BrewView Vermont - Summer 2020 by Coffee Table Publishing

2020 ISSUE 2

FOAM BREWERS RESPONDING TO CHANGING TIMES

COLD HOLLOW CIDER BUSINESS DONE THE VERMONT WAY

WHETSTONE STATION BREWERY TAKING ADVANTAGE OF A FORCED PAUSE TO EMERGE STRONGER

interesting finds in every issue

14 NurseGrown Organics

featuring

BY BART BEESON

24 Foam Brewers BY NOAH DETZER

Craft Beer and Cider Stores

Cold Hollow Cider BUSINESS DONE THE VERMONT WAY

Black Flannel Brewing & Distilling Company BY GABRIELLE VARELA

BY MARK AIKEN

46 Ten Bends Beer BY BART BEESON

Whetstone Station Brewery

TAKING ADVANTAGE OF A FORCED PAUSE TO EMERGE STRONGER BY NOAH DETZER

Brew News

FUN STUFF WE’VE HEARD ABOUT

Survey 39 Brew TELL US WHAT YOU THINK 50 Brew Finds

LOCAL TASTINGS AND HOW TO FIND THEM

56 What’s Happening

EVENTS AND MUSIC COMING TO A PLACE NEAR YOU

60 BrewView To Go . . .

A COMPREHENSIVE MAP AND KEY OF WHERE TO FIND LOCAL BREWERIES, DISTILLERIES, WINERIES, AND CIDERIES

COVER PHOTO COURTESY OF FOAM BREWERS PHOTO THIS PAGE COURTESY OF WHETSTONE STATION BREWERY

COFFEE TABLE PUBLISHING, LLC 32 Hermit Thrush Lane South Burlington, VT 05403 www.bestofburlingtonvt.com

PUBLISHERS

ROBIN GALES JOHN GALES COPY EDITOR

JENNIFER GOSS DUBY ART DIRECTION/DESIGN

ROBBIE ALTERIO

ADVERTISING DESIGN

ROBBYCAT DESIGN

HOW DO YOU WRITE A NOTE GOING INTO THE SUMMER after what we’ve been through? In our opinion, you start by saying…WE’RE HERE! And we’re not going anywhere. Since being in lockdown we made ourselves a promise that on the other end, we would do everything we could to promote the craft industry in Vermont. And to tell everyone that the craft industry is HERE and not going anywhere! We start our summer issue by showcasing one of two new breweries coming online. You’ll see our spotlight on Black Flannel Brewing & Distilling, opening in Essex in July. Also in the same time frame, Weird Window Brewing comes online in South Burlington in the old Farnham location. Both places can’t wait for the taps to start flowing—and we can’t either! We take a look at Foam Brewers in Burlington and Whetstone Station in Brattleboro—which, by the way, has one of the coolest locations to sit outside with friends and enjoy a cold brew or a nice cocktail. You’re right on the river, and the restaurant straddles the VT/NH line! And speaking of outside, we’re featuring “Meet Me Out Back” online with a spotlight on what’s available for outdoor seating. The map is set, we added a craft sellers map as well, and we’re ready for summer! We all are. So cheers! Here’s to a great summer. See you outside!

John and Robin Gales Publishers

BREWVIEW Vermont 2020 Issue 2

WEB DESIGN

LOCABLE

ADVERTISING

ROBIN GALES (802) 299-9086 JOHN GALES (802) 558-2719 coffeetablepublishing@comcast.net Keep us posted. BrewView Vermont wants to hear from our readers. Correspondence may be addressed to Letters to the Editor, BrewView Vermont, 32 Hermit Thrush Lane, South Burlington, VT 05403. Advertising inquiries may be made by emailing ctpublishing@comcast.net or coffeetablepublishing@comcast.net. BrewView Vermont is published quarterly by Coffee Table Publishing, LLC, ©2020. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is strictly prohibited. BrewView Vermont accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, artwork, or photographs.

BREW ONLINE

www.brewviewvt.com 20 20

IS SU E

Online Exclusives Time for a Cold Brew, Cider, Wine, or Spirit…

ERS BREW FOAOMN D IN G TOES TI M RE SP G IN G C H AN

COLD OW CIDER HOLLES S D O N E AY BU SI N RM O N T W TH E VE

RY REWE ION B U SE TO E STAT RC ED PA STONNTA G E O F A FO T E H W AD VA ER G TA KI N E ST RO N G G EM ER

Sit on the patio and enjoy the sunshine with some social distancing. We’re featuring great places all summer long! Check out ”Meet Me Out Back” at www.brewviewvt.com

The Race is On!

The Vermont Overland gravel adventure bicycle race will proceed as planned this year in late August. Learn more about this grueling 44-mile route with over 5,700 feet of climbing at www.brewviewvt.com

Summer Pretzels

There’s nothing more summer than soft pretzels and beer! Go to www.brewviewvt.com to find a great beer pairing and a recipe for the pretzels!

BREWVIEW Vermont 2020 Issue 2

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Join the conversation online... www.brewviewvt.com Feel free to drop us a line at brewviewvt@gmail .com, or share your comments on our site or on social media. You might even see your name in our next issue.

BREW NEWS

WHAT’S NEW?

New releases we’ve got our eye on

ZERO GRAVITY

FRANKIE: Ale with Fruit A bright and spritzy refresher brewed with tart cherry and exotic citrus fruit, this beer is light on the palate and dry on the finish. Bursting with bold citrus notes and the subtle complexity of tart cherry, Frankie would be delighted to accompany you on all your summer adventures. www.zerogravitybeer.com

SWITCHBACK BREWERY

KARSTEN: Modest to the bone, despite the skill it takes to make. A beer made for drinking, not crowing about. Lagered six weeks for the ultimate crisp, clean, straightforward taste meant to be enjoyed on any occasion, big or small. A beer big on details but not boastful about them. www.switchbackvt.com

THE ALCHEMIST AND VERMONT PUB & BREWERY

BURLY IRISH RED: Coming this Summer, Vermont Pub & Brewery’s flagship Burly Irish Red Ale will be available in cans for the first time ever! This special Burly was brewed and canned at The Alchemist in collaboration with Vermont Pub & Brewery, based on Greg Noonan’s original recipe. Cans will be exclusively available at The Alchemist and VPB. www.vermontbrewery.com and www.alchemistbeer.com

BREWVIEW Vermont 2020 Issue 2

LAWSON’S FINEST LIQUIDS

LITTLE SIP: Lawson’s Finest Liquids invites you to join them in welcoming Little Sip IPA, the newest addition to the Sunshine family of beer. Little cousin to Lawson’s Finest flagship beer Sip of Sunshine IPA, Little Sip IPA has a juicy, fruit-forward character layered with tropical hop flavors and bright floral aromas. Notes of grapefruit and pineapple complement this delectably balanced beer, with a crushable 6.2% ABV. Formulated at their original 7bbl brewery in Warren, Vermont, Little Sip IPA will be produced at the Waitsfield, Vermont, location where Lawson’s Finest brews Double Sunshine IPA and Triple Sunshine IPA. www.lawsonsfinest.com

SILO DISTILLERY

VERMARO: A bittersweet amaro-style liqueur. SILO’s Vermaro is distilled from Vermont corn and infused with 14 botanicals. Delicious sipped on its own or the perfect addition to a creative cocktail, this versatile spirit is available at the SILO tasting room in Windsor, Vermont, or special order through 802 spirits locations. www.silodistillery.

