of their beers. While a lot of breweries have creative beers, their offerings during my visit seemed a step ahead of the other breweries in Rochester that I’ve visited.

Case in point, during my visit, I had had a Maple Habeñero Porter, a Raspberry Chocolate Sour, and Lemon Tumeric Lager, all of which were very good.

Of course, for those that prefer more standard styles, they also have a few of those as well. I especially enjoyed the Regularly Schedule New England IPA, their standard IPA, which was soft and sweet.

K2 Brothers Brewing

K2 Brothers Brewing is located a short distance east of downtown Rochester near the shores of Irondequoit Bay and is another brewery that offers a nice mix of traditional styles and more inventive beers.

When I visited, I had a chance to try six of their beers while enjoying their expensive outdoor seating area in the rear of the brewery. While I enjoyed the more traditional beers I got here, the real standouts were their creative options.

These included an Imperial Red Velvet Stout, Raspberry Lemonade Sour, and a Raspberry Milkshake IPA. If you are one that typically enjoys more of the standard types of beer, this is a great Rochester brewery to visit to expand your horizons a bit.

Heroes Brewing Company

Unlike many breweries, Heroes Brewing Company is located in a normal shopping center. However, they have still managed to create a nice ambiance and even have a bit of outdoor seating

Heroes Brewing is unique in that they do a lot to give back to local charities in the region, and a portion of the money from each can of beer sold is given to community groups.

As for their beer, Heroes offers a nice variety of styles, and I really like that their flight came on a heart-shaped board. During my visit, I had a chance to try four different beers, including two very good IPAs (Ignite Double New England IPA and Dream Factory’s Double New England IPA) as well as a delicious wheat beer (Much Love Watermelon Vanilla Fruit Beer).

Their great sense of charity combined with some pretty great beer makes Heroes Brewing Company a nice spot to check out when visiting breweries in Rochester, New York.

Swiftwater Brewing Company

Located a short distance south of downtown Rochester along the Genesee River Trail, you’ll find  Swiftwater Brewing Company .

This cozy brewery features plenty of indoor and outdoor seating and even has board games for those looking for a bit of entertainment while enjoying a few beers.

During my visit, they had 12 beers on draft representing a broad range of styles. Of the four beers I got, my two favorites were the Blackberry Grisette and the Careful Man There’s a Beverage in Here, a nitro blonde stout infused with coffee, cocoa, and vanilla.

Interestingly, the owner’s family farm provides 80% of the malt used in their beer, so they do a great job keeping things local in their creations.

Irondequoit Beer Company

Irondequoit Beer Company is located north of Rochester only a few minutes drive from Lake Ontario, Seabreeze Amusement Park , and the Seneca Park Zoo .

Irondequoit Beer Company features a large outdoor seating area, as well as a smaller indoor area. Overall, the indoor space feels quite industrial but they do a good job warming up the space and making it quite nice.

During my visit, I had a chance to try four of the ten beers that they had on draft. While I wasn’t a fan of their Trail Mix Imperial Stout (though those that really like raisins might feel differently), their Barrel Aged Fantome Strong Ale and the Son of a Sour Fruited Sour were both very good.

Three Heads Brewing

Three Heads Brewing is another of Rochester’s best breweries and is located along Atlantic Avenue on the outskirts of the Neighborhood of the Arts.

Three Heads features both a large indoor and outdoor space and even has an indoor stage for live music. Their tasting room is quite bright thanks to several large windows.

When I visited, Three Heads Brewing had 16 different beers on draft, and it was difficult to pick which four to try in my flight.

Of the four, the two highlights for me were The Kind IPA and the PB&J Fluff Sour.

The Kind IPA is their flagship IPA and had a great hoppiness to it that’s harder to find now with so many IPAs becoming sweeter. The PB&J Fluff Sour had a great balance that really allowed you to taste the flavor and also had a nice balance of sweet and sour.

