Vermont and Back Again: A Craft Beer Trail by Young @ Heart

 Vermont has always been a state that's near and dear to my heart. I've been there several times before, but I hadn't taken time to really explore. So I approached my boyfriend and asked if he wanted to go on vacation (he did). We put our heads together and, with a little bit of research, we created this itinerary:

Lewis and Clark? More like "Alyssa and Mike" 

We knew going into the trip that we wouldn't be able to accomplish everything on our map. After all, depending on where you want to go in Vermont, you're driving at a minimum 15-20 minutes. But we were heading off to Burlington, located just off the shores of Lake Champlain. It's known for many things including food, culture, and entertainment. It's a college town, with schools like Champlain College and UVM all within a short distance from downtown. And last, but not least, it's known for the reason we came to Vermont: the craft beer. 

So without further ado, let's get started!

It was a Monday! Mike and I packed up the car and hit the road. From my place, it took us about 3 hours to get to our Air bnb. Vermont is known for its B&Bs, but pending on where you go, they can be pretty expensive (at least $165-$200+). We chose this cute place which was a great way for us to get all the perks of living in Vermont without being too pricy. We stayed there 3 nights for almost half of what we'd get at a typical B&B. In fact, if you want to get credit towards you next stay with Air bnb, you can do so by clicking here. You win, I win.. (I promise you it's not click bait. You can get credit towards your stay with Air bnb and in turn I get credit towards mine).

Before I get into how my experiences were at each of the breweries, here is how I calculated everything:

Quantitatively, I kept track of everything I tried on Untappd, one of the many beer apps out there.  I then took the total rating of all the beers I tried divided by the # of beers I tried (many of these were samples, not pints), resulting in the overall rating. I'm not going to round to the nearest tenth because a) you can do that on your own if you really want to and b) I tend to look at the world subjectively vs. objectively. As much as I like numbers and ratings on things, I like to describe my experiences in words.

And also: Total Rating of Beers I Sampled / # Of Beers Sampled =Overall Rating 

After dropping off our stuff, we made our way to Zero Gravity. This microbrewery was a 10 minute walk from our place and super convenient. It had a very cool atmosphere and Mike and I split a flight of beer. As far as beer preferences go, Mike and I have very different tastes. I gravitate towards IPAs (the hoppier the better) whereas he likes sours and wheat beers. Right away I noticed the variety of styles that this brewery had. There were a couple of styles I tried that typically I do not like but wound up liking and/or appreciating. I recommend checking this place out.

Zero Gravity Brewing 

Avg Rating: 33.25

# of Beers Sampled: 8  

Overall Rating: 4.15

We headed to Queen City Brewing across the street (which will be featured later on), but it was closed. We continued our trek to Switchback Brewing, which was also within walking distance both from our Air bnb and Zero Gravity. I had only heard of this brewery because my dad has a pint glass of theirs and also it was one of the breweries that was recommended. I went in with an open mind, but I really wasn't impressed with their beers. The only one I really did like was their Connector IPA (pictured below). In my opinion, if you have to skip a brewery, this would be it.

Switchback Brewing Co.

Avg Rating: 27.25

# of Beers Sampled:  7 

Overall Rating: 3.89

For dinner that night, we went to The Skinny Pancake which was utterly delicious and great for any meal of the day. We followed it up with their recurring event Comedy and Crepes, which was a lot of fun. We had a few laughs and stayed through several scheduled acts before skipping out at open mic. By this point the sun had fully set, but I still wanted to walk along the shores of Lake Champlain. They had several swinging benches overlooking the water, wide paths that were well lit, and people out and about. Once we had our fill of relaxation, we took an Uber to our home for the week and got ready for bed. The first day was busy, but successful and it was just the beginning of our week.

We also found the Ben & Jerry's plaque of their original location in Burlington, VT 

Tuesday we got up bright and early and headed to the east. Our first stop of the day was the Ben & Jerry's Factory Tour. It's located in Waterbury, VT and one of the main focal points of the town. It's a touristy spot for sure, but in a good way (almost like Chocolate World at HersheyPark). The tour was only $4 per person and our tour guide, Bob, was very nice and informative about the product. Our free samples were delicious (as was expected). We bought cones and paid our respects at the flavor graveyard.  All in all, this is a must when you visit Vermont.

