Vermont Comes to Central New York

A TASTE OF VERMONT

I happened upon an online article from USA Today. It was one of those "top 10" type articles and they listed their top 10 states for craft beer. It includes the states you would expect - California, Washington State, Oregon - but missing from the list is one I expected to see: Vermont. Vermont was one of the early adapters to craft beer. You could get good beer in Vermont while some of those   other states were still stuck in the Mega-brew malaise that had overtaken the country. Then I realized the list was based on the number of craft breweries in each state, from #1 California's 268 to #10 Illinois' 54 (New York came in a respectable #8, by the way, with 72 and growing). Vermont has, according to the Vermont Brewer's Association, 38 craft breweries. But look at the size of Vermont compared to the size of, say, California or Oregon.

Being our neighbor to the East (and having a BOTB member whose two sons reside in that state and regularly supply us with Vermont brews) we have become quite familiar with Vermont's wealth of good beer. I began to tick off the Vermont breweries whose wares we have had the opportunity to sample: The Alchemist, Burlington, Crop Bistro, Fiddlehead, Harpoon, Hill Farmstead, Long Trail, Magic Hat, Northshire, Otter Creek, Lawson, Norwich Inn, Switchback, Rock Art, Wolaver's, Zero Gravity. So I dug a little deeper and found that as of 2011 Vermont had the greatest number of breweries per capita of any state in the Union. That was more like it! To paraphrase Huck Finn, you can't swing a dead cat in Vermont without hitting a brewery.

This month the BOTB guys had the opportunity to sample Vermont beers from Long Trail, Otter Creek, The Shed and Wolaver's. Some strayed from our hop-centric wheelhouse, meaning they aren't our mug of beer, but they might be yours. As usual, we give you an objective look at five aspects of the beer (Color, Pour, Aroma, Body, and Taste). We then give our Overall Impression which ranges from "Leave it on the shelf" (not one we'd buy) to "I Could Drink That" (a good, solid brew) to "Can't Get Enough" (Excellent beer we would actively seek out). Our last section is our Comments where we fire off-the-cuff and sometimes off-topic and occasionally off-color opinions in a sort of stream of consciousness (perhaps approaching unconsciousness) free-for-all.

And remember, our opinions are filtered through the taste buds of Guys who love hoppy beers.

Here's what we found:

WILDFLOWER WHEAT

WOLAVER'S FINE ORGANIC ALES

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Wolaver's, Middlebury, VT; STYLE: Pale Wheat Ale; ABV: 4.25%; IBUs: 15; HOPS: NA; MALT: NA; SPECIAL INGREDIENTS: Honey and Chamomile flowers 

What the Brewer Says: "Wildflower Wheat is a delicious, unfiltered wheat ale brewed with organic chamomile flowers and a hint of pure, organic honey."

Color: Golden

Pour: Slight head with some lacing

Aroma: Not a strong aroma, slight floral and a bit of wheat

Body: Light

Taste: Zesty. Slightly sweet, with a bit of lemon and honey.

Overall Impression: Alas, we would Leave it on the Shelf.

Comments: "Light tasting; Can taste the honey in it; A nice picnic beer; Would rather drink this than a Shandy; Crisp finish; The honey gives it an interesting taste that kind of separates it; Not really a wheat fan, and 15 IBUs is a bit light weight for my taste; A summery, easy to drink kind of beer should be served cold on a hot day."

SUMMER ALE 

LONG TRAIL BREWING CO.

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Long Trail Brewing Co., Bridgewater Corners, VT; STYLE: Session Ale; ABV: 4.3%; IBUs: 32; MALTS: Pilsner; HOPS: Citra

What the Brewer Says: "An unfiltered golden ale made to chill out summer's hottest days. Remarkably light on the palate, with a soft Pilsner malt character and a distinct citrus hop aroma deriving from dry-hopped additions of Citra hops. Each sip finishes with a refreshing bitterness that invites another. At 4.3% ABV, this golden beauty is a truly quaffable drinking experience."

