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Otto's low down on the breweries and brewpubs of Vermont, New England, USA.
I set out with Margaret (littl'un) in the fall of 2004 to the states of New England and the most picturesque state we visited was; Vermont the Green Mountain State, known for great skiing, awesome hiking, spectacular foliage, and romantic country inns is also the home of some of the best breweries, wineries and cideries in the country. Vermonters know how lucky they are to live in a beautiful state, where fine handcrafted beer, unique fruit wine and hard cider are as plentiful as maple syrup. Take a tour of a brewery or winery and learn the art and science behind craft brewing and winemaking. You may even meet the brew master, vintner or owner. Pick up some novelty items in the gift shop, and then head over to a brewpub for a delicious meal. Make a reservation at one of Vermont's cosy inns or B&Bs and enjoy a truly romantic weekend. Have I set the scene for you yet ? The base for our stay was Morrisville just out side of Stowe were the "Von Trapp" family made their home after leaving Austria. (Sound of Music) Stowe in the winter is the main ski resort. Visit http://www.vermontbrewers.com/ for info on accommodation and a map of the breweries, wineries and cideries. I am going to concentrate on the breweries. Because beer is my passion.
First lets start with "Rock Art" brewery in Morrisville were we were staying, an excellent micro brewery were we were made to feel very welcome when we turned up unannounced at 9:30am and were given a tour even though they were in full production on the bottling line. Rock Art Brewery was born in the mountains of Vermont, inspired by the spirit of "Kokopelli" and guided by the beers of the world. The brewery name symbolizes ancient peteoglyphs, images that were etched in rock, therefore "Rock Art" Kokopeli is one of those images and some believed him to be a wandering flute player that brought music and good times to people that he visited.
Here are a few of the brew's we sampled on draft at Mr Pickwicks in Stowe and also in bottled format. Ridge Runner Ale 7.5% strong dark and smooth, hold onto your hat cause you'll lose your feet on this one ! 6 malts and 4 hops & Munich flaked barley black and chocolate malts an excellent ale. Others tried inc, Stump Jumper a Gnarly stout. Midnight Madness Smoked Porter, American Red Ale, Whitetail Ale, Brown Baer Ale, An IPA, A Blonde Ale & an 80' Ale.
Next on the road trip was the award winning brewpub The Alchemist at Waterbury near Stowe. The Alchemist is a 7-barrel brewpub specializing in handcrafted beer and casual pub fare. In addition to their house-made ales, they have an eclectic menu featuring Vermont products and seasonal produce. So get in and enjoy a taste of Vermont in a cosy pub surrounded by the work of local artists ! Proprietors Jennifer and John Kimmich turned Waterbury's original Post Office into a brewpub. A mix of sturdy, old fashioned New England construction and a sensitive eye for an inviting environment mixed with the talents of local artists provides locals and beer hounds alike with excellent brews! John insists on using the very best imported malts and domestic hops to brew for their customers the best tasting, highest quality and most unique selection of beers in Vermont. On our visit John Kimmich the owner / head brewer had just returned from the Great American Beer Festival, held every year in Denver, CO, with a Gold Medal! That's right, with over 2,000 beers entered in this year's competition, The Alchemist Pub and Brewery won a Gold for our Sterk Wit a Belgian-Style Strong bier. So this was the first one we had and was Margaret favourite at 7.3% this double white ale is brewed with Belgian yeast, with plenty of coriander and curacaos orange peel. We also tried Light Weight 4.3%. Donavans Red 5.1%. Solstice at 4.9% Holy Cow IPA at 5.2% made with 6 malts and 5 hops and then dry hoped for extra flavour ! a hop head delight. And finally we had Pappy's Porter at 5.2% a dark mahogany ale with great malt depth and balanced with supple bitterness. They also serve a cask-conditioned ale, which is one of the above rotated weekly. An 8% IPA Heady Topper and a 5% stout Blackout are also brewed. Well worth a stop.
Also in Stowe itself is another brewpub The Shed Restaurant and Brewery @ 1859 Mountain Road well worth a visit with excellent food and brews. Then off to a microbrewery that I had previously only had their No.1 brew UFO (Un-Filtered Offering) Hefeweizen is an American style un-filtered wheat beer. Traditionally served with a lemon to complement the citrus taste yielded from the yeast. Harpoon, the Harpoon Brewery started in 1986 because they love beer and wanted more good choices. While travelling extensively in Europe they saw - and tasted - MANY wonderfully diverse, local beers. They also learned to appreciate how much local brewers meant to their communities. They were not just manufacturers of a product; they were part of the social fabric. They welcome customers to the brewery. Each of the beers is formulated to provide a choice for drinkers that did not exist before. They draw on brewing tradition to make beers, in their own vision of how that style can be improved. It all began in Boston MA (a visit is on the cards next time) but we went to the new facility in Windsor, Vermont. You will see a commitment to brewing excellence and receive a warm greeting. Harpoon has a special brewing programme ongoing at the moment beside their regular brews ; The Harpoon 100 Barrel Series is a return to their brewing roots. They call it the 100 Barrel Series because that's exactly what it is - one-of-a-kind creations fashioned by a Harpoon brewer, limited to a single 100-barrel batch. Every couple of months a different Harpoon brewer will choose a style, develop a recipe, and brew the beer - from selecting the ingredients to the final filtration. You will find that brewer's signature on each bottle of beer from their batch. So if you like the beer, you'll know whom to thank. The Harpoon 100 Barrel Series is brewed at their brewery in Windsor, Vermont.
