JW Dundee: A History

JW Dundee’s Ales & Lagers are proudly crafted in Rochester, New York with the same spirit that made Upstate New York a vibrant hub of agricultural commerce in the bountiful 19th century.

Rochester is steeped in a rich brewing history with legendary names like Bartholomay, Cataract and Genesee. This proud heritage springs from an era when horse-drawn packet boats brought prosperity from New York City to Buffalo and beyond by way of the Erie Canal. It was a time when the mighty Genesee River was harnessed to power the grist mills that famously made Rochester “The Flour City”. It was a time when Central New York was the largest hop producing region in the world.

Today, the exceptional family of JW Dundee’s Ales & Lagers is caringly crafted in the same brewing tradition that began over 125 years ago.

The core of the JW Dundee family is Honey Brown Lager, American Pale Ale and American Amber Lager.

The Dundee family began with Honey Brown Lager in the early 1990’s during the height of the craft brewing resurgence. Introduced by then brewery head Jack “JW” Wehle, Honey Brown was a full bodied lager brewed with natural honey provided by Wixon’s Farm in the Finger Lakes town of Dundee, New York. The brand was an overwhelming success that defied definition as a style and grew to tremendous acclaim, garnering several medals at the World Beer Cup and the Great American Beer Festival.

In 2004, Pale Ale and Amber Lager were added, making the JW Dundee name a true craft brewing family. By 2006, a variety of seasonal styles were introduced including an award winning Pale Bock, an American style Hefeweizen, a boldly hopped India Pale Ale, a robust Porter and a hearty holiday favorite - Festival Ale.

To enjoy a quality crafted JW Dundee’s ale or lager is to truly experience a brewing tradition.