Color: Straw

Pour: Decent head with sustained lacing

Aroma: Floral

Body: Somewhat light

Taste: Citrus, with hints of lemon after a light malt opening

Overall Impression: I Could Drink This!

Comments: "Nice bitterness to it; One of the better summer ales I've ever had; A lot to be said for a session beer in the summer; In a lawn chair, ice cold...nice; Comes through at the right time; If you weren't yet into craft beer this would be a good 'gateway' beer; I would actually take this to a summer party; It's nice to see a summer ale with a little bite to it;  A good, easy-drinking beer, well done Long Trail."

OVER EASY

OTTER CREEK

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Otter Creek, Middlebury, VT; ABV: 4.6%; IBUs: 40; HOPS AND MALT: NA

What the Brewer Says: "A brand new addition to Otter Creek's year-round lineup... Look for it in six-packs and 12 packs."

Color: Straw

Pour: Somewhat better than Decent head

Aroma: Sweet grapefruit, citrus 

Body: A bit more than Light

Taste: Nice bitter hoppy edge, with strong grapefruit/citrus notes

Overall Impression: I Could Drink This!

Comments: "Bitter finish; Certainly nothing objectionable here; Tasty; Better than many of the session IPAs I've had; Nice kind of grapefruit/orange taste to it with a great IPA bitter bite; I'm a fan; It's a session so not complex, but really good sort of more-than-one-beer beer."

MOSTLY CLOUDY

 4.7LONG TRAIL

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Long Trail Brewing Co., Bridgewater Corners, VT; STYLE: Belgian Witbier; ABV:4.7%; IBUs: 12; MALT AND HOPS: NA 

What the Brewer Says: "A mostly cloudy body is capped with a light, fluffy head that reveals soft notes of  citrus and spices. Whether you prefer partly sunny or mostly cloudy, this brew will happily keep your glass half full." 

Color: Unfiltered gold

Pour: Big, Guinness class head

Aroma: Spicy, soap

Body: Light

Taste: A bit sweet and citrusy, hints of lemon

Overall Impression: Leave it on the shelf

Comments: "This is one of those tough ones, I don't really care for Belgian Witbiers, and this is solidly in that taste profile, so if you favor those, I suppose you'd like this. I'm not a fan; Champagne effervescence; Faint coriander taste; Has to be icy cold to drink; Watery mouthfeel; Typical of Belgian Witbiers."  

LONG TRAIL ALE

LONG TRAIL BREWING

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Long Trail Brewing Co., Bridgewater Corners, VT; STYLE: Amber Ale - German Style Altbier; ABV: 5.0%; IBUs: 28

What the Brewer Says: "First brewed in 1989, Long Trail Ale is a full-bodied amber ale brewed with our top fermenting house yeast that yields a complex, clean flavor."

Color: Copper

Pour: Decent, bubbly head

Aroma: Caramel, malt, nutty

Body: Light to Medium

Taste: Roasted malt, caramel, nutty

Overall Impression: I Could Drink This!

Comments: "This is one of those beers I remember having in the early years of craft beer; It's one of the beers that got me into craft beers; Nice, nutty, malty flavor; A comfort beer; Kind of reminds me of some good Oktoberfest beers."

FRESH SLICE

OTTER CREEK BREWING CO.

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Otter Creek Brewing, Middlebury, VT; STYLE: Belgian Style White IPA; ABV: 5.5%; IBUs: 45 

What the Brewer Says: "A summer sipper built for lawn chairs, lawn games and lawn mowing, Fresh Slice  features the spicy, estery flavor profile of Belgian yeast laced with the juicy hop flavors and aromas of American hops."