Other Half Brewing Company

My initial plan was to limit this article to just breweries in Monroe County. However, Other Half Brewing , which sits 35 minutes from downtown Rochester in Ontario County, is too good to not include.

Other Half Brewing’s Bloomfield location is one of five taprooms in the state (three are in New York City and one in Buffalo), and believe it or not, they brew 16 of the top 20 ranked beers in New York according to Beer Advocate raters, making this a special spot to check out.

Enjoy their incredible IPAs, stouts, and sours in their indoor space or in their expansive beer garden.

Mortalis Brewing Company

Mortalis Brewing Company is another brewery that isn’t technically located in Monroe County, but since it’s close (in Avon) and so, so good, I decided to include them here.

Mortalis is relatively new to the brewery scene, opening in 2018, but they have already attracted a national following, primarily for their fruited sours and stouts, though their IPAs are also very good too. In fact, people sometimes wait in long lines just to grab some of these great beers.

For such a heralded brewery, their taproom is quite basic and doesn’t really give a clue to the high quality of the beer here. Inside, you’ll only find a few small tables in their meager taproom. The beer clearly is the star here.

If you love craft beer, Mortalis Brewing is a spot that you won’t want to miss.

What are your favorite breweries in Rochester, NY? Let us know in the comments below.

Looking for even more things to do in the area? Check out the Best Breweries in Buffalo , the Susan B Anthony House , Corbett’s Glen Nature Park , and Holley Canal Fall s.

More nearby places worth exploring

21 Incredible Things to Do in Syracuse, NY (and the Rest of Onondaga County)

Summer Fun at Seabreeze Amusement Park Near Rochester

Family Fun at the Sciencenter in Ithaca, NY

Climbing the Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse Near Rochester

Find more things to do in the finger lakes.

Jim Cheney is the creator of Uncovering New York. After spending 5.5 years exploring Pennsylvania, Jim discovered a love for New York and is excited to spend time exploring this great state and uncovering the best things to do here.

8 thoughts on “12 Can’t-Miss Breweries in Rochester, NY”

Rohrbach Brewing Company

Knucklehead Brewing in Webster is fantastic.

Griff’s!

This list is really weird. Mortalis? Other half?

Those are both great breweries, but they aren’t in Monroe County. As the article states, these are just breweries in Monroe County and only ones that I’ve personally visited. Those are worth the short trip to visit, though.

Dear Jim When you make your way out of Monroe County and into the Finger Lakes Look Up Twisted Rail Brewing that has 4 Locations, Canandaigua, Macedon, Geneva and Honeoye Lake, I don’t know of any other Micro Breweries with that many locations, Still Open and Thriving during Covid, which I think is QUITE an Accomplishment! They have Delicious Flights of Beer, Cider, Wine and Vodka if you’re not a Beer Drinker, something for Everyone! Enjoy!

Thanks for the tip!

Glad I found this article. I’ve been to a few of these, but always looking for some variety. With all the Covid restrictions, it’s nice to have more ideas of local spots to try out. Thanks Jim

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

• TripAdvisor

• Pickups are available at 45 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14604 or hotels and B&B’s in the surrounding area.
• Please inquire about a custom itinerary for groups of six or more.
• Advance booking is required for daily tours.
• Last minute inquiries are welcome.

This afternoon tour runs  Wednesday through Sunday and departs @1:30 . This 5-hour tour will have 4 stops in total. We will start the evening at New York’s first Urban Winery Living Roots, where you will try wines from the Finger Lakes of New York and wines from the winemaker’s homeland of Australia while being paired with a delicious cheese board. From there you will enjoy Beer Tastings at Sager Beer Works. We will then visit Rochester’s first Distillery where you will try their fabulous spirits. Finally, finish off the night with delightful tastings from New York to worldly Cider’s at Mullers Cider house.  ** Pickup times may change depending on your pickup location. Please refer to email communication from Crush Beer and Wine Tours for specific pickup information.**

Your Venues include:

Living Roots Winery

In homage to their family history and their new [old] industrial home on University Ave, their making wine based on longstanding traditions, but with a sense of adventure and discovery. They source grapes from different vineyards and growers, with most of them in the Finger Lakes and the Adelaide Hills where their families have vineyards. They handcraft wines in small batches, and each vintage is an opportunity to explore new vineyards, varieties, and styles, while allowing the wines to express their diverse natural environments and origins. This wine paring also includes our Meredith Dairy Cheese Board, a feta made from sheep and goat’s milk, marinated in olive oil, garlic, peppercorns, and fresh herbs. Served with baguette.

