Beer-Cation Suggestions

I'm doing a CT, MA, ME, VT trip this summer.. Can't wait!!

 

Minneapolis/St. Paul would be a good option. Craft beer has been a little slow to pick up here compared to other cities, but it's finally exploded in the last 4-5 years. Another benefit is a lot of the better beer bars, tap rooms, and brewpubs are in the same few neighborhoods. Plus public transport is pretty decent around here, which is always a benefit for bar/brewery-hopping. Not too mention, winter finally ended this week!

 

The Farmhouse in Burlington gets more Hill Farmstead than anywhere else and has some of the best food in Burlington. They usually have something from Lawsons as well. Another great gem is Finnigans about two blocks away. It looks like a mundane Irish Pub from the outside, but has one of the better beer lists in the city. Also try the Zero Gravity beers at American Flatbread and 10 minutes outside of Burlington there another great spot that opened up last year called the Mule bar in Winooski. The beverage warehouse down the street from there is also worth stopping buy as it has the best retail selection I have ever seen. I moved away from Burlington in November, but before I left one of my friends working there mentioned they were gonna set up a filling station for Hill Farmstead and Lawsons only. Not sure if thats been done yet though.

 

Just a bit of advice about Lawson's and the Warren Store. I made the trip twice by car from suburban NYC and went to the Warren Store twice looking for Double Sunshine. Very limited selection once [and no Double Sunshine], more or less full selection once [and got Double Sunshine]. Translation: it's hit or miss getting exactly what you want and there was a bottle limit total of 3, I believe. That's not 3 of each Lawson's beer, it was 3 total Lawson's beers. But...there are several bars in the area that pour Lawson's, Hill Farmstead and Alchemist beers.

 

Jacksonville's brew scene has blown up. There are currently six craft breweries in Jacksonville with two more opening this year. Really good stuff too!

 

I also vote VT. You can get lawsons at the Warren store on Thursdays and both Lawsons and Heady at Hunger Mountain Coop in Montpelier on fridays. and Hill farmstead is a must. Plus bars like prohibition pig, reservoir, and blackback all within a block on each other in Waterbury and Three Penny Taproom in Montpelier. VT is beer heaven.

 

San Francisco. You have Toronado in town, along with Anchor Steam and Prohibition, and short ride away in Sonoma you have Russian River (Pliney and their sours on tap), Lagunitas, and Bear Republic.

Note this post has nothing to do with my affinity for Uncle Jesse.

 

didn't read thread. my vote: stay in waterbury VT. visit hill farmstead and all the awesome bars (three penny, blackback, etc). take in the greenery. eat some tacos with craft beer.

 

For that amount of travel, you could have booked an overnight flight to Belgium and had more of a day to start out with!

 

@BlumBeer, since you've settled on your destination (Vermont) and are now looking for specifics about that area only, I'm going to lock down this topic (to avoid all the second-guessing and continuing suggestions) and suggest that you start a new thread (or research past threads) in the New England regional forum.

Cheers & have a great trip!
Brian