Craft Beverage Aficionados
Spend some time tasting your way through Cooperstown & Otsego County...
With a history steeped in agriculture, hand-crafted beer, and other beverages, Otsego County was once the largest producer of hops in the United States. Today, the area is known as a forerunner in the craft beverage renaissance, producing high-quality, small-batch beers, wines, ciders, and spirits.
Self-navigate (with a designated driver, of course!) the Cooperstown Beverage Trail and learn firsthand about the region's hops and grape history. Most stops offer tastings and tours, so be sure to ask.
Alternative Transportation:
Leatherstocking Trolley
Make your reservation now and plan to get “all-aboard” for a worry-free day of touring what was once considered the hops capital of the nations, it’s beverages, and more!
Fully experience craft beverages in the Cooperstown region by booking a private charter for your group on the Leatherstocking Trolley. This safe and memorable way to explore the Cooperstown Beverage Trail seats up to 34 passengers in a classically styled trolley. Providing professional, hassle-free service, Leatherstocking Trolley also offers themed sightseeing tours of Cooperstown. Call for more details.
Flavor Focused!
The Cooperstown Beverage Trail features several distinctive, high-quality craft beverage producers. Hit the 37-mile trail loop, the first official cuisine trail in New York State, for a selection of tastings, tours, farm-to-table dining, and events that celebrate the region's craft beverage resurgence.
Cooperstown Brewing Company (1 hour)
A true small-batch, English-style brewery specializing in premium ales, porters, and stouts brewed in 20-barrel batches. Here, you can sample Cooperstown Brewing Company's baseball-inspired brews like Old Slugger Pale Ale, Nine Man Ale, and Benchwarmer Porter, and enjoy a friendly game of indoor cornhole.
The Fly Creek Cider Mill (2 Hours)
The Fly Creek Cider Mill & Orchard is a historic, water-powered mill on the banks of Fly Creek. For 168 years visitors have witnessed the pressing of fresh, sweet and delicious cider creating an experience that has become a tradition shared by generations. The tasting room offers flights of Hard Ciders, Wines, Spirits and Craft Beers. The Snack Barn has beverages by the glass including Wine and Hard Cider Slushies.
Montezuma Winery & Hidden Marsh Cooperstown (1 Hour)
Montezuma Winery’s Cooperstown location offers a wide range of wine varieties you love including Cabernet Franc, Riesling, Cranberry Bog, and more! Also carrying artisanal, hand-crafted spirits from Hidden Marsh Distillery, including Bourbon, BEE Vodka, and Apple Brandy. Bring your family and friends to enjoy a wine or spirit tasting, sip on famous wine slushies, and have a good time with us!
Rustic Ridge Winery (1-2 hours) Seasonal
Producers of sweet to dry and semi-dry white and red wines, Rustic Ridge Winery offers a varied selection of wines through its partnership with a well-established vineyard from the Finger Lakes. Visit for a tasting and take in the country setting, splendid views and occasional music sounds, and wood-fired pizzas on the weekends.
High Burl Brewery (1-2 hours) Seasonal
Neighboring Rustic Ridge Winery is the perfect stop for varied cravings. Located in the beautiful, vast countryside with some outdoor seating, it's easy to relax here! Locally grown ingredients are key to the 9 flagship flavors. Check Facebook for upcoming events.
Pail Shop Vineyards (1-2 hours) Seasonal
Specializing in cold climate grape varieties, reflecting the rocky soil of this hillside vineyard, Pail Shop Vineyards will satisfy your tastebuds looking for something special. Sample a selection of distinctive small-batch red and white blends and enjoy the rotating artist series in the winery's rustic barn tasting room. Also, you won’t want to miss Sangria at Sunset evenings!
You also don’t want to miss...
The Farmers’ Museum (2 - 4 hours) Seasonal Explore the Lippitt Farmstead at The Farmers’ Museum to take learning to the experiential level, and learn about the very stuff our bubbly libations are derived from...hops! There is plenty to see and do here from the self-guided tour through this living history village where demonstrations keep your attention, to admiring the artistry of the Empire State Carousel, to the wonder of the Cardiff Giant.
Canoe & Kayak Rentals and Sales (1-4 hours) Seasonal Spend a few hours on the Susquehanna River with Canoe & Kayak Rentals and Sales. With kayaks, canoes, and stand-up paddleboards for rent by the hour, half-day, and full-day, enjoy out-and-back paddling on the river or explore the calm waters of the Otsego County area. Free instruction and certified instructors make it a fun-filled adventure for all skill levels, with additional locations at Brookwood Point and Glimmerglass State Park.
Please remember the travel time between the places you choose to visit.