Color: Hazy orange

Pour: Slight head with some lacing

Aroma: A little spicy and citrusy

Body: Light

Taste: Orange, grapefruit, citrus and strong coriander

Overall Impression: A divisive lean toward Leave it on the Shelf

Comments: "One of those beers some will love some will not, I didn't particularly care for it; Strong Belgian yeast taste; Doesn't have the hop presence for an IPA; Too much coriander; Not my first choice; I'm not getting the coriander as strongly as you guys, I thought it was okay; I'd take this over Magic Hat #9; If you're a Belgian fan, you'd like this."

BACKSEAT BERNER

OTTER CREEK

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Otter Creek Brewing, Middlebury, VT; STYLE: American India Pale Ale; ABV: 7.0%; IBUs: 68 

What the Brewer Says: "The first year-round IPA in Otter Creek history, Backseat Berner is an American beauty that's loaded with juicy hops. Like Oslo, Brewmaster Mike's 150 pound Bernese mountain dog that adorns the label, Backseat Berner is your everday companion for life's adventures."

Color: Hazy orange

Pour: Decent Head

Aroma: Grassy

Body: Medium

Taste: Grapefuit and grass, with hints of toffee, caramel, butterscotch

Overall Impression: Can't Get Enough!!

Comments: "Delicious!; Perhaps the best Otter Creek beer I've ever had; Real nice mouthfeel; Nice, pleasing beer; I'd buy this in a heartbeat - in fact I'm going to be looking for it; I'd put it on my front burner."

MOUNTAIN ALE

THE SHED

The Beer Facts: BREWER: The Shed Brewery, Middlebury, VT; STYLE: English Strong Ale; ABV: 7.4%; IBUs: 35; HOPS: Mt. Hood, Northern Brewer 

What the Brewer Says: "This unfiltered English Strong Ale is a medium to full-bodied ale, with pronounced caramel and toffee notes, followed by a roasted finish."

Color: Amber

Pour: Decent Head

Aroma: Caramel

Body: Between Medium and Full

Taste: Malty with hints of toffee and caramel. Nice bit of hop to it.

Overall Impression: Can't Get Enough!

Comments: "Really nice brown ale; Reminiscent of British style beers; Like Newcastle on steroids; Toffee/caramel backbone with slight hop presence; Malty presence that just stays in the mouth; Not an IPA, but we love it; Sweet beer that would appeal to people who don't want a hoppy beer, but want a beer with flavor."

LIMBO IPA

LONG TRAIL BREWING CO.

The Beer Facts: BREWER: Long Trail Brewing Co.,Bridgewater Corners, VT;STYLE: Double IPA; ABV: 7.4%; IBUs: 80

What the Brewer Says: "A big mouth-watering IPA brimming with all the flavors and aromas of the new breed of hops coming from Australia and the Pacific Northwest."

Color: Orange/Amber

Pour: Decent Head with lingering lace

Aroma: Straw, grass, tropical fruit, some pine 

Body: Approaching full

Taste: Balanced with a nice bitter bite, a hoppy finish with hints of bread. A warm alcohol presence.

Overall Impression: Can't Get Enough!!

Comments: "I really like this beer; It's been in my fridge since they came out with it; Absolutely delicious; Nice name, too; Long Trail's finest!; I like it better than their regular IPA, and I like that; Terrific; It's got a nice complexity that you just can't get in some of the session IPAs; You also gotta' love that it is reasonably priced, I've had some double IPAs that cost a lot more that weren't half as good."

THE RESULTS

If you've been following us at all, you probably could have guessed the results, but here's a quick breakdown from favorite to least.

1. LIMBO IPA - This was an absolute winner. It's a terrific, full-flavored IPA - strong enough to have a bit of an alcohol warming without being so strong that you can't have a second one. 

2. BACKSEAT BERNER - It was a tough call between this and Limbo.  Both are right in our wheelhouse. Like Limbo it is a complex beer with a solid malt foundation supporting tasty citrus/hop notes. Our favorite Otter Creek.