IDLETYME BREWING

IMPERIAL STOUT: In collaboration with Smugglers' Notch Distillery, we are excited to release our Imperial Stout later this month. This barrel-aged stout has been distilling in Smugglers' Notch bourbon barrels for three months. This will be Idletyme Brewing Company’s first Imperial Stout and we look forward to sharing it with you. idletymebrewing.com

www.BrewViewVT.com

BREW NEWS

14TH STAR BREWING

FORGET ME NOT ABV: 5.3% IBU: 30 SRM: 3 Brewed with locally sourced honey and earthy noble hops, Forget Me Not is a crisp and refreshing Kölsch-style beer that we hope you’ll find unforgettable! A portion of all proceeds are donated to the Alzheimer’s Association, the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s care, support, and research. www.14thstarbrewing.com

14TH STAR BREWING

RASPBERRY VERMONTER WEISS ABV: 3.8% IBU: 2 The only Vermont beer to be awarded a medal at the 2019 Great American Beer Festival, Raspberry Vermonter Weiss is a sour wheat beer brewed with Vermont malt and hops and a heaping helping of raspberries to impart a bright fruit flavor and a huge aroma of fresh raspberries in every sip. www.14thstarbrewing.com

BOYDEN VALLEY WINERY AND SPIRITS

MARQUETTE RESERVE: We have a second bottling of our 2016 Marquette Reserve that was just bottled. It spent an extra year in oak barrells! This wine is a private stock estate wine made of Marquette and Petit Pearl grapes grown here in Vermont and oaked for two years in both Hungarian Oak and French Oak barrels—dry with rich flavors of dark plum, red berries, and soft undertones of chocolate and vanilla. Although it is not a new vintage, it is a little more robust and has an even greater depth of flavor than the first bottling due to the additional year in oak. www.boydenvalley.com

BREWVIEW Vermont 2020 Issue 2

CITIZEN CIDER

THE ORIGIN SERIES is all about featuring the unique people, places and crops of our region in the northeast. This herbal cider made with locally grown lavender touches on all three. The flower brings light notes of sweetness and floral to this crisp, dry cider. The farmers growing lavender are much like the ciderâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;unique, bright and always ready to celebrate the solstice. www.citizencider.com

RED LEAF GLUTEN FREE

WOODSPLITTER IPA: New in Cans. This IPA is dry hopped with Citra and we shoot for a balance of hoppiness in both aroma and bitter, alongside drinkabilIty with lower alcohol than most IPAs (between 5.5-6%). We add a small dose of honey after mashing the sorghum and oats. WOODPILE (MAPLE BROWN): New in cans. The maple brown is ultra-local; both the hops and maple syrup are from Fairfax (we make the syrup ourselves). The grain bill is sorghum, organic gluten-free oats, and brown rice. CLEMENTINE WHITE ALE AND STRAWBERRY HIBISCUS-KISS. Don't miss our fruit seasonals including clementine white ale and strawberry hibiscus-kiss. Both will be in cans at the tasting room this summer. www.BrewViewVT.com

BREW NEWS

HIRED HAND

BRAND NEW! FENCE LINE SESSION IPA A tart, refreshing, lightbodied green session IPA bursting with lemon, grapefruit, and peach flavors from Vermont grown hops and malt. 4.7% ABV, 57 IBUs 100% local. www.hiredhand brewing.com

The difference is delicious.

A brand new tasting room. Modern hard ciders made the old Vermont way. Our modern hard ciders are made from apples pressed on a vintage rack-and-cloth press at our working cider mill. Stop by our new tasting room, order a flight of our regular and seasonal offerings, and enjoy a menu including sandwiches on our own fresh bread baked daily. We’re aiming a bit higher on the apple tree. And it’s working.

Hike, ski, dance, or bike on over today. www.coldhollow.com

Open daily 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

3600 Waterbury-Stowe Road, Waterbury, VT 05677

“BREWVIEW”

BREWVIEW Vermont 2020 Issue 2

802-244-877

7.125 x 4.65 half page

STONE CORRAL

STRAWBERRY RHUBARB GOSE 4.4%ABV Layers of tart rhubarb compliment sweet strawberries for a clean summertime sipper. This traditionally brewed Gose is made with fresh rhubarb and massive amounts of juicy strawberries. Find our brews statewide here in Vermont. Keep an eye out for brewery exclusive can releases as well. Open for indoor and outdoor dining. www.stonecorral.com

WEIRD WINDOW BREWING

Weird Window Brewing is a new brewery in South Burlington expected to open in e arly July. At Weird Window Brewing, we strive to deliver an approachable and diverse selection of beers. Instead of focusing on one style, our goal is to offer a beer for anyone who visits our taproom. www.weirdwindowbrewing.com

www.BrewViewVT.com

I N T E R E S T I N G F I N DS BY BART BEESON

PHOTOS COURTESY OF MATT LEONETTI AND JESSILYN DOLAN

NurseGrown Organics Ensuring quality and purity

he story behind Vermont-based CBD company NurseGrown Organics can basically be summed up by the old saying, “If you

BREWVIEW Vermont 2020 Issue 2

want something done right, do it yourself.” Founders Jessilyn Dolan and Matt Leonetti searched the market for years for a CBD product that they were completely

confident in—one that had been grown cleanly and organically and was thoroughly tested. Despite the growing number of products on the market, they weren’t able

to find one that fit the bill. So they tapped into their entrepreneurial spirit and founded NurseGrown Organics, which released its first products in late 2019. “It made sense for us to finally stop looking for something else and be dissatisfied or disappointed and do it the way we really want it to be done,” says Jessilyn. “Then we could have the complete assurance and trust to say, ‘This is something I recommend and stand behind.’”

GETTING STARTED Both Jessilyn, an herbalist and registered nurse (hence the “nursegrown”), and Matt, a horticulturalist, say the decision to make their own CBD products was a natural one. “I gave up a landscape business that I had put together and run

for 15 years, she changed her job out of the nursing and addiction realm. It kind of organically happened and we just dove in,” says Matt. He adds that it was not an overnight decision to start the company. “It took us a while. We kind of sat on it and didn’t move as quickly as we should have, but it kind of nudged us each time we looked into it and weren’t finding what we were looking for.” Both partners emphasize that making their product affordable is very important to them. “We definitely made our products affordable comparatively, because how can we think this is going to help people if it’s not accessible? We’ve worked really hard to make that happen, and that’s part of what took us a while to get this out there, between quality and ensuring we could get

a good price point for people,” says Jessilyn. The couple, who describe themselves as life partners , were surprised to learn how little regulation there was in the CBD market. Matt says they started the company, in part, to provide some transparency. “We wanted to offer the consumer some kind of clarity to what they were buying, knowing that we could add some value to it, rather than just false empty promises which seem to litter the industry all over the place,” he says. Both partners emphasize that educating consumers is a big part of their business model, so that people will know what to look for when buying a CBD product and reading a label. Jessilyn says that when she was looking for products for herself, it was hard to determine whether or not they were grown organically and cleanly, if they were lab tested, or how they were

NURSEGROWN ORGANICS, LLC PO Box 4 Underhill, VT nursegrown.com

www.BrewViewVT.com

processed. She adds that even products that say they are lab tested may only be tested for certain things. “Realistically, a lot them are only testing for CBD, they’re not testing for mold, mildew, metals, pesticides, and all the other things that we need to ensure safety.”

NURSEGROWN TODAY Today, NurseGrown Organics offers three different CBD products: balm, capsules, and tincture, all of which are full spectrum. (Full-spectrum CBD products contain all the cannabinoids that are naturally found in the cannabis plant in nature, rather than just cannabidiol, or CBD.) They are Vermont’s first hemp farm to be certified by Clean Green, a third-party national organization that certifies cannabis producers who maintain clean and sustainable business environments. NurseGrown’s plants are organically grown and processed on land they lease from several Vermont community farmers, and their products are full-panel

BREWVIEW Vermont 2020 Issue 2

lab tested. They also offer individualized treatment plans, and provide group presentations and workshops, as well as in-person and virtual appointments. And they offer discounts for people who are experiencing financial hardship or who have disabilities. For 2020, which has been designated the Year of the Nurse by the World Health Organization, they are offering a 25 percent discount for nurses. Currently, CBD producers are prohibited from making specific medical claims. But Jessilyn says that they have heard

many testimonies about how CBD products have helped people. “What I can say is that anecdotally we know we’re having a lot of success in a number of different areas,” she says. She adds that with more research and funding for studies, they hope to see more documented evidence of CBD’s healing properties in the future.

