Where to next?

Not sure when Wunderkammer is going to open its doors to the public in Albany VT (historical society members get to go in a couple weeks for the first bottle pickup), but I find the story, aesthetic and product to be intriguing and quite delicious. Of course there's Hill Farmstead nearby, but I feel like that story has been told so many times already (rightfully so, since they're great). But the scene is somewhat sparse since there's not a ton of restaurants/beer bars around (Parker Pie being a standout). You could do a story about new breweries of northern VT though and include Freak Folk in Waterbury. Like you, I'm not as drawn to haze factories (IPAs are great, but becoming a dime a dozen). But both these breweries are producing interesting and nuanced beers that align with the kind of stuff you post about on BA (although no lagers...yet).

 

Although it’s probably a bit of a trip for you, I’d suggest the lower Hudson Valley. The scenery is obviously beautiful, there’s a lot of history there and locations that were prominent in shadows of the Revolutionary War and, obviously, the proliferation of breweries in the area in the last 2 years. You have Tin Barn, Drowned Lands, District 96 and the recent addition of Long Island’s DUBCo as well as standbys like Newburgh and Rushing Duck. Then you have Hudson Valley, Plan Bee, Obercreek, etc on the east side of the river and you should have plenty of subjects to pontificate on.

 

Assume you are familiar with the major New England beer destinations.. Portland ME, Portsmouth NH, Stowe area of VT, Burlington VT. There's obviously Boston/Cambridge/Somerville as well, you could certainly spend a week on beer tourism in the city.

More modern/urban areas to consider could include Worcester, MA, Providence RI. Not modern per se but I'd put Salem, MA in this category of small city. There's some top tier breweries and restaurants in each of these. Probably could spend a couple days in each.

Western MA/I-91 corridor may be starting to develop as an option too.

 

I'd love to know more about Nashua, NH. I've heard of good things about several breweries there (Spyglass comes to mind) and that it's a cool city to visit. I've been all over New England, but New Hampshire is a black hole to me. If you wrote an article about it, I'd love to read it.

 

Nashua! I should have remembered this. It's actually becoming quite an interesting beer and food destination as well:

• Spyglass is amazing and they're working on a big new facility. Will prob be open this year.
• Out in that direction, White Birch Brewing and Stones Social
• Downtown (walkable) - Martha's Exchange, Liquid Therapy, Martha's Exchange, The Flight Center, Odd Fellows, Nashua Gardens upstairs. Peddler's Daughter is your irish bar.
• Cocktails - don't miss Codex Bar, which is speakeasy style, and has some whale bourbons and so forth
• Food - Stella Blu is awesome, and Martha's makes good food (especially desert as i recall) too.

I could do a list like this on Manchvegas like this too. Perhaps base yourself in either Manchester or Nashua, and do an excursion to the other one for a day or two.

The "History" and "impact maker" angles on these cities might be a bit minimal, but they're both Pure New Hampshire.

 

I'll throw the Capital Region out there, and I think we've got some built-in stories.

- Brown's Brewing turning from a run-of-the-mill 90s brewpub into one of the best and most creative breweries in NY in the last 3-4 years.

- Common Roots' comeback from that devastating fire a few years ago and the incredible impact they've had on that community, including what they're doing now for an employee of theirs with a serious illness.

- Fidens going from slinging hazies in a non-descript industrial park to being a NEIPA behemoth.

- I'm on record with saying Wayward Lane is gonna be an absolute destination brewery in the Northeast and I see a LOT of Fox Farm parallels with them, both in quality of beer, their setting and what they're trying to do.

- IDK what the story is necessarily but Whitman Brewing in Saratoga is making some seriously fantastic shit in a gorgeous space and historic old building.

- The husband-and-wife owners of Unified Beer Works are seriously great people with a cool story and a lot of ideas for what to do in the future. And I'd probably make the argument that they're the best and most well-rounded brewery in our region, just ahead of Browns.

 

Matt,

I you make it down to the Hudson Valley I would suggest you meet up with the Return Brewing folks. They are in the early stages but they appear to have an intriguing business plan:

“Return is a multifaceted brewing project that seeks to create accessible, traditional “Tavern” style beers alongside an extensive line of exploratory concepts.

These techniques include in-house fruit and herb processing to create farm-direct local “Garden” styles, a line of Eastern European-inspired farmhouse raw ales, country and primitive mixed ferments, old world sour tonics, a heat chamber to maderize beer, fruits, and nuts, an exploration into Whole Hive braggot, an extensive barrel-aging and blending fleet that comprises “Archive,” and more. Most Return beers will focus on the bounties of the Hudson Valley to create beers set in a time and place—however, Return’s hoppy ales will feature specific farms from across the globe to demonstrate unique terroir and characteristics in those exceptional hops.”

https://returnbrewing.com/pages/about

Their latest release, a Czech Dark Lager, reads tasty:



Cheers!

 

Capital District was on my mind too. Just don’t know it as well as the LHV.

 

A couple Maine spots but would probably be better to visit in the summer: Marshall Wharf in Belfast and their return to brewing. Second would be Sasanoa in Westport island. The only MOFGA certified brewery in Maine growing ingredients for their beers on their farm. Very nice saisons.

I'd always take a write up on Silvaticus.

 

Wow!

Well that is a story right there!!

Cheers!

 

Albany is good for stuff like that. I lived there in Fall of ‘95 and Spring of ‘96 and I barely remember any of it. I did see a crap load of terrific hardcore shows at Bogie’s and QE2 though. Became a huge One King Down fan because of it.

 

(RIP Bogies)

 

Give a call to Andy Day, in Derry NH.... he and his wife Alana own the beer/wine/tequila bar Cask and Vine, plus Daydreaming Brewing, Doire Distillery and a winery. He's a real go-getter in Derry.... organizing a lot of events and bringing the town together. And you could also check out Kelsen, Rockingham and From the Barrel.... Prosit!!!

 

Providence has a lot of cool smaller places. The most obvious/well known of these is Long Live Beerworks, good scene for RI hops. Plenty of surrounding towns (within 20 minutes) have cool breweries too. I suggest Proclamation in Warwick RI. They do some unique stuff

 

A second suggestion for Western Mass.
The Pioneer Valley has a host of Breweries, and Eateries
worth the time. Some legacy, some adolencent, some infant.
Cheers