3. MOUNTAIN ALE - This one surprised us as it isn't an IPA and it isn't extremely hoppy, but we all were taken with its big malty flavor highlighted by toffee and caramel notes. Classically British, but bigger than most Brit beers. Having said that, there was also enough of a hop presence to set it apart from other brown ales. A delightful beer.

4. OVER EASY - We found this to be a very pleasant, easy-drinking Session Ale, as hoppy as many session IPAs we've tried. At 4.6% we saw this as an excellent summer golf cart/lawn mower/boat beer.

5. LONG TRAIL ALE -  Many of us remember this beer fondly as one of our early craft beer experiences. A solid balanced Amber Ale.

6. LONG TRAIL SUMMER ALE - This is a summer ale with a surprising amount of hop presence. One of the better summer ales we've had.

7. FRESH SLICE - The strong coriander presence in this beer was a bit of a turn-off for us. We wouldn't seek it out but it is representative of the White IPA style.

8. WILDFLOWER WHEAT - The honey gave this a unique taste, still a bit of a lightweight for our tastes.

9. MOSTLY CLOUDY - Loved the name, but not so much the beer. Again, strictly a question of personal taste here. If you like Belgian-style, low IBU beers often served with a lemon or orange slice, you'll like this. But as unapologetic hopheads, this just wasn't what we look for in a beer.

Up Next:
The BOTB Guys look close to home as we check out some of the latest New York State brews.

Sláinte,

The BOTB Guys

A Taste of Vermont

Our original plan for this month was session IPAs. We had done Session Beers once before, as well as Boat Beers and Lawnmower Beers - but nearly all of those were pale ales. Session IPAs is a fairly new trend - a hopped up beer which is relatively low in alcohol. But then a funny thing happened on the way to this month's meeting. Gerry got all Vermont-y on us. Gerry took a Craft Beer Vacation to Vermont. He embarked upon a whirlwind tour of Vermont craft breweries that would make any craft beer lover envious. Each day Gerry updated us via email as to what breweries he visited and what beers he tried. He also told us what beers he was going to bring back for us to try. Bottom line: we dropped the Session IPAs for this month (they will be our theme next meeting) and decided we would do a whirlwind sampling from Gerry's whirlwind tour. Since there was no real "battle" this month, and since I have included Gerry's in-depth analysis of his trip, we switched up the format a bit, opting for a stripped-down-lightning-round sort of review for each of the beers. We've included information regarding the brewery, ABVs and IBUs where available, and the three most representative comments we had while sampling the wares.

WALDEN SESSION IPA

The Basics: BREWERY: Hill Farmstead Brewery, Greensboro, VT; ABV: 4.0%; IBUs: 40

What the Brewer Says: "(Walden) is a sessionable blonde ale. Hopped with Motueka, Amarillo, and Simcoe hops."

What We Said: "It is a light, unfiltered IPA; Surprising amount of flavor considering it's only 4%; It's a nice 'on your deck' beer."

SLOW-FERMENTED BROWN ALE

The Basics: BREWERY: Switchback Brewing Company, Burlington, VT; ABV: 5.2%; IBUs: 26

What the Brewer Says; "Switchback Slow-Fermented Ale is a beautiful chestnut brown colored beer. It si fermented at an unusually cool temperature which slows down the fermentation. These

conditions stress the yeast, resulting in a slow methodical fermentation in which the resultant flavors are clean, somewhat like a lager, with the added characteristic of a creamy smooth mouthfeel. This brown ale has a rich roast caramel flavor, with a subtle sweetness in the finish, delicately balanced with hop undertones."

What We Said: "It has a nice toffee/caramel taste; A pretty robust flavor for a brown ale; It doesn't have that candy (horehound?) flavor that is prevalent in a lot of browns."

HILLS AND HOLLOWS IPA

The Basics: BREWERY: The Burlington Beer Company, Burlington, VT; ABV: 5.2%; IBUs: NA

What the Brewer Says: "Hills and Hollows is a fantastic mix of an IPA with the full body of a Pale

Ale. It's perfect on summer and fall days in the sun."