                                               

I was so happy we found cows on the property 

Our next stop of the day was the von Trapp Brewery located in Stowe, VT. This brewery was more on Mike's wishlist beer wise. For me, I just wanted to see the picturesque mountains of Vermont (Burlington is hilly, but most of the mountains were across the lake in New York). The brewery is in a pretty remote part of Vermont, but the views alone were worth it. We sat outside on the porch and split a lunch and a flight of beer. After that, we explored the Von Trapp lodge, the von Trapp family plot (which was gated off) and the gift shop. Because we weren't hotel guests, we couldn't wander the full length of the property.  All in all, it was a nice pit stop

The hills are alive with the sound of craft beer

von Trapp Brewing
Avg Rating: 16.25

# of Beers Sampled:  4

Overall Rating: 4.06

We then continued through Stowe to get to the mecca of Vermont breweries: The Alchemist. Why is it so popular you may ask? Well, they're famous for one of their brews called Heady Topper. It's so popular and coveted that there's literally a website dedicated to tracking its shipments. Before I even knew the hype behind this beer, I had the pleasure of trying it at a party, where I took a sip and proclaimed "I HAVE LITERALLY TASTED HEAVEN!" (looking back that was pretty exaggerated, but it was still wicked good).We weren't sure what to expect when we got there, as the website makes it sound like parking is a nightmare and that it's always crowded. But on Tuesday, no one was there with the exception of the staff. In fact, they were doing lunges around the gift shop floor when we walked in. They were extremely friendly people; we got free samples (our first stop to offer free beer) served in these wicked cool glasses that are specifically designed to enhance the hop flavor. And to sweeten the deal, they had Heady Topper in stock. The maximum you were allowed to take of the Heady was two 4 packs. While they did not have it to sample, I also got a 4 pack of a beer they released that day called Harvest Ale (which I put towards my rating).  It ended up being my least favorite of the beers we tried, but it was mainly because it was too malty for my liking. Nevertheless, this is a brewery I will go back to again.

The Alchemist
Avg Rating: 18.75

# of Beers Sampled:  4

Overall Rating: 4.68

Needless to say, we were pretty excited we got Heady Topper by Day 2 

By this time, it was coming into the late afternoon. We weren't hungry for dinner yet, so we decided to head back to the Air bnb, park the car, and walk to Queen City Brewery. Two things drew us to this brewery: 1) It was within walking distance from our Air bnb and 2) They promised world class beers without the jet lag (their slogan, not mine). Due to the quantity of beers they had, Mike and I each got a flight (German for him, English for me) and split. Out of all the breweries we went to on our trip, this one was the best for both quality and quantity. Even with our flights, there were still some beers we wound up not trying. Their slogan was spot on and their Americana atmosphere with European influences was unlike any other brewery I had seen.

Queen City Brewery

Avg Rating: 40.75

# of Beers Sampled:  10

Overall Rating: 4.07

After our walk back to the Air bnb, we went to Vermont Pub & Brewery which was recommended by one of my coworkers. She went to UVM and used to go to this brewery for their sour ale, Forbidden Fruit. She said it was bright red, brewed with fresh raspberries and not even that sour. I had a feeling Mike would like it and I was eager to try it (I'm not a fan of sours but if something isn't too sour, I'll try it).  When we got there, we made the discovery that it was the first brewpub in Vermont and that it's founder, Greg Noonan, influenced many other brewers in the area. We decided to each get a pint instead of splitting a flight. Mike got the Forbidden Fruit  and I decided on the Bombay Grab IPA. The beer, service and food were all quite good. It wasn't packed at all for a Tuesday, but I bet had we come later on in the week it would have been.

Mike pictured with Forbidden Fruit. He's so cute, am I right?

