Beer Tasting through History

During our August 2020 trip to the Adirondacks High Peaks region we were fortunate enough to book an evening at the Lodge at Lake Clear. This living piece of history was only minutes from the campground where we stayed and a truly a feast for all the senses.

We began our evening by entering into the 1920s Speakeasy, which sounds easier than it was. We had to find the secret door and had to give the password in order to gain entry. You could tell the passion this family has for their historical lodge by the young man who 'answered' the speakeasy door and requested the password. He delighted in using the peek-a-boo window in the secret door and gave us the appropriate shifty eyes to make it feel real; quite the showman. After we gave the secret code we were ushered down to the speakeasy/bar & lounge. Quite atmospheric and we learned that Albert Einstein had also once been a patron of this establishment. We felt smarter already!

After we finished taking in the main room of the speakeasy, which we learned was originally all underground (but because of occupancy codes had to be dug out) we were ushered beyond the bar to the wine and beer cellar. WOW! What a selection, and of course since it was all underground, no need for refrigeration, that came naturally. Since we are more beer than wine people - we scoured the beer selection and found most of them to be unfamiliar (which is pretty impressive) and many of them from all around the globe.

Then it was time for the beer tasting. Lake Clear Lodge proprietor, Ernest Hohmeyer, not only curates his collection of beer, he knows EVERYTHING about each and every bottle and the entire history of brewing. Unlike any other beer tasting we have ever done, where we get a description of each of the beer and are left to our own opinions, this was completed guided by Ernest and was the most delicious history lesson either of us has every experienced. With each glass we learned about the respective style that beer represented and how we got from the first style to the last, historically. Along the way we were answering questions as well as enjoying our monster sized pretzel and beers. The beers were excellent and the information imparted was crafted with finesse and gusto.

After we concluded our tasting, we went back to the beer cellar to select some to accompany our old world kitchen meal upstairs in the main dining room. Again, we were not disappointed. The atmosphere was cozy, rustic and full of charm, and the food was beyond excellent. German inspired cuisine, which fit well with our beer tasting. We also recognized the waiter, as the young man who greeted us from behind the hidden door. That's when we learned that he is the son of this family run business and his mom, Cathy, was in the kitchen cooking. The Hohmeyers certainly treated us to one fine evening.

After we were BEYOND stuffed with yummy beer and food, we decided to explore the grounds of the lodge. Wandering through the grounds you can imagine it throughout history, as it's not a far cry from how it currently stands. As we strolled, we meandered down to the lake, and what a beautiful way to end the evening. A brilliant setting sun greeted us as we neared the shore line of the lake. A truly magical experience, and we would highly recommend you experience it for yourself.