Sager Beer Works

If you love fresh craft beers, you’re going to love Sager Beer Works. You see, they are not just a craft brewery, they are a “Beer Lover’s Haven” – Where friends and family can meet to eat, drink and just hang out. Got questions? Their knowledgeable staff can talk at length about every craft beer they brew – and tell you the tale behind each and every one. After 20 years, brewing craft beer is their greatest passion – and every ale, stout, lager, pilsner and porter are crafted on-site using only the highest quality ingredients.

Black Button Distillery

Welcome to Black Button Distilling, the first and finest grain-to-glass Craft Distillery in Rochester, NY since prohibition. Each week Black Button makes 900 bottles of world-class gin, vodka, moonshine, bourbon and more. Every batch is distilled, aged, bottled, labeled, and hand numbered right in their Upstate New York State Distillery.

Mullers Cider House

Mullers Cider House is a craft cider Bar located in Rochester, NY serving local and imported Craft Hard Ciders. With a menu of over 100 bottle varieties from New York, the United States, Europe and all over the world along with 12 draught lines typically showcasing local NY varieties., Mullers Cider house is sure to please any palette.

• As the evening winds down your tour will end back at your original destination point @ 6:30 pm.  ** Pickup times may change depending on your pickup location. Please refer to email communication from Crush Beer and Wine Tours for specific pickup information.**
• The ROC City Combo tour includes a knowledgeable Crush Host, transportation to all of the stops listed above (or alternatives depending on availability) and all tastings.
• Sunday – Friday price per person is $189.00 + tax for groups of 2-8 people.  Groups between 9-14 people, call for pricing. Saturday price is an additional $10 + tax per person.
• 2 person minimum
• Credit card payment is required at time of booking
• Tours are 100% non-refundable. You can reschedule your tour date asap to confirm your new date is available, OR, you can receive a Gift Certificate/Credit worth the amount that you have already paid towards any Crush Beer & Wine Tour. This credit will expire a year from the date of your original tour and re-scheduling fees waived.  Due to our advanced scheduling for our drivers and vehicle assignments, if your tour is canceled, missed or rescheduled within 14 days of your original tour date, a re-scheduling fee of $50 will be applied. If a tour is canceled the day before or the day of, a re-scheduling fee starting at $50/person and depending on group size, up to $100/person, may be applied due to pre-payment of tasting fees, lunches and driver’s wage. Please call us at 855-TO-CRUSH to reschedule.
• On rare occasion, Crush reserves the right to change venues due to availability.

The 9 Best Rochester Breweries

What are the best Rochester Breweries you absolutely must check out? Well, we’ve done the work to figure that out for you! We have sampled their brews, spent time in their taprooms and read all the online reviews to come up with our take on the top Rochester Breweries to explore this year! 

Breweries List

Rochester Breweries

Rochester, NY is one of the most vibrant and welcoming cities in the northeast. Towering peaks and pristine valleys make Rochester a favourite destination for outdoor enthusiasts. But the city has much more to offer than just natural beauty. The city is also well-known for its local breweries, which produce some of the best craft beer in the country. If you’re looking for a city that has it all, Rochester is the perfect place to visit.

In addition to local breweries, Rochester is also home to a number of festivals and events throughout the year. The Finger Lakes Wine Festival, for example, is one of the largest wine festivals in the country and attracts over 60,000 visitors each year. From local breweries to world-class festivals, Rochester has something to offer everyone.

