With long winters that are beyond frigid, you’ll need some excellent craft beers from the best Lake Placid breweries to warm you up.
But, it can be hard to know where to find some of the best breweries in Lake Placid if you’re not from the area.
And that’s where my local knowledge comes in mighty handy. After all, I have lived in the Adirondacks and visited every summer since birth.
Yeah, my family had a house in nearby Westport. Therefore, I know all about Lake Placid and where to find some of the town’s best breweries.
So, if you want to experience top Lake Placid breweries like a local then give this guide a read.
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Table of Contents
Best Lake Placid Breweries
1. Great Adirondack Brewing Company
The Kane family has been running their Lake Placid restaurant for the last four decades.
Originally known as Great Adirondack Steak & Seafood, this iconic restaurant sits in the heart of Main Street with views over Mirror Lake.
The overwhelming popularity of their on-site craft brewery led to the business relaunching as the Great Adirondack Brewing Company in 2018.
After all, they use high-quality domestic and imported ingredients to create a wide selection of lagers and ales, always with quality and consistency in mind.
Their rich and complex Whiteface Stout uses roasted barley and chocolate malts to create layers of roasted coffee and chocolate flavors.
So, it’s no surprise that this stout has won multiple awards, including a Silver Medal at the 2021 New York State Craft Brewers Competition.
Or, if you prefer a lighter, sweeter beer, their Cherry Jubilee sour ale is a blend of Whiteface Stout Belgian ale with organic vanilla and natural cherry flavors. Yeah, it’s basically what I order every time I visit.
You can also enjoy these beers in the Kane’s friendly restaurant, where the menu features sandwiches and burgers along with steak and seafood favorites. Brewery tours are also available on request.
Local Tip: I order fish and chips, fish tacos, and nachos every time I visit. All of these are really good.
Address: 2442 Main St, Lake Placid, NY 12946
Hours: Open 11:30 am to 9:00 pm Monday and Thursday through Saturday. Also, open Tuesday/Wednesday from 3:00 pm to 9:00 pm and Sunday from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm.
Price: Entrees start at $24.00 each.
2. Lake Placid Pub and Brewery
The story of the Lake Placid Pub and Brewery began in 1996 when Christopher Ericson and a college friend purchased P.J. O’Neill’s, an Irish pub in the village of Lake Placid.
Since then, the Lake Placid Pub & Brewery has expanded rapidly and is known as one of the best Lake Placid breweries, thanks to its high-quality range of beers.
Additionally, their on-site microbrewery has brewed over 150 beers over the years, and you’ll always find 12 beers on tap at one of the best bars in Lake Placid.
However, their flagship beer is the award-winning Ubu Ale, a dark, slightly bitter ale with notes of dark fruit and roasted malt.
This is always available on draft in the Pub, alongside a selection of favorites like Moose Island Ale and Lake Placid IPA.
But, they also feature rotating seasonal beers like Leaping Cow ESB and Ectoberfest Lager.
You’ll also love that this Lake Placid brew pub overlooks Mirror Lake and has three different bars on each level.
So, you’ll find a cozy Irish pub complete with wooden beams and exposed brickwork on the first floor, a brewpub on the second floor, and the third-floor Hayloft with an outdoor deck overlooking the lake.
Then, in addition to the beers, they serve up delicious pub classics, including mouthwatering cheeseburgers, wings, and deep-dish pizzas.
Plus, tours of this Lake Placid brewery are available on request.
Address: 813 Mirror Lake Dr, Lake Placid, NY 12946
Hours: Open Monday through Saturday from 11:30 am to 2:00 am and Sunday from 12:00 pm to 2:00 am.
Price: Entrees start at $18.00 each.
3. Big Slide Brewery and Public House
In 2016, the owners of Lake Placid Pub and Brewery opened a second Lake Placid pub, this time in a modern, industrial-style setting.
And, thus, The Big Slide Brewery & Public House was born.
It serves 10 house-brewed beers on draft, including the Bourbon Barrel Aged Ubu Ale, which won a bronze medal at the 2018 NY State Craft Beer Competition.
This ale is brewed on-site and then aged in bourbon barrels for six months, giving it subtle layers of bourbon and vanilla flavors.
Alongside this favorite brew, you’ll find a wide variety of styles from Sours and Goldens to IPAs and Stouts, together with some exciting innovations like their Chili Pepper Pale Ale.
As a result, The Big Slide Brewery in Lake Placid is regularly named one of the best places to eat in Lake Placid and the Adirondacks.
In fact, it’s a gastropub that serves fantastic farm-to-table food, including brick-oven pizzas, delicious entrees, steaks, and amazing desserts.
That’s why, whenever I come here I always order the chicken sandwich or the falafel which is a more unusual Lake Placid menu item. Both are really good and way better than regular bar food.
However, FYI, usually when I stop by there is like a 35-minute wait since this is one of the best restaurants in Lake Placid.
Address: 5686 Cascade Rd, Lake Placid, NY 12946, United States
Hours: Open Monday through Thursday from 11:30 am to 9:00 pm, Friday/Saturday from 11:30 am to 9:30 pm, and Sunday from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm.
Price: Entrees start at around $24.00 each.
4. Ray Brook Brewhouse
The tiny hamlet of Ray Brook lies around six miles west of Lake Placid. Home to around 2000 people, this is where you’ll find the Ray Brook Brewhouse.
This unique brewery and rustic pub is popular with locals and visitors alike, thanks to its range of innovative brews at affordable prices.
