The Hudson Valley has become a regional hub of culture and cuisine. Top rated restaurants, miles of excellent hiking trails and a vibrant art scene make it a little slice of the big city—with an abundant helping of natural beauty.
Lately, it has also grown a thriving brewery (and winery/distillery) culture with local brewmasters doing more than serving up the hoppy goodness of handcrafted, award-winning beer. They also dish out some of the friendliest food in the area. Many breweries also have restaurants—and several restaurants also brew beer on-premise. Many of the restaurants follow the local, flavorful and “green” farm-to-table custom.
In addition to breweries, we also have se veral local distilleries and wineries. The Hudson Valley has many that we don’t have space to cover, so we’ll include those that are within fifteen minutes of the City of Hudson.
Here are some of the best Hudson Valley breweries, wineries and distilleries definitely worth visiting:
Chatham Brewing
Chatham Brewing offers 30 beers. Their selection ranges from seasonal favorites like Octoberfest, Local Hero, Wind Gap Winter and Dry Irish Stout to their 2014 Platinum World Beer Champion, Imperial Stout. The brewery is open six days a week from Wednesday to Monday from 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM with tastings of their in-season beers and a food truck providing food.
Crossroads Brewing Company
Crossroads Brewing Company is lead by head brewer Hutch Kugeman and head chef Paul Parillo. Not only does Crossroads offer a ten tap rotating beer inventory, but also a restaurant that serves farm-to-table cuisine sourced locally from the Hudson Valley Region. Check their website to find out which of their award winning beers are on tap.
Hudson Distillery
In the town of Clermont a few miles south of Hudson you will find the Hudson Distillery, which makes and serves its own whiskey. They have a food truck when the weather is nice. And with Covid restrictions lifting, they have returned to what looks to be full capacity!
Keegan Ales
Located at 20 Saint James Street in Kingston, New York, Keegan Ales offers free tours of their brewery every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 1-6PM. Their restaurant offers pub food and the facility houses live bands a few times a week. Be sure to check out their website for events information.
Olde York Farm
A distillery by a wooded creek sounds almost too perfect–but it’s really there, and it’s really good! Located just east of the town of Claverack, this distillery hung out its shingle about three years ago and now does a thriving business serving cocktails and food in a converted barn and, when weather permits, outdoors under the trees, next to the creek. You cannot find anything quite like this in the city–so enjoy it here in the Hudson Valley!
Suarez Family Brewery
Located just a few miles south of Hudson, this relaxed, open-plan brew-pub offers plenty of choices in beer and only as much food as you need to munch on while you’re drinking. They serve a very good pretzel! The seating is communal and the atmosphere is convivial. Plenty of parking in back!
Tousey Winery
Also in Clermont and just north of the Hudson Distillery, you’ll find a local winemaker with a tasting room and a cafe. With weather improving and covid restrictions disappearing, expect it to be well subscribed on weekends! Relaxed country seating outdoors and plenty of wine.
SOON TO COME: Brewery at the Old Train Depot
Today there are two trains in Hudson. There’s Amtrak down by the waterfront of course–but if you visit often, you will at some point notice that a very slow freight train grinds through the middle of town about twice a day. This train uses the old Hudson-Chatham connection that used to connect with Boston and Albany trains. And for those visitors coming from Massachusetts, there was a depot roughly at Seventh Street and State Street.
The depot is now being refurbished and by summer ought to be a brew pub right in Hudson, and just in time for lifted covid-restrictions and great weather! Look for its opening and tell them we said hi!
Whether you’re looking for a seasonal favorite or a new discovery, you’ll find the breweries of Hudson Valley a worthwhile diversion. And there is so much great cuisine to choose from, it’s hard to decide which to visit first. Keep this list handy, and maybe you’ll even visit them all!
Thinking of moving to the Hudson Valley or selling your Hudson Valley property? Get in touch!
