Last minute trip - Boston tomorrow - Sep. 10

Discussion in 'New England' started by Thirsty_Rob, Aug 26, 2014.

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  1. Thirsty_Rob

    Thirsty_Rob Initiate (0) Oct 7, 2012 California

    Hey everyone,

    The plan was to stay in Boston with a friend for free, rent a car next week and drive through Vermont and Maine and hit a bunch of breweries. Friend option in Boston fell through... tonight. :rolling_eyes: Nowhere to stay and busy holiday weekend. YAY

    Anyways, thinking that when I fly into Boston tomorrow, I will go straight to either Vermont or Portland, ME.

    What's a good plan of attack driving through New England? Suggestions for beer and places to sleep are welcome. (ie. be my New England adviser) Thinking about staying a couple of nights each in Burlington and Waterbury, maybe a couple of nights in Portland, ME?

    My radar:
    Maine
    Maine Beer Company
    Allagash
    Oxbow

    Vermont
    Hill Farmstead
    Prohibition Pig
    Heady and friends
    Maybe find some Lawsons?

    Any help/feedback is greatly appreciated. I am bringing RR Supplication, Consecration, Temptation, Beatification (4 of each), a few The Rare Barrel sours... and some other beers to trade or share if anyone wants to meet up.
     
  2. Thirsty_Rob

    Thirsty_Rob Initiate (0) Oct 7, 2012 California

    Booked some rooms for the week.
    Aug. 26 - Burlington - Driving from Boston once I land - will not spend much time here
    Aug. 27 -29 - Waterbury at the BW. - trips to HF in the mornings
    Aug. 29 -Sep. 1 - East Cambridge
    Sep. 1 and beyond - hopefully staying with friend(s) in the Boston area - nothing planned - trip to Maine? Tree House?
     
  3. benbking

    benbking Initiate (0) Dec 11, 2009 Rhode Island

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  4. jbart

    jbart Zealot (568) Oct 2, 2004 Massachusetts

    Lots to do in Portland and on the way up if you decide on that.

    Allagash, Austin Street, Bissell Brothers, and Foundation are all next to each other. Plus great beer bars downtown: Novare Res, In'finiti (brewpub), King's Head, Little Tap House, Mama's Crowbar, Thirsty Pig...just to name some of my personal faves.

    I typically stop in Portsmouth or nearby on the way to Portland. Some options include Earth Eagle, Portsmouth Brewery, Whym, Black Birch (Kittery), When Pigs Fly (Kittery), Cornerstone (Ogunquit), SoMe Brewery (York). Tributary Brewing might be opening in Kittery as soon as this weekend.

    Oxbow and Marshall Wharf/Three Tides are worth the drive.
     
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  5. dfroms

    dfroms Initiate (0) May 21, 2011 New York

    Some recs for VT, although these are mostly on the beaten path and you may already be aware of them:

    Burlington: Farmhouse Tap and Grill is excellent, and American Flatbread/Zero Gravity is also very good.

    Waterbury area: Don't forget the Reservoir, and unfortunately Blackback Pub, per the other thread in this forum, appears to have gone downhill under new management. Also worth heading down to the Mad River Valley (Waitsfield and nearby) in search of Lawson's at the Warren Store, which seems to get deliveries on Thursdays and sometimes other days--call or check their Facebook page. Mad Taco is good for food and often has Lawson's and other excellent beers on tap.

    Near HF: Worth a short detour to Parker Pie, for great pizzas and to have some HF on tap.

    Also you might consider stopping in Montpelier on your way to Burlington or some other time--Threepenny Taproom is fantastic and the Hunger Mountain Food Coop has a nice selection of beers, both local and imports, with the imports at very low prices relative to California.
     
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  6. HuskyHawk

    HuskyHawk Initiate (0) Jun 5, 2014 Massachusetts

    General thoughts on driving in northern New England, from someone who lived in CA for awhile: distances are deceiving. Getting from point A to point B in Maine, NH and VT is never going to involve anything close to straight line, often does not involve what you'd call a freeway and will usually involve mountains.

    When back in Boston, head to Trillium for sure, but if you haven't been to Boston, do other things too. You might try Night Shift in Everett and Mystic in Chelsea. Beer is nice, but there is a lot to see in Boston. Do the Freedom Trail and spend some time in the city. Check out Castle Island when you go to Trillium. Treehouse is a haul from Boston honestly, it's probably closer to Hartford. The traffic Labor Day weekend could be brutal as it was last weekend.

    Glad you have Burlington on the list, it's a cool, small city/college town. More enjoyable than Waterbury in my opinion.
     
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  7. Thirsty_Rob

    Thirsty_Rob Initiate (0) Oct 7, 2012 California

    Great suggestions everyone. I land in Boston at 5pm... Not looking forward to traffic getting out of town but it was the best way to plan my trip. I'll keep you updated on what end up doing every day. You can count on lots of beer! I brought 80lbs of beer with me thanks to SW allowing two free checked bags so let me know if you want to share.
     