What are the top breweries in Rochester?

If you’re a fan of craft beer, then you’ll be happy to know that Rochester, NY is home to some of the greatest breweries in the country. With its rich history and strong brewing tradition, Rochester has long been a hotspot for craft beer lovers. And in recent years, the craft beer scene here has only gotten stronger.

There are now dozens of craft breweries in and around Rochester and Monroe County, each with its own unique style and flavour profile. Whether you’re into hoppy IPAs or malty stouts, you’re sure to find a beer here that you’ll love. And with so many great breweries to choose from, you can easily spend a day (or two) exploring all that Rochester has to offer.

So if you’re looking for a great craft beer experience, be sure to check out the breweries in Rochester, New York. You won’t be disappointed.

How we picked the best Rochester Breweries?

With every ‘top breweries’ post that we write, we make sure to do diligent online research to determine who makes it on our list. From reading online reviews and reviewing beer selections, to checking other authority websites and of course, sampling their beers. We do our best to take all the information we collect and give you our opinion of the top breweries in Rochester.

However, we know we aren’t perfect and if we’ve missed a Rochester brewery that you think should be on this list, contact us and let us know who the brewery is and we’ll do our best to include them!

Did we miss something?

If you think a brewery deserves a spot on our list, Vote for them ! If you’re a brewery looking to update your information or get in touch, contact us!

The Best Rochester Breweries

Alright, let’s get to it, shall we? Here’s our list of the top Rochester Craft Breweries!

Rohrbach Brewing Company

Rohrbach Brewing Company was the first craft brewery to open in Rochester, NY back in 1991 and after more than 30 years in business, it still stays true to its roots. Their name comes from a small town in Germany called Rohrbach, which was where the founders’ inspiration came from.

With two dozen craft beers on tap, cider, kombucha, and house-made root beer paired with delicious wood-fired pizza, this is the perfect place to grab a beer and a bite to eat. After all, what pairs better with beer than pizza? Rohrbach’s wood-fired pizzas are made with fresh ingredients and cooked to perfection. The brewery also regularly hosts live music, making it the perfect place to relax and enjoy a night out.

Customer Review: An incredibly relaxing atmosphere made better by phenomenal drinks and an even better staff

• Phone: (585) 546-8020
• Address: 97 Railroad St, Rochester, NY 14609, United States
• Beers to Try: Blueberry Ale
• Website: rohrbachs.com

Three Heads Brewing

Three Heads Brewing is a local favourite in Rochester, NY. Situated on Atlantic Avenue just outside the Neighbourhood of the Arts, this brewery offers both indoor and outdoor seating, making it a perfect spot to enjoy a pint no matter the weather.

In addition to their tasty beers, Three Heads Brewing also hosts live music most weekends, making it a great place to have fun with your crew while enjoying their award-winning craft beer. Whether you’re a local or just visiting Rochester, be sure to stop by Three Heads Brewing for an unforgettable experience.

Customer Review: Always great service and great brews. The seasonal sours are amazing.

• Phone: (585) 244-1224
• Address: 186 Atlantic Ave, Rochester, NY 14607, United States
• Beers to Try: Tiger Blood IPA
• Website: threeheadsbrewing.com/

Genesee Brew House

Genesee Brew House is a must-stop on any brewery tour in Rochester. They have some fantastic beers and a great food menu filled with delicious food options that pair perfectly with their various beer styles. The best part, however, is their gorgeous rooftop patio with beautiful views of the High Falls and downtown Rochester.

The building and brew house is part of the original Genesee Brewing Company campus from over 100 years ago, making it one of the oldest continually operating breweries in America. They offer tours of their facility at select times and are available for booking through their website so that you can learn about the rich history of the first brewery in Rochester.

Customer Review: Great food, great beer and a breathtaking view of High Falls! The servers are super nice and attentive.

