Trapper's Tavern: Our First Review

Less than 30 minutes from exit 23 of I87, Trappers Tavern at the Copperfield Inn in North Creek is a perfect place to stop along your way to points further north, or as a destination in itself.  We had been to the tavern a couple of years ago when my husband and his musical co-horts played a gig there, and it was well worth revisiting.


Armed with Pam's checklist of must-know information, and nerdy little folders, we sat right at the bar and started taking the place in, probably making the staff a little suspicious. Trappers Tavern's cozy Adirondack-themed interior is appealing in a not-overly-rustic kind of way. It was warm, inviting and friendly. The beer selections, while not extensive, included a variety of both bottled and draft choices in domestic, import and craft brews. I had a brown ale pint (I think it was a  Dogfish Head), which was excellent, and sampled a stout and a Saranac Trapper's lager, crafted especially for Trapper's Tavern.


BUT, one of the yummiest drinks I have ever tasted, as Pam mentioned, was the pumpkin martini, which we shared, and I think helped to break the ice with the bartender and other bar patrons. The concocting of the drink created some curiosity among customers, who waited eagerly for our reactions to the first sip. I didn't really think I'd like it all that much, being primarily a beer drinker, but we figured we'd better order one of the house specials since we would be writing about the place, and our book will focus on drinks as much as it will places. 


We gradually got some conversations going, and the "Front of House Manager" Steven Joiner, gave us a list of specialty martinis, a menu, and a copy of the book Trapper's Tales, from which inspiration for the Tavern menu originates and includes such cleverly-named offerings as The Smokin' Ugly Horse and The Most Impertinent Chipmunk.


We stayed less than two hours and had considered stopping at another bar, but we were pretty excited about what a great experience we had just had and wanted to get our blog started right away. There's also the driving issue, so we made sure to be smart keep it legal! I think this is a place we will find excuses to visit on a regular basis. As Pam mentioned, Trappers Tavern has set the bar pretty high. By the way, our check was surprisingly (and pleasantly) low-end. Their prices are very reasonable, with the exception of the Pumpkin Martini, but that was worth every dollar!


Can't wait for the next adventure inside the blue line. We have a place and day picked out. Check back in about a week.


Cheers!
Kim

First day Drinking in the Adirondack Mts.

We went to our first bar today.  Well, we've been frequenting bars for many years, but today we visited our first bar to research for our book.  My sister and I are writing a book about bars and taverns in the Adirondacks.  Our first bar was Trappers Tavern at the Copperfield Inn in North Creek, NY.  What an awesome place!  They set the bar pretty high for other bars in the Adirondacks.  The tavern staff was terrific, but the best part was the PUMPKIN MARTINI!  I had a martini once, but it sucked.  I thought I would order the martini so I wouldn't like it and would sip it, but it was incredible.  It was like drinking a pumpkin pie with loads of whipped cream!.  It was invented by one of the Copperfield chefs, Stephanie (maybe trying to get rid of the leftover pumpkin pie from Thanksgiving?)  Well, I think she should get out of the kitchen and start working in the bar.  First, I wondered what liqueur would you use for the pumpkin flavor, but they used pumpkin puree.  BTW, you can't get pumpkin puree at Walmart, guess you have to make your own.  I had my first beer of this year, too!  Actually, not a beer drinker, except at Saratoga Racetrack in August - get hot enough you'll drink anything.  They have a tremendous selection of local beers on tap, and Kim (that's my sister and co-author), got to sample them all.  However, they are adding six more draft choices tomorrow, so I think she's going back to check those out too. Visit the Copperfield Inn's website for more information at http://www.copperfieldinn.com/.  Stay tuned for our next Adirondack bar review.  Remember, we can't give all the info here, because we have to save something for the book.  Any suggestions for places we should visit, please let us know. They just have to be inside the blue line.

Bottoms Up!
Pam