Our next stop after a few days of leaf spotting and searching out the old covered wooden bridges was The Long Trail Brewing Co. it began its mission to brew high quality import alternatives in May 1989. Andy Pherson, President and Brewmaster, began this quest in the basement of the old Bridgewater Woolen Mill on the Ottaquechee River in Vermont's Green Mountains. Not long after, his mission was accomplished as Long Trail was outsold by only the "mega-breweries"! By 1995, Long Trail had outgrown the mill, and it was time to "Hit the Trail" to a Riverside hayfield, and build a state-of-the-art brewery. Now, thousands of visitors a year experience Long Trail's hospitality and ambiance while enjoying great food, fresh brews, and view of the brewing process at the visitor centre. Better to check, as we did not get a tour as they were bottling at the time of our visit.
Also and this is most unusual of America we had to pay for our samples of the brews The best of which was Double Bag this malty, full-bodied double alt is also known as Stickebier , German slang for "secret brew." The secret is that this brew is so smooth, you'd never believe it has an alcohol content of 7.2%...indulge in moderation!!!
An excellent place to stay is a hotel / brew pub called The Norwich Inn President James Monroe dined at the Norwich Inn in 1817 while on a horseback tour of the New England frontier. Alas, history does not record whether he had a beer. But if he did, it was most likely brewed at the Inn. Vermont had no commercial breweries at the time, and the local beers were brewed in very small batches. Even the biggest copper kettle provided just enough ale for the brewer and his guests.
In 1993 this brewing tradition at the Norwich Inn was revised when Jasper Murdock's Alehouse began producing traditional English-style ales in 5-gallon glass jugs. By 1995 an historic livery building was renovated and outfitted with a new four-barrel brewhouse, enabling 125-gallon batches. Though the vessels are now larger, they remain perhaps the smallest brewery in America, with an annual production of less than 200 barrels. Jasper Murdock's Ales are sold only at the Norwich Inn. As in days gone by, they make just enough ale for the brewer and our guests.
Jasper Murdock's Ales are crafted from fine English malts, with hops grown in England and in our own hop garden here at the Inn. Because filtration can strip flavour and body from a beer, the ale yeast is allowed to settle out naturally in an extended cold-aging period to ensure that all the goodness reaches your palate. The beer is then pumped underground from the beer cellars to the pub at the Inn, or packaged in jumbo 22-ounce bottles for sale in the Bottle Shop.
One of the best microbreweries that we went to was "Otter Creek" Located in beautiful Middlebury, Vermont; they shipped out the first keg of Copper Ale in March of 1991. Four years later, after quickly outgrowing their original site, they moved into a new state-of-the-art brewery just down the street. In 1998, they also began producing Wolaver's Certified Organic Ales in partnership with Panorama Brewing Company. Both brands have flourished as beer drinkers throughout the northeast have enjoyed craft ales, and as the focus on sustainable farming and living has blossomed.
They brew and bottle all of the beers in small batches to ensure freshness and consistent quality. They use natural Vermont water, the best domestic malt and hops available, and their own top-fermenting yeast. All Wolaver's beers are made with no less than 98% certified organic ingredients. The brewery and the Wolaver's brands are certified organic by Vermont Organic Farmers. Wolaver's is the #1 organic beer in the country!
Otter Creek ales enjoy a complexity of flavour, natural carbonation, and a creamy texture that is favoured by beer enthusiasts at pubs and restaurants throughout the United States. We were made really welcome here the tour was really interesting and the tasting afterward was excellent and well informed we came away with lots of goodies.
Dan and Laura Gates founded Trout River Brewery in Lyndonville in July 1996. They began brewing in early December of that year. They still own and operate this microbrewery in the north-eastern region of Vermont--The Northeast Kingdom! Go along and visit this special and beautiful place and taste all that the Kingdom has to offer. Trout River prides itself on creating and serving fresh, all natural, premium ales and lagers. The beers are made with pure Vermont water, the best-imported and domestic malts and hops, and quality yeasts. Nothing else is added and nothing is taken away! At Trout River they believe that the naturally occurring settling of unfiltered brews results in a more flavourful and complex taste. As well, filtration robs the aroma, which is a very important part of the beer experience. Therefore, they do not filter our beers!
Another landmark and a mecca for aficionados and pub-goers alike is The Vermont Pub and Brewery opened in November of 1988, but its' history did not begin on that day. For three years, Greg and Nancy Noonan petitioned the Vermont legislature to change the law to allow pub brewing in the state. The legislation was passed in May of 1988. The Noonans have a 14-barrel brewery to service the 175-seat restaurant. Brewing Lager Beer, Scotch Ales and The Seven Barrel Book of Brewing. He has also acted as a consultant for several brewpubs and microbreweries regarding start-up and brewery design.
Located in Burlington, Vermont near the shores of Lake Champlain. The Pub's interior gleams with the warmth of dark mahogany, patterned tile floors and an attached greenhouse. Lunch and dinner are served daily with brunch on Sunday. The brew include; Burly Irish Ale Rich, malty and smooth red ale. Rock Dunder Brown Ale Classic light brown ale. Dunkel Weiss Bavarian dark wheat. banana undertones. Dogbite Bitter Big chewey ale with a fierce hop bite. Uber Alt. Alt Uber Alles. Malty German Amber Ale. Spuyten Duyvil Sour, Belgian Style Ale. You won't like it! Vermont Smoked Porter Smokey, intense porter. & Cask Conditioned Ales
Other breweries of note but that we did not get to this time maybe another visit in the future include; Magic Hat Brewing Co.5 Bartlett Bay Road South Burlington VT 05403
http://www.magichat.net/. Switchback Brewery Burlington VT05406 Phone: 802-651-4114 Tours by appointment only. & Three Needs 207 College Street Burlington VT 05401 Phone: 802-658-0889
So remember all you beer hounds out there drink beer now and avoid the Christmas rush !
Cheers Otto.
