Beak Skiff Distillery - La Fayette

I always loved coming here and taking my family to pick apples and walk around what was once a small, family, friendly, apple, picking experience. As time has gone on, I 've watched this facility, expand its reach and grow its offerings to where it is today, far beyond, just a place to pick apples. I can appreciate how they 've grown this orchard into the establishment it is today. However, I miss the quaintness and non-corporate vibe that once charmed this hilltop. My favorite apple has always been the Jona Mac. They were in season so it was time to make a trip. At the barn where you can pick apples from large crates sat the Jona Macs, and three other varieties. I wanted to try the Paula reds, but felt a little awkward asking the folks behind the counter if it was OK to sample one. Though they gave me the greenlight, I just didn 't feel that welcomed as in days gone by. The Jonah Macs were small, bitey and a bit tart which is how I love apples. The Paula reds are fast becoming my favorite because they are a little juicier, but just as Bitey as the Jonah Macs. . On the way out you can 't not stop at the bakery and get yourself an apple pie. The girl behind the counter was very friendly and thanked me for the purchase. When I got the pie back to the house, I couldn 't dive into it fast enough, but was quickly disappointed that the pie was quite cold and though I warmed it up, it was not the quality it used to be. Perhaps they made this pie many days ago as it lacked freshness. It 's a nice sized pie, the apples were very good, but the flaky crust that once made the pie so special seem to have gone.

We had a great time at Beak and Skiff Apple Orchards last week. We went during the time to pick Cortlands. There was a massive amount of cars as we entered the mountaintop orchard. There was actually police directing parking. The entrance moved smoothly and we were walking to the main buildings within 5 minutes. Upon seeing the main buildings we were overwhelmed with fall joy. There were apples everywhere, the smell of baked apples in the air, the sight of changing leaves, and the sound of lots of kids playing. (This is a VERY family-friendly place). We went to pick apples first. You must take the tractor ride out to the orchards for picking, you are not allowed to walk out on your own. You are then driven around the orchard. Different groups stop at different spots to make sure one section isn't over-picked. They give you quick directions as you hop off the tracker and grab a plastic bag. You can fill it with however many apples you'd like as long as they fit. You then find a seat at any wooden bench to get picked up by the tractor again. The tractor lets you off and you weigh/pay your apples before leaving. We spent under $18 for a full bag of Cortlands that lasted a week or so. They were delicious! We also enjoyed the apple cider and the apple cider donuts. They have so many other unique treats, drinks, and activities. It was a bit crowded, but worth it for what we left with!

An apple orchard with many attractions and a large tasting room/store! The grounds are huge here, there's plenty to do, and something for all ages. It's a great place to spend your day at. They have wagons that take you out to the orchards to do some apple picking. You can get cider flights, wine flights, spirit flights, and specialty drinks in the tasting room, and purchase cans of cider or bottles of liquor as well! The drinks are all pretty good and its cool to try a variety of their ciders/liquors. During the summer they put on a great concert series as well with pretty well known artists!

I have grown to appreciate hard ciders over the last year and on a recent trip to Syracuse, I knew I had to make a stop out to the Beak Skiff Apple Orchards and see where 1911 hard cider is made! A family member and I stopped by on a Friday around 2:30pm. There was plenty of parking when we arrived so we were able to park right by the entrance to the 1911 Tasting Room. Beak Skiff is huge and the area where the 1911 tasting room was pretty! Leading up to the tasting room, I was surprised to see a general store and a bakery, though the bakery was closed for the day. The tasting room had multiple bar areas and a large outdoor patio area, where we sat. The woman working behind the bar was pleasant and plenty patient as we decided what we wanted to order. We enjoyed a flight of 1911 Spirits and I also enjoyed a Frozen Orchard Palmer. The 1911 Blueberry Vodka was the best from the flight but the Frozen Orchard Palmer was incredible, VERY refreshing. I ended up grabbing a couple four-packs of 1911 hard cider as well as a bottle of the 1911 Cider Donut Bourbon, which is delicious! On our way out, we walked through the general store and grabbed six of their mini apple cider donuts and munched on those as we headed out. The woman working the general store was incredibly friendly and fun to talk to. As we expected, these donuts were delicious! Beak Skiff Apple Orchards, home of 1911 hard cider, is beautiful! I would gladly take the detour here again if/when I go to Syracuse!

I adore this place! It's just a 20-minute drive from Skaneateles to the Apple Campus. We visited for lunch on a Friday, and while it wasn't overly crowded, the restaurant is quite large, so I can only imagine how busy it gets on a nice weekend. We tried both the spirits and the ciders, and they offered some unique flavors that were really enjoyable. The sandwiches were hearty and satisfying for lunch. I ended up bringing home a four-pack of the original cider!