LOOKING AHEAD As for the future of NurseGrown Organics, the two say that a lot depends

BrewViews VIDEOCAST! with Katie Gilbert

on what happens with the state and federal laws regarding cannabis. Jessilyn, who is a medical marijuana patient herself, says they would eventually like to be able to offer a full range of cannabis-related products. “For myself as an herbalist and nurse, and Matt as a cultivator, we feel strongly that it’s the entire plant that makes a difference and that it’s important that

we can offer different ratios for different health concerns and different ways of consuming it. That means having full access to that without any legal reasons holding you back from using certain kinds of medicine,” she says. Their products can currently be purchased through their website and at select local stores. For more information visit nursegrown.com. U

Check out our new videocast, with beer and cheese pairings!

COME ON! Let’s discover the craft beverage world. The people, the places and let’s have some fun too!!! Sponsored by Landshapes, Katie and Co. Real Estate team and of course BrewView Vermont!

www.brewviewvt.com www.BrewViewVT.com

BY MARK AIKEN

BUSINESS DONE VERMONT STYLE Cold Hollow Cider Mill Sells Vermont Products the Vermont Way

“When are you going to make the hard stuff?” People have been asking Gayle Brown this question since the year 2000 when she and husband Paul bought Cold Hollow Cider Mill. Cold Hollow’s cider—the nonalcoholic stuff, that is (not to mention their cider donuts)—is already famous. They press their apples in plain sight in the middle of their gift shop, which is populated with Vermont products, humorous caricatures, and amusing signage— all of which celebrates and sheds light on Vermont’s way of life.

BREWVIEW Vermont 2020 Issue 2

Now visitors and locals can sample the hard stuff. For example, Barn Dance, Cold Hollow’s flagship and first flavor profile, is a dry and semi-sweet hard cider made from Macintosh and Honeycrisp apples with hints of cooked apple, oak, and pineapple—with (like all Cold Hollow hard ciders) no sugar added. Where can one taste Barn Dance and the selection of regular and seasonal alcoholic taste profiles? At Cold Hollow’s own luncheonette and tasting room—both newly renovated spaces; the tasting room was redone in 2019 and the luncheonette (including the entire kitchen) this past spring.

Wait, you say. Wasn’t the world gripped in economic crisis and a global pandemic this past spring? This is of course true, and Cold Hollow and Waterbury Center were no exception.

with hundreds of living, working bees in the middle of their gift shop (to demonstrate the importance of bees to our ecosystem), and they package their mail orders with shredded, recycled cardboard from boxes they receive from their own vendors. The luncheonette, meanwhile, is newer. “It was about eight or ten years ago,” says Gayle. “I finally said, ‘Do I really have to go all the way to Stowe for a little lunch? Could we do some sandwiches or salads?’” It has a dining area that seats 76 people and a deck with space

THE LUNCHEONETTE AT COLD HOLLOW Cold Hollow Cider Mill’s history is fairly well-documented: they still use the 1920s-era press that mill founder Eric Chittenden (a descendant of Vermont’s first governor) dug out of his old barn in the early 1970s. Gayle and Paul bought the mill from the Chittendens and grew it into a Vermont destination on the scale of Cabot Cheese and Ben & Jerry’s (with a tiny fraction of the staff) along with the bustling mail order business. The attraction isn’t just the Vermont products; it’s the way Cold Hollow exemplifies Vermont values and models doing the right thing. For example, they largely power their buildings with solar, they display a live honeybee observation hive

COLD HOLLOW CIDER MILL 3600 Waterbury-Stowe Road Waterbury Center, VT (800) 327-7537 www.coldhollow.com

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for 36 more, a counter where visitors order sandwiches and other lunch items, and a tasting room in the front where patrons visit and sample flights of up to seven different hard ciders. What started as an idea to entice visitors to stay a bit longer had an unexpected side effect: “Locals,” Gayle says. Locals like Mike Tasi make the luncheonette a regular stop. “I always get the roast beef and cheddar or the turkey club,” says Mike, a ski and tennis pro who lives about a high topspin lob from Cold Hollow. “And cider. And the donuts. I love the donuts.”

CREATIVITY IN THE FACE OF CRISIS Cold Hollow’s slogan is “Vermont to the Core,” a cute play on words for an apple operation, but also a true description of the operation. When you visit Cold Hollow, you get a full dose of Vermont products, Vermont

BREWVIEW Vermont 2020 Issue 2

grit and determination, and Vermont humor. Accustomed to uphill battles, Vermonters maintain a certain levelheadedness, unflappability, and even

quick wit when the chips are down. So as Gayle and Paul (like business owners everywhere) clarified what shape their operation could take under the state of

emergency surrounding the coronavirus last spring, their skeleton crew doggedly fulfilled mail orders, then organized a curbside service (note the humor in the placards that went up in March: “DO-NUT DESPAIR!” read the sign. “DONUTS CURBSIDE!”) www.BrewViewVT.com

“It was a big relief to see that sign,” says customer Mike. “For one, I was going through Cold Hollow withdrawals. Second, it was like a ray of hope that maybe the world would return to a semblance of normalcy.” Gayle acknowledges that it was likewise awesome to see customers during this time, as difficult as curbside service was. Like many small businesses nationwide, Cold Hollow applied for an emergency loan from the government to ensure they could meet payroll costs and weather the pandemic storm. “We thought maybe we could get some things done,” says Gayle. She and Paul set their sights on the luncheonette: “It was creativity borne out of crisis,” Gayle says. “We’re do-it-

BREWVIEW Vermont 2020 Issue 2

yourselfers; we took the place apart ourselves and gave it an upgrade.”

THE HARD STUFF With the luncheonette renovation complete, locals and visitors can expect many of the same themes as the Cider Mill. Humor, to be sure (for example, don’t miss the “Grateful Sled,” a spicy seasonal that features cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, allspice, cardamom, and orange extract), educational elements (bookshelves in the tasting room feature titles about how to make hard cider and about the thousands of varieties of apples), and a dance floor (after all, their signature flavor profile is named Barn Dance). Although it’s Cold Hollow’s first foray into hard cider, they’re not complete

newcomers to the game. Cidermakers like Boyden’s Winery and Stowe Cider have used Cold Hollow cider in the production of their hard ciders. In fact, Dave Boyden continues to produce Barn Dance. And all Cold Hollow hard ciders get canned at Stowe Cider. Further, mead maker Mark Simakaski of Artesano Mead (another Cold Hollow vendor), has helped with the production and development of some of the other taste profiles. These neighbors, business partners, and friends have collaborated with Cold Hollow in the past, and it says something that they want to do more. “It’s Vermonters figuring out ways to work creatively with their neighbors.” says Gayle. This sounds like another Vermont value—and therefore comes as no surprise that it fits the Cold Hollow model. U

EDELWEISS Mountain DELI

SANDWICHES • PREPARED FOOD • BAKERY • BEER • WINE • CATERING

150 BEERS, 200 WINES & GREAT FOOD

2251 MOUNTAIN RD • STOWE • 802.253.4034 6:30 AM – 6 PM • 7 DAYS A WEEK EDELWEISSSTOWE.COM

www.BrewViewVT.com

I N T E R E S T I N G F I N DS BY NOAH DETZER

Staying Light as Foam and Ready to Adapt Foam Brewers Responding to Changing Times

oam Brewers opened in Burlington as a brew pub and live music venue in April of 2016, created by a team of industry professionals who shared an “appreciation for brewing, science, art, music, and culture.” Marketing assistant Adam Karas joined the team that June. Adam’s tenure at Foam gives him a close-up perspective into how the brewery has developed—and where the business hopes to go in the future. Adam shared a lot about the inner working of Foam’s team. “Foam has five partners, which really plays a huge role in making Foam what it is. There’s Todd Haire, the master brewer; Bob Grim, the head brewer in Burlington; Sam Keane, the head brewer in Hinesburg; Jon Farmer, the creative director; and Dani Casey, who has served as the general manager of everything that happens in the front of house for the entire time Foam has been open for business.” Each of the partners has a different background in beer. Todd was the brewmaster at Magic Hat for more than ten years, and later worked at Switchback, where he met the other four partners. The idea for creating Foam came about in 2015, and the group put their heads together to determine how to bring that vision to fruition.