• Phone: (585) 263-9200
• Address: 25 Cataract St, Rochester, NY 14605, United States
• Beers to Try: Scotch Ale
• Website: geneseebeer.com

Swiftwater Brewing Company

Swiftwater Brewing Company is a farm brewery and brewpub in the heart of downtown Rochester’s South Wedge neighbourhood. They brew beer in-house using malt grown on the owner’s family farm, making them extra special compared to other breweries. Their kitchen serves up made-from-scratch food offerings that pair beautifully with their high-quality and innovative craft beer.

You’ll have plenty of fun every time you visit Swiftwater Brewing Company, whether you want to grab a couple board games to play with your friends or participate in Trivia Thursdays, you’re guaranteed a great time.

Customer Review: Amazing beer and out-of-this-world food! Fresh locally grown ingredients and unique but delicious menu items! Anything with pork is a winner! Outstanding & friendly staff who keeps the place spotless!

• Phone: (585) 530-3471
• Address: 378 Mt Hope Ave, Rochester, NY 14620, United States
• Beers to Try: Alpaca Kisses IPA
• Website: swiftwaterbrewing.com

Roc. Brewing Co.

Roc. Brewing Co. is one of Rochester’s original craft breweries. The brewery is located in Downtown Rochester, NY on Union St. and is known for its refreshing, locally-produced beer and delicious poutine. The brewery tasting room is the perfect place to relax after a long day or to catch up with friends.

The brewery is bright and airy with a welcoming atmosphere full of games to play with your pals. They serve pints, flights and food made to order, so you’ll have everything you need for a great night out in Rochester.

Customer Review: Best Brewery I’ve ever been too, and that’s saying A LOT. Beers are incredible, food is great, huge portions! Staff is friendly and knowledgeable! I met the owner last time I was there, Chris. Great guy! Can’t wait to go back.

• Phone: (585) 794-9798
• Address: 56 S Union St, Rochester, NY 14607, United States
• Beers to Try: The Whoopass
• Website: rocbrewingco.com

Heroes Brewing Company

Heroes Brewing Company is one of those amazing breweries that donate to charitable causes. They actually dedicate every beer they make to different local heroes, non-profits, or other charitable causes and $1 of every 4-pack sold goes to them! Their tap list changes often so you’ll have something new to try and a new cause to support.

Their outdoor space is dog-friendly so you can bring your pup while you sip on a high-quality beer for a good cause. They’ve also got flatbread pizzas and other snacks that change weekly so you won’t go hungry! Heroes Brewing Company is a must-visit.

Customer Review: Great beer. Love that they support local organizations. Owners are good people. Friendly staff. Highly recommend a visit.

• Phone: (585) 434-5472
• Address: 543 Atlantic Ave, Rochester, NY 14609, United States
• Beers to Try: IGNITE! Double New England IPA
• Website: heroesbrewco.com

Nine Maidens Brewing Company

Nine Maidens Brewing Company is a nano brewery focused on creating some of the best experimental beers in Rochester. They offer a wide range of beer styles in their tap room and everything is made in small batches so the lineup changes quickly!

They have a beautiful brick building with indoor and outdoor seating perfect for everyday meet-ups or a special night out. You can join them for a trivia night every couple of weeks and pick up a mouthwatering pizza while you’re at it!

Customer Review: Great beers! Lots of options for different styles and tons of flavor. Friendly staff and super enjoyable place to hang out.

• Phone: (585) 434-3030
• Address: 1344 University Ave Suite 140, Rochester, NY 14607, United States
• Beers to Try: Ginger Peach Blonde Ale
• Website: ninemaidensbrewing.com

Other Half Brewing Company

Other Half Brewing Company is a farmhouse brewery on 8 acres in Bloomfield, just 35 minutes from downtown Rochester. If you’re up for taking a short trip just outside of Monroe County, this countryside brewery in the Finger Lakes Region is definitely worth the trip.

