Vermont trip

Prohibition Pig and Blackback

 

Alchemist cans on Monday/Wednesday and lately has been selling out on Thursday. If you're there over the weekend, you're probably not going to have luck at the cannery, but 4-packs float around at different stores usually $2-3 over the cannery price. 4-packs at the cannery are either $12 or $13 and no case discount, if I remember correctly.

Agree on Prohibition Pig and Blackback - both great options for bars. I slightly prefer Prohibition, but they're literally across the street from each other so you shouldn't have any trouble checking out both.

Also, go to Hill Farmstead. It's an hour or so north of Waterbury, but it's absolutely worth the trip, especially if they have any bottled stuff available at the time.

 

78 bucks per case before tax if there is any. There's a 2 case limit and if you only want 1 case but feel like paying for 2 then I'll be glad to take that case off your hands. As the other BAs said, Prohibition pig is a must; especially if you like BBQ. It smells awesome inside and their food and taplist are awesome. Hill Farmstead is an hour away or so and the drive is beautiful. Highly recommended. I'd go back in a heartbeat if I had the time and money.

You'll have to get your Heady Topper before Friday to ensure that you'll get some. They've been selling out on early Friday afternoons for pretty much the whole summer. Also, Ben & Jerry's is the next street over and they offer tours of the creamery.

 

Manchester Beverage Depot, thought they don't have HT at this time (they used to), has a great selection.

 

72 before tax. 78 w/ tax.

 

I suggest getting the simpler offerings (chopped pork, etc.) at Prohibition Pig.. Their brisket is a sad approximation.

 

I suggest a trip to Montpelier. Three Penny is a killer place, also one of the few to have Backacre regularly. Their taplist is always good, usually great. Skinny Pancake across the street usually has a HF on tap. The pizza place (Parker or Positive, I always get them confused) had an awesome tap list last time i was there....ohand Hunger Mountain Coop can also have some goodies!

 

Pick me up at case!! (i live in manchester).
Now are you asking for advice for Manchester area or for Waterbury area re: breweries, restaurants, etc..? Sounds like waterbury. So as already stated, Three Penny in Montpelier is awesome. In Waterbury, you've got four bars I wish anything close to existed in the Manchester area...Prohibition Pig, Reservoir, Blackback, or Blue Stone. Moving just up Rt 100 from Waterbury, you've got the Crop & Von Trapp, 2 extremely solid breweries in Stowe. Further down the road you've got Rock Art & Lost Nation in Morrisville.
Lawson's, Alchemist & Hill Farmstead beers are the ones with all the acclaim & hype (for good reason), but still plenty of good beers in the area even if you can't find beers from those 3 breweries.

 

Both Parker & Positive Pie have outstanding taplists

 

There are 3 Positive Pies (4 if you count Piecasso in Stowe - all owned by the same family); they are not the same. Hardwick has the worst taps (4+ are almost always dedicated to macros); lucky to have one HF on tap even though it is 20 mins away from the brewery. Plainfield has the best. Positive Pie in Montpelier should be avoided if your thing is beer (TPT is so much better), unless: 1. with kids, 2. Three penny is crazy busy and you want dinner. 2a. Mad Taco is busy or not your thing

If you are staying in Manchester, I'd pass on Montpelier. Just go to Waterbury. If you are heading up Rt 100, you should stop at the Warren Store for some Lawsons.

As telejunkie said, Lost Nation is a good stop (skip Rock Art, if you don't have a lot of time). You'll probably be going through Morrsville to go Waterbury <-> Greensboro. I'd suggest going to HF first right when they open, stop at Lost Nation for a pint on your way back to Waterbury, then bar hop between ProPig, Blackback, and the Rez. Probably want to setup a room at Stagecoach after that

 

Fiddlehead Brewing in South Burlington is very good as well. Also, I'd go with Rock Art. As great as Heady Topper is, there are plenty of great beers in VT.

 

just got back from waterbury. alchemist was a score for two cases on thursday, then hit pig, blackback, and reservoir. loved blackback best. sat at bar, drank fresh hill farmstead susan and edward right as soon as they tapped it. great beer night. pig was good, nice beer list, good food, but won't blow you away. the reservoir had more beers, but less i was interested in. you can't go wrong at any of those places! I hope to get back next summer

 

just bought a house at the bottom of the hill (coming down into Manchester) so bm when you get into town. Was just up in Stowe and missed getting HT, but scored some Lawson's. Would love to get some fresh HT to break in the house!

 

I enjoyed Blackback the most of all the places we visited in Waterbury. Though the guy working in the Blackback kitchen claimed he was wanting to trade with me. E-mailed and texted him (once each) and never got a response. He claimed he bottles for Lawson's. Was really wanting to try Double Sunshine, since I missed out on it out there.

 

The pork ain't much better. lol

 

Burgers and pickled veggies are the saving grace of Pro Pig, at least for anyone familiar with what good BBQ really is. With comparable (and usually better) taplists elsewhere in Waterbury, I'm usually only there for a drink or two when visiting - and often for a cocktail, which top to bottom they do fantastically well.

 

The reservoir had great food when we went last month. Tacos at blackback, although a bit pricey, were great too. Wasn't too impressed with pro pig food when we ate there last year but we have a lot of good BBQ joints here in rochester/cuse area

 

Had planned on Pro Pig on Thursday, but I didn't realize that they weren't open for lunch on weekdays. So we ended up hitting Three Penny Taproom in Montpelier. Excellent meal. I had the Ploughman's lunch with some rillettes, mustard, pickles, awesome cheese, bread, etc. S&S7 and Lost Nation Gose on tap. Great spot, and not far from the Hunger Mountain Co-op for some good bottle shopping.