Now, the adventurous selection of beers includes the silky-smooth Moon on the Lake NEIPA and the Slab of Granite IPA, which has big hoppy flavors to match the local bedrock it’s named for.
Or, if you simply want a straightforward beer, the Ray Brook Beer is a smooth, unfiltered German-style lager.
Additionally, the food at this Lake Placid brewpub is as adventurous as its craft brews. It showcases local and exotic ingredients in a menu filled with sandwiches, burgers, and grilled brewhouse flatbreads.
Address: 1153 NY-86, Ray Brook, NY 12977
Hours: Open Monday through Saturday from 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm.
Price: Entrees start at $15.95 each.
5. Blue Line Brewery
Located around 8 miles west of Lake Placid, Blue Line Brewery was founded in 2012 with the aim of brewing great beers.
Then, in December 2014, the brewery opened its Brew Pub/Kitchen, where delicious fresh food is served alongside a selection of Blue Line Brewery beers.
Highlights include the refreshing light-golden Bluff Island, which pairs American hops with English two-row malt for a bright, clean finish.
There’s also the Vienna-style Big Spike ale with its toasty, caramel sweetness, and the very drinkable Split Rock Ale, a creamy English mild ale with a full body and cocoa-biscuit flavors.
in contrast, the food menu features pizza, wings, burgers, and classic pub grub like potato skins, skillet fries, and massive fried shrimp. It’s pretty good very traditional bar food.
Weather permitting, you can enjoy your food and beer in their outdoor seating area.
Address: 555 Lake Flower Ave, Saranac Lake, NY 12983
Hours: Open Monday from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm, Tuesday/Wednesday from 11:30 am to 8:30 pm, Thursday-Saturday from 11:30 am to 9:00 pm, and Sunday from 12:00 pm to 7:00 pm.
Price: Food is $10.00 and under.
6. The Boat Tasting Room
The Boat Tasting Room is owned by the Wood Boat Brewery, a microbrewery on the banks of the St. Lawrence River in Clayton, NY.
The brewery creates top-quality beers that are full of flavor, and you can enjoy a selection of their craft beverages at the Boat Tasting Room on Main Street, Lake Placid.
Now, beers on tap at the Boat Tasting Room include the crisp, easy-drinking Bow Light Pilsner and the Wood Boat Brewery’s flagship Channel Marker IPA, which is citrusy with a dry hopped finish.
Or, for something a little different, try their light Cherry Wheat ale made with real tart cherries.
The tasting room also stocks popular wines and spirits from Clayton producers like Northern Flow Winery, Coyote Moon Winery, and Saint Lawrence Spirits.
Plus, every time I come here I order the Live Yum Thai Pizza and am never disappointed since it is one of the most unique pizzas I have ever had. Yeah, it comes with NO cheese and is mega delish.
Address: 2617 Main St Suite 4, Lake Placid, NY 12946
Hours: Open Sunday through Wednesday from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm and Thursday through Saturday from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm.
Price: Entrees are around $23.00 each.
Best Lake Placid Breweries – Restaurant Edition
7. Smoke Signals
Okay, I know. Technically, Smoke Signals is a super cool barbeque spot and not a Lake Placid brewery.
However, this eatery does serve an amazing array of draft beers, has a low-key bar feel to it, and cooks wicked awesome barbeque fare on Main Street that you just can’t get enough of.
No, seriously. The food is really good since everything is homemade and the meats are actually smoked in-house.
So, grab a seat on their lakefront patio, enjoy some live music, and order a Ubu Ale from Lake Placid Brewery or a rotating beer on tap from Saranac Brewery.
You can also sip on a decadent Blackberry Moonshine Margarita before digging into some baby back ribs or a brisket French dip.
FYI, this place is super popular. So, expect a wait at peak times and on weekends.
Address: 2489 Main St, Lake Placid, NY 12946
Hours: Open Monday through Sunday from 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm.
Price: Cocktails start at $14.00 each.
Map of the Best Breweries in Lake Placid
Best Lake Placid Breweries FAQs
Who Owns Lake Placid Brewery?
The owner and founder of the Lake Placid Pub & Brewery is Christopher Ericson.
He worked at the Shipyard Brewing Company in Maine and The Shed Restaurant & Brewery in Vermont before opening his own brewery with a college friend in 1996.
How many Breweries are in New York State?
New York State has the second-largest craft beer market in the United States.
According to the New York State Brewers Association (NYSBA), there were more than 500 New York State breweries in 2022, up from 95 in 2012.
So, after you visit Lake Placid be sure to visit some of the best breweries in Brooklyn too.
Where Can You Find the Most Microbreweries in the Country?
According to SmartAsset’s annual report on the best US cities for beer drinkers, Asheville, NC, has the most microbreweries per capita in the country, with 27.6 breweries per 100,000 residents in 2022.
Next in line is Portland, ME, with 26.3 breweries per 100,000 residents, and Bend, OR, with 21.6 breweries per 100,000 residents.
What City in the US has the Most Beer Breweries?
If you’re wondering which US city has the most breweries, that accolade goes to Chicago.
SmartAsset reports that the Windy City had 103 breweries in 2022, compared to 82 in Portland, OR, and 79 in Denver, CO.
There you have it! That wraps up this guide to the best Lake Placid breweries of them all.
Tell me, did your picks for the best breweries in Lake Placid make the list? If not then let me know!
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