I'm not especially a beer drinker but this is very close to me. I was delighted to find out that she makes excellent dry ciders. I loved the Normandie,, which is aged in oak for 5 years. The couple who run the place are delightful. The negative reviews are hilariously wrong. The house style seems to be sour based on the brews my son ordered. I hope to come here again and again. Like a neighborhood bar without the screens and with much better products. read more

Truly a hidden gem. The owners were great people and more than happy to explain their beer. For a truly authentic European beer experience I highly recommend. Get a flight and try a few different ones. Given their fermentation process, they will be sour at first but grow on your palate. All of their beer is great on flavor. read more

Nicely decorated husband and wife operation. She does all the beer and soda brewing n also the food! She brews lagers, ales no IIPA's . The Sasparilla is the best! It was later in the evening so no food was ordered this time but the German Ale was very good. Not a place for sports but they had a checker game on the tables. I was told they're having OctoberFest so keep your eyes peeled for that. I noticed some outdoor seating too. So check out this nice, quaint neighborhood place. read more

Nice place to visit. . I'm no beer expert, but everything there tasted like a sour. Rye ale? Sour. Porter? Sour. Pumpkin Ale? Sour. . read more

Red Hawk Brewing - customers at the bar - Cideries Near Me - Syracuse, New York

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Okay selection, definitely a different type of brewing. Out of 6 of us, all 4 that got a beer (instead of bottled wine) had awful stomach issues the next day. People are very sweet and informative, nachos were amazing! Maybe we'll try it again someday and just stick with other drink choices. read more

Some of the best beers I've ever drank in my life ... definitely a craft beer paradise. All european inspired recipes. The golden ale could be the best beer I've ever had in my life.. good people great place . read more

Red Hawk Brewing - a glass of beer on a table - Cideries Near Me - Syracuse, New York

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Stopped in to Red Hawk Brewing the Saturday night of Labor Day weekend. We called first to see if they had any outdoor seating (they do) because it was such a beautiful night. But when we arrived, we were the only people in the place, and the interior space was so great (gorgeous tables and wood working with game boards on all the tables and cool posters and antiques decorating the walls), we decided to stay inside and do flights instead of take individual glasses outside. We were really glad we did. This brewery is 100% focused on Belgian style beers. There were three of us in our party, we opted for 2 full flights, which allow you to taste all of the beers on tap - close to 4 oz pours of each - for $19. They lay out the order for tasting so you can build up from the less robust to the more robust flavor-wise, and there are snacks including cheeses, crackers and nuts on the counter to go along with them. We found the owners to be friendly, knowledgeable and really interesting; they walked us through the brewing process for each beer, along with how to sip/taste (take five sips to fully taste the flavors) and what to expect "over time". For example, one of the beers was described as "pre-natal" and we were told it would develop richer flavor as it ages. They were very receptive to our questions and we felt like we had a good conversation. Something we probably would not have been able to experience if the place was packed; and something we really appreciated because we did not feel rushed, even though we ended up closing the place down and in fact over-stayed (they close at 9 pm - we left at 9:25 pm) because we decided at the last minute to take home two 64-oz growlers of our faves (which they patiently filled for us....) We all agreed this would be a great place to go back to throughout a season to see how the beers mature. Speaking of seasons and brewing processes, we also loved that their menu of on-tap beers will slightly change with the seasons, and how almost 100% of their ingredients (from hops to barley to fruits and spices) are sourced locally - as in from the Onondaga hill area! This is a great place for a stop on your brewery tour of central NY, or even as a destination to hang out for a while and try new things. Would highly recommend and look forward to going back! read more

I loved Red Hawk Brewing! The two owners were the ones that were helping us and they are the ones that brew the beer. They are very knowledgable and seem to really take care in their craft. The beer is pretty expensive, but I don't mind paying more than other places because the beer was so delicious! Great outdoor space too. read more