What We Said: "It's crisp and  clean; It is really nicely balanced; Now that's how you make a summer ale!"

FIDDLEHEAD PALE ALE

The Basics: BREWERY: Fiddlehead Brewery, Shelburne, VT; ABV: 5.5%; IBUs: 40

What the Brewer Says: "Bright colored and light bodied, brewed with 100% Pilsner malt."

What We Said: "This is a 'looks are deceiving' kind of beer; It has a little nose and a nice bitter bite; This is not a big beer, but has a nice piney hops presence."

JASPER MURDOCH'S WHISTLING PIG RED ALE

The Basics: BREWERY: The Brewery at Norwich Inn, Norwich, VT; ABV: 5.6%; IBUs: NA

What the Brewer Says: "Pours a deep brown with ruby highlights and thinnish off-white head. Smells of toffee and caramel with some earthy bitterness that barely cuts through the sweetness.Slightly fruity esters add a touch of complexity to the aroma. Taste is sweet and malty with toffee and caramel mixed with a hint of earthy hops. Dry finish for a medium-bodied ale. Moderate carbonation level with a sweet sticky mouthfeel"

What We Said: "A bit of banana/clove/malt flavor; There is some black licorice at the end - a Good and Plenty in a glass; Interesting and complex - tastes like a little bit more."

MCNEILL'S DEAD HORSE IPA

The Basics: BREWERY: McNeill's Pub and Brewery, Brattleboro, VT; ABV: 5.7%; IBUs: NA

What the Brewer Says: "The aroma is hoppy, but not in the modern, juicy, American way. It's slightly floral but also has hints of resin and fruit. The first sips of this brew are also slightly hoppy with a definite biscuit flavor coming to the fore afterward. There is also a hint of nuts and more piney hops as the flavor develops on the palate. But unlike many current IPAs, it's the well-structured malt framework that makes this beer tasty. The hops are certainly there, but this is a classic British-style IPA."

What We Said: "It has a real smooth mouthfeel; It's maltier up front, lively through the palate, and a bit bitter at the end; It reminds me a bit of Firestone Jack."

JASPER MURDOCH'S OLD PEWT PALE ALE

The Basics: BREWERY: The Brewery at Norwich Inn; ABV: 6.0%; IBUs: 150!

What the Brewer Says: No commercial description on this one.

What We Said: "It tastes better than a lot of IPAs I've had; What a fantastic aroma; The taste backs off a little from the aroma - but it is delicious with strong grapefruit hop all through."

FRIENDS AND DEVOTION IPA

The Basics: BREWERY: Hill Farmstead Brewery, Greensboro, VT; ABV: 6.0%; IBUs: NA

What the Brewer Says: "Brewed with our friend Luc Bim Lafontaine, formerly of Dieu du Ciel!,

this is a citrusy, salty IPA with notes of grapefruit. Light, tart, and refreshing."

What We Said: "A little sweeter than the rest of the IPAs we've had today; M-m-m-m-m, that's good; It's not just hops, it has a great malt backbone."

IDELTYME IPA

The Basics: BREWERY: The Crop Brewery, Stowe, VT; ABV:8.0%; IBUs: NA

What the Brewer Says: "Great looking bottle and great looking beer with a nice orange color and single finger white head. Some citrus and some grass in the nose. Taste has a decent amount of tropical hops. A sweet finish with very little bitterness."

What We Said: "Definitely sweeter, you can taste the alcohol in this - drink only if you have 'idle time'; A lot of depth - quite complex; This is a grown-up beer."

ROCK ART BELVEDERE BIG IPA

The Basics: BREWERY: Rock Art Brewery, Morrisville, VT; ABV: 8.0%; IBUs: 80

What the Brewer Says: "We brewed this one because we just can't get enough of those hops. IPAs seem to be a great choice any time of the year. They have a great malt flavor and hop profile, just what a beer connoisseur is looking for. We decided to give this one a bit more hops. Try this with a

strong cheese like a very sharp cheddar, cloth bound, aged if you can find one. Some good spicy foods will really play well off the hops in this beer."

