Lawson's Double Sunshine

Lawsons beers basically cycle through on a rotating schedule so there's no way of really knowing what's going to be put out each week. Warren Store gets its delivery on Thursday but usually sells out that day (especially if it's Double Sunshine). Hunger Mountain Coop in Montpelier is worth checking as well since they don't get their delivery until Friday but they usually sell out as well. It's worth stopping in Montpelier either way as Three Penny Taproom almost always has Lawsons and HF on tap. The last batch of Double Sunshine that I know of was in early April though so I'd be surprised if it's out again this week.

 

bottle of double sunshine: get extremely lucky (unlikely) or go to one of those farmer's market bottle releases they do. ie probably won't happen.

pint of double sunshine: HF and lawson's beers, as far as i can tell, are all just about equally likely to be found and drank at the 3 big waterbury bars, for example. it's not like some other beers where draft instantiations are just as elusive as bottles.

VT ppl correct me if i'm wrong...

 

Also in Waterbury is The Reservoir. Blackback, Pro-pig, and The Rez are all within sight of each other on the same intersection but hitting three in a night is tough because they all have so much worth trying. All three routinely have HF and Lawsons on tap. Blackback I'd say puts out the strongest tap list overall but The Rez is certainly not far behind. All three offer great food as well.

 

people on BA seem to diss prohibition pig. their heady topper mustard and house smoked ketchup are amazing. (though, the meat looked really dry; i wouldn't know, i don't eat meat)

edit: looking at the taplists at all 3, i'd be at prohibition pig eating pretzels with heady topper mustard, alternating between HF what is enlightenment and lawson's chinooker'd (which is about as good as double sunshine IMO).

 

People diss that place? I had an amazing lunch up there last year, and couldn't have been treated better by the owner.

 

Went there last thursday and had a great meal and beers. Started with mussels and a pretzel with topper mustard. Our entrees were the burger with pork belly and chicken biscuit sliders. Took the dougnuts back to the best western. All the food was great and solid tap list as well. Only disappointment beer wise was that they seemed to hold a few beers back and tapped them on friday. Still, the beers were had were great so no real complaints.

 

Phroab

Phroabition Pig is Amazing.

 

I've noticed this as well. Not so much on BA but from the local community. Friends that live around there and other locals I've talked to for whatever reason don't seem to care for it and I can't figure out why. Maybe because it's the new kid on the block? Or maybe because everyone misses The Alchemist brewpub that used to be in that spot? Tap lists at all three rotate a LOT and it's hard to keep up with them all. So far I've been most impressed with Blackbacks overall but the other two are still top notch.

 

i haven't seen a lot of dissing on BA, but a lot of locals think it's overpriced, noisy, and touristy.

I prefer the Blackback vibe myself.

 

I think any restaurant/bar/pub in Waterbury is by it's very existence going to be touristy so I guess I've never really noticed that. Most of the times I've been there have been at odd hours though so it's usually pretty quiet. And the prices aren't noticeably higher than the others IMO but I usually don't get more than a burger or sandwich.

Blackback does have a pretty relaxing vibe though so that's probably why I consider it my favorite of the bunch.

 

that's the sentiment i picked up on.

i don't really mean to doubt them, just that i enjoyed prohibition pig myself.

by the by (don't get to say/write that often), whatever you end up doing, VT beercation is fucking awesome. waterbury's a great town. i'd love to spend a few weeks there instead of the hurried shit i've done in the past.

 

Pro Pig was great this weekend as was Three Penny, both had the Grassroots Legitacy IPA which was real good.

 

Lawson's is usually on sale at the Farmers Market on Saturday mornings so I would suggest hitting that up. Whatever he doesn't sell he brings to the Warren Store. Each Saturday I've been up there and visited the Warren Store for Lawson's there hasn't been any so I would give the Farmer Market a try.

I love the Prohibition Pig! Some of the best brisket I've ever had. It does get a little crowded and noisey at night but I think its a great place for lunch.