How do I describe such an enjoyable afternoon? We were working on a Syracuse brew tour. Out of town folks from California. We did the standard Empire visit and took a gamble on driving all the way out to Red Hawk. Let me tell you, Kathy and her attention to detail and craft was worth every inch and mile getting there. We were treated to the most authentic experience by a woman who clearly care equally for her beer as her husband. And she loves her husband. We did a sampler of every beer on the menu. The alpine Mint and doublon ferme were incredible. Kathy takes pride in her craft and will treat you like family. Don't hesitate, get to red hawk today. read more

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I simply love this brewery. They have excellent Belgians, the owners are very friendly and knowledgeable. This is a must stop for me whenever I am in the area. They always have top quality beers that are delicious. At times, they have a lot of fruity beers (not what I like) but I still enjoy sampling them. This is a great place that is locally operated, go check it out! read more

Some OK beers in this rural micro-brewery, and several Belgians, but many tend to taste a little too similar to others. The interior is elegant but a little cavernous and dim. The very nice skylight did not do the job. The woman who served us is also one of the owners/brewers. She made a strange error in presentation, claiming a beer that was obviously at most 4 to 5 percent ABV was well above 10%. She said it was remarkable how little you could taste the alcohol. I'm a brewer myself, and I can tell you she was completely mistaken. I did not call her out on it as she was a little tipsy at the time. In fact, I bought a growler of that very beer, and barely caught a buzz later that night after three pints. Lots of nice free noshes to go with the beer tasting keep this place above average, though. A little off the beaten path but worth a stop if in the area. read more

In the spirit of spontaneity, my partner and I decided to drive out on a Sunday afternoon. We love visiting local breweries and enjoy learning/chatting with brewers whenever we can. Unfortunately, we did not enjoy our visit at all. The place immediately had a weird vibe. As professionals in our mid 30s we were by far the youngest people there. The owner/brewer insisted on serving our flights as one-at-a-time samples, and went out of her way to trash the way other breweries do things - everything from brewing techniques to how beers are served! She basically implied that anyone who prefers the typical brewery experience over what Red Hawk is offering knows nothing about beer and is just there to get drunk. Well, my partner doesn't eat cheese, and neither one of us is a huge fan of sours. That doesn't make us bad people! For the record, we did Ommegang's Belgian import tasting a couple years ago and enjoyed it, so the style wasn't the problem. We couldn't really have a conversation because the owner and her husband wouldn't leave us alone (and even when they stepped away, were clearly listening to us). Couldn't go to a table because the flight came one by one. We were polite, but the whole visit was super uncomfortable. read more

Never again. Went for Oktoberfest and was highly disappointed. It's sad when the band outshines the bar. We got 3 samples (we could only get one at a time between 2 people) and 2 of their beer cocktails. The beers were sours even though they labeled as lagers. We also ordered Bavarian pretzels.... I guess they are now microwaved super pretzels with stadium cheese?!? $7 for 2 microwaved pretzels. $7. The bar was overwhelmed and did not have the staff for a busy day. Needless to say, I won't go back. I'm actually mad that I spent the time and money on this place, considering that it was not a welcoming environment. Oh and why is this the only brewery that doesn't post what the alcohol content is on their beers?!? read more

This is something different in the craft beer world where every IPA is trying to out bitter the next. Red Hawk is a Belgian inspired brewery run by a retired couple, Bob and Kathy. No bittering hops here. Although they have an emphasis on Belgian style ales, I think their style is more reflective of Kathy learning the craft at her grandmother's elbow, a middle European style of sourcing local ingredients and whatever was on hand, went into the pot. Thus we have vanilla and clove notes in the Vanilla stout, figs and spices in the "Figgy Pudding", locally sourced pumpkin in the pumpkin ale, cranberries in the Bogberry ale, etc. Kathy is very knowledgeable and more than willing to respond to your questions about her take on Belgian brewing. She can get a little overwhelmed when the place is hopping, so you "educated" snobs from the previous post should lighten up, its just the two of them running the place and its their baby. Bob, who looks like Mitch Miller (google it) with his current beard is more than happy to spin a yarn. Very pleasant folks. I have read numerous posts that criticize the ales as sours. I will admit that they do have an acetic acid note that runs through all their beers. It is not uncommon for there to be trace acetic acid in craft beer but this is a little higher than normal and imparts a tartness to all the beers. I know she doesn't filter and perhaps there is some contamination or perhaps wild yeast that is often a reason behind the acetic acid note. But if that tartness is not your thing, you have plenty of other craft beer options. Go to Red Hawk for traditional farm style brewing and try something different. She lets the yeast go and often the beer changes character in the keg and produces a steadily increasing ABV which is interesting. The Golden Strong is smooth, has a higher ABV without the burn, and less tartness. Give it a try. read more

