We never really considered ourselves big beer drinkers until the fairly recent boom of micro breweries. In almost any community we visit you can find one and they're usually unique and excellent in their own way. And it's a lot more fun once you figure out the differences in types of beers and generally what you like, and don't like.
Our love affair with Genesee
Years ago, we decided to do a very tongue in cheek blog and taste test for "retro" inspired beers (read that here). We tried oldies but goodies, with lots of retro history and attitude. For consideration were big boys like Miller and PBR, along with some locals including Genesee (Rochester, NY). To our surprise we liked plain Genesee the best, and it's been our go-to cheap beer ever since. Seriously.
So we've had a soft spot in our hearts for Genesee for a while now and when some friends told us about the new(ish) brewhouse at the genesee Factory in Rochester, we decided to make a day trip of it!
The Record Archive
The brewery is pretty centrally located downtown, and there are more than a few things to do there. We went to The Record Archive, a huge record store with aisles of vinyl, CDs, retro and new equipment, gifts, and vintage clothing. It was really, really cool, and I would definitely recommend it!
Genesee Brewhouse and Restaurant
Later we went to the brewhouse and restaurant. It is located right next to the historic Genesee Brewing Company, maker of Genesee Beer, Genny Light, Cream Ale, and a few other seasonal beers.
The building was reclaimed and renovated in 2012, and indeed Google maps shows what the old building looked like.
The first floor is a gift shop, historical exhibits, and beer tasting bar.
The second floor houses the restaurant and full bar. On the 3rd floor there is a rooftop patio, s pretty smart use of the space. Indeed this place must be hopping in the summertime with an outside patio as well as the beautiful view!
As is good practice at any brewery we tried a flight of beers, and I have to say my new favorite is Genny Orange Honey Cream Ale. It tastes like a creamsicle, is delicious, and best of all is available locally in Buffalo!
The bar fare was very tasty as well -- we enjoyed our food very much. After lunch we went thru the gift shop and learned a bit more about the brewery in the exhibits.
We can't wait to go back!
~Andrew
Record Archive
http://recordarchive.com/
Genesee Brewhouse and restaurant
http://www.geneseebeer.com/brewhouse/