Vermont Pub & Brewery

Avg Rating: 9.5

# of Beers Sampled:  2

Overall Rating: 4.75 

Wednesday we didn't start the day by going to a brewery. Instead, we took a detour UVM to test ride a Tesla. The college was sponsoring a clean energy event where students could meet the owners of electric cars, take a test ride,  and then get Ben & Jerry's. Mike loves Teslas and while I was impressed with the car, ultimately I just want to get from Point A to Point B in one piece (it also didn't help that the giant screen displaying all the navigation made me car sick). Overall though it was quite fun. We made our way to Shelburne, VT to check out Shelburne Farm, another recommendation made by one of my coworkers.  I was initially hoping to walk the nature trails surrounding the property. We wound up taking a tour of the farm, got to sample fresh cheddar, enjoyed a farm fresh lunch and pet animals. The property is right along the shores of Lake Champlain and was positively breathtaking. We didn't expect to stay as long as we did (almost 4 hours in total, but it honestly didn't feel that long). If I were to say anything else it'd be spoiling a lot. It was one of the best parts of our trip. The cheese blows Cabot out of the water, the grounds are spectacular, and the tour was excellent. Seriously, if you want to immerse yourself in history, nature and sustainability, this is the place to go. 

Top L to R: The Inn at Shelburne Farms, cheese samples, and Lake Champlain
Bottom L to R: Some of the farm grounds, me with a baby cow, and my lunch: a grilled cheese sandwich with bacon and a cup of cream and broccoli soup 

After the trip to the farm, we continued to on our way to Fiddlehead Brewing in Shelburne, VT. This was recommended by the blogs we consulted as we planned our trip and also by our Air bnb host. He said something to the effect of "if you don't like hoppy beers, don't go." Boy was he right. The hop head in me was in heaven (Mike, not so much). The samples were free, and they were right next door to a BYOB pizza joint. They had a lot of cool things for sale (among them very nice apparel and bacon that came from a butcher who fed his pigs spent grain). I ended up buying a 4 pack of the one beers they didn't have on tap: Mastermind 2016 (pictured below), Not only was it a double IPA, but 25% of the sales went to the University of Vermont Children's Hospital through the charity Extra Life. 

Fiddlehead Brewery's Mastermind (2016) Double IPA...for hops, for charity, and for the children! 

Fiddlehead Brewery
Avg Rating: 14

# of Beers Sampled:  3

Overall Rating: 4.66 (repeating)

On our way back to the Air bnb, we decided to hit up a couple of more breweries. The first on our way back was Magic Hat Brewery located in South Burlington, VT. To say it's funky is an understatement. I'm not really sure what I was expecting but inside it was like a mashup of Mardi Gras, Halloween, and a fun house at a carnival. It even had a bit of a steampunk feel. Mike and I took a (free) self-guided tour which was a lot of fun. In fact, their 1950s style black and white newsreel explaining the beer making process told me more in 3 minutes than any of the brewery tours I've been on to date. After the tour, we received free samples of beer. My personal favorite was Belgo Sutra, a Belgian quad that was fruity and quite rich. If nothing else, you should go here for the atmosphere, it's quite funky and weird but I had a great time. 

There must have been...wait for it...MAGIC in the air. Teehee. 

Magic Hat Brewery

Avg Rating: 28.5

# of Beers Sampled:  9

Overall Rating: 3.16 (repeating)

The second brewery we decided to go to swing by Burlington Beer Company. Because their hours were Wednesday-Sunday, we hadn't been able to try their beer earlier in the week. Not only that, but it was our one shot to try it because we were heading out of town the next day.  It was a very modern feel. We didn't get a chance to talk much with the bartender and the facility is not designed to take a brewery tour, but they had several things going for them. First and foremost, their bathroom had a sign that said "All Gender Bathroom." To see a brewery that was forward thinking socially as much as they were with brewing techniques was quite nice. They also had pretty good beer. As their slogan says, it's the place "where innovation meets fermentation."

Our flight at Burlington Beer Company 

Burlington Beer Company

Avg Rating: 17.25

# of Beers Sampled:  4

Overall Rating: 4.31 

Dinner at The Farmhouse Tap & Grille. It was honestly so so
 good but I couldn't finish it all.

