Peace, Tranquility and Beer at Fleur De Lis Brew Works in Seneca Falls

Written by: Kayc Cass-Northrop

Fleur De Lis Brew Works, located in the heart of the Finger Lakes, a little off the beaten path, is a great estate brewing Mecca.   Just four and a half miles south of Seneca Falls, Fleur De Lis has been open for four years and continues to put out tasty beers, small batch after small batch.

This small farm brewery was founded by two brothers of the Partee family and their wives on the property the family has owned for generations. My husband, Adam, and I visited again on a recent warm Saturday where the beautiful grounds called to us as it seemed to have called many others that day.  This time around we enjoyed a couple of flights in the outdoor beer garden.  We tried eight of the 15 different brews being offered that day, although at times they offer to 24 different options, including a few ciders and a root beer.  Pulling from the Fleur De Lis heritage, you will often see two French style beers, biere de garde and biere de mars, on their menu too.  They also offer several Finger Lakes wines (Penguin Bay, Treleaven, Quarry Ridge and Swedish Hill)  and the delicious sounding Bourbon Cream Root Beer Float that probably would have been a perfect pairing on that sunny day.  The price points are on par, maybe even a bit lower, for the area.  Currently flights are $8 for four five-ounce pours, pints are $6, demi-pints are $3.50, wine by the glass is $6, crowlers fills are $9, and growler fills are $15, with higher ABV beer, 8% or higher, costing a bit more per option.  They do not have a kitchen at Fleur De Lis, but they offer a few different small items for purchase, like local cheeses and snack mixes.  The relaxed vibe is perfect for the whole family.

For our flights that day we had the Lime Vanilla Milkshake IPA, Raspberry Cream Ale, Uncle Nit’s Wit, Peanut Butter Porter, Irish Red Ale, New England IPA, Cherry Sour, and Bourbon Barrel-Aged Russian Imperial Stout.  All were delicious, especially that Russian Imperial!  Then we each grabbed a pint of the Raspberry Cream Ale, a light, crisp, perfect summer beverage, to enjoy as we wandered the expansive grounds.  The brewery, tap room, and parlour are adjacent to the beautiful Country Victorian house on the old family farmstead.  There are rose gardens, hop yards, gazebos, a fountain, beautiful tall trees, and creeks to meander.  Stop to sit at one of the many chairs, tables, or benches throughout the yard or play a game of Cornhole or Disc Golf while enjoying your beverage.  Our favorite place to settle that day was the pair of Adirondack chairs next to the small creek along the back of the property.  It was so peaceful.  Many others were enjoying the gorgeous fountain seating that also looked so pleasant.  On a rainy or cold day, there is plenty of seating inside the taproom and parlour. You can view the exposed brew equipment that is on full display or even play an inside round of various games.  And before heading out make sure to grab a couple crowlers or growlers to go as we did of course.  This great craft brewery will have you wanting to make the trek to visit time and time again to get a taste of their rotating small batch brews.

Better yet, make a weekend out of your visit and check out the nearby village of Seneca Falls like Adam and I did back in February.  Seneca Falls is a small, quaint town with a long history and and plenty to keep you occupied throughout your visit. There are several hotels, motels, and bed and breakfasts within a few miles of Seneca Falls for your overnight needs.  We stayed at The Gould Hotel which is downtown, adjacent to the Women’s Rights National Historical Park, and loved it.  It is over 100 years old and embodies old architectural beauty remodeled with today’s modern conveniences.  The first floor promenade includes the hotel front desk, the breakfast area, a restaurant and bar, and a conference room.  There are three floors of beautifully redone rooms for your overnight comfort.

Within walking distance of The Gould are many restaurants, cafes, bars, and breweries.  Not to mention a number of historical locations around the town and several outdoor activities.  If you are making it a brewery trip be sure to stop at WT Brews and Fall Street Brewing, both located in the village.  Try a flight of kombucha from Finger Lakes Kombucha Company located at Falls Street Brewing too.  If history is your thing, Seneca Falls is known for being the birthplace of women’s rights. The first Women’s Rights Convention was held there in 1848, launching the women’s sufferage movement.  Check out the Women’s Rights National Historical Park, the National Women’s Hall of Fame, The Elizabeth Cady Stanton Home, and other historical locations throughout the village.  Another claim to fame that Seneca Falls boasts is being the possible inspiration for the village Bedford Falls in the movie

It’s a Wonderful Life

.  There is an old steel truss bridge that the town has named the It’s a Wonderful Life Bridge for the similarity to the famous bridge in the movie.  Stop into the It’s a Wonderful Life Museum to see memorabilia and artifacts from the movie.  If the outdoors is more your thing, take a walk along the Cayuga-Seneca Canal on the Ludovico Sculpture Trail just off of Bridge Street.  It is a nice walking path, two-plus miles out and back, that includes several art sculptures along the way.  Or take a drive over to the nearby Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge.  This unique area is a resting, feeding, and nesting area for migrating birds and other wildlife, including bald eagles. You can drive on the three and a half mile Wildlife Drive, take a walk on the one mile trail, or watch the wildlife from various observation spots.  This popular wildlife photography area is a must-see.  All this, and more, can really make a day or weekend in the area a wonderful lifelong memory.

Fleur De Lis Brew Works 3630 NY-414 Seneca Falls, NY 13148 Website: https://www.fleurdelisbrewworks.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FleurDeLisBrewWorks Food: No but outside food allowed Spirits: No Wine: Yes Cider: Yes Seltzer: No Dog-Friendly: Inside and out on leash Hours: Thursday 3 – 7 pm Friday 3 – 7 pm Saturday 12 – 7 pm Sunday 12 – 5 pm   Photos by Kayc Cass-Northrop