  8. pehodges

    pehodges Devotee (395) May 25, 2013 Massachusetts

    Specifics for this week-
    Brewery only releases:
    Allagash Golden Brett (released yesterday, should still be available but don't sleep on it)
    Oxbow Infinite Darkness
    HF CD10
    Lawson's- due the cancellation for last week's farmers market, the entire allotment was delivered on Saturday to the Village Grocery in Waitsfield and the Warren Store (Super Session IPA #3 (Sorachi Ace), Knockout Blonde Ale, and Sip of Sunshine IPA). Call to see if anything is left. Otherwise Double Sunshine will be delivered to the regular sites on Aug. 28 and 29.
    I'd add Idle Hands if you're out in Everett, and drop by Aeronaut in Somerville- pleasant things going on there.
    And remember next weekend is prime college moving-in time. There about a half million college student in the Boston metro area (seriously), and it seems like all of them will be in U-Haul vans double parked outside their new digs, if not wedged under a low bridge. Driving around town may not be the pleasantest experience.
    Enjoy
    P
     
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  9. HeavyDandtheGirls

    HeavyDandtheGirls Pundit (773) Mar 7, 2014 Massachusetts

    If you land at 5 you may want to spend a few hrs in Bodton on Friday rather then sit in traffic on 93. You are better off getting on 93 after 7.

    Grab some eats at Row 34, Trillium is right behind them if there is no line you can grab some bottles or a growler.

    Just a suggestion but 2 hrs at a resturaunt/bar beats an extra 2hrs in the car in my opinion.
     
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  10. dwmetsfan13

    dwmetsfan13 Zealot (730) Jul 22, 2013 Massachusetts
    Trader

    Boston is going to be absolute mess Labor Day weekend. Because it's such a college town, even non-student leases frequently turn over on or around September 1 which means a ton of people move then. Compound that with the 3 day weekend/end of tourist season and it could be ugly.

    I'd suggest taking the T as much as possible. It's cheap and can get you most places.
     
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  11. seanwhite

    seanwhite Initiate (0) Jan 31, 2008 Massachusetts

    Either on the way up to VT or the way back, stop into Worthy Burger in South Royalton (between exits 3 and 4 on 89). Best burger I have ever had, plus they usually have Hill Farmstead and Lawsons. I am waiting for the day my pregnant wife will make me drive up there from MA to get her a burger, and I won't even hesitate.
     
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  12. MVP09

    MVP09 Initiate (0) Oct 19, 2012 Massachusetts

    When you find yourself in ME look for Rising Tide Maine Island Trail Ale. Come in 16oz can, ME only easily the best session ale I have tasted. Simcoe and Citra blended perfectly. Also another under the radar beer is Most Mountain. Mikes Pale and Hell Yes are two great non hoppy beers. Also in MA I think Wormtown just bottled Hopulence. It's a definite must for too end MA DIPAs.
     
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  13. MVP09

    MVP09 Initiate (0) Oct 19, 2012 Massachusetts

    Moat Mountain
     
  14. benbking

    benbking Initiate (0) Dec 11, 2009 Rhode Island

    Yes on Trillium! A milllion times yes! In fact I might meet you over there if you wanted to go on 9/5, they are 15 minutes from my office.
     
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  15. HuskyHawk

    HuskyHawk Initiate (0) Jun 5, 2014 Massachusetts

    I have got to go to this place on my next trip up. We get off at Exit 3 to go to Rochester, taking 107 across. So this is just a little bit out of the way. Seems like it is between exits 2 and 3 though, not 3 and 4.
     
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  16. Auror

    Auror Pooh-Bah (1,641) Jan 1, 2010 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah

    This. Labor Day is on September 1st which is CODE RED, DEFCON 0! The ciity will be undriveable. If you can avoid being in or around Boston on this day, make every attempt to do so. This is not an exaggeration.
     
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  17. seanwhite

    seanwhite Initiate (0) Jan 31, 2008 Massachusetts

    You are right, sorry I was distracted by thinking about burgers.
     
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  18. pehodges

    pehodges Devotee (395) May 25, 2013 Massachusetts

    Limited bottle release at Trillium tonight (P&K O&V) so there may be a crowd, but may be worth the detour.
     
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  19. HuskyHawk

    HuskyHawk Initiate (0) Jun 5, 2014 Massachusetts

    Works out better for me that way!
     
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  20. hopley

    hopley Pooh-Bah (2,608) Feb 24, 2010 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Anybody know if they'll have any Double Pot and Kettle bottles left for Wed - I can't make it down there tonight but desperately want to grab one or two. Thanks!
     
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