Back in January my friends and I had plans to go to the Poconos to ski, but the house we were planning to stay in had some last minute issues. So our plans changed and after brainstorming, we decided to visit Ithaca, New York. We booked an Airbnb and drove the 3ish hours up on a rainy Friday night for the long weekend.

While the Finger Lakes Region is known for its wineries, there’s also some great breweries which we visited.

Ithaca Beer Co. When I first got into craft beer, Ithaca Beer Co. was one of the first beers I remember really enjoying. Their Flower Power IPA is one of their most popular beers and one of my go-tos, not just because of the fun name and can. On our first full day in Ithaca we took the short drive from where we were staying to check it out. We went on a tour which ended up being only us and the tour guide since it was a cold, snowy day. The tour guide was extremely friendly and we had a nice time talking with him about the beer making process, learning about the brewery, and tasting some beers. I think our tour ended up being longer than a typical tour here just because we had so much fun talking to the guy! Afterwards we took a seat at the bar and ordered some flights and food and enjoyed the afternoon. If you ever find yourself in Ithaca, this is definitely a must-visit place.

 

Liquid State Brewing Co. We stopped by Liquid State about an hour before they closed on a Saturday night and there were a few tables hanging around having beers and playing some games (they have skee-ball!). The space was very open with an industrial feel to it and the bartenders were very laid-back. We sat at the bar to enjoy flights of beer and I was blown away by how good the beers were! The brewery is right in town and only opened up last year and if I lived near this brewery, I would be there all the time.

Bacchus Brewing Company We spent our Sunday in Ithaca going on a hike and visiting some wineries closer to Cayuga Lake. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Americana Vineyards also had a brewery on site. After tasting wines, the bartender who was helping us brought us downstairs to their bar so we could have a beer tasting. We ended up spending most of our afternoon here because the bartender was so friendly and we were really enjoying the space. My bill was $10 total for our wine AND beer tastings which was incredible. I imagine this place gets super busy in the summer and it’s clear why!

 

This was my second time visiting Ithaca and this town has a lot of charm. The drive isn’t too bad from where I live and I’d love take a trip up sometime in the summer to explore more of their hiking trails, breweries, and wineries. Plus, there’s some great food – more restaurants per capita than NYC!

Have you been to Ithaca before? I’d love to hear!