Swiftwater Brewery

Good selection of brews, unique flavor profiles. Semi-​wonderful outdoor seating, the road is busy but sun in Rochester, road or not is welcome. Parking is available but I’d certainly love more. Their food is good, fresh and pairs well with the beverages.

Swiftwater Brewery is a welcome addition to the Rochester bar scene. It was notably absent when I lived here two years ago, but maybe that’s a good thing, since my beer belly would probably be much bigger if they were around earlier.
I enjoyed one of their 9.1% ABV Double IPAs named «Thank you Dr. Thomashefski». I’m not sure who the doc is, but I should thank them too because I thought it was a great tasting and well-​balanced DIPA. The high alcohol content was nicely hidden by the citrus hints and the beer was very easy to drink.
Unfortunately, I only had the chance to try one beer. I also missed the opportunity to sample their food offerings. Anyways, just based on the one beer, I would most certainly come back to sample more beer and hopefully some food too.

Pros: My wife liked the beer (I didn’t try it), the pan-​fried potatoes were delicious, the vegan flatbread plate was good, and the staff were all friendly.
Cons: There is no waitstaff, and ordering food from the bar was really difficult and awkward.
I’ve only been to Swiftwater once. I arrived with my wife and two friends, and we sat down at a table, thinking that a waitress would eventually come over to take our order. However, after waiting for some time, we realized that there are no waitstaff. The place was really packed, and it was hard for me to get close enough to the bar to place our food order. I had to write it down, because there were four of us. It was unpleasant, and the guy next to me (he was sitting at the bar) was irritated that I was squeezed in next to him — but what could I do?
Anyway, the food itself was good, and the prices were reasonable, though I would have enjoyed bigger portions. The pan-​fried potatoes were the highlight of the meal for me. I should have ordered a double-​order of them. Next time…
I’m also happy that Swiftwater offers vegan options, as explicitly stated on the menu. The flatbread with hummus was good. I also had two delicious sodas made by «Fizzy Lizzy». Never heard of them before, but they were really good. My dining companions all liked the beer.
If Swiftwater gets waiters and waitresses, I’d consider giving them five stars.

First and last impressions were terrible, bartender was rude and incompetent. Not welcoming at all or helpful with answering questions. Didn’t have any common sense with customer service. Went to the bar to order flights, bartender kept rushing to tell us the cost when we weren’t done ordering. The food took way too long considering we were the only ones ordering food at all (in a crowd of 12 people, if that). When the food came the order was wrong, a simple «no onions» on the lamburger was too much to handle apparently. Upon receiving the check, the same bartender that took our orders tried to overcharge us. Gave 2 stars because the beer was decent but we won’t be coming back to pay too much for terrible customer service.

Such a great addition to the Mt. Hope area. The area certainly needs some pick me ups and this is a great place to get that pick me up.
It is incredibly spacious and that alone is amazing and something they have over other breweries in the area.
I love that you can see the area that they brew the beers. It is right next to the bar which has a great printed menu and chalkboard menu.
I had the porter for bill which is a roast and chocolate porter. It is certainly heavy and very coffee like. I highly suggest it of you like coffee. It was packed with flavor! Others in my group got a good amount of different brews and they all loved what they picked.
We got the cheese plate and bread with hummus. The hummus has Sriracha which gives it s great kick and masks the chick pea flavor if you aren’t a big fan. The breads were fantastic and warm. The cheese plate came with some fruits, veggies, and warm bread to snack on. The cheeses were great and flavorful but not too sharp.
There are board games there of you want something to play me able seating with a large amount of tables.
This is a great place to check out especially with a group because there is so much space. An amazing addition to the breweries in the area.

What a great find! Was at the Genesee Brewery and a couple suggested coming here. Farm operation and the staff was fantastic. They had knishes on the small food menu which meant I had to order one — different version than the traditional but really well done.
They offer both beer and whiskey and we opted for the beer flights. The highlight was the Rasberry Sour beer — one of the best beers I’ve ever had. Only growlers at this point, but they are only a year old so stay tuned.
They opened the large glass garage doors and it was great to see people sitting outside. Nice space and nice people!

My friends and I braved the Rochester winter to check out Swiftwater Brewery and it was worth it. We managed to sit at an open booth which could reasonably fit 6 – 8 people. I tried the raspberry sour beer and it was perfect and reasonable priced. We also tried the hummus which you could tell was homemade and absolutely delicious. They have other food items on the menu and a good selection of beers. Definitely worth checking this place out.

I loooooved it here. Busy atmosphere, amazing staff and good beer! What more can you ask for? Local and completely worthy of supporting. It isn’t crammed inside, it’s spacious and they have a patio out front (it was a little cold when I visited but I will be coming back this spring/​summer!) I give them an A+ and will definitely be returning. Great weekend hang out!

