The other night I was at a picnic with some old and new friends. We got to discussing one of their blogs that offers a unique and interesting slant on spiritual locations around western NY. I mentioned that I had a passion for visiting small breweries, wineries, and more whenever I travel. Having been to over 300 such locations, I wanted to share my thoughts on them and get other people excited about what is being created, sometimes right under our noses! Thus, the spark for this blog was ignited.

Around the country there are many hardworking individuals that are making incredible beverages that are not always readily available in local supermarkets. You have to visit many of these places in person to truly experience what they have to offer. I like to think that the “terroir” typically associated with wine includes not just the geography, but the people, the process, and the culture as well. Buying a bottle of wine or beer at your local store does not give you the whole story of where it came from and for me that helps to define what you are drinking and perhaps better appreciate it.

So what kind of posts will you see here at Liquid Alchemy? I plan on writing in-depth reviews of wineries, breweries, meaderies, distilleries, cider mills; even the occasional independent coffee roaster! Basically, any beverage is fair game. I will explore the story of each location, providing information on the history, signature products, reviews, and any other odds and ends that people might be interested in. I hope to post photos of the many locations I visit and give helpful hints and advice for others wanting to visit as well. I am heavily influenced by Evan Dawson’s book “Summer in a Glass” which explores the culture of many fascinating Finger Lakes wineries. He really captures the essence of the locations he writes about and I hope to, in my own way, replicate that here.

As an introduction to myself, I am a computer network engineer working and living in Rochester, NY. My husband is also a computer technician. We love to travel as often as we can afford to and visit the local museums, breweries, wineries, and any other cultural attractions that come highly recommended. We tend to avoid chain restaurants and eat locally as often as possible so you might see the occasional post about food as well! We are also amateur home brewers, having started brewing this past January. Finally, we love getting out into nature; kayaking, geocaching, biking, and hiking. If there is a unique area to visit near a Liquid Alchemy site, I will be sure to mention it.

Finally, while I would like to update the blog on a regular basis, it is totally contingent on getting out to new locations. This requires time and money so be patient as I try to tell these stories. While I have been to over 300 breweries, wineries, etc., I will start from scratch so I can visit each place with fresh eyes, prepared to give you the best, most informative post that I can render. Throughout our exploration of liquid alchemy, please send me any suggestions or advice you may have.

So with that, let our journey begin!

Blog post written by Thomas Andersen.