I went to Swiftwater Brewing Company's taproom this past fall, garage doors wide open to the outdoor dining area on an unseasonably warm day, picnic tables filled up (a thing we can only dream about right now), the tables and bar inside the taproom made of a beautiful black walnut I found out is harvested from owner Andy Cook's own farm. The brewing equipment on display behind the bar, as if part of the decoration while also reminding you that you're drinking a fine handcrafted beer with all ingredients sourced locally. Its a pure Rochester beer you'll be sipping.
Cook's family farm also produces around 80% of the barley used in their beers, which is then malted a mere 8 miles away at Pioneer Malting. Swiftwater, a name which calls back to Cook's days a a whitewater kayak instructor, works with several local hops suppliers to create their beers and also relies on local merchants for other flavorings such as fruits and coffee. Whenever they can, the company prefers to keep things in-state and enjoy partnering with other local "businesses who share the same compassion and commitment to the Rochester community." Swiftwater also takes pride in their green efforts in recycling, creating minimal waste, and composting.
Okay, okay, enough chatting. You want to get to the good stuff- what the heck is on tap?! Holy moley, its a lot fifteen. Just on the menu right now. I'm sure this doesn't include seasonal, specialty, or other rotating varieties throughout the year. They have quite the selection of beers on tap as well as cans to take with you and enjoy on your own time. Some of the names that caught my eye were the Humulus Cumulus ("cloudy and soft IPA with notes of white grape and melon"), Alpaca Kisses ("hazey, fruity, IPA with notes of blueberry and fruit loops"), Is This Beer ("raspberry and lime infused"sour Gose), and Helles Awaits ("light and bright German style lager"). Other varieties include more IPAs, stouts, Hefeweizen, porters, and ales made at Swiftwater as well as Genesee beers for those who can't get enough of another local favorite.
For people like me, who can't drink beer (for most its gluten, for me I'm allergic to hops), I enjoy that they have NYS ciders available. This includes OSB, Nine Pin, Embark Craft CIderworks, Cider Creek Hard Cider, and Rootstock Ciderworks. That cran-mango saison cider from Cider Creek is one of my favorite fruit-infused ciders. Its bright and light, the cranberry making your taste buds zing while the mango evens it out with its sweetness. A great cider for the summer!
Lastly, but certainly not leastly is the food. Pretzels are my go-to bar food, I love them! And the pretzels here were no exception. But, what really makes a good pretzel, I feel, is the dipping sauce. These paired so nicely with the Imperial Stout whole grain maple mustard and the fruit and pickles that accompany it make it a flavor trip for your taste buds. I love that they cater to vegetarian and vegan guests, with menu items like the Stromboli and the Swiftwater deluxe burger that can be altered to fit those lifestyles. They even have a vegetarian garbage plate. That's something I personally haven't seen before and I think its a great offer!! I know that I need to go back and try their house-made spicy beef jerky, plate (maybe I'll be wild and try the veggie one), and the grilled cheese (it had Brie, garlic, cheddar cheese, and shallots. Mmmmm.
They are open during the quarantine for curbside pickup of online orders.
Please visit them at:
378 Mt Hope Avenue Rochester NY 14620
585-530-347
Monday & Tuesday Closed || Wednesday 4-8 || Thursday-Saturday 12-8 || Sunday 12-6
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