Help Plan My Beercation

Unless you two are city people (or want to visit a city) I think Vermont is a much nicer option in general. Better beer options, better vibe for my tastes, and if you're into the outdoors (even a little light hiking) it's a beautiful state for that.

 

Boston is a great city but its a bitch to get around.
I would go with Portland. A great little city and dozens of great IPAs. Plus Allagash.

 

On second thought, you could drive straight to Tree House (since it's in western-ish MA) then drive straight up to VT from there. But while you visit Tree House, hit Armsby Abbey for lunch in Worcester, before heading north to VT. Armsby often has Trillium (as well as HF) on tap. That way you get some of everything.

 

I chose VT in the poll but both are great options. If you don't plan on being out in the area again you should definitely check out Hill Farmstead.

In Burlington Farmhouse Tap and Grill great for meals/beer. Hen of the Wood for fancy dinner (good beer too).

You should check out Waterbury when you are in Stowe (town next door). Some of the best beer bars and a Craft Beer Cellar. Blackback Pub is my favorite of the group.

Boston would be a one stop vacation (after Tree House). Can Uber around or take public transportation easily. Tons of great breweries and bars.

 

I can't think of any compelling reason why you shouldn't do both.

New England's a snug little region. It takes 5 hours to drive from Evansville to South Bend. It only takes 3-1/2 hours to drive from Trillium to Hill Farmstead.

 

Hi, Yes. I have a few times. But Burlington is so close it is worth heading there for some time.

 

It’s hard to say what crowds vs. capacity will be like this summer, but recently you can show up Tuesday through Saturday and have a really good chance of getting both cans and pours as long as it isn’t a special release day.

I would probably lean towards going to Vermont as well, given that it will be summer.

 

I'm with @papposilenus on this. I've done both of these trips (sans the newer breweries in Boston, it was more than a few years ago) and I think you could easily combine the two if you wanted to. I spent about 5 days in Burlington the last time I was there, and it was great, but I pretty much covered everything in that time - if you're going for a week that'd leave two days to hit Tree House and/or something else. With that said, if I was only able to do one I'd probably go back to Vermont.

I'm sure you know all about Beverage Warehouse in Winooski so I'll just leave you to it. Have fun!

 

Tree house is tough. If you are going there you need a base like Boston, or maybe make it as a pit stop on the way to somewhere else. Sturbridge is really not somewhere that you want to spend a whole lot of time in to be honest, and def not spend the night. Vermont is great, but keep in mind the area where HF is located is very very remote. Like Tree House, this might be a place that you stop at on the way to Waterbury or Burlington, rather than planning a whole day or night around. Burlington in the summer will be beautiful, lots of great stuff to do outdoors.

It doesn't have the Treehouse or HF holy grail brewery, but I think the best time might be Portland. I think it has the best concentration of super high quality breweries in the Northeast. Bissell (to satisfy your juice needs), Oxbow, Allagash, Austin Street, Maine Beer all great. Also a great little city with awesome restaurants, coffee shops, bookstores and entertainment. Its also beautiful in the summer as well. You could also stop at Tree House or Trill or whatever on the way to Maine... This would be my plan I think.

 

FWIW, the past few weeks Treehouse has been doing Tuesday pours and selling beer from the previous week and/or at least one new beer.

 

And get some food in Portland too, so awesome.

 

Since you say you're on a can quest, you could overnight somewhere around Sturbridge and be at Tree House again at noon for... more cans! Then half an hour west to Vanished Valley for their 3:00 Wednesday can release, scoot north up 91 and be in Vermont by 4:00. Whetstone Station is at exit 1 in Brattleboro, a decent meal overlooking the Connecticut River and they've usually had one or two Hill Farmstead brews on tap lately. Then it's two more hours to Stowe.

 

They've only been doing Tuesdays for, what? three weeks now? It's supposed to be about the pours but they've had incidental cans for sale, too. I think all those cans have lasted into the next day. Not 100% on that, though.

 

Funny you should ask just got back from birthday trip. Coming from NY Went to Stowe on Tuesday hit Alchemist @3 no wait, Wednesday Hill farmstead @ open, again no wait but had to drive in snow storm on to Massachusetts. Thursday was going to Trillium in Canton but just went to Tree house. They are about 1 hour a part. And can be done in less than a day. And had just found out that Vanished Valley was now open on Fridays. So hit there on my way to Northampton(which also has bldg. 8 and Provisions good beer and cheese, and lots of good eateries)Also in Sturbridge Yankee liquers and of course BT smoke house. Side note went to random gas station on way to Stowe and found Upper Pass,14 th star, Bent hill, and Foley brothers. Also on the way from Trillium in Canton to Tree house there is Framingham with Legal Seafood and Exhibit A. I have also found if you wait till 5 or 6 to hit TH you still get cans but also pints. Have Fun.

 

Sorry to post again, but also look up breweries website you plan to visit and check days and hours. Most closed Mondays and Tuesdays. That's why I hit Alchemist first on Tuesday and made my way south.