Favorite Vermont Brewery

Think I gotta go with Lawson's. Chinooker'd made my mind exploded, likely liked it better than Heady.

 

I thought this was so easy at first: Alchemist. Then I realized it's such a loaded question. While I love heady, I also love diversity. I guess I'll go with Rock Art since I can't take Long Trail?

 

That littl'un, down in the corner.

 

Whatever's hardest to get to.

 

I was in Vermont last month, and I must say, I was really impressed with Zero Gravity. I also had a Trapp and a couple HF which were unbelievable...a lot of really good beer out there.

 

I am kinda biased but here is my list:

#1 Lawson's Finest Liquids
#2 Alchemist-based on past,present and future
#3 Hill Farmstead
#4 Lost Nation-just trust me, don't ask
#5 Bobcat
#6 Trapp
#7 Zero Gravity
#8 Rockart
#9 Switchback-look for bottles soon
#10 Magic Hat-recently some great local only kegs

 

My favorite VT brewers don't necessarily correspond to my favorite VT beer. I'm not sure why the OP excluded Long Trail, Magic Hat, and Harpoon. If he was looking to exclude the big guys, then he probably should have also excluded Otter Creek (w/Wolaver's, Shed brands).

I'll probably be one of the few (or only) person to say Fiddlehead Brewery is my favorite brewery. The Fiddlehead IPA is pretty good - highly drinkable. I'd still rate Heady Topper and HF Abner (DIPAs) as my two most favorite VT beers. The Fiddlehead IPA is the only beer they always have on tap. You can buy growlers and growlettes at the brewery and buy the IPA at a lot of local restaurants.

The main reason I choose Fiddlehead is Matty O's philosophy and goal. (Matty O used to work for Magic Hat before NAB bought them out). Matty O wants to brew a unique and different beer every week for his brewery to have on tap there. He wants to experiment and try different things and allow us to have something new every time we visit his brewery. Right now, they have a new beer about every 2 to 3 weeks. The goal is to have a different beer on tap each week that you can only drink once a year then they put away the recipe and don't reuse it for another year+. It's about experimenting and gives me the 'homebrew' feel to it. If you browse the Fiddlehead Brewery news on vtbeer.org, you'll find some an interview with Matty O speaking out his desires for his brewery.

Another brewery that I'm keeping my eyes open and waiting to open is the Burlington Beer Company. It seems to have a similar philosophy heavily inspired by home brewing and making some non-ordinary beer. BBC is still looking for a place and only doing small tasting events. I've yet to sample any of the BBC beer (haven't been able to make it to their tasting events), but I'm a member of their CSB.

If I went for quantity of my favorite beers, then I'd pick Hill Farmstead, Lawson's, or Alchemist, but heck, everyone else is probably going to say one of those three

 

Is this a serious, or an ironic answer? I've heard great things about their lagers, but given the bias on this site and the inordinate amounts of love for Heady Topper and its ilk, I can't help but suspect that you may be joking.

 

Burlington Beer Company doesn't provide a map. Where in Burlington is it located?

 

Yes

 

It's out of Joesph's parent's barn in Jericho right now. He doesn't have a storefront. He does tastings at Chef's Corner in South End and at the Winooski Bev center. He's looking for a building on\near Pine Street to rent to set up shop - should have storefront next year.

 

It's a "...makeshift brewery he’s set up inside his parents’ defunct horse barn in Jericho" with a Burlington brewery coming "...within the year", according to the Burlington Free Press story from earlier this month.

 

James and Jess.... thanks a lot!

 

The Heady Topper Brewery Inc.

 

Yes, I kid, was just looking on the Googles at vt breweries to see if there was a funny one that wasn't Hill Farmstead/Alchemist/Lawson's. I had no idea that the Von Trapps were making lagers, and I got a kick out of the mental image of all those kids drinking out of huge steins.

 

Hill Farmstead. Alchemist only really makes one beer regularly, and Lawson's shit is so difficult to find even when you're in their backyard.

Where do I send my dollar to?

 

I actually really like some of their beers. Stovepipe porter and wolaver's oatmeal stout are solid...

Obvious answer to the question is obvious. (HF/Lawson's) But I do also really like Trapp's beers, just don't like the restaurant/cafe so much. Fantastic lagers, and we need more good craft lagers.

 

They make some damn good cheese too. (seriously)

 

Lawson
HF
"babson" sorry if I spelled it wrong but rediculous home brewer

 

Hill Farmstead
The Alchemist

Jk, I've never had either. =(