BREWVIEW Vermont 2020 Issue 2

Adam is proud of the way that Foam has diversified its role in the community. “Five people, five personalities…each brings something unique to the table,” he says. “We’ve done everything we can to

contribute to the Burlington community at large and showcase the arts as best as we can. Foam is a bar, it’s a music venue, and we’re beginning to open up a restaurant.”

That restaurant, Deep City, shares the building with Foam Brewers and opened to much acclaim just as the COVID-19 pandemic was ramping up. Almost as soon as they opened, they had to cease sit-down service. Pivoting quickly, they turned their focus to takeout and delivery. The takeout menu of pub fare also includes cans, growlers, and cocktails, all provided in a contactless process outlined on their website. An appreciation of and desire to support art and local artists is central to the ethos of the Foam team. To that end, Foam almost always uses local artists for can designs. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We love incorporating local artists in all different aspects of the businessâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;can design, an

FOAM BREWERS 112 Lake Street Burlington, VT (802) 800-1454 info@foambrewers.com www.foambrewers.com

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installment from a local artist in the brewery that rotates out roughly once a month, local photography, and more.” Indications are that Foam Brewers is a success. “We’re brewing beer that people are traveling around the state for,” notes Adam. “What’s caused me to fall in love with working at Foam is that it’s about more than that. It’s about being real, being authentic, being a part of the community; not just making a product, but listening to what people want and thinking about how we can contribute something beyond just selling beer—whether that’s putting on an incredible show that someone goes to, showcasing local art, or having a great time at the restaurant. We’re focused on

BREWVIEW Vermont 2020 Issue 2

the experience and what we might have provided to customers beyond just a glass of a double IPA.” When asked which of the more than 470 beers Foam has brewed was his favorite, Adam hesitated—he listed off several of the latest brews, before settling on Built To Spill. “It truly is one of my all-time favorites—it’s the first beer we ever put in cans and still a favorite to this day.” Now that Vermont is easing the stay-at-home orders, Foam has opened their outdoor patio. Patrons at Foam can enjoy on-site beers and food, and right next door at Deep City, diners can partake of food, beer, wine, and cocktails. With their creativity and excitement for the local scene, Foam's future looks bright. U

WHETST NE VT

BRATTLEBORO

Brewery Bier Garten & Burgers

36 Bridge Street | Brattleboro, Vermont | 802.490.2354 | WhetstoneStation.com

www.BrewViewVT.com

I N T E R E S T I N G F I N DS BY GABRIELLE VARELA

BLACK FLANNEL BREWING & DISTILLING COMPANY HARD WORK AND SKILLFUL LABOR COME TO FRUITION

BREWVIEW Vermont 2020 Issue 2

or some, beer brewing is considered an art form. The brewers at Black Flannel Brewing Company have worked hard to master the science so they can turn their craft into an art. Black Flannel Company’s founder and brewer Chris Kesler came to Vermont for college in 1983 and stayed, launching a website and marketing company called Earthlogic in the late 90s. In 2014, he bought a church building in Essex Junction and renovated it to be a base of operations for Earthlogic, and a coworking space for local professionals. In February of 2015, on his 50th birthday, he brewed his first batch of beer in the church basement. “It was like lightning striking,” says Kesler of that moment. He entered his first competition in January 2017, coming in second in the “Make the Cut” competition. Kesler quickly racked up some impressive qualifications, including the title of Certified Cicerone, BCJP Certified Beer Judge, and two-time Vermont Homebrewer of the year. He also hosted the Greg Noonan Memorial Homebrew Competition at the church. His homebrew club, the Green Mountain Mashers, affectionately dubbed his office “The Church of Beer.”

For Kesler, creative collaboration is in the name of the game. The Black Flannel logo, a raven perched on an anvil, is a tribute to skillful labor, hard work, wisdom, and renewal, intended to signify builders of a team and craftsmen of their trade. Black Flannel Brewing Company is an homage to their commitment and a celebration of exceptional craft. “The brewing community is really incredible in Vermont both at the home and pro-brewing level. We have some of the best beers and brewers in the world here,” observes Kesler. “I get that a lot of people want to go out on their own and start a brewery where they are the sole brewer responsible for every aspect of the brewery. But when I became involved in the Green Mountain Mashers and my

BLACK FLANNEL BREWING & DISTILLING COMPANY 21 Essex Way Essex Junction, VT www.blackflannel.com

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brewing knowledge grew exponentially, I realized the power of collaboration,” says Kesler. “I’m not possessive of the recipes I’ve developed.” All beer and spirits are the result of countless hours of a team effort that includes Dan Sartwell, head of brewing operations, Justin Rito, brewer and head of beer curriculum, Aaron Ritchie, head of the barrel and sour program, Dave Mosher, spirit master, and Travis Johnson, head distiller. “We are trying to offer a deeper level of understanding and tasting for guests and staff,” says Kesler. “We want to brew beers that are deeply rooted in tradition but not shackled by it,” said Kesler. As lockdown restrictions begin to relax, Black Flannel Brewing Company waits like a racehorse in the gates. The 15-barrel brewery, opening July 1, will have a full-service restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating, a barrel and sour room that doubles as an event room, and a third space with distillery manufacturing and a tasting room, making Black Flannel the only brewery in the state functioning as both a brewery and distillery. Black Flannel plans to have up to 10 beers on tap at opening and already has collaborations with 14th star, Zero Gravity, and Frost Beer Works. To accommodate social distancing requirements, restaurant seating has been spread out. There will also be to-go options including food, canned beer, spirits, and cocktails.

BREWVIEW Vermont 2020 Issue 2

The Black Flannel logo, a raven perched on an anvil, is a tribute to skillful labor, hard work, wisdom, and renewal, intended to signify builders of a team and craftsmen of their trade. Executive chef Trenton Endres will focus the menu on local and traditional cuisine inspired by German- and British-style pub food and incorporating big-picture thinking like the Quebec-inspired nose-to-tail movement. Approachable menu items like Bavarian pretzels with a four-pack of Dunkel (they like to call this the “Bavarian Happy Meal”), Scotch eggs, and thrice cooked fries will share menu space with specials like duck prosciutto infused with handpicked local ramps. “The menu will have triedand-true standards for regulars but also something for the foodies that want to try something new,” comments Kesler. “I hope people will be excited to have us be a part of their community," says Kesler. "We strive to bring an elevated experience to all our guests. A rising tide raises all ships.” U www.BrewViewVT.com

S P OT L I G H T O N C R A FT S E L L E R S

Stowe Public House & Bottle Shop WITH BETH OLEKS WHAT DO YOU ENJOY BEST ABOUT HAVING A STORE THAT SPECIALIZES IN CRAFT SALES? The best part is seeing a customer who truly loves beer or cider enter the store for the first time, take a look around with wide eyes, like a kid in a candy store and say, “Whoa!” Then to see those first-time customers begin to return again and again. We take a lot of pride in the inventory on our shelves and in our coolers. Vermont truly has an outstanding brewery scene and we are committed to promoting other small businesses, from those just expanding out of their garage to the tried-andtrue Vermont craft pioneers. We have a lot of fun introducing customers to new beers and new breweries. And we really enjoy our repeat customers who come in almost every week and say, “What’s new?” WHAT ARE SOME OF THE UNIQUE THINGS YOU CARRY THAT PEOPLE COME TO YOU TO LOOK FOR? Well, with over 700 beers and ciders in the store there really is something for

STOWE PUBLIC HOUSE & BOTTLE SHOP 109 Main Street Stowe, VT (802) 585-5785 www.stowepublichouse.com