They have a great variety of beer styles but their IPAs are what they’re known for. If you love a good hazy IPA, American IPA, or want to experiment with their Green Power Imperial IPA, you must pay Other Half Brewing a visit. They also have a seltzer lineup called Oh2 with lots of flavour variations. If you’re hungry, check out the food truck of the day, outside food is also welcome.

Customer Review: Always part of my favorite family day trip from Buffalo. Wonderful outdoor space, dog & kid friendly, lots of tasty IPAs alongside various experimental, wild, fruited, and occasionally traditional offerings. Always cold & crisp pickles, too!

• Phone: (585) 617-0453
• Address: 6621 State Rte 5 And 20, Bloomfield, NY 14469, United States
• Beers to Try: Double Dry Hopped Citra Day Dream
• Website: otherhalfbrewing.com

New York Beer Project

New York Beer Project is a must-visit brewery in Victor, just 20 minutes from downtown Rochester. Their tasting room is gorgeous with 45-foot ceilings and an indoor beer garden complete with giant Chestnut Trees. Although the trees are fake, they still do an incredible job of bringing the perfect beer garden ambiance.

If you visit on a warm day, check out their rooftop patio where they serve delicious cocktails and other alcoholic beverages (plus a few non-alcoholic beverages as well). They have an expansive food menu full of reasonably priced appetizers and meals that will satisfy any craving. Plus, they have weekly live music! What more could you ask for?

Customer Review: Went here for the first time last week and was very impressed! Loved the available selections on tap, the food, the aesthetic!

• Phone: (585) 888-6927
• Address: 300 High St, Victor, NY 14564, United States
• Beers to Try: Walter’s Jelly Donut and Brett Aged Supernatural Passionfruit Sour
• Website: nybeerproject.com

Enjoy the best breweries in Rochester!

Make sure to go and check out Rochester’s best craft breweries, grab a locally brewed pint (or 2) and support your local brewers!

If we’ve missed a brewery on our list that you think should be added,  contact us and let us know  who the brewery is and why you think it should be added to our list of the top breweries in Rochester!

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Craft Beer Guide's Ultimate Local Brewery Showdown!

These RIT grads made a bubble tea empire. It shows no signs of slowing down.

How many bubbles does it take to power an established national business started here by a few Rochester Institute of Technology grads?

Boba, the tapioca pearl that is boiled and dropped into milky bubble tea of varying flavors like lychee and thai tea, often come dried in bags that weigh about 6 pounds. Nationwide, the company that RIT alumni built — Taichi Bubble Tea — is using millions of boba pearls in its drinks every year — about 240,000 pounds of the key ingredient.

Chewy, dense, mild, deep black when boiled, the texture is most memorable. The pearls make the cold "bubble tea" drink — and the straws, big enough to suck up the boba, make the tapioca experience work.

When they started, the future of this now established and growing company was in no way guaranteed. The drink trend was a thing in Asia and in places on the west coast of America. Would it work in Rochester, in the cold-season culture of Upstate New York, and other places without a nuanced Asian food culture?

Zining Kelvin Chen, Tian Tian, Yijia Li and family investors in Asia went for it. The trio is from China. What they started, what they learned and what customers grabbed onto would metamorphize into something beyond their dreams a decade later.

It's also about the ramen, the broth, the poké

The lifeblood of a Taichi shop isn't just the tea — it's the homemade bone broth made into soup stock for ramen. It is always made in a pot on the stove and is not bought in as a finished product from a distributor, Chen said. Good ramen needs great broth. Theirs usually simmers, full of bones and vegetables, for seven or eight hours.

It was their store No. 2, in College Town near U of R, that really turned the corner on food for them. They had bought a yogurt store and were selling that and drinks, Chen said. They decided to bring in actual food to make it through the winter months: poké bowls, a clever "sushi burrito" (they saw this on a trip to New York City) and eventually ramen.

College students and food trends made their moment. They since have grown to 40 stores across America; some are franchises and some are corporate stores: as far away as Sacramento, Utah, Oklahoma and Georgia.

