Alchemist / Warren VT

Heady and Focal you should find at Warren Store and at a couple different places in Waitsfield (Mehuron's and at least the convenience store on main street to my knowledge). If you want not those two, worth taking a look what's available at the brewery, it's not far from there in Vermont terms. Prob 35-40 min away with enough nearby to be worth the detour.

Also, as an aside, take the gps route that has you get off at exit 9 for Warren. The technically fastest way has you go over a mountain pass (I think it's if you get off at exit 3), and unless that excites you it's worth the extra 10 min or so to have the drive be mostly highway.

 

Basically you are looking for anywhere that sells cold beer. They all have it.

 

Cosigning this. I went to Lawson's from my house in NY and know exactly what stretch of route 100 you are talking about. It has a lot of sharp turns that go up up up and then down down down.

 

The bottle shop at Big Fattys in WRJ is an option. No idea if they have limits.

You’re only going to be able to find Heady and Focal at all these stores, unless you go up to the brewery in Stowe. If you do that, you will have more options.

 

They don't, or at least not that they've ever told me about. But, in any event, the Co-op is just the other side of Bridge St and they'll have Alchemist, too.

 

If already going to exit 9, could go one further to exit 10 and hit the Waterbury Craft Beer Cellar (in addition to all the other beer options in Waterbury).

 

Holy shit I forgot about this. I believe we took this pass once and remember heading up a mountains and saying where the fuck are we going? Then when heading down it was a bit snowy and icy out and at one point thinking we’re basically fucked and we have to be lost as shit. It’s a bit zig zag and steep at points right? God I always wondered how the hell we ended up on a mtn.

 

Assuming OP wants to take the scenic route instead of I89 most of the way, you can get to Route 100 from Exit 3 without going over the Bethel Gap, which I think you're referring to here (though you might have to ignore GPS or Waze. Off of exit 3 as you enter Bethel, take the left onto Route 107. After about 10 miles you'll turn onto 100N and be able to ride that the entire way.

 

Nobody that I know of has limits on heady and focal anymore. You can find it in almost all grocery stores, many convenience stores (Jolley stores have great beer selections) and any beer store.

 

Coming up I89 from NH Alewife and I usually get off at X1 to Rte 4.... then off to Rte 100 just after Killington.... no gaps to traverse and a supremely scenic drive to Warren and, for us, Waterbury.....

Prosit!!

 

That is quite the scenic route!

Roxbury Gap really isn’t that bad with AWD and decent tires. Plus the view of the Monroe Skyline as you crest the gap (or Mt. Washington and Franconia Ridge heading back east) is well worth any white knuckles.

 

Mehurons supermarket has a great selection and should have focal and heady, and is under a minute from the Lawsons Finest taproom.

Good suggestions on Roxbury gap, just go exit 10 (unless you want a longg curvy scenic ride then go exit 3 or 4). We've been through at least 3 mud season so far so the dirt roads are in especially rough shape for mid winter.

 

You can also stop in at Mad Taco for lunch (same shopping center as Mehurons) Really solid Tacos. Highly recommend.

 

Man Mehurons used to be the spot when everything else in the area would be picked over.

I liked the coffee shop across the street as well

 

Just caught a random podcast (Crafted) with John.

I’ve always known him to be very passionate and know he’s put in the years at bars, Vermont pub, etc. But I came out of it for the first time feeling there is some arrogance there and a few things he brought up I didn’t expect. Especially getting into the aspect of people not having good pallets or how he thinks a lot of other breweries make shit beer. Almost a “my way is the only real way.” For whatever reason it left a bad taste in my mouth. I have loved their beer since the pub and then cannery days. But to me nothing was ever earth shattering. I was very surprised by this. He was very specific and calling out local breweries to him as well, but didn’t name. Curious if anyone else may have listened?

 

I'm listening to this now (just fast forwarded to the mediocre beer part) and I am not sure I disagree with him at all. Is it a bad look that someone who has been a steward for the industry or Vermont beer to say these things? Probably. But nothing he said is really wrong. There are a ton of breweries out there and there is a ton of bad beer out there. Lot of candor.

EDIT: I also agree with him regarding people's palates too.

 

I still prefer hoppy beer from The Alchemist to that of most other breweries. Focal Banger is one of my favorites.

 

Podcast is here if anyone wants to listen: https://blisterreview.com/podcasts/the-alchemist-co-founder-brewer-john-kimmich-part-1-ep-6

There were a couple parts where they talk about mediocre beer vs good beer. I kind of agreed with him about how "mediocre" craft beer is pretty crowded and how investor money can lead to breweries shifting focus away from making good beer and just onto dollar signs (there are a lot of examples of this).

I didn't think his comments were too out of pocket except for maybe the one where he said something along the lines of he wants to enjoy other breweries' beers, but most just disappoint him and he wants to drink his own. Obviously can't fault the guy for liking his own beer, but that came across as a bit arrogant. The guy obviously has a good palate and his explanation of bitterness vs. astringency was pretty spot on.