Help when visiting VT and Boston

Saturday will be tough to get heady and SOS but you should be able to grab a bunch of stuff from 14th Star.

 

I'd hit up Fiddlehead if possible. They are selling cans of second fiddle starting at 11am.

 

I believe the Beverage Warehouse in Winooski releases Heady at 10:00am on Saturdays. At least they did when I was in VT in February. But, like everyone else is saying, focus on enjoying the beer and the trip. You're bound to be disappointed if your sole intent is to bring back as much Heady/SoS/HF.

 

Hitting up Fiddlehead is a lot easier than searching for Heady. Second Fiddle is better than rhe other two anyway imho. I was there back in early April. Stood in line for them to open for abt 10 minutes and then waited another 15. All in all 20 minute wait for a case. Just bring cash.

 

Fellow BAers I'm sure you get threads like this all the time, but my wife and I will be descending upon Boston and VT starting May 21st through the 26th. I will be coming in 4 days prior to that for work, but don’t anticipate having much time for anything.

Anyways, we are headed to Waterbury Vermont on the evening of the 21st and plan on hitting Prohibition Pig and the Craft Beer Cellar. We will then be getting up early to go to Hill Farmstead, picking up bottles and growlers, going to Willey’s for some cheese and heading back to Boston. What time should I get in line at the brewery to be towards the front of the line? I really don’t want to wait in line for 3+ hours. Also, where is my best bet for picking up Alchemist and Lawson’s stuff?

I’ve checked out some other threads and have a few things on my radar in Boston like Lord Hobo, Trillium, and Row 34, but also want to get a better perspective from locals. We will be staying towards the North End and don’t want to venture too far (the trip to Vermont is because I’m an HF fanboy), so places near the central metro are appreciated.

What are some other must stops?
Favorite places to eat? (doesn’t have to be beer oriented)
Favorite places for Coffee and breakfast?
Must see touristy spots?
Any other suggestions . . .

Also I would love to set up some IP trades either in Boston, at Prohibition Pig, or at Hill Farmstead (on Friday May 22nd). Really looking for anything hoppy from Tree House, Alchemist, or Lawsons. Would love to get some cans from these guys as I just don’t think I will have time to go to Hunger Mountain or go searching around. Would also be looking for anything from HF thats not currently on the shelf or barrel-aged stuff. I can bring stuff from Casey, Crooked Stave reserve beers from 2013 or 2014, recent Crooked Stave or Avery releases, Ale Apothecary, Jester King Atrial or Nocturn, and plenty of others in the cellar. Just let me know and we can discuss.

Thanks for looking and all advice is much appreciated!!

 

In Boston, near the North End:

-Trillium is close enough that you have to go. If you are willing to drive all the way to HF, that's great and I won't try to dissuade you. That said Trillium's hoppy beers are a close enough competition to anything Vermont has to offer that I never feel the need to make that trip again. Trillium's farmhouse/saisons and other styles are probably not quite as refined as what you may find in the Green Mountains, though.

-Row 34 is a very good, casual, seafood place with a nice beer list and sometimes Trillium, but not that often recently. Definitely worth going while you are visiting Trillium, though.

-Other good beer options walking distance from the North End are Kinsale, Tap Trail House, Saus, and Tip Tap Room. I also have found Be Hoppy on tap at Causeway BBQ both times I have been there (5 months apart), so that may be worth your while, but could also be deadly quiet with Celts and Bruins out of season.

-Not far from the North End in Charlestown is a new beer-focused spot called Brewer's Fork that looks and sounds great, but I have not been yet. Be warned there is not much else in that area in terms of beer, but it is close to some nice tourist sites on the Freedom Trail - Bunker Hill and the Constitution are both walking distance, and you can take a commuter ferry from the Aquarium to the Charlestown Navy Yard for a nice ride on the harbor (with beer on board, although Harpoon or Sam is probably the best you will do there).

 

Awesome Thanks! Where are my best bets for Trillium on tap? Also, doesn't necessarily need to be walking distance we are fine with the T, cab, Uber, etc. . . just didn't want suggestions to go to Tree House or places 30-40 min away because we wont have a car.