"There was an opportunity in the market, and we wanted to bring something that was popular in the big city into Rochester," Chen said.

Even though they are focusing now on corporate stores, the trek for people buying a Taichi franchise has been to Rochester for a week or more of in-person training before a new location opens.

Vision for growth: Taichi Bubble Tea has national footprint

The short-term goal is to surpass 50 stores in the United States. Taichi has been using cash flow from store operations to fund expansion, not big bank loans. Decisions about the business are made together, by the close group of partners, Chen said.

On a recent Friday lunch hour, managers Sheng Huang and Dan Yuan were working at the East Avenue Tai Chi Bubble Tea in Rochester — a familiar drop-in spot downtown for students, office workers.

Drinks were being made quickly and a solid line of chilled vegetables waited for assembling a bowl or box to order.

Yuan said the location is the latest in Rochester. They have seven total stores here.

"Young people like the boba tea," Yuan said. "We catch them here. And with the hot food, cold food, healthy food, everything — that expands the customers we draw in."

Huang does inventory management and kitchen management for the East Avenue Taichi Bubble Tea. He said the offering of fresh produce for their dishes means he often is running out to get new cucumbers, mushrooms, avocado — a bit at a time so everything is the way they and the customers want it.

Two other things stick out in the store. The Instagram-able neon signage everywhere and the sticky notes left on the corkboards by students with messages about the experience.

The future for Taichi Bubble Tea led from Rochester

Chen said that delivery has opened a new revenue stream for them. And he said all the stores, corporates ones and franchise locations, are running at a profit right now.

They made it through COVID and the spike in costs for imports from China during the Trump administration.

What advice do they have for the next set of budding entrepreneurs from Rochester?

"Don't overthink it," he said. "Don't try to map out all the pros and cons and try to imagine all the possible scenarios. If you see the opportunity, go for it."

You will learn along the way, he said.

— William Ramsey is an editor with the Democrat and Chronicle.

Canada's Labatt Blue becomes a local brew as Genesee eyes further expansion in Rochester

Your next can of the Labatt Blue might not read that it is imported "Canadian Pilsner." But that it’s “Brewed in the USA” — right here in Rochester, NY.

For the first time in the label’s nearly 75-year history, the popular pilsner lager — and the even more popular Labatt Blue Light — are being brewed south of the border.

Genesee Brewery sent out the first shipments Monday to select locations across New York and Pennsylvania.

"Labatt Blue and Labatt Blue Light, those two core brands which represent the highest volume for the Labatt line, actually have always come from Canada and have been imported into the United States,” said brewery spokesperson Mary Beth Popp.

Both the brewery and Labatt USA are owned by FIFCO USA, based in Rochester, with a portfolio that also includes Genesee Brewing, Seagram’s Escapes, Lipton Hard Iced Tea and Magic Hat.

The brewery has long produced other Labatt lines like Blue Light Seltzer. It's now taking on Labatt Blue and Blue Light because Canadian production was not keeping pace with demand.

Genesee Brewery expects to see even more production of this and other brands soon.

The company announced a $50 million investment to its packaging operations Monday focused on packaging. The new line will be 70% faster while using about the same amount of energy, Popp said.

It's the latest in a string of major investments in the St. Paul Street campus and mirrors an upgrade to the brewing system that was completed in 2018.

“It's kind of like a phase two to that original $50 million (brewing upgrade),” Popp said. “We're creating a world-class packaging facility. So we will have the most up-to-date packaging capabilities for innovation, for new brands. We're really excited.”

Work began in January, assisted by a $7 million grant from New York state.

“Over the last several years, the brewing industry as a whole has shifted largely from bottles to cans,” Popp said. “So canning lines now need lots of flexibility to create different sizes of packaging, different configurations.”

Labatt products are running on the existing lines. But the new line will make the added production sustainable in the long term.

The company expects to complete the packaging upgrade in three years, while adding 57 jobs and retaining 500.