Two Goats Brewing in the Finger Lakes (NY)

 

There is an old saying in the wine business - it's a lotta beer to make wine. And it's true! And summer is a beer kinda time! So while we were in the Finger Lakes this past summer, trudging through yet another long, arduous day of wine tasting, we decided to stop in at what has fast become a new regional tradition - stopping in at Two Goats Brewing.

 

 

 

 

Two Goats is on Seneca Lake. It's got breathtaking views of the lake. Click on the above photo for a lovely panoramic shots I took. I feel so artsy!

 

And this is the brewery. One thing about it? It smells heavenly. They put the bar up top over the brewery. It smells like bread the whole time you're there. All you want to do is a drink and have something to eat!

 

 

Built in a renovated 19th Century barn with a sweeping view of Seneca Lake, Two Goats Brewing is a relaxed gathering place with a great deck.

According to the brewery, Two Goats: loosely translated: dopple bock...double bock....double goat...two goats! I get it.

 Jon Rogers is the brewer. It all started with a trip to a brew pub in Ithaca's collegetown (affectionately known as "The Chappy") and a pint of a blonde dopple bock beer. First taste and Jon Rodgers knew he wanted to learn to brew a batch for himself. So on that fine day in 1984, with the help of his father's wine-making equipment, his friend Scrubba, and a brew shop on Eddy street, he brewed up his first batch of beer.... from there in the rest of us were in trouble. He makes some very good beer. In 2010, Two Goats Brewing was born of Jon and Jessica Rodgers in Hector, NY.

 

 

Two Goats beer is made in a 7 barrel brew system originally built by Glenn Shepard and Kingdom Brewers of Vermont. Vance Metal in Geneva, NY masterly fabricated the fermentors and serving tanks. All is brewed in the basement of our pub here in Hector, NY.

 

With my friends Bryan Van  Deusen and Rich Srsich we tried three beers. I had a Heffewiezen. And my companion had the IPA and the Whiskey Richard Stout.

 

I must say,all three were really tastey, but the IPA was the easy winner. I liked the stout. It was big and rich with overtones of coffee and chocolate, and the Heffe was light, and bright, and appropriately sour. Both solid beers.  But the IPA has depth and character far beyond the other two. It was one of my favorite IPAs instantly.

 

Two Goats has a distinct advantage on Seneca Lake  -it's a brewery. The nice part is, you can go in and refreh you palate with a nice quick pop, and enjoy the scenic views before returning to the drudgery of tasting yet more wine! And instant new stop on our regular tour!