That night for dinner, we decided to hit Farmhouse Tap and Grill. Dear Lord in Heaven was the food good. Mike was able to get schnitzel and I got their pork burger and a side of mac and cheese with bacon and jalapeno mixed in. Even on a weeknight, the place was bumping well into the evening. We had to wait over half an hour to get seated, but the food alone was worth it. They also had a great selection of craft beers on tap, which is always a nice touch. I would highly recommend it. Another great place to hit in Burlington is The Whiskey Room. This is your best bet for artisan cocktails,  fancy whiskeys, bourbons, etc.

 Thursday was also Mike and I's final day in Burlington. We decided to hit a few more places before we left to meet my parents for the second half of our vacation. Our morning started off with breakfast sandwiches at Myers Bagels which was utterly delicious and didn't make me feel bloated afterwards. They made their bagels from scratch and have a wide variety of flavors. Afterwards, we looked at Lake Champlain Chocolate Factory. I didn't really know what to expect. Even though our Air bnb hosts had given us some free samples, they weren't flavors I'd normally get. Additionally, I went to college several hours away from Hershey, PA which is known for being the sweetest place on earth and great tasting chocolate. What I'm about to say will be blasphemous to some, but it's how I feel: Lake Champlain Chocolate blows Hershey out of the water. The tour was free, the samples were free, and Mike and I got to try their mochas with homeade whipped cream. Needless to say, they were the best we had ever had.

The only thing sweeter than the drink is his face. I'm a lovesick puppy. 

 We stopped at another place called Lunaroma (incidentally because several of the brewery bathrooms we went to had their soap in there. And it was good quality; it smelt nice without drying out your hands). Lastly, we went to Citizen Cider. There were two things that stood out about this cidery. Most of the breweries and restaurants that we went to only offered this cider. After talking to the staff, I could see why: all they used to make their cider was yeast and apples from NY and PA, nothing else. They don't put in added flavorings like you see with some of the other big name ciders like Angry Orchard or Woodchuck.  They also had a wide variety of ciders ranging from dry to sweet. I was completely blown away by their quality of product (and the staff's knowledge and friendliness). I'm not a cider snob, but this place reminded me why I got into hard cider in the first place.

I didn't take a picture at the cidery, so here's an image of the inside from Google. 

Citizen Cider 

Avg Rating: 41.50

# of Beers Sampled:  10

Overall Rating:  4.15

The Red Onion at the Red Onion 

We continued our way downtown to the famous Church Street, a pedestrian only street in Burlington that's surrounded by shops and restaurants. It's so cute and lively. During the day, they have food carts selling everything from dumplings to tacos. At night, even well into early fall, a lot of the restaurants have outdoor seating available. For lunch, Mike and I went to a little cafe called The Red Onion (recommended by one of his coworkers). You should get their Red Onion sandwich on their signature sourdough bread made from scratch. Trust me, it's delicious. 

After lunch, it was time to say goodbye. For me, it was bittersweet.  On the one hand, I was excited to start the next part of our vacation. On the other hand, it meant saying goodbye to Burlington. It's a very cool city to visit. It's close enough where you could make a weekend trip out of it but far enough to make you feel like you're in another world. I cannot wait to go back! 

We made the drive out to Waitsfield, VT to meet up with my folks for the weekend. My dad is an alum of Norwich University and we were staying in the lodge we used to rent as a part of his class reunion and homecoming. Once we arrived at the lodge, memories began flooding back. The lodge itself hasn't changed much since the last time I stayed their nearly a decade ago. For dinner, we stopped at Angeleno's Pizza located in the capital of Vermont: Montpelier. My dad worked here as an undergrad and the management is the same as it was thirty years ago. The pizza is quite delicious, they have some craft selections, and it's not too expensive. Most people get take out, but it's a nice, casual place to just relax.

Dad didn't want to pose for a picture, but Mom stopped him! 

Mike and I. Happy he got to experience it! 