BREWVIEW Vermont 2020 Issue 2

everybody. While we try to highlight products from our local Vermont breweries, we also have an extensive selection of beers from around the country and the world. Our inventory is so varied that we were named as one of Hop Culture’s Ten Best Bottle Shops in the US. Many customers come specifically for our collection of Belgian ales. Lately, there has been a lot of curiosity in Drie Fonteinen which is the last remaining traditional Gueuze blender in Belgium specializing in Gueuze and Lambic styles. We find it just as important to learn about, highlight, and educate customers about our imports of traditional or old-school styles from historic monastic German breweries and beyond. THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS GOING ON RIGHT NOW AND SO MANY NEW VARIATIONS. WHAT ARE YOU SEEING COMING THROUGH THE DOOR THAT IS TRENDING? Sours, sours, sours! The expansion of availability of sour beers has been exciting to watch, and the number of customers who appreciate that selection is really growing. They are always top sellers at our bar, and we do have a clientele that frequent the store due to the wide variety of sour beers that we stock. And more specifically, the sour IPA has been a hit in the last few months. It seems more and more brewers are giving the style their own spin. One of our favorites is Hermit Thrush’s Green SIPA. It is hop forward with a tangy sour finish that you can’t quite put your finger on. One thing is for sure, you’ll need another sip. Earlier this year the brewers at Hermit Thrush teamed up with the IPA experts at Frost Beer Works, creating a sour IPA with Frost’s flagship beer, Lush. Customers were asking for it long after the limited batch was gone. Sour IPAs are only the tip of the iceberg. It has been exciting seeing all of the creativity in the craft scene the past year— stouts aged in everything under the sun or infused with your favorite breakfast cereal, sours that leave you with a spicy finish, and ciders dry-hopped and fruited. ANY OUT OF STATE CUSTOMER STORIES? HA! So many. We had a couple guys from Massachusetts come in this past March who stepped in the door, said, “Oh, my God!” and “Holy *%&$,” then whipped out their phones to video the whole store for their beer-loving friends! We also have a customer from New Hampshire who seems to have as much cooler space in his house as we do in the store and he frequently visits us to restock. And a wonderful couple came in from Germany this winter and told us that they need a beer store like this in Germany, which was high praise! www.BrewViewVT.com

Our location in Stowe means we cater to a lot of tourists. We have a fun feature on the wall in our bar, filled with some of the rather comical things our visitors ask for. Some of my favorites include “Heady Popper” or “Heady Potter” from folks looking for Heady Topper, or “Fiddlesticks” from someone looking for Fiddlehead’s IPA. All are common requests and we are happy to help! WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND TO SOMEONE WHO HAS NEVER TRIED A CRAFT BEER OR CIDER? What did your mother say? Try it, you might like it! We have lots of customers who come in having never had a craft beer or who tell us they are typically Bud Light drinkers. Chances are, we’ll find something for you to enjoy. Our staff is great with helping customers narrow down options and find something right for them with just a few simple questions. One of the great things about our store is you can buy anything as a single. You can mix and match, and buy in any quantity. This means our customers can try something without having to commit to a four-pack. We often have customers who will buy an entire case of singles, which we think is awesome!

BREWVIEW Vermont 2020 Issue 2

Why drop cash on something you’re not sure about? We love being able to discuss different options with customers and really appreciate those who are willing to leave their comfort zone and give something new a try. In addition, we have representatives from different breweries in the store offering tastings and samples almost every weekend (in normal times). And, we try to rotate our bar menu frequently so that we are offering up a variety of new products for folks to try and enjoy. TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR STORE. HISTORY, UNIQUENESS, ANY SPECIAL PROGRAMS YOU DO, PRODUCTS YOU OFFER, ETC. Our retail store and bar are located in a fantastic spot right on Main Street in Stowe. The building is an unassuming, cozy little spot, set back from the street in a historic building (circa 1930). The retail store was formerly a barbershop and the space that is now the bar was a residence. In fact, the building maintains so much of its original charm that a lot of people (even longtime locals) don’t even know that we’re here. Which is a little bit of a problem. But we are making headway with that and wouldn’t trade our quaint locale for anything!

S P OT L I G H T O N C R A FT S E L L E R S

The Willey’s Store

WITH ROB W. HURST WE CAN SEE YOUR SELECTION IS IMPRESSIVE AND COVERS WINES, CIDERS, AND BEERS. WHEN DID WILLEY’S START FOCUSING ON WHAT TO CARRY TO SATISFY CUSTOMER DEMANDS? We do our best to focus on local/ Vermont products whenever possible and that has allowed us to pick up on

trends and carry what our customers are looking for. We have always done this for as long as I can remember and it has served us and the community well. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE UNIQUE THINGS YOU CARRY THAT PEOPLE COME TO YOU TO LOOK FOR? Our unique items are items that people have asked for in the past and we were more than happy to get for them. Most

cases we couldn’t just buy one so we would get a case and now the remainder of that case sits in a dusty corner until

WILLEY'S STORE, INC. 7 Breezy Avenue Greensboro, VT (802) 533-2621 www.facebook.com/pg/willeys.store

www.BrewViewVT.com

BREWVIEW Vermont 2020 Issue 2

asked for or found by an intrepid customer. The one thing that we do sell a lot of that I would consider unique is flower sack towels. THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS GOING ON RIGHT NOW. WHAT ARE YOU SEEING COMING THROUGH THE DOOR OR BY CUSTOMER REQUEST THAT’S TRENDING RIGHT NOW? Beer of course is the big thing right now followed by cider and then wine. Our proximity to world class businesses and a huge tourism base make us a prime location for new products to get seen and tried. If it wasn’t for the current pandemic, we would be in the middle of our summer tasting series. I’M SURE YOU’VE SEEN YOUR SHARE OF PEOPLE STOCKING UP ON THEIR WAY IN OR OUT OF VERMONT. ANY PARTICULAR INSTANCE THAT STANDS OUT? Just the other day we got in a new shipment of Freak Folk beer and before we could really get it up and on display, with a buying limit, three cases sold. WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND TO SOMEONE WHO HAS NEVER TRIED A CRAFT BEER OR CIDER? We asked ourselves that question a few years ago and we came up with our summer tasting series. We select new brewers, vineyards, and wineries (or new products from existing companies) and do a public tasting so that people can try it and make that determination on their own. We have our own tastes and if people ask, we will tell them what we like but letting them try and make their own decision is best. Usually we will pair it with some local foods so it is a total experience not just a tasting. TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT THE STORE. HISTORY, UNIQUENESS, ANY SPECIAL PROGRAMS YOU DO, PRODUCTS YOU OFFER, ETC. The store has been a family-owned business for 120 years, handed down from generation to generation. I am generation five. Over the years many products that people recognize as household names started out as starters on our shelves and while they may have moved onto national or international standing, we have stayed right here fostering the next upcoming products. We haven’t changed that much over the years. We work with the local farmers to keep the farms going, repair windows and screens for the camps around the lake, and stay the place to visit old friends, meet new ones, and keep up on the news. www.BrewViewVT.com

S P OT L I G H T O N C R A FT S E L L E R S

Map of your local craft sellers Newport

St. Albans

100

Greensboro

Burlington

St. Johnsbury

Stowe

Montpelier 2

Middlebury 100

Woodstock

White River Jct.

4 7 91

6 Manchester 7

Bellows Falls

100

30 9

Bennington

5 Brattleboro 91

BREWVIEW Vermont 2020 Issue 2

1. Winooski, The Beverage Warehouse 2. Stowe, Stowe Public House 3. White River Junction, The Crowler Pit at Big Fatty's BBQ 4. Woodstock, Woodstock Hops and Barley 5. Brattleboro, Brattleboro Food Coop 6. Rawsonville, Meulemans' Craft Draughts 7. Greensboro, Willeyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s General Store

BREWVIEWERS

WITH ALL THAT’S GOING ON, WHAT ACTIVITIES DO YOU PLAN ON DOING THIS SUMMER?

SURVEY SAYS!

Here are some of the highlights...

Mountain biking, hiking, visiting breweries Hanging out with family and friends Time at the lake and dog parks Going to VBA’s Drive Thru ExBEERience on Saturday. Hope breweries and restaurants open up soon so we can visit once again.