What We Said: "Probably the most complex beer we've had today; Nice butterscotch-y flavor in the malt; A great beer to finish the Vermont tour with."


The following is Gerry's brewery-by-brewery description of his Vermont Beer Excursion. We offer this disclaimer:

The following is the exclusive property of The BOTB Guys. Any use of the text, pictures or descriptions by any of the breweries mentioned for promotional purposes is strictly prohibited unless they send us some of their delicious beer first. 

HOPPY TRAILS THROUGH VERMONT

   As mentioned earlier, I took a Craft Beer Journey through Vermont in celebration on my recent retirement after 36 years in Education.  My love of craft beer started years ago when my sons went to college in Vermont and began bringing beer home for holidays.  Although I’ve always been a West Coast hops guy, I started falling in love with Vermont beers.  Anyway, my poor wife accompanied me to 24 breweries in 4 days and was patient while I sipped, swallowed, sniffed, and smelled literally hundreds of beer samples.  We crossed to Bennington, onto Brattleboro, all the way up Route 91, down Route 100, and back up Route 7 into Burlington.  We only missed 5 breweries on the Vermont Beer Passport due to a bridge being out on Route 100 and detouring through the Lincoln Gap - and a couple in Burlington that I can get to this fall when I visit my sons.  Unlike the annual Vermont Brewers’ Festival, which can be somewhat crowded and hectic, traveling through the back roads of Vermont tasting beer is a relaxing and delightful experience.  These owners and brewers are great, friendly, hard-working people who belong to a small and bonded group.  They know each other, speak highly of each other, have worked with or for each other, and basically get along.  Being fiercely loyal to their own brews, and being in search of the “perfect beer” in no way makes them less respectful of a brewing colleague. Heck, one owner was even wearing a t-shirt from another brewery!  They take their craft seriously and are dedicated to it.  At two of the smaller  breweries we actually saw posted signs to the effect of “Please go away, we’re making beer today!”  You have to respect that.  Additionally, it is worth mentioning that several breweries we visited are in the process of major renovations and expansions.  This certainly bodes well for craft beer drinkers!  

Here are just a few “shout-outs” after my 846 mile Beer Journey:

-The food was fantastic at Madison Brewing Co. and their Hopback IPA was delicious.  The bartender was generous with samples and very knowledgeable.

http://madisonbrewingco.com/

-The guys at Northshire Brewery were busy making beer.

http://www.northshirebrewery.com/ 

-Disappointed that McNeil’s Pub was closed when we arrived, but were saved when owner Ray got behind the bar himself and served-up several delicious samples.  Both his Firehouse Amber Ale and the Professor Brewhead Brown Ale were worth the wait.  I found some Deadhorse IPA in cans later on for our Club.

 www.facebook.com/McNeillsBrewery

-Whetstone Station Brewery had a helpful and knowledgeable bartender who served the fantastic #56 Sim City IPA.

http://www.whetstonestation.com/ 

-The folks at Backacre Beermakers were also making beer.

 

-We had a wonderful dinner and stay at the Norwich Inn where everyone was friendly and welcoming.  The lady at the reception desk was everyone’s favorite aunt who took care of getting us food, a beautiful room, and ice cold “pounders” to bring home.  What a great experience, plus, they pump their beer underground directly from the brewery (Jasper Murdock’s) to their alehouse – fresh and delicious.

http://www.norwichinn.com/ 

-The Covered Bridge Brewery is above the clouds in Lyndonville, VT and was also closed, busy making beer.

http://coveredbridgebrew.com/ 

-Also in Lyndonville was Trout River Brewing Company and a great Amber Ale.

 http://www.troutriverbrewing.com/

 

