When we found Lucky Hare Brewing co-owner Ian, he was walking around the corner of the brewery barn, checking his phone to see if his wife had gone into labor yet. Talk about a conversation starter! He had reached out to us a day earlier to ask if we wanted to come by to taste a few beers and get a feel for this fast-growing Seneca Lake brewery, and Luke didn’t even need to do puppydog eyes for us to accept.
Boyfriend Perspective: I DO NOT DO PUPPYDOG… okay, maybe I do puppydog eyes. Sometimes. It’s beer, dammit. Do what you gotta do.
About Lucky Hare, a can’t-miss stop on the Finger Lakes beer trail
As we stood in the beer barn, a little sweaty and surrounded by fermenters and the smell of boiling hot hops, we sipped a few new beers, and Ian gave us a rundown of the brewery.
In the years before he started Lucky Hare, he’d never had much interest in making beer – but when he finally started, it was a lightbulb moment. From there, Ian started networking in the area, testing his brews on local pros, friends, and family, honing his abilities and taste.
Then, Lucky Hare became a reality in 2016, co-owned by Ian and his step-father, Richard. Shortly thereafter, they gained a third member: brewmaster Tony. As we talked, Ian proudly attributed some of the fast growth and success they’ve had to Tony, who is German-trained, has helped build up other local breweries, and knows where all the potential trip-ups are. Tony, for his part, just smiled and shrugged and went back to handling the hops.
Here’s perhaps the coolest thing about this amazing Lucky Hare experience: even though we did get a very intimate view of the brewery, Ian and Rich both take frequent turns behind the bar. So if you happen to see them pulling beers, make sure to say hi, and ask them what they’re working on next.
Boyfriend Perspective: HINT – it might be a molé stout!!!!
And speaking of beer, you’re probably wondering about this really cool brewery’s, well… brews!
Visiting Lucky Hare, and how we came home from the Finger Lakes Beer Trail with a ton of beer
Ian took us through all of Lucky Hare’s current offerings, and a few that aren’t quite on the menu yet. They have 8 active fermenters, 8 taps always flowing, and 4 of their foundational brews nearly always available.
We tasted:
- Corn lager (unnamed as of September 2018) – beautifully light flavor with good body, easy to drink
- Bivalve Curious (oyster stout) – does NOT taste like seafood! Almost nutty, well-rounded and smooth.
- Duck Duck Gose (gose, duh) – briny but not overwhelming – made with Celtic sea salt and toasted coriander
- Milk Milk (milk stout) – Luke calls says this is like a creamy, bitter dark chocolate beer shake with just a little bit of nuttiness.
- Path of the Wolf (Imperial brown ale) – according to Luke, this has dark chocolate and caramel notes, plus a smooth finish, that make it a very strong Imperial ale. Plus, it’s named for Ian’s son!
- Die Fledermaus (Belgian saison) – Luke gets really pensive about this, calling it almost savory, with a fruity, peppery taste that sticks in the tastebuds.
- Fruit Salad (sour) – tangy, fruity, hoppy, but in no way bitter – currently features local tart cherries, but fruit can change by the release depending on availability and palate.
- Falcon Punch (IPA) – Luke says it’s buttery, mildly hoppy, has a citrusy edge, and is very easy to drink.
Boyfriend Perspective: When I go to breweries, I don’t normally like everything I taste. And that’s pretty natural. But all of their beers are so well done and the company was so good, I couldn’t help bringing home… everything! I don’t even have anything smartassy to say. Weird, right?!
As we went through each of these tastings, a few in the brewery and a few in the tasting room, we couldn’t help but notice that the Finger Lakes brewery, spirits, and farm community is incredibly tight-knit. As a registered farm brewery, Lucky Hare must use a certain percentage of New York-sourced ingredients in their brews. So, their newly-released Fruit Salad sour uses tart cherries from Red Jacket Orchard (based out of Geneva). Their forthcoming oyster stout uses fresh oysters from Long Island. And their Belgian saison (Die Fledermaus) uses linden flowers from a dearly departed friend’s tree, right up the road. Add to that, they’ve done beer, whiskey, and wine barrel exchanges with a growing number of local partners, sharing and creating amazing new flavor palates together.
With all these incredible offerings, make sure to keep up with the brewery on Instagram and Twitter, where they frequently announce new collabs and releases.
Finger Lakes brewery meets Oaxacan cuisine at Lucky Hare (you need food if you’re going to enjoy this much beer!)
On Friday evenings, and Saturday and Sunday afternoons, this Seneca Lake brewery’s kitchen opens up with Sabores de Oaxaca, the culinary stylings of Oaxacan chef Gabo. So, come out, post up at the bar, and enjoy some amazing noshes and equally fantastic beer.
We wish we could’ve sampled some of his magic for ourselves, BUT what we did get to see was Gabo hauling giant tubs of chiles into the brewery to be sorted and added to the mash for their new brew.
Boyfriend Perspective: I know beer can’t be ready the moment I want it. Really, I do. But watching him bring out all those fresh chiles was enough to have me very annoyed I couldn’t taste that molé stout yet. Gahhhh.
Practical information for your visit to Lucky Hare Brewing
- Address: 6085 Beckhorn Rd, Hector, NY 14841 (literally, about two minutes north of downtown Hector, just off 414) – you can’t miss their old truck and sign perched over the road!
- Hours:
- Monday: NOON – 7PM
- Tuesday: CLOSED
- Wednesday: 3PM – 9PM
- Thursday: 3PM – 9PM
- Friday: NOON – 9PM (kitchen 4-8PM)
- Saturday: 11AM – 9PM (kitchen 12-8PM)
- Sunday: NOON – 9PM (kitchen 1-8PM)
- Nearby places to eat, if Oaxacan culinary magic is unavailable:
- Stone Cat (4 minutes)
- The Elf in the Oak (8 minutes)
- Toni’s Diner (3 minutes)
- And if none of these suit, don’t be shy about asking the folks behind the bar. They DEFINITELY know what’s good!
- Accessibility:
- There are just a handful of steps up to the front porch, but no ramps available.
And did Ian’s wife go into labor while we were there?
Nope, she didn’t, but baby Wolfgang came into the world later that month, and at last update, everyone is happy and healthy!
Don’t forget – pin this for your Finger Lakes bucket list now!
Hey guys, it’s worth noting that much of our experience at Lucky Hare was provided free of charge. The goods news is that a) all of our opinions are our own, and b) we never promote partners or businesses we don’t believe in and love.
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