Great place for Belgian style beers along with the occasional sahti

We decided to start exploring Syracuse breweries today and ended up at Red Hawk Brewing first. It was an excellent surprise. The brewer is a retired nurse and makes wonderful Belgian inspired brews. The Oud Bruin is the most unique beer that I've ever had. The entire selection was filled with different tastes. Anyone can satisfy their palate there. The owners are very personable and provide different selections of cheese and salty snacks. I will be going there often to fill my growler. read more

Red Hawk Brewing - a bottle of red hawk brewing - Cideries Near Me - Syracuse, New York

Probably the most diverse variety of beers offered in the area. Loved everything I tried and I am pretty picky. We love this place and will continue to go back. Love the assortment of snacks provided (cheese, fritos, spicy fritos). They're my number one favorite! read more

Just drove to the middle of no where to check this place out, 2:30 on a Friday and it was closed. (Yelp said open) either need to update hours or I would suggest calling before you go! read more

I went here on a recent Saturday afternoon. The location feels like a barn in the middle of a field- because it is. There were about ten people there, so it was a quiet atmosphere, but the board games on the tables play in to that type of environment. The beers themselves are very unique. The couple who runs this establishment brew all of the beers themselves and are incredibly knowledgeable and happy to share that knowledge with their customers, but I found some of the selections to be really odd. I tried a mint one that reminded me of toothpaste, but my husband actually liked it. The bar had quite a few snacks out, but there is no kitchen so don't arrive there hungry. My advice- get a sampler of some beers that sound appealing. Keep sampling until you find one that you enjoy. Honestly, with such a vast and varied selection, there should be something for everyone. read more

This was a pleasant surprise. It was my introduction to Belgian Ales and is now my favorite stop in Syracuse. Friendly atmosphere and the owners go out of their way to educate and inform. Beers are t read more

This is a great new brewery with a focus on Belgian style ales...something very few are doing in the CNY area outside of Ommegang. It's a couple owned and operated business who are very friendly and knowledgeable about their craft without being remotely pretentious. the blonde and brun ales were excellent. Worth a stop and a great addition to the Syracuse brewery scene, which until very recently was pretty limited. read more

Came here for a Brewery Tour with 20 people. It was our second stop around 1:30pm. Our group is full of educated couples between 30-40 years old. We were greeted by a hostile older woman who said that we were only allowed 3 tastings each because they "didn't have time" to give us more than that. Prior to us arriving, we had two friends waiting to meet us there who told us that she complained about our group coming to them because she feared we would be "completely drunk" and wouldn't be able to, nor did she want to, serve us. We called weeks in advance to make a reservation and were very polite with our interactions prior to (and during) arrival. She angrily rang a bell when she wanted our attention and struggled to smile as she passed out our tastings. We felt very uncomfortable and it definitely changed the mood of our day, but only temporarily. I would've liked to remind this woman that we are young professionals and had nothing but great intentions coming to her establishment. We generously tipped servers at all locations and we were excited to try different beers and hopefully find new "favorites" for ourselves. With that said, most of our group really enjoyed the cherry wheat and I would recommend new patrons try it. I would also recommend you do not attend this establishment with more than a few people if you expect positive and upbeat service. read more