The Alchemist (January 2017)

"There is a lot of great food and drink near us."

Heading up the weekend of the 21st. Any insight on great food? Great food can eclipse an average beer list (we like wine, too), but both is preferential. I've scoured previous months and seen Doc Ponds and The Bench, both of which have great tap lists.

No boundaries on food. We like everything, though a hearty chunk of red meat never killed anyone (or has it?)

 

That'll be a huge help, thanks. Now, c'mon Alchemist. Let's get a stout as the third option!!

 

Big fan of Doc Ponds. Have eaten there once or twice on each trip since they opened.

Tried The Bench once and thought it was good, not great. Much prefer Doc Ponds.

Also usually eat at Harrison's at least once per trip. Not beer-centric but always good service and a good meal. They do get an Alchemist delivery once a week and will have a small local taplist (Fiddlehead, Trapp, Lost Nation, etc.). Decent wine too I think.

Went to the new Trapp beer hall last trip and would definitely recommend that for food,beer, or both.

If you want to venture into Waterbury - Hen Of The Wood, Blackback Pub, Prohibition Pig (both brewery and restuarant) are good options.

 

Last question while I have you all here: It's a relatively short overnight. Best beer store in the Waterbury/Stowe area? Figured we'd hit the alchemist, but any store for local favorites that you'd recommend? CBC the best option?

 

Stowe Beverage is a nice stop close to the Alchemist, usually have good local selection.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/17640/?view=ratings

Waterbury CBC is a nice store with knowledgeable staff.

Beverage Baron in Barre usually releases some SoS and Heady on Saturday mornings. (they post it on FB)

Hunger Mountain Coop in Montpelier.

If you drive by Woodstock, VT on your route Woodstock Hops & Barley.

If you head by White River Junction you can hit the Crowler Pit at Big Fatty's BBQ. Also in the same parking lot is River Roost Brewing which is excellent.

 

Will be going there for first time on Saturday of MLK weekend. Anyone know what type of line I should expect if I show up between 10-11? Trying to get in and out early, but not sure when I should show up.

 

I'm not sure where in NH you are coming from but if you're taking route 89 at all then Worthy Burger is a must hit on the way up or back. Great food and tap list. If you go, get the truffle fries

 

Went to the brewery last Friday (12/30). Got there around 12pm to little to no line. Grabbed a sample, browsed the merch, grabbed another sample, looked at the brewery, grabbed my last sample and went to get cans. Smooth and easy. In and out in 20 minutes.

@mrmattosgood We went over to Waterbury last week after our brewery trip. We've been there before and with Stowe a bit busier, figured it would be a better choice. We tried Pro Pig but it was busy for lunch, so we walked over to Blackback Pub. 2nd time there and great food/beer. Had a HF S&S #9 then a Lawsons Maple Stout. We stopped into Craft Beer Cellar and they had a good selection (Frost, Foley, etc.). Man, I wished I grabbed a ton of Death by Coconut as it was awesome!

 

I take if you don't like Reservoir?

 

@SRBush1974 @jhavs

We're actually staying in Waterbury at the Stagecoach. We're driving up to Stowe first. Do lunch, Alchemist. On the way back to Waterbury, do the Cabot creamery store, ben and jerry's etc. Check in then head out in Waterbury.

I feel like Pro Pig gets a lot of acclaim here. But what about Reservoir and Blackback? Didn't one undergo some ownership change and it's not as good? Am I remembering incorrectly? We would love to have a nice dinner out in Waterbury (walking distance). What's our best option?

 

Actually never tried Reservoir. Wife and kids love Pro Pig - duck fat fries, pimento grilled cheese, etc. If I'm by myself or with buddies I automatically go to Blackback. Usually stay at GM Inn so the trips to Waterbury have become less frequent since Doc Ponds opened (walking distance) and the Alchemist Waterbury location closed - other than Ben & Jerry's with the kids.

 

I'd say Hen of the Wood for dinner. Not really walkable but you could have dinner there and then walk to the Waterbury bars from the hotel after.

For a "nice" dinner in walking distance I'd pick Pro Pig over Blackback, but can't comment on any of the other options (Reservoir, Blue Stone, Arvad's, etc.)

 

Hen of the Wood is only a 13 minute, 0.6 mile, walk to/from the Stagecoach. Sure it is a weather, person dependent decision, but I'd consider that time and distance very reasonable for a walk.

 

For a really nice dinner, Hen of the Wood. It is a bit over a half mile from the Stagecoach and not near the other Waterbury restaurants and pubs. (up the hill, other side of I89). Not a great walk in winter.

If you want to stay downtown, I like the Blackback. My kind of atmosphere, high quality food, and awesome tap list.

The food is very good at Pro Pig (pub an brewery) as well. Brewery is more quick service style. If your in the mood for BBQ, go to pub.

I only go to the res when they have something on their taplist I want to try. Just not my kind of place, but I know a lot of people like it.

Blue Stone has good pizza (sort of yuppy style pizza flatbread) and a good tap list.

 

It's a very dark, not-too-well shoveled walk for much of the winter.

 

Its not that bad a walk and I have done it a few times, but it is definitely potentially unpleasant in winter (uphill, traffic to dodge when you're at I89 exits). Much better walk if you're staying at the BW up the hill.

 

Hence why I said, weather dependent in my post.