- Hill Farmstead Brewery, where the owner/brewer actually came home to his farmstead to brew his beer from the well water, was a true treat.  After traveling miles down a dirt road you run into cars parked everywhere and people carrying armloads of growlers!  My initial thought was that people were hoarding beer to survive a natural disaster we didn’t know about because of spotty radio reception.  But no, it was just delicious beer that people (including me) were standing in line 2-3 hours for.  Now, I won’t stand in line for a paycheck, but I must admit both the Walden and the Friends and Devotion were hits at the Club meeting.  I was sorry to discover that the Double Galaxy IPA is no longer made.

 http://hillfarmstead.com/

-Two of the friendliest and “greenest” brewer/owners we met were Jenn and Brian at Kingdom Brewing way up (I mean way up) in Newport, VT in the Northern Kingdom.  Great folks who are “farmer brewers” with a young, but rich history in the business.  I tried the Skinny Bitch Blueberry because they made me. The Maple Nut Brown (at 10%) was made with maple sap instead of water and was delicious.  What a great winter fireplace beer.  But really the Out-Of-Bounds IPA at 6% and the other Out-Of-Bounds IPA at 8.3% made the drive way up (I mean way up) absolutely worth it!

http://www.kingdombrewingvt.com/ 

-On to Morrisville and Lost Nation Brewing.  Great food, and fantastic beers.  Many are German style, in fact the Gose has been resurrected here and was fantastic.  The Vermont Pilsner was a delicious, crisp Pilsner (like the beer we were brought up on as kids).  But being an Ale guy, the Rustic Ale was my favorite and absolutely tasty.  I have to mention that the co-owner/co-brewer, a young guy in his mid-30’s, Allen Van Anda is a knowledgeable and veteran beer maker beyond his years!  A personable guy with a thriving business and great beers.  He also went to college with my son – just a real nice guy.

http://lostnationbrewing.com/

 

-Also in Morrisville is another favorite Rock Art Brewery.  Their American Red is outstanding, and of course, I brought some Belvedere home.

http://www.rockartbrewery.com/ 

-We made it to Stowe, VT later than we had planned and visited the Trapp Family Lodge for the views and the Vienna Lager, which was ice cold and tasty.  The young bartender was great, helpful, and even replenished my growler-filled cooler with ice!

http://www.trappfamily.com/

 

-In downtown Stowe we dined at The Crop Bistro and Brewery  (formerly The Shed) where I enjoyed their Idyletyme Double IPA.  It was delicious enough to bring home for Club critique.

 http://cropvt.com

-The next day brought us to Waterbury, VT, home of The Alchemist and the wildly popular Heady Topper IPA.  We visited the brewery which was like a ghost town after their annual Truck Sale event.  I consoled myself by ordering a Heady Topper for dinner that evening in Burlington.

http://alchemistbeer.com 

-Also in Waterbury is an absolute find in the craft beer scene – Prohibition Pig.  Not only did we have a great lunch, but I had the ProPig Amarillo Dream, a very hoppy wheat, the ProPig Bantam Double IPA, and a Schlitz 60’s Formula (just because it reminded me of High School).

 http://www.prohibitionpig.com

-Now here is where we ran into trouble.  There was some kind of bridge out on Route 100 and we detoured past Mad River Glen through the Lincoln Gap (where only eagles fly).  I will have to go back this Fall to visit Lawson’s Liquids, Long Trail, ( a great brewery I’ve visited before and usually always have a Long Trail Ale in my fridge), Foley Brothers, and the Hop ‘N Moose.  

