VT Trip - Looking for help with HT

Hey neighbors,

It's been about three months since my previous beercation to Vermont, and I've been Jonesing to go back ever since. This coming Saturday (Feb 22nd), I'm definitely doing it, and likely bringing a couple friends along. It's just a day trip (save on hotel and kennel costs), so we're going straight to HF for opening. After that, I figure we'll hit one of your many, many awesome pubs before heading back.

I'd love to get some Heady while I'm up there, but I have no delusions that it will be available on Saturday. Does anyone have access during the week that would be willing to pick me up a case, and meet at lunch? I can certainly buy you a pint or two for your efforts.

Additionally, I'm similarly doubtful that any bottle shops would have Lawson's by the weekend, but I figured I'd ask if anyone knows where I might have some luck. Other recommended great brews that would be available are appreciated.

Cheers!

 

I hope so, although I'd still feel better setting up an IP meet to be on the safe side. I'll be pretty happy with whatever I bring home from HF; I'll be a lot happier bringing home a case of HT, too.

 

Thought I'd call out one last time, with the weekend fast approaching; anyone available to hook me up? There's a free pint in it for you.

 

Yeah, I've checked the delivery schedules, but in the past, Saturday has always been too late. If I had flexibility for my trip, it would be a lot easier to plan. I also haven't gone since they shifted away from sales at the cannery, so store availability was a mystery to me.

I didn't know Hunger Mountain may save half their Friday stock for Saturday; that might be a gold mine. I was planning on hitting there first (before HF) if we get their early enough; that might be the best way to go.

Definitely going to cruise the bottle shop(s) in Waterbury before heading out.

Thanks for the info!

 

Have fun! If you happen to swing by Waterbury on the way and want to meet up for a pint, let me know.

 

Ouch; good luck!

 

Great trip, as last time! Roads were fine, temperature was pleasant, and the scenery was beautiful. I picked up some fantastic beers at HF, and the guest bottle lineup was outstanding. Of course, I also loaded up at Hunger Mountain, and a couple other spots.

Sadly, Lawson's continues to elude me, and Heady was absolutely gone. Every single shop in Waterbury was out, as was Hunger Mountain; most of them sold out within three hours of Friday's delivery. We found one shop in Stowe that had a decent amount left, with a (1) 4-pack limit per person (which is probably why they had some left). That was it. Ehh, 4 cans of Heady and 3 growlers of HF is certainly enough to keep me happy.

(If anyone else is looking for Heady this weekend, the shop was the Stowe State Liquor Store. You might have luck tomorrow. I doubt it, though.)

For chow, since we were hoping to get lucky with some Heady in Waterbury, we went straight there after HF, and ended up at Prohibition Pig. Heady on tap is delicious, of course; the food was great; and I got to try out Lost Nation Gose (it was OK) and Jack's Abbey Mass Rising (it was fantastic).

Oh, Craft Beer Cellar was a great spot. Friendly folks, great selection. No Heady, but I definitely grabbed some more beer while I was there.

Thanks for hosting, Vermonters, and for having such awesome beer in your beautiful state.

 

We hit Hunger Mountain around 9:30 to 10:00, somewhere around there. We didn't get to Waterbury until after Hill Farmstead, and going through Stowe (where we actually got some Heady), so fairly close to 2 pm. We called ahead of time, though (around 1:00), and all the places were out.

If Heady is your specific goal, then based on this weekend (which was not a holiday weekend, and came a week after the Focal Banger/Petit Mutant sale), good luck is all I can tell you. Friday mornings would probably have worked out well, but like most out-of-staters with a job, I can't chase trucks during the work week.

Definitely look for a spot (like I mentioned above) with 4-pack limits, instead of case limits; if you can't make it until Saturday noon-ish, that seems like your best bet to at least get some. Of course, I might have just had a really unlucky weekend (everyone rushing in for a last weekend of snow sports, maybe?).

Also, no data on Burlington; we weren't ever planning on making it that far over, so it's certainly possible that it hung around there later.

Good luck!