Smells absolutely terrible inside– sewage like smell. I have heard other people report this as well. Also unfortunate the beers were a just too unique. Craft beer does not need to always be new and exciting… just need it to taste good and be drinkable. So bubblegum and sage are not what I am looking for when I enjoy a cold one. Overall, cool spot but not worth going back even if they did have new things brewing.

Let’s just say, I really really like Swiftwater. They are one of the best brewers in the city (I’m still faithful to Rorhbach’s).
But the location and space is truly extraordinary. I’ve watched Mt. Hope for years change ever so slowly. The new (er) market rate apartments along the river have not ushered in the change the South Wedge/​Mt Hope was expecting… the economic activity of the area is still based on South Ave and eastward. Swiftwater is the first to fundamentally change that by opening on Mt. Hope Ave. I hope other retail/​food establishments follow.
So the space is really cool, the kind of place I could throw a few back with the guys or bring a date for some friendly banter.
The beers are good too, with nice array of choices. I’m a (usually) fan of their Brown Ales (many different iterations of this so far) and the Quad (a Belgian style Quadruple… strong). Again, the beer choices rotate. Samplers are a great way to try a number of choices for fairly cheap.

Rochester’s newest brewery serves up unique and tasty beers and as recently expanded to offer fresh and delicious food as well. An emphasis on fresh ingredients makes Swiftwater standout from the others.
Unlike other operations where the tanks and fermentation take place behind a wall, in another room, or even another building, Swiftwater’s bar and tasting room surrounds the actual brewery facility. Don’t be surprised if you see brewmaster Pat climbing in and around the tanks to check on the latest brews.
The bartending staff is friendly, so don’t be surprised if they learn your name and know your drink by your third visit. They are also happy to guide you to certain flavor profiles if you’re unsure where to turn. What’s nice about Swiftwater is that the beer list isn’t just packed with a bunch of IPAs (which seems to be the trend at so many places). There are dark beers and light beers, hoppy beers and malty beers. Don’t be afraid to try a sampler!
The slate of beers changes every few weeks as new varieties and flavors are launched. Cask specials are offered nearly every week. A great collaboration with local Black Button Distillery using wooden casks used to age liquor to add a distinct flavor to cask specials.
The food menu changes almost daily, depending on what can be sourced locally. The founders of Swiftwater have their roots in farming, so bringing fresh, wholesome, and homemade food to the table is very important. All bread is baked in house. Meats are supplied from a local butcher.
Swiftwater also carries a small list of bottled beers, ciders, and wine. You can also try tastings of spirits from O’Begley’s, but there is no full bar, so don’t go looking for cocktails here. But you didn’t come here for cocktails, you came here for BEER.
Don’t pass up a visit to Swiftwater for great craft beer and freshly prepared local food.

I thoroughly enjoy Swiftwater every time I go. Their beers have a distinctive taste/​profile, and it’s fun to try their latest ones each time! Very cool ambiance inside– love the open space and the kayaks in the alcoves above. They also have a tendency to play great music, so I appreciate that about this place!
Tried their food the other day and it was pretty tasty. The spanikopita calzone (I think that’s what we ordered?) was quite good.

Such a great spot to get some good beer! I had a flight with four different beers, which was fun to try since it was my first time there. I wish they started open a little later and were open more days of the week. Also, they have board games behind the bar of you need something to do!

When I heard news of this place opening up, I was super excited to have a new craft brewery down the street from my house. As a traveler around the country that makes sure to stop at breweries in most cities that I visit, I rarely find a brewery that I wouldn’t return to if given the opportunity. Unfortunately, Swiftwater was a disappointment.
I chose to get a flight of four 4oz pours for $ 7. Out of the four, the only one I enjoyed was their Thai Pale Ale. My friend enjoyed her flight, but each of her pours was from a guest tap and not brewed at Swiftwater. I hear they change their beers frequently, but with the vast amount of awesome brewery options in the area, I don’t think I’ll go out of my way to go back here.
The inside is great — ample seating both at the bar and at private tables inside and outside. Really surprised they still don’t have a sign outside though.

My crush on Swiftwater grew even stronger tonight since now they have FOOD! Well, kind of… Neno’s food truck is parked out back on Thursdays and Fridays, AND on debut nights. Tonight’s release was Chris’ Big Brown (yum!)
But back to the BEER… If you like craft brews, you’ll dig it here. If you’re looking for a chill atmosphere with an eclectic bunch of Rochesterians under one roof, Swiftwater is your place. They don’t try too hard, because they don’t need to. When you’ve got it, you’ve got it. No need to be show-​y!
To my fellow night-​schoolers, this place is conveniently less than 5 minutes from UR’s River Campus :)
Thai PA = my absolute love. Word on the street is it’ll be back on draught in a few weeks: D
$ 7 flights, $ 18−20ish for growlers, $ 4 – 7 for pints, cool as shit employees. Hard to beat!

