The Ultimate New England Road Trip

Good morning fellow New England BA’s! I’ve been a BA member for over 10 years and just got into beer trading earlier this year. I have yet to post anything in a public forum but I do read forums and reviews regularly. Now, I finally feel like I have something worth sharing and would love to hear any of your suggestions…

I am getting married next Tuesday (8/11) to the greatest woman in the world. Our mutual love for beer has us making plans to have a house in Vermont and a house in San Diego when we retire years from now! In anticipation of this wedding, I sent the follow email to a bunch of friends and family members just over a month ago:

** As you may have heard, Liz and I are getting married this summer which would normally mean that a bachelor party would be in order. Well, I’m too old for that crap so I’ve decided to plan “The Ultimate New England Road Trip” with stops at some of the best BEER destinations in the WORLD! Sadly, the goal is not to party and get drunk at any given location. Instead, the goal is to stop at as many awesome places as possible while trying some of the world’s best beer… tasters, flights, pints, growlers, etc. Oh… and bring your passport… I hear Montreal is a pretty awesome city!!!

The road trip starts at home in Connecticut and will hopefully end in Vermont at the Mountain Top Inn & Resort on the day before the actual wedding ceremony. I've attached a copy of my travel plans and I'd like to know if any of you are interested in joining me for some or all of the journey. I've listed a bunch of places that I'll probably visit. The main areas of focus are Southern CT, Boston, Portland, Hill Farmstead (generally accepted as the Best Brewery in the World), Montreal, Burlington, and Central Vermont. If everything goes according to plan, I will stockpile a bunch of great beer for the wedding party on Labor Day weekend.

I've already visited 40 different breweries this year... why not hit a few more??? Plus, I need to celebrate National IPA Day and International Beer Day. Email me, text me, or call me if you want to talk about it or to hear more. Of course, if you can't make it just let me know so we can make separate plans to get together some time soon. Even if no one can join me, I'm doing it alone... you only live once!!! **

Sadly, no one took me up on the offer so I’m leaving my house in about 5 minutes to do it on my own. If anyone happens to be grabbing a beer at any of these places over the next few days, feel free to stop by and make a new friend! I’ll be the 6 foot tall, 40 year old guy wearing a t-shirt from an awesome New England brewery (representing the Bissell Brothers today)… probably sporting a backwards Yankees hat as well.

I know the agenda is pretty packed so I’ll see what I can fit in! Oh… and by the way… I have an extra ticket for Hill Farmstead’s Festival of Farmhouse Ales. I will be happy to part with it if anyone is interested. I’ll try to post my estimated arrival times at some of these great places as the day progresses. Hope to meet some of you along the way. First stop is to go visit the awesome guys at Kent Falls Brewing and then to move on from there. Today's goal is to get to Trillium before they close... Wish me luck!!!

THURSDAY, 08/06/15
City Steam Brewery Café (12:15 - 12:45)
Willimantic Brewing Company (1:15 - 2:00)
Malted Barley (3:00 - 3:30)
Proclamation Ale Company (4:00 - 4:30)
Jack's Abby Brewing (6:00 - 6:45)
Trillium (7:15 - 7:30)
Harpoon Brewery
Mystic Brewery
Night Shift Brewing
Aeronaut Brewing Company
American Fresh Boynton Yards
Cambridge Brewing Company
Lord Hobo

FRIDAY, 08/07/15
Boston Beer Company
Smuttynose Brewing Company
Stoneface Brewing Co.
Garrison City Beerworks
Oxbow Blending & Bottling
Allagash Brewing Co Inc
Bissell Brothers Brewing Company
Foundation Brewing Company
Austin Street Brewery
Ebenezer's Restaurant & Pub
Moat Mountain Brewery
Schilling Beer Co.
Kingdom Taproom

SATURDAY, 08/08/15
Hill Farmstead Brewery
Rock Art Brewery
Lost Nation Brewing
14th Star Brewing Co.
Dieu du Ciel!
Vices & Versa

SUNDAY, 08/09/15
The Farmhouse Tap & Grill
Infinity Brewing Company
Four Quarters Brewing
Queen City Brewery
Fiddlehead Brewing Company
Frost Beer Works
Burlington Beer Company
Trapp Family Lodge
Crop Bistro & Brewery
Prohibition Pig
Blackback Pub
Hen of the Wood
Three Needs

MONDAY, 08/10/15
Healthy Living Market and Café
Penny Cluse Café
RT 7 Liquor and Deli
Magic Hat Brewing Co
Otter Creek Brewing
Drop-In Brewing Company
The Mountain Top Inn & Resort

 

Wormtown and Tree House are planned for another road trip! Headed into Rhode Island instead so I can possibly grab a beer with a buddy.

Just left Kent Falls with my Brett The Goat tshirt! Their stuff is amazing and it smells awesome... can't wait for them to open to the public. Will read through the rest of the posts when I get to City Steam and have a chance to plan my next move!

 

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I just left City Steam and I'm glad I stopped. On my way to Willibrew... thank you all for:

- the FOFA ticket posting suggestion. I will do that.
- the Montreal invite. Will be in touch for sure.
- the Foolproof idea... will see how timing looks.
- the shadow trade insinuation. Will make sure to BM you with trade ideas!

Actually, I am gonna grab cans, bottles, and growers along the way so we can have a wedding celebration with friends when we get back from VT. Only inviting about 10 to 15 immediate family members to the wedding. Then having 75 to 100 people over to party in a few weeks! More to follow...

 

Just hit Willibrew and back on the road towards RI. Saw the Grey Sail recommendation and sadly left it off my agenda because they don't open until 4. Love their stuff! Flying Jenny is one of my favorite lawnmower beers and of course Captains Daughter is fantastic. I've read some great things about Proclamation so pretty excited to check them out!