Have you discovered any good craft finds lately? Ciders? A cocktail from a local distillery? Bent Hill Brewery was my “pandemic find.” Love finding a good saison/ farmhouse option in a sea of IPAs here Simple Roots Slice of Paradise, Four Quarters Brewgrass and Flood of Sunshine

What’s a go-to summer evening like? Out late doing chores or riding my horse, then inside to make dinner and have drinks with my husband around 8pm Time outside with my pup Barbecue, beers, campfire Sitting around a campfire with friends in the backyard, enjoying a couple drinks Worthy Burger Grilling on the back deck with a tasty, hazy IPA

Any good stories for us to jump on? A profile of someone in the industry? A new place you’ve discovered? Whatever comes to mind. More info on gluten-free choices I have heard Kickback Brewery has moved to a newer location and had plans to expand to a 7BBL brewhouse with large outdoor drinking area. Hogback Mountain Brewing in Bristol, VT. The first (and possibly still only) female head brewer and owner!

Have a doggo?

Any suggestions on a good hike with them? I have 2 doggos… but no hiking suggestions Red Rock The dirt roads around our home

What are some great pairings you’ve discovered with a local craft product? Any cooking with brews, then keeping a cold one on the side for me to enjoy Simple Roots Slice of Paradise with pizza Anything on the menu at Worthy Burger with one of the selections they offer from their taps

What’s the coolest label you’ve come across from one of our local breweries? Northern Heights from Ten Bends Beer MOMsplaining from Hogback Mountain Brewing

WANT TO JOIN THE CONVERSATION? Take the BrewView survey. Let us know what YOU think about what's new, whats good, and what goes with it! Go to www.brewviewvt.com.

www.BrewViewVT.com

I N T E R E S T I N G F I N DS BY NOAH DETZER

BREWVIEW Vermont 2020 Issue 2

Whetstone Station Brewery Taking advantage of a forced pause to emerge stronger hetstone Station Brewery and Restaurant is a prominent feature of the Brattleboro beer scene. Opened in 2012 in a former café overlooking the Connecticut River, Whetstone was the brainchild of two hospitality professionals putting their heads together over a couple pints. Owner Tim Brady shared the surprising story of Whetstone’s inception. “We moved to Vermont in late 2006, abandoning our corporate jobs to open a small beer-centric B&B. The property we found needed a little love, for sure,

WHETSTONE STATION RESTAURANT AND BREWERY 36 Bridge Street Brattleboro, VT (802) 490-2354 www.whetstonestation.com

www.BrewViewVT.com

but it was a beautiful, big, brick, French provincial house.” Tim said that he and his wife were able to turn the house into a “hip, boutique inn” pretty quickly, and added beer selections as soon as possible. It wasn’t just the beer, though—it was the experience. Tim shared that as they began “hosting ‘Meet the Brewer’ weekends, friends in the industry came up. "We hosted folks from Victory, Lawson's Finest, and Dogfish Head, among others. We did that for several years and we were gradually becoming more popular.” That’s when the restaurant component came in. Tim was having beers with David Hiler, a friend, at Harpoon Brewery in Windsor. As they were sitting at the bar,

BREWVIEW Vermont 2020 Issue 2

they began talking about an abandoned restaurant they’d seen in town. “I asked David if there was any chance that he’d want to open a restaurant. He paused for a second, and said, ‘Yeah! I’d do that!’” It wasn’t a tough sell—David was a consultant who traveled three weeks every month. With a family in Brattleboro and a deep knowledge of the town, the decision to start the local restaurant took basically no time at all. The meeting at Harpoon had happened on a Friday afternoon, and by Monday, Tim and David went down to the old restaurant and were looking to secure the property and start to renovate. Growth was limited at first, but

slowly, everything came together. The most popular beer is—not surprisingly—the Whetstoner. It’s their flagship beer and it remains Tim’s favorite to this day. “It’s a 4.5 percent New England-style Session IPA. In 2012, the fact that we had an unfiltered 4.5 percent beer was unique—it was hoppy and crushable, which people really took to.” Recently, Tim celebrated a new milestone—Mount Snow pushing to have Whetstoner on the mountain. “Our distributor said that we absolutely had to do this, and we sent over a ton of beer.” Tim said the Whetstone team was “super flattered” that a brand as big as Mount Snow would be interested.

Unfortunately, just two weeks after the deal with Mount Snow had been finalized, the novel coronavirus hit the United States, and Vermont restaurants and businesses were ordered to be shut down. Whetstone has adapted by necessity. “We’re doing crowlers at the restaurant, and beer and food to go.” Still, the change hasn’t been without

difficulties. “We’ve had to furlough seventy employees because our physical locations aren’t open. We have been able to maintain physical staff and do enough business curbside and to-go to pay the bills and the people that we have.” Tim is going to try to make the most of the closure, and work to expand in several ways. “Right now, we’re www.BrewViewVT.com

taking the plunge into packaging, we’ve ordered a canning line, and look forward to being able to diversify our output. This pause has been another one of those moments for us—we’re taking time to reinvent the menu and

our model, changing our sit-down table service restaurant into a more taproom-style environment with counter service dining.” Tim summed it up best. “We’re really looking at how we can come out of this

ESTB

stronger, better, and better able to serve our audience. This is an opportunity to really reinvent how can we come back and make an experience for when people are ready to come out again that’s exciting and unique.” U

2015

SPACIOUS OUTDOOR PATIO . BIERGARTEN & FAMILY FRIENDLY DINING LUNCH & DINNER 11:30 DAILY • 1859 MOUNTAIN ROAD STOWE, VERMONT • IDLETYMEBREWING.COM • (802) 253–4765

BREWVIEW Vermont 2020 Issue 2

I N T E R E S T I N G F I N DS

TEN BENDS BEER

BY BART BEESON

UNIQUE BUT ACCESSIBLE: SMALL-BATCH CRAFT ALES

nyone who has the chance to chat with the owners of Ten Bends Beer in Hyde Park, Vermont, will quickly recognize the passion Mike Scarlata and Jason Powell bring to their brewing efforts. As Mike puts it, “Our number one goal is to

BREWVIEW Vermont 2020 Issue 2

create unique small-batch craft ales and make them accessible not only to our local audience but to craft beer lovers throughout our region.” And where, exactly, is that local audience? The “ten bends” in the company name refer to the ten bends in the

Lamoille River between Morrisville and Johnson. According to Mike, “We wanted something that pointed to where we were and our locale, and where our roots started.”

FROM WORKSHOP HOBBY TO REGIONAL BRAND Mike and partner Jason Powell have come a long way since they first started brewing in Jason’s workshop in

Johnson in 2012. At the time, neither had experience in running a brewery—Mike comes from a finance background, and Powell is a graphic designer. “We were both just into craft beer, and started home brewing together,” says Mike. After entering a homebrew competition and placing first one year and second the next, the two friends decided to take the next step. “We thought we were making good beer, but apparently everyone else did

as well, so we decided to give it a go as a professional operation.” From that idea, Mike and Jason have developed Ten Bends into a statewide and now northeast regional brand. “We went from home brewing, to a onebarrel operation, to a three-barrel, and now a seven-barrel,” Mike says. It took roughly a year from the time they registered the business until they could open the brewery. During that

TEN BENDS BEER 590 East Main Street Hyde Park, VT tenbendsbeer.com

www.BrewViewVT.com

year, they worked on perfecting their recipes and growing their beer portfolio. The aim was to be able to open the brewery with a solid lineup of beers. “You’re making sure that you’re able to develop your beer into something that you consider to be top notch and that you can be super proud of, and getting to that point is a process that doesn’t happen overnight—there’s a lot of trial and error,” he says. As far as their brewing focus, Mike says, “We’ve always gravitated to New England IPAs and we branch out from there. But our main focus is New England style IPA—hazy and juicy beer—and aside from that we make everything from stouts to kettle sours and everything in between.”

