What happens when you’ve spent the day on the Empire State Trail and you suddenly crave some high-quality beer? There’s an app for that.
Governor Cuomo has launched the Empire State Trail Breweries Passport, which is being run by the New York State Brewers Association, through a partnership with the state Canal Corporation.
The app’s interactive map helps you more easily find nearby craft breweries, which are churning out some of the nation’s most highly regarded beers. In and of itself, that’s enough of a reward for a long trek on the Trail. But the app also allows Trail users who visit craft breweries to check-in and earn points, which can be redeemed for t-shirts, glasses, growlers and tickets to beer festivals across the state.
When that thirst hits, you won’t have far to roam. Turns out, there are more than 200 breweries located within 10 miles of the Empire State Trail. Some, like Lock 32 Brewing in Pittsford and Seven Story Brewing in Bushnell’s Basin are on the Erie Canal and barely require a detour.
The app, which has more than 20,000 downloads, already has a rewards program. However, the brewers association will offer early next year on the app a separate reward challenge for Trail users to complement brewery tours customized by region.
The app can be downloaded from the Apple app store.
Canalway Trail Times 