12 craft beverages in Columbia County, New York.
Named Best Craft Brewery in the Hudson Valley at Tap NY in both 2015 and 2017. A must-stop for serious beer enthusiasts and a local gathering place in downtown Chatham. Specializes in approachable beers in traditional styles — Bock, Scotch Ales, Pilsners — alongside more adventurous brews like the Farmer's Daughter rye IPA brewed with local NY rye. Brews and distributes a new experimental beer every month. The taproom offers bar bites and burgers plus weekend live music.
A working farm distillery in Valatie producing fruit-based spirits including apple vodkas, apple brandies, pear brandy, and the John Henry Bourbon. Located at Golden Harvest Farms — visitors can pair distillery tastings with the farm's seasonal pick-your-own apples and farm market. One of the earliest NY State Farm Distilleries to open under the 2007 Farm Distillery Act.
A field-to-glass craft distillery on a working farm in Ancram, founded in 2011 by Jeffrey Baker and Cathy Franklin. The first U.S. distillery since before Prohibition to floor-malt and hand-craft whiskey on-site from estate-grown grain. Master Distiller is the late Dave Pickerell, formerly of Maker's Mark. Hillrock produces the world's first Solera Aged Bourbon, plus an American Single Malt and Double Cask Rye made from grain grown, malted, and distilled on the estate. Crowned by an 1806 Georgian house built by a Revolutionary War captain and grain merchant, the property overlooks 100 acres of heirloom rye and barley fields with views of the Berkshire Mountains. Visitor center and tours by reservation.
A family-owned farm distillery on Route 9 in Clermont/Germantown, founded around 2014 by two couples — Chris and Jennifer Moyer and Tom and Jennifer Yozzo, college fraternity brothers turned distilling partners. Produces spirits from all-local fruits and grains. Won Best in Class Vodka at the 2016 Spirits Conference and Vendor Expo hosted by the American Distilling Institute. Tasting room and cocktail program on a scenic Columbia County property along the Route 9 craft beverage corridor.
Columbia County's first winery, opened in 2007 in Ghent. Voted Best Local Winery in the county and in the Capital Region multiple years since opening. A boutique winery on a lovely property with several acres planted, a bright airy tasting room, and a focus on hybrid varieties ideal for growing in Upstate New York. Tasting room also stocks local beers and spirits. Year-round tastings, weddings, and events. Founder Carlo DeVito has been a vocal advocate for the Hudson Valley wine region.
An earth-to-glass brandy and vermouth distillery, farm, and fine dining destination set on 160+ acres atop a Claverack hillside five miles from Hudson, founded by John Frishkopf and Brett Mattingly. The estate cultivates 60 acres of vineyards and apple orchards under sustainable methods, with views stretching to the Catskills. Flagship aged apple and grape brandies are distilled in a 2,500-liter Alembic Charentais pot still imported from Cognac, then matured in French oak barrels inside the timber-framed chai. Un-oaked eaux de vie are distilled in a bespoke 500-liter Mueller copper still from Oberkirch, Germany. The name "Klocke" — Middle Dutch for "clock" — honors the patience required to make great brandy. Guided distillery tours, brandy tastings, and an a-la-carte seasonal restaurant.
A small-batch organic farm cidery on Little Apple Farm — two NOFA-NY certified organic orchards in Hillsdale that owner Ron Bixby and family bought and restored from an abandoned, overgrown state starting in 1980. Hard cider production began in 2015, and the operation now celebrates 10 years of cider alongside 45 years of organic apple growing. Heirloom Northern Spy, Golden Russet, and Baldwin apples, supplemented by English and French cider varieties, are hand-picked, pressed, and fermented over a six-month season into single-varietal batches and small blends — all dry or semi-dry. The seasonal Orchard Bar serves cider by glass or flight Saturday and Sunday afternoons, May through November. Member of NYS Grown & Certified.
The Town of Claverack's first brewery in over 100 years, founded in 2014 by a brewer who started growing his own hops on the Old Klaverack Brewery Hop Farm at 150 Thielman Road. The brewery uses 100% New York–grown and malted base grains and locally sourced ingredients (including hops from the on-site farm) to brew a wide range of styles — from the Klaverack Kream Ale, Spookrock IPA, and Dunbar Stout to a Baltic Porter that took home Bronze for Best Porter at the 2025 New York State Brewers Conference. A second taproom in downtown Hudson at 350 Fairview Avenue offers 22-ounce bottles, growler fills, and tap pours. Proceeds from the Baltic Porter help restore the Hudson/Athens Lighthouse.
A craft distillery and on-site cooperage in Claverack, also home to Cooper's Daughter Spirits. Produces small-batch whiskeys, gins, vodkas, and seasonal liqueurs using NY State grains and fruits. Distinctive for operating its own barrel-making cooperage on the property — one of the few in the eastern United States. Tasting room offers spirits flights, craft cocktails, and tours of the distillery and cooperage. A stop on the Hudson Berkshire Beverage Trail.
The original location of Sloop Brewing Co. — a farm-set brewery in a converted barn in Elizaville, Columbia County. Famous for the unfiltered hazy New England-style Juice Bomb IPA that drew customers from Boston and Philadelphia. Lineup spans rich stouts (Chocolate Stout, Half Baked), unfiltered IPAs, and seasonal releases. The Barn delivers an authentic farm-brewery experience — sip outside on the grass with a Juice Bomb. Production has expanded to a larger 26,000 sq ft facility in East Fishkill (separate listing), but The Barn remains the heart of the brand for longtime fans.
A "mom and pop" production brewery in Livingston specializing in ales of mixed fermentation, unfiltered lagers, and "other crispy little beers" — founded by Dan Suarez (brewmaster) and his wife Taylor (business operations). Widely regarded as one of the best pilsner-focused breweries in the United States. While competitors during their founding era chased high ABVs and hop intensity, Suarez zagged: dialed-in pilsners, lagers, and country ales using local farm ingredients, occasionally branching into wild fermented beers with sumac, chamomile, thyme, and buckwheat. Brewer-owned and operated. Tasting room features simple long shared tables and ships beer within New York State.
A boutique family-owned winery in Germantown specializing in cool-climate varieties suited to the Hudson Valley region. Tasting room is set in a charming property on Route 9 with a relaxed atmosphere — wine paired with light food, knowledgeable staff, and a welcoming setting that draws repeat visits. Member of the Hudson Berkshire Beverage Trail.