FRIDAY FILL At Ten Bends, there is value placed on contributing to the community. In April, they organized a fundraiser for organizations providing relief for those affected by COVID-19. Dubbed “Friday Fill,” the event was a live Instagram feed where Mike and Jason discussed their beer and featured a local musician. The four-week series raised more than one thousand dollars. Mike says, “It was fun for us and it also helped raise money for a good cause.”

GROWING INTO THE FUTURE The brewery at Hyde Park boasts a welcoming tasting room that is a popular destination for brewery tours in Vermont. At this writing, the tasting room is closed due to COVID-19. For the time being, Ten Bends offers online

BREWVIEW Vermont 2020 Issue 2

ordering for pick up. The partners recently acquired more space in their building, which they plan to build out as a tasting room and retail space. Earlier this year, they started distributing their beer to Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, and Maine, and foresee adding a couple more states in the future. For now, the two partners maintain they will continue to be active in the local community and keep striving to deliver the best product for their customers. “Even today, we’re never satisfied with one beer,” says Mike. “We always want to keep making it better and I think that’s a good way to come at the project—if you’re satisfied with it, you’re not improving it.” U www.BrewViewVT.com

BREW

Who, what, where . . . we know why!

PHOTOS COURTESY OF WETSTONE STATION BREWERY

FINDS

NAME

CITY

WEBSITE

OPEN

PETS

SERVES FOOD

LIVE MUSIC

Madison Brewing

Bennington

madisonbrewingco.com

7 Days

Check website

Northshire Brewery

Bennington

northshirebrewery.com

Thu–Sat

Events only

Bent Hill Brewery

Braintree

benthillbrewery.com

Thu–Sun

Events only

Foley Brothers Brewing Company

Brandon

foleybrothersbrewing.com

Wed–Sun

Events only

Red Clover Ale

Brandon

redcloverale.com

Thu–Sun

Check website

Hermit Thrush Brewery

Brattleboro

hermitthrushbrewery.com

Check website

Events only

McNeill’s Pub and Brewery

Brattleboro

facebook.com/McNeill Brewery

7 Days

Check website

Whetstone Station

Brattleboro

whetstonestation.com

7 Days

Check website

Long Trail Brewing

Bridgewater Common

longtrail.com

7 Days

Check website

Bobcat Brewery and Café

Bristol

thebobcatcafe.com

7 Days

Events only

Hogback Mountain Brewing

Bristol

hogbackbrew.com

Check website

Foam Brewers

Burlington

foambrewers.com

7 Days

Outdoor areas

Check website

House of Fermentology

Burlington

houseoffermentology.com

Check website

Events only

Queen City Brewery

Burlington

queencitybrewery.net

Tue–Sun

Check website

Events only

Simple Roots Brewing

Burlington

simplerootsbrewing.com

Wed–Sun

Events only

Switchback Brewery

Burlington

switchbackvt.com

7 Days

Snacks

Check website

The Vermont Pub and Brewery

Burlington

vermontbrewery.com

7 Days

Patio only

Check website

Zero Gravity Craft Brewery

Burlington

zerogravitybeer.com

7 Days

Outdoor areas

Events only

Red Barn Brewery

Danville

redbarnbrewingvt.com

Fri–Sat

Outdoor areas

Events only

BREWERIES

BREWVIEW Vermont 2020 Issue 2

BREW

FINDS NAME

CITY

WEBSITE

OPEN

PETS

SERVES FOOD

LIVE MUSIC

1st Republic Brewing

Essex Junction

1strepublicbrewingco.com

Tue–Sun

Check website

Events only

Black Flannel Brewing & Distilling Company

Essex Junction

blackflannel.com

Opening soon

Check website

Hill Farmstead Brewery

Greensboro

hillfarmstead.com

Wed–Sat

Events only

Frost Beer Works

Hinesburg

frostbeerworks.com

Fri–Sun

Events only

Ten Bends Beer

Hyde Park

tenbendsbeer.com

Fri–Sun

Check website

Events only

J’Ville Brewery

Jacksonville/ West Dover

jvillebrewery.com

Wed–Sun

Check website

Events only

Red Leaf Gluten Free Brewing

Jeffersonville

facebook.com/redleafgf

Fri–Sun

Check website

Killington Beer Company

Killington

facebook.com/killington beer

Check website

Beer Naked Brewery

Marlboro

facebook.com/BNBrewery

Thu–Sun

Events only

Drop-In Brewing Company

Middlebury

dropinbrewing.com

7 Days (Summer)

Events only

Otter Creek Brewery

Middlebury

ottercreekbrewing.com

7 Days

Outdoor areas

Check website

Lost Nation Brewery

Morrisville

lostnationbrewing.com

Wed–Sun

Outdoor areas

Check website

www.BrewViewVT.com

BREW

PHOTOS COURTESY OF COLD HOLLOW CIDER MILL

FINDS

NAME

CITY

WEBSITE

OPEN

PETS

SERVES FOOD

LIVE MUSIC

Rock Art Brewery

Morrisville

rockartbrewery.com

Mon–Sat

Check website

Events only

Kingdom Brewing

Newport

kingdombrewingvt.com

Thu–Sat

Outdoor areas

Weekly

Good Measure Brewing Company

Northfield

goodmeasurebrewing.com

Wed–Sun

Snacks

Events only

Norwich Inn

Norwich

norwichinn.com

7 Days

Events only

Stone Corral Brewery

Richmond

stonecorral.com

Tue–Sun

Check website

Rutland Beer Works

Rutland

facebook.com/rutland beerworks

Wed–Sat

Check website

Events only

14th Star Brewing Company

Saint Albans

14thstarbrewing.com

Tue–Sun

Check website

Mill River Brewing

Saint Albans

millriverbrewing.com

Wed–Sat

Check website

Saint J Brewery

Saint Johnsbury

saintjbrewery.com

Wed–Sun

Events only

Fiddlehead Brewing Company

Shelburne

fiddleheadbrewing.com

7 Days

Check website

Brewster River Pub and Brewery

Smugglers’ Notch

brewsterriverpubnbrewery .com

7 Days

Check website

Halyard Brewing Company

South Burlington

halyardbrewing.us

Thu–Sun

Snacks

Events only

Weird Window Brewing

South Burlington

weirdwindowbrewing.com

Check website

Upper Pass Beer Company

South Royalton (tasting room)

upperpassbeer.com

Tue, Fri, Sat, Sun

Check website

Trout River Brewing Company

Springfield

troutriverbrewing.com

Thu–Sun

Check website

Events only

Alchemist Brewery

Stowe

alchemistbeer.com

Tue–Sat

Events only

Idletyme Brewing Company

Stowe

idletymebrewing.com

7 Days

Check website

Brocklebank Craft Brewing

Tunbridge

brocklebankvt.com

Fri–Sat

Check website

BREWVIEW Vermont 2020 Issue 2

BREW

FINDS NAME

CITY

WEBSITE

OPEN

PETS

SERVES FOOD

LIVE MUSIC

Hired Hand Brewing

Vergennes

hiredhandbrewing.com

Wed–Sun

Events only

Cousins Brewing

Waitsfield

facebook.com /cousinsbrewing

Check website

Events only

Lawson’s Finest Liquids

Waitsfield

lawsonsfinest.com

7 Days

Check website

Prohibition Pig

Waterbury

prohibitionpig.com

7 Days

Events only

Next Trick Brewing

West Burke

nexttrickbrewing.com

Fri–Sun

Check website

Events only

Kickback Brewery

Westford

kickbackbrewery.com

Check website

Backacre Beermakers

Weston

backacrebeermakers.com

N/A

River Roost Brewery

White River Jct.

