Trip to Vermont from DC

If your only goal is to get Heady, sticking around until Monday is fine. But with so many different amazing beers available up there, you'd maximize your chances at scoring a variety if you're up there Thursday night into Friday.

Most of Lawson's deliveries are Tues/Wed/Thurs and will be gone by the weekend. Their Monday deliveries are every other week, so you'd have to plan ahead/get lucky to get those. Depending on when you arrive Thursday night, you might have a shot at some Lawson's at that time, or on Friday early.

Hill Farmstead isn't open on Monday, so you'd have to get there Saturday during the day (their busiest time). They are, however, open Thursday & Friday when most people are working (Noon - 5pm).

I don't believe that Fiddlehead distributes down to Waterbury/Montpelier, so you'll have to get that up in Burlington. Second Fiddle releases are Saturday's - you may luck out with one while you're up there.

I just looked at Google Maps to track your route north... it's roughly 8.5 - 9 hours drive to Burlington (driving up through NY state) or to Montpelier (driving through CT, MA, Eastern VT). If you go the eastern route on your way up, I second the motion to stop at Tree House - it'll be roughly 1.5 hours driving detour (40-minutes off the highway from Hartford, CT, another 40-minutes to get back to highway near Springfield, MA), plus however long it takes to get your beer at the brewery. They're open until 7pm on Thursdays, and usually the line is non existent once they get near closing. They're not open at all Mondays, so you'd have to stop on your way up. You won't be disappointed!

 

Just made this trip with my dad last week.

Left around 5:00 a.m. Tuesday morning from the DC area. Picked up my dad up in New Jersey. We went a little out of the way to get to VT (through Hyde Park, NY), where we stopped for a bit. We went up to Waterbury through Rt. 100, via Warren and Waitsfield. Delivery for Lawson's and Heady for that area is Tuesday. By 5:00pm a few stores still had both Heady and Sips of Sunshine (2 4-pack limit of each), but the store clerk said it's usually gone by this time of day so maybe we got lucky. Stayed at the Best Western in Waterbury. Ate at Pro Pig. Checked out the Beer Cellar where they still had Sips of Sunshine (1 4-pack limit, though). Great selection of local stuff.

Went back to the Beer Cellar Wednesday morning. Chatted with the owner(s) who were awesome. They were getting their Fiddlehead delivery as we were leaving. They get their Heady Topper delivery on Wednesday too, I believe. Drove up to Hill Farmstead. Arrived around 12:30 and were on the road by 2:00.

We came back through Portland and Boston, stopping and Allagash and Jack's Abby. The later is a must if you haven't been there yet.

Overall, sounded like a down week in the area so not as much competition for beer.