As someone who lives in the Hudson Valley, I highly recommend Farm to Glass Tours as a wonderful way to experience the beauty of the area and the beauty of craft libations. Kelly, the tour owner, took us on tours and tastings of three excellent producers: a family-owned distiller, a mid-Hudson brewery and a winery. The distiller ran us through the process of distilling apples into liquor. He colored the technical process with family lore and stories about the area. The brewing company, similarly, explained the process of harvesting hops and grain and transforming them into the exceptional beer they had in house. Here, Kelly provided a perfect meal to compliment the beverages provided from the brewery. The final stop was a winery where the knowledgeable owner took us on a tour of the vineyards and grape presses. While he Explained the use of various root stock, I asked what seemed to be a detailed question for which he had the answer at his fingertips. Whether a getaway from the city or a longer trip to the Hudson Valley, Farm to Glass Tours is an outstanding way to see the valley and drink in the local flavors.
I was given this tour as a birthday gift, what a great gift it was! I live in the area but had a great time playing tourist and getting the behind the scenes tour that I wouldn't otherwise get if I were to go to these establishments on my own. The small tour size allows you to interact with the folks creating the delicious beverages. It also allows for lots of conversations with Kelley and the other participants. I highly recommend this tour for locals and tourists alike!
I have been to the Hudson Valley a number of times now and while I never get tired of driving around and exploring on my own, I wanted to find something more structured that would allow me to get to know the area even better. The Farm to Glass tour was nothing short of a perfect, exciting and educational tour of the local winery, brewery and distillery companies. At each location everyone got to try samples of a variety of options and Kelley made sure that there were plenty of snacks to accompany our fun filled day. She and everyone else at the different locations were excellent and extremely friendly and knowledgeable about the processes that went into creating everything that we were tasting and more. It was the perfect way to spend a day. I would highly recommend this adventure to anyone who is looking for something to do.
My husband and I really enjoyed the tour. There is a generous tasting at each stop, with an up close and personal look at the brewery/distillery/winery. The lunch is also delicious. I would highly recommend it as a way to tour the Hudson Valley!
Worth every penny! Had a wonderful time with an extremely knowledgable and fun guide! The lunch that was provided was delicious and local. Would definetly recommend this tour to anyone visiting the Hudson Area.
We recently experienced Kelley's Farm to Glass tour while spending a weekend in Hudson. This was time and money well-spent.You can read the other reviews here for Farm to Glass (interesting to note that they are 100% 5-star ... I'm always skeptical of those situations but in this case it is deserved) if you want to get an overview on the places visited (Harvest Sprits, Chatham Brewery, Chatham Hudson Winery). To me, of equal importance to these 3 venues is the value that Kelley brings to the equation. We took a flyer on booking this experience based not only on these Trip Advisor reviews but also on the suggestion from Mount Merino Manor (the B&B where we were staying). We thought, "Hmm...+4 hours with strangers ... this could go either way..."Long story short, Kelley really made this experience. She picked us up right at our B&B in her swank minivan, complete with snacks and special beverages. She has a great way about her that sets everyone at ease and really sort of grounds her tour participants in the very "local-ness" that the Hudson Valley is all about. She has (smartly, rightly) capitalized on this Farm to Table movement that's sweeping the area and the value-add her is that you feel a part of that movement and experience it first-hand through the lens of a woman who made the decision to leave the city and live in this area because of the love of food and beverage and place. So for me, seeing the countryside go by while hearing her personal story and her take on culture in this area was the real core value. The 3 location experiences (Distillery, Winery, Brewery) were value-add and definitely delivered on the value-proposition of the advertised experience.If you have the time to spare on one of the days you are in this area I highly recommend it. You'll always remember the time you took to do something really different. After all, you have to ask yourself why you're visiting Hudson, NY in the first place! It's to do something just a little bit different, right?!Cheers and have fun on the tour!
We recently went on the Farm to Glass Tour with Kelley and had an absolutely blast. Kelley picked us up directly from the train station and shuttled us around to 3 really great spots in the Hudson Valley. Kelley provided snacks, water, and hot beverages too. Our first stop was Harvest Spirits where we met the founder, got a detailed tour of the facility, and sampled a wide range of delicious apple-based products. I picked up some Applejack for me and another bottle as a gift. Make sure to head over to the farm-stand to get a donut and some maple-syrup! After that, she took us to the up and coming Chatham Brewing, where we toured their really cool facility, had a long talk with their chief brewer, and sampled a whole bunch of delicious beers. We could've spent the rest of the afternoon at Chatham Brewery and we would've been very happy, but the tour wasn't over just yet. We then went to Hudson-Chatham Winery where we met Carlos, and toured the vineyards and winery, and even went to their underground storage facility and sampled wine directly from the barrels. All in all, I can't recommend this tour highly enough.
What a wonderful afternoon in the beautiful Hudson Valley! Farm to Glass Tours is a lovely personalized experience, allowing guests to fully enjoy the day without the usual rush of larger tours. Overall, it was a very fun day. I learned a lot and had a blast!This tour offers something for everyone. We visited 3 sites (distillery, brewery, winery), and had adequate time at each stop to taste and tour. At each site, we were given a private tour of the facility and we learned interesting details from true “masters" of the craft” who were passionate about what they do. Everyone took great pride in their work, and it showed in the quality of their products – all made with local ingredients and with great respect for the land.Throughout the day, Kelley took care of all of the details – from the special cocktail she greeted us with, to the thoughtfully composed and delicious boxed lunch, to the stories she shared about her own experiences in the industry and the Hudson Valley. A one-of-a-kind experience, and an excellent way to get to know the area history and local fare. I highly recommend this tour! If you are looking for a personalized tour with fun, friendly, and highly knowledgeable guides who are delighted to share the bounty of the Hudson Valley … then this is for you!
Two weeks ago my wife and I took a tour of a winery, distillery and beer and hard cider mill with Kelley Slagel of Farm to Glass! What a wonderful experience. The time went bye so quickly tasting, talking and meeting lovely people! I highly recommend Kelley's tours. She is so knowledgeable, fun and makes the whole experience worth while!Mike
I booked this tour during my solo upstate getaway, during which my goal was to relax, learn, and explore the Hudson Valley. This tour had every element I was looking for, all in one attraction. Having been on a few winery tours before, this was a refreshing change, since it incorporated a distillery and brewery as well as a winery. Owner Kelley was extremely knowledgeable, down to earth, and just a warm and friendly host all around. I felt like she was an old friend, showing me around the area. Her passion for what she does really adds to the experience. My favorite part of the tour was the distillery, although I enjoyed all three stops. It was just really interesting to see firsthand, the process of making alcohol from apples. Everything we tasted was delicious, it was hard to choose which bottles to buy and bring home! Our little picnic lunch at the Brewery was so cute and cozy, and another highlight for me. Kelley explained how she customizes all the contents in the lunchboxes, and she really doesn't spare a detail here. The little mason jars and napkins were super cute and everything was fresh and delicious. It was nice to know that I was eating local, and really made me take in all things Hudson Valley. Picking and eating grapes off the vine in the winery was another favorite part of the tour too! Overall this was an extremely enjoyable experience, where I got to meet and learn from local business owners passionate about their work, eat and drink locally sourced ingredients, and see all the nature and beauty of the Hudson Valley. I definitely recommend taking the time to walk through Hudson's downtown after the tour. There are so many unique and creative shops to explore, I could've stayed for hours. Definitely coming back to the area again, and taking tours with Kelley every time- thanks again!