 

Your going to Vt during HF anniversary event, there will be long lines everywhere

 

Night Shift is worth the trip (town of Everett), some of the beer is hit or miss, BUT you need to try Whirlpool. The best APA out there IMO.

 

For Boston, seems like you've seen some threads, but if you haven't seen this thread, start there and check the map.

@ommegoodness laid it out pretty well. I'll add on..

I've been to Brewer's Fork and can recommend, and it's very convenient to the end of the Freedom Trail, one of the most popular tourist attractions.

North End is pretty convenient to transit, so don't be afraid to hop on the T. You can also walk to the Trillium/Row 34 combo. You mentioned Lord Hobo, but that Kendall Square area has a few other options like Cambridge Brewing Company (a great brewpub with an outdoor patio) or Meadhall and is an easy jaunt down the Red Line from Park St. Other options include heading down the Green Line and hitting Deep Ellum or Publick House, both great bars with good food as well.

Everett is a pretty easy 10-15 min drive from the North End without traffic, so I'd definitely hit up Night Shift Brewery. They've got a great tasting room. Once in the neighborhood, it's pretty easy to get to Idle Hands and Mystic as well.

Somerville (past Charlestown/Cambridge from Boston) also has a few breweries within an easy 15 min drive and accessible to mass transit if you don't mind walking a bit. Slumbrew has 2 taproom locations and Aeronaut Brewing is another spot, along with Bantam Cider.

As for food.. the North End is the "Little Italy" of Boston. There's a million good restaurants, but you're going to have to stick to wine at most places. Giacomo's is the touristy spot with a line, but it's a bit of an experience. Neptune Oyster Bar is another great and busy spot. I'd honestly just walk around and see what looks good (and doesn't have too long a wait). I'm partial to Panza or Taranta, though. The pastry/cannoli shops (Mike's, Modern) are again tourist traps, but it's sort of a rite of passage to have a preference between the two (or you can be too cool for school and say Bova or Maria's). For breakfast, straight Dunkin'. Just kidding, I like the brunch at North Street Grille in the North End (Thursday-Sunday). I don't drink coffee, but I know there's a decent coffee shop in the North End called Thinking Cup. There's also a ton of Espresso/Cafe places due to the Italian influence. If you want to hang around like a retired Italian mobster, Cafe dello Sport would be the spot.

As for tourist stuff, besides the previously mentioned Freedom Trail, if the weather is nice I recommend talking a walk through the Boston Common/Garden and along the Esplanade. Taking in a game at Fenway Park is never a bad idea. You'll be near the Faneuil Hall/Quincy Market area, which is the sort of big downtown attraction, but I'm not really a big fan. Maybe walk through once.

 

These guys are right, don't know your travel times but I would shoot for Fiddlehead around 11:30, Waterbury for lunch and then on to HF for, say, 2:30 or so...win!

 

Actually only going Friday, not Saturday when the events start if that matters

 

I second Cambridge Brewing Company. Definitely stop by for a couple pints if you're going to Lord Hobo. Based on your travel restrictions, your best bet for Trillium on tap is Row 34 (been really spotty lately) and Lord Hobo. I also love Stoddards (for beer, not food) which is downtown and relatively close to the North End.

 

Forgot VT. Save yourself hours of travel and head up rte 95 into southern NH and ME along the seacoast up to Portland. Much more options, and beer is on par or better than any VT offerings. IMO.

 

While I disagree that the best of Maine is on par with the best of VT, a stop at Armsby Abbey off of I-90 outside of Boston could satiate your VT beer needs since they frequently have Hill Farmstead on tap. Saves a long trip and extended wait times in VT that wknd.

 

Might be a madhouse in Vt that weekend with the HF festivities.

 

Is that the Saturday of the HF anniversary parties? Might make things difficulter.

 

When is this trip?

 

I only scanned the replies but I'd totally do dinner at Hen of the Wood in Waterbury one night, then hit the pubs.