I'm driving through southern/central VT (likely going through Brattleboro & Woodstock) on the way to NH. Looks like alchemist/HF/Lawson's don't distribute often down there. Any good recs round there?
River roost in WRJ -- excellent cloudy juicy ales. Check out when they are open - growlers only. Bottle shop next door has good stuff. Woodstock has Worthy Kitchen for an excellent draft list. Also - in Queechee is Simon Pearce glass factory -- which also has a fantastic VT beer bar featuring all the big boys on tap. Good luck.
If you're coming over Route 9 there isn't much until you get to the Brattleboro Food Coop which may have some Lawsons, usually has a nice assortment of Frost, Foley and Burlington, and a fair selection of other Vermont beers. Whetstone Station is catty-corner across the street from the coop by the Amtrak stop and has a decent tap list which usually includes one or two Hill Farmstead brews. Hermit Thrush is a five minute walk into town from there and brews the best sours in Vermont. If you were coming out on the Thruway/Pike, or 43 to MA2, Brick & Feather in Turners Falls is just a few minutes off 91 - bearing in mind that they don't open until 5 on Thursdays and Fridays. If you're not, they're still totally worth a half-hour dip south because they brew the best Vermont IPA's in Massachusetts although Lawrence would probably be horrified to hear me say that. River Roost is the very best beer in more-or-less-southern Vermont and shouldn't be missed. (This being Vermont, they will fill any clean, empty growler you bring them). Across the parking lot from River Roost is Big Fatty's BBQ which has an excellent tap list including River Roost, Hill Farmstead, etc. There's a bottle shop attached to Big fatty's which has a nice assortment of New England beers - but check the dates because he doesn't keep them refrigerated. I don't know where you're heading after you cross the river into New Hampshire, aka The Great New England Beer Desert, but the Flying Goose Brew Pub in New London is starting to generate some substantial buzz. I haven't been there yet but it's on my short-list of places I have to get my ass to. At any rate, it's about half an hour down 89 out of WRJ, just past Sunapee.
How are you going through Brattleboro and Woodstock on the way to NH? Seems somewhat round about?? Everything mentioned here. Bottle shop in Woodstock is on the Lawson's distro (can't remember the name of it but the guy that runs it knows his beers and has other good options). I'd need to know your route to give any other recommendations as Woodstock and Brattleboro aren't on any direct route to anywhere in NH really?
This was my initial question, but perhaps he's coming across the Mass Pike or Rte 9 then up 91 with a slight detour into Woodstock?
Barre or Montpelier would be your closest options. Few places in Montpelier get, few in Barre. Beverage Baron in Barre usually has in stock. (assuming Woodstock VT, not Woodstock NH)