 

-We made our way over to Bristol, VT and the Bobcat Café’ and Brewery.  A great snack and Prayer Rock Pale Ale.

https://www.facebook.com/bobcat.craftbrewery 

-The Harpoon Brewery was just hoppin’ by the time we got there with a huge crowd.  It didn’t stop me from having Rich And Dan’s Rye IPA and a touch of the Leviathan before leaving.

http://www.harpoonbrewery.com 

-Going up Route 7, we came to the ever popular Otter Creek Brewery.  I fell in love with their Copper Ale years ago when the oldest son started at Johnson State.  Although I’m not a Pumpkin Ale fellow, something about a brewery getting their pumpkins from 30 miles down the road makes it taste even better.  Their Kind Ryed IPA is great, and you have to respect the way they have held true to the recipe and tradition of The Shed IPA and Mountain Ale.

http://ottercreekbrewing.com 

 

-Just up the road is the newer Drop-In Brewing Company that offered a knowledgeable taproom host and several delicious beers, namely Gupta’s Gleeful English IPA, Heart of Lothian 90 Shilling Scotch Ale, and the Red Dwarf and Red Giant.

 http://www.dropinbrewing.com

 

-By evening we arrive in Shelburne at Fiddlehead Brewing Company.  Now I normally always growler-up their IPA, and in fact had ordered one with my growler in line while tasting their Pale Ale.  I changed my mind and brought the Pale home – a great beer.

http://www.fiddleheadbrewing.com

 

-The next morning brings us to more breweries in the Burlington area.  An old favorite The Vermont Pub and Brewery offered up their Burly Irish Ale.

http://www.vermontbrewery.com/

 

-Across the street at Zero Gravity Craft Brewery a great bartender provided Blue Gibbin Session IPA (a great breakfast brew), R. Prime American IPA, TLA IPA (the house beer), and even Weed Wacker Cream Ale.  A great brewery right across from the park!

http://www.zerogravitybeer.com

-Switchback Brewing on Flynn Ave. has become a favorite of mine.  Their Switchback Ale is a “go to” beer for me.  The Roasted Red is super, and the Slow-Fermented Brown Ale followed me home for a Club meeting.

http://switchbackvt.com

 

-No trip to the area is complete for me without going back out to South Burlington and visiting Magic Hat Brewing Company. It is just a fun place.  The Single Chair is an old favorite, the Hi #9 IPA was fruity, and the Humdinger Imperial Pilsner was refreshing.  Can we have a moment of silence for Humble Patience.  

http://www.magichat.net

 

-Another real “find” on my tour was Queen City Brewery tucked behind another building on Pine Street. Only open since June, these guys have a great thing going.  I chatted with co-owner Paul for quite some time and he has reason to be proud of what these 4 friends have accomplished.  Their City Beer was an excellent Kolsch, their St. Amandus Amber was delightful, but for me it was their Landlady Yorkshire ESB that made it all worth it.  Good Luck you guys.

http://queencitybrewery.com

 

- I was pretty well tired by this time, having a 4 day whirlwind of hops, malts, and barleys dancing in my head.  I was ready to call it quits and finish the rest later this Fall when my wife actually convinced me to do one more.  I chose the Burlington Beer Company not far away in Williston, VT.  Boy am I glad I did.  The Mason Jar Mild Brown was a delicious creamy Newcastle style brown and the Strawberry Whale Cake was just plain interesting.  But, the Hills And Hollows IPA was worthy of finding room in and over-filled cooler to bring home for the BOTB guys.  

http://www.burlingtonbeercompany.com

Ÿ Trying not to leave anyone out I promise to visit my sons in October and visit the following crafters I missed on this trip:

Ÿ Lawson’s Liquids
Ÿ Longtrail Brewing
ŸFoley Brothers Brewing
Ÿ The Hop ‘N Moose Brewing Company
Ÿ 1^st Republic Brewing Company
Ÿ Stone Corral Brewery
Ÿ Infinity Brewing Company
Ÿ Four Quarters Brewery
Ÿ 14^th Star Brewing

   Don’t worry, I promise to get to you guys soon!


I hope you enjoyed following Gerry on his most excellent Vermont Beer Adventure. We certainly enjoyed the fruits of his labor.
Next time: Session IPAs and some Yonkers Brewing Company Brews

Until then -

Sláinte,

The BOTB Guys