Eggplant, tomato, garlic and onion pizza feat. Maine Beer Company's Peeper Ale

Finally, it was Friday! Mike and I had the morning to ourselves and were meeting up with my folks later in the day. It was starting to sink in that our time in Vermont was coming to an end, so we wanted to make the most of it. We lingered over coffee and then made our way to Prohibition Pig in Waterbury. It had been recommended on several blogs we rearched and, both of us being fans of barbecue, knew this was a must. The brewery was in the back of the restaurant. Their beer was really, really good. They also had a decent selection of beers to satisfy Mike and I's different palates. But by far the best part was the food. We had poutine with pork on it and it was one of the best things I've ever eaten in my life. You do not want to skip over this place. Trust me, it's well worth it.

Poutine covered in pork. Enough said. 

Prohibition Pig 

Avg Rating: 26.75

# of Beers Sampled:  6

Overall Rating:  4.45

Once we were done at Prohibition Pig, we made our way to my dad's alma mater, Norwich University, for a variety of homecoming activities. Among them was a dedication ceremony and the Corps of Cadets retreat parade with review. It was pretty impressive to watch. I had been coming to Norwich for years. As a kid, I used to roll down the hills on campus and climb the giant tank by the football field. It wasn't until I had gotten older that I was able to appreciate Norwich's legacy and how much it influenced my dad into the man he is today. After the ceremony, we all went up the road to a class reunion bonfire to have some drinks, a cookout, and a bonfire. All in all, it was a very restful time. Among some the brews I tried was 14th Star Brewing's "Follow Me", a commemorative beer release as a part of Norwich's  bicentennial series.

This was the part of the trip where I felt like just taking a nap. Between all the traveling and beer drinking, I was in need of a cleanse. But at the same time, I was trying to soak up the remainder of my vacation. Mike and I went to The Mad Taco just down the road from the rental. It was recommended by a couple of blogs we looked at and I was beyond excited. On a scale of Taco Bell to just over the border, I could eat any type of Mexican any day of the week. Mike and I got two tacos each and split a bowl of rice and beans. It was so fresh, so good, so flavorful and left me more than satisfied.  

"Tacos are proof that God wants us to be happy."-Me

Cashier: "Black or pinto beans?" Me: Both.

An American Library Association uniform on display.

After lunch, we made our way to Norwich to check out the Sullivan Museum and History Center. Mike and I both love history, so this was a great place to kill some time. It does a great job of weaving Norwich's impact and role both in Vermont and around the world in various conflicts. There are artifacts donated by alumni and their families, interactive exhibits, and best of all, it's free. It's also open to the public so whether you have a connection to the school or not, you can still visit the museum.

Eventually we made our way to the Homecoming football game (where we lost) and then back to the lodge for a potluck supper. I was incredibly bummed that our vacation was finally coming to an end, but it was an experience that I would cherish forever.  

Sunday was our last day in Vermont and it was very bittersweet. Saying goodbye to my family and family friends who I hadn't seen in a while was tough, but I knew it was time to head back to New Hampshire. We packed up our bags and hit the road down scenic route 100. It was a lovely drive through the Vermont country side that had some touristy stops, farms, and mountain views all along the way. Our final brewery stop on our craft beer trail was Long Trail Brewery. Mike and I split a flight each. It was a lovely experience and a great way to end our trip. The brewery is right on the bank of the Ottauquechee River and guests can linger by it (or in it) if they choose to. The beer was good, the food was good, and the company was even better.

Long Trail Brewing 

Avg Rating: 33.75

# of Beers Sampled:  8

Overall Rating:  4.21 

So now that we're at the end of this craft beer trail, how do all the breweries stand? Thanks to my brother Tyler, now you can compare all of them side by side. Keep in mind these ratings are completely subjective. They're affected both by how high/low I rate the beers, the number of beers I tried, and the different styles. Who knows? A brewery I wasn't so fond of you may love; a brewery I loved you may end up hating. Either way, don't take my words as law.

And there you have it! My craft beer trail is complete. Whether you've e never thought of going to Vermont before, have been meaning to get up there, or have been there more times than you can remember, I hope you were able to get something out of this post. Until next time...