Hill Farmstead/VT Trip

No idea, never been there that late. Recent posts suggest there's been a decent sized line around 4:30 though.

 

Makes sense, just steady all day. Wish I could hit a weekday, but its not in the cards at the moment.

 

Be prepared to wait on line at HF, I went on Friday and I got there at 11:00 and it took 2 and 1/2 hours for growler fills. Was not impressed with the brewery experience. You stand in line, get the beer and go. But you might as well do it once. Fiddleheads is a brewery that I heard a lot of talk about while I was there. I picked up a 4 pack of the Hodad (porter) not a fan, but if you like porter you may like it. Their double IPA is supposedly very good. Obviously Prohibition Pig in Waterbury and there's a good bottle shop next door and two other bars with good tap lists in walking distance. HF is very remote and the roads can be bad (muddy) if it rains. I would suggest going to HF then drive down and stay in Waterbury. They get cases of Heady on Friday at the Hunger Mountain coop in Montpelier which is a quick 11 mile ride from Waterbury. I mapped my trip out on mapquest, started north at HF and worked my way down being that I came from L.I.

 

Remember that the camping at Little River is 400-500ft higher than Waterbury. That 27 minutes to town might be 45+ on the way back, even without the handicap of darkness (you can get a DUI on a bicycle but it's very unlikely, though I was ordered to walk my bike home a couple times in college). Make sure your bike is well lit up, as well as yourself.

Mud season has been amazingly tolerable... I was expecting the brown apocalypse.

The VT Agency of Natural Resources has decreed that all visitors from south of Rutland must pick up their firewood at Hill Farmstead.

 

I've been planning a trip as well, and will have a couple of days in the area. Driving up from MD, and was going to stay in Waterbury, and visit HF for some growler fills and bottles. I've gotten plenty of good info on these forums on where to find HT, Lawson's and the best draft locations for everything in Waterbury, but I was wondering what the best stores were to find bottles of HF? Are they sold in local stores, or only at the brewery? Don't mind driving around, I should be there Wednesday - Friday.

Also, I was thinking of making my journey in September after the summer vacations quiet down. Is this a good time to visit? I'd prefer to avoid the masses, and get the most out of this once in a lifetime trip, although I fully expect/understand a couple hour wait at HF.

 

Jerry, can you come and get us then?

 

the period between Labor Day and the beginning of leaf season is probably a good time to go. As far as I know HF is either at the brewery or on tap at local pubs- no other options.