Nachos + Burgers + Beer at Rough Cut Brewing
With its bookshelf-lined walls and its glowing fireplace, Rough Cut Brewing Co. offered us a warm welcome on a chilly night. The cozy Kerhonkson brew pub is a 25-minute drive from Rosendale, or about 20 minutes from New Paltz. And their nachos are so crazy-delicious that I've considered making the 103-mile trip from my home in Brooklyn just to eat them again.
Rough Cut Brewing Co's fireplace
I love a solid brew pub, and this humble, homey place felt like the perfect antidote to the fussy, bustling Brooklyn bar scene. Our waiter seemed genuinely excited to greet us and list the nightly specials, and the warmth of the staff helped to soften the chill in the air. We grabbed a drafty table near the busy, back-corner bar. At least one patron was braving the 14-degree evening in shorts, but if you're an easily-chilled city person like me, you may need to dine in a scarf and hat. Nobody here cares if you're wearing a bunch of mismatched winter gear. And they're not too cool to print their beer menu in Comic Sans.
Beer menu at Kerhonkson's Rough Cut Brewing Co
Rough Cut's beer selection is always changing, but it seems to focus on easy-drinking beers that pair well with pub food. I loved the dark, toasty, lightly sweet Holstein Milk Stout, which is brewed with oats, and the copper-colored Fieldstone ESB, an English-style pale ale that offers a fine balance between malty sweetness and hoppy bitterness.
Holstein Milk Stout at Rough Cut Brewing Co.
Rough Cut is known for their Oscar burger, which is topped with crispy bacon, sharp cheddar cheese, and meltingly sweet caramelized onions, and served on a house-made ciabatta bun, but I sabotaged my appetite with a giant plate of nachos before my burger arrived. There's simply no better beer-drinking food than tortilla chips layered with beans and cheese, and then topped with lightly charred peppers, roasted red onions, and a creamy scoop of guacamole. I mean, there may be no better food. Period.
Nacho's at Kerhonkson's Rough Cut Brewing Co.
SO GOOD. Can't wait to go back for more.
Rough Cut Brewing Co. is located at 5945 Route 44 55 in Kerhonkson, NY.