What a great space they have here — amazing this used to be a motorcycle repair shop! Fun vibe — cannot wait for the warm weather when they roll that big garage door open to the patio out front. We’ve been trying to hit all of the new micro breweries that seem to be opening every month around town and Swiftwater really did a great job in an area that needed some development.
Now onto the beers. Friends we were with tried a flight and proclaimed that the stout and the IPA were very good but they did not care for the Dubble (sp?) (I forget what their fourth one was). Two of us tried the Weiss on tap, which I think was a Berliner Weiss but I should have read the description because as advertised it was tart and lemonade-​like which I really found to be nearly undrinkable (note I said nearly). I hope the now brewing Lilac Weiss is more to my taste.
Be aware that on weekends they close at 11pm (might be part of the new law that has allowed the creation of all of these new micro breweries).

Never have I ever… had a flight of beers and enjoyed all of them… until I came to Swiftwater.
It’s ROC’s latest craft brewery and built into an old garage. It’s still pretty unassuming as you drive down Mt. Hope — no sign, although you can’t miss the bright blue building (the parking lot is off Hickory St).
If it’s your first time, I suggest the flight — four 4oz. pours for $ 7. Then pick a pint from there. Their list rotates often, but I had the grapefruit saison (actually enjoyed this, I rarely go for grapefruit), IPA 3.0 (fave!), Ciderworks cider (so refreshing), and Pumpkin Hill Pale Ale (easy sipper). The beers are all really well-​balanced. A couple of the ones on tap are guest taps, meaning they’re featuring brews from other breweries.
The space itself is gorgeous! High ceilings, beautifully crafted stained wood bar, shiny happy brewing barrels on display for all to see.
For the non-​beer drinkers, this place is not for you. Or give it a try, learn to love good beer! For the gluten free folks, if you like cider, they’ve had one on tap lately. They have a couple wine options (local red/​white) and a few spirits as well. The core is the beer though.
Looking forward to coming back for more happy hours and late nights. If you get hungry they have a list of places that will deliver or BYO-​takeout.

Solid addition to the local craft brewing culture. Very spacious and great for groups. The search for a «hoppy place» is over!
Flights are very inexpensive at $ 7 for 4(4oz.) baby chalices. This it probably my favorite feature. The belgian style ale glasses are way too cute not to mention. Okkk, yes I admit I am SUCH A GIRL for including the word «cute» on a review of this nature.
My Flight:
1. SOUR — tart, fruity, grainy
This sour was surprisingly smooth. Or smoother than I thought it’d be.
2. DUBBEL — raisin, plum, brown sugar
Not my cup of tea, but if you like spicy & sweet drinks with heavy notes of dried fruit, this one is for you!
3. CITRA PALE ALE — crisp, refreshing, grapefruit
The FAVORITE of our group of 6. This is refreshing indeed but also packs a punch. Super smooth without sacrificing potency.
4. OLD ALE — malty, raisins, stone fruit
Easy to drink but also «malty». The second smoothest of the flight.
I stole a few sips of the GRAPEFRUIT SAISON — belgian, citrus, spice. Begians are my #1 my go-​to. This was no exception — I dare say it was more impressive than the CITRA PALE ALE favorite. *sigh* Guess another visit is mandatory to settle this internal debate.
AND almost forgot! The bathrooms are VERRRY clean, but I would like to see paper towels added as an alternative to the hand dryers. But maybe that’s how they keep the bathroom floor spotless…

One of the better breweries in the area. I love that they have experimental beers on tap as well as a guest tap for two other breweries.
I really enjoyed their IPA. The saison was nice as well– very dry but some sweetness to balance. The thaipa was very different! Definitely worth a try. The porter was roasty.
The brewery is beautiful. Good service. Kind of a yuppy crowd but that’s kind of a craft beer issue in general.
Happy to have them in the neighborhood!

It’s only their second day since opening, and I’m loving this place already!
This brewery has almost a coffee shop vibe. Choose to sit at a big comfy booth, smaller wooden table, or at the bar. Outlets are a-​plenty. (Yes, yes, I am guilty of doing work here in the late afternoon.)
My friend and I ordered a flight consisting of a porter, sour, thai ipa, and saison. It’s not everywhere you can get a sour or thai ipa on tap! The flights come on these adorable wooden trays. Everything I tried was great. Prices are very reasonable.
Only thing that would make it better is if they served some sort of food. Burgers would be great; fries and other finger foods much appreciated. Word is that the owners are fine with people bringing in food from other establishments though.