riverroostbrewery.com

Thu–Sun

Check website

Events only

Burlington Beer Company

Williston

burlingtonbeercompany.com

7 Days

Check website

Goodwater Brewery

Williston

goodwaterbreweryvt.com

Wed–Sun

Check website

Harpoon Brewery Riverbend Taps

Windsor

harpoonbrewery.com /breweries/windsor

7 Days

Common areas

Check website

Four Quarters Brewing

Winooski

fourquartersbrewing.com

Thu–Sun

Check website

Events only

Old Route Two Spirits

Barre

oldroutetwo.com

Tours by Appt

Saxtons River Distillery

Brattleboro

saxtonsriverdistillery.com

7 Days

Check website

Mad River Distillers

Burlington

madriverdistillers.com

7 Days

Events only

Hooker Mountain Farm and Distillery

Cabot

hookermountainfarm.com

See website

Events only

Boyden Valley Winery and Spirits

Cambridge

boydenvalley.com

7 Days

Outdoor areas

Apps

Check website

Black Flannel Brewing & Distilling Company

Essex Junction

blackflannel.com

Opening soon

Check website

Smugglers’ Notch Distillery

Jeffersonville Waterbury Burlington

Smugglersnotch distillery.com

See website

Events only

Appalachian Gap Distillery

Middlebury

appalachiangap.com

7 Days

Events only

Stonecutter Spirits

Middlebury/ Burlington

stonecutterspirits.com

See website

Events only

Caledonia Spirits

Montpelier

caledoniaspirits.com

7 Days

Check for food trucks

Events only

Green Mountain Distillery

Morrisville

greendistillers.com

Thu–Sun

Events only

Vermont Spirits Distillery

Quechee

vermontspirits.com

7 Days

Events only

DISTILLERIES

www.BrewViewVT.com

BREW

PHOTOS COURTESY OF FOAM FREWERS

FINDS

NAME

CITY

WEBSITE

OPEN

PETS

SERVES FOOD

LIVE MUSIC

St. Johnsbury Distillery

Saint Johnsbury

stjdistillery.com

Thu–Fri

Events only

Wild Heart Distillery

Shelburne

wildheartdistillery.com

Thu–Sat

Events only

WhistlePig

Waterbury Middlebury

whistlepigwhiskey.com

See website

Events only

Vermont Distillers

West Marlboro, Burlington

vermontdistillers.com

7 Days

Events only

Silo Distillery

Windsor

silodistillery.com

7 Days

Events only

VINEYARDS/WINERIES Fable Farm

Barnard

Fablefarmfermentory.com

Saturday

Ask first

Events only

Neshobe River Winery

Brandon

neshoberiverwinery.com

Wed–Sun

Check website

Events only

BREWVIEW Vermont 2020 Issue 2

BREW

FINDS NAME

CITY

WEBSITE

OPEN

PETS

SERVES FOOD

LIVE MUSIC

Boyden Valley Winery and Spirits

Cambridge

boydenvalley.com

7 Days

Outdoor areas

Apps

Check website

Charlotte Village Winery

Charlotte

charlottevillagewinery.com

7 Days

Check website

Hillis Sugarbush Farm and Winery

Colchester

hillisfarm.com

Sat

Outdoor areas

Check website

Honora Winery and Vineyard

Jacksonville

honorawinery.com

Wed–Sun

Check website

Events only

North Branch Vineyards

Montpelier

northbranchvineyards.com

Thu–Sun

Check website

Events only

Lincoln Peak Winery

New Haven

lincolnpeakvineyard.com

Wed–Sun

Outdoor areas

Snacks

Events only

Whaleback Winery

Poultney

whalebackvineyard.com

Wed–Sun

Check website

Events only

Putney Mountain Winery

Putney

putneywine.com

7 Days

Check website

Events only

Shelburne Vineyard

Shelburne

shelburnevineyard.com

7 Days

Outdoor areas

Check website

Snow Farm Vineyard and Winery

South Hero

snowfarm.com

7 Days

Outdoor areas

Check website

Fresh Tracks Winery

West Berlin

freshtracks.com

Wed–Sun

Check website

Fable Farm Fermentory

Barnard

fablefarmfermentory.com

Saturdays

Ask first

Events only

Citizen Cider

Burlington

citizencider.com

7 Days

Events only

Windfall Orchard

Cornwall

windfallorchardtvt.com

Sat–Sun

Outdoor areas

Events only

Chapin Orchard

Essex Junction

chapinorchard.com

Check website

Events only

Hall Home Place

Isle La Motte

hallhomeplace.com

Fri–Sun

Events only

Woodchuck Cider

Middlebury

woodchuck.com

Wed–Sun

Outdoor areas

Snacks

Events only

Boyer’s Orchard

Monkton

boyersorchard.com

7 Days

Events only

Eden Specialty Ciders

Newport

edenciders.com

Check website

Events only

Champlain Orchards

Shoreham

champlainorchards.com

7 Days

Events only

Stowe Cider

Stowe

stowecider.com

Mon, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun

On patio

Saturdays 4–7

Shacksbury Cider

Vergennes

shacksbury.com

Wed–Sun

Events only

Flag Hill Farm

Vershire

flaghillfarm.com

By schedule only

Events only

Tin Hat Cider

Waitsfield

tinhatcider.com

Mad River Taste Place

HARD CIDER

www.BrewViewVT.com

WHAT'S HAPPENING

Culture and Craft Bring Community Together at THE ESSEX EXPERIENCE Who says social distancing can’t be fun?

The Essex Experience, a “community-based hub” that brings together opportunities for local music, art, dining, and shopping, has created special programming for summer 2020. This summer’s offerings take into account the up-to-date guidelines for gatherings during the phased reopening of businesses in Vermont. Enjoy outdoor activities ranging from a drive-in movie theater to food truck meetups, live music, and games on brand new bocce ball courts. The Essex Experience will be unveiling its new 40-foot outdoor screen, with state-of-the-art projection, in late June. Sound will be available on your FM radio and from new ground speakers. You can bring a blanket and chairs and grab a seat on the green, or rent a “private island” and sit at one of the outdoor dining areas at The Mad Taco, The Double E, Suko

BREWVIEW Vermont 2019 Issue 2

WHAT'S HAPPENING

THE ESSEX EXPERIENCE 21 Essex Way Essex, VT (802) 878-4200 www.essexexperience.com

Thai, or the new Black Flannel Brewery and Distillery, opening July 1st. You can even reserve a parking space and stay in your car! The Essex Experience is also bringing back Trucks, Taps, and Tunes for another summer of concerts and food truck enjoyment. The Double E

Performance Center will be featuring a series of VIP indoor concerts that will be streamed live onto the outdoor screen and the Internet to support the incredibly talented Vermont musicians. The Essex Experience will be following all recommended safety guidelines to protect its guests, and programming will begin once the Governor says it’s safe to do so. Events will be offered every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday all summer long. Visit the website for information about upcoming events for all ages like classic car meetups, drive-in concerts, and more. Have a large yard you want to take advantage of? Get in touch with the organizers, Open Air Gatherings (Info@ OpenAirGatherings.com), to rent out a 25-foot movie screen, perfect for graduation and birthday parties or some socially distanced summer fun.

The Vermont Overland Gravel

BICYCLE RACE

The Vermont Overland gravel adventure bicycle race will proceed as planned this year. A grueling 44mile route with over 5,700 feet of climbing, the Vermont Overland has been challenging riders from near and far since 2014. Unlike the many other gravel bike races and rides that have had to cancel their 2020 events, race director Peter Vollers is committed to continuing with the Overland unless expressly banned. “I’m doing this because I feel in my soul we all need something to look forward to,” said Peter in a June 10 letter announcing his decision. www.vermontoverland.com

www.BrewViewVT.com

WHAT'S HAPPENING

Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic we are not providing our usual events listings at this time. See below for a list of venues and their contact information for when they return to normal operations.

AD INDEX SUMMER 2020

AroMed Essentials...........................................................................54 Beverage Warehouse.......................................................................51 Black Flannel Brewing & Distilling................................................34 Barr Hill Gin........................................................................................13 Cold Hollow Cider Mill.....................................................................12 Corina’s Switchy...............................................................................43 Edelweiss Mountain Deli................................................................23 Elevated State...................................................................................26 Fable Farm Fermentology................................................................51 Hired Hand ....................................................................................... 13 Idletyme Brewing Co...................................................................... 44 Landshapes........................................................................................23 LaValley Building Supply.................................................................51 Lawson’s Finest Liquids.................................. Outside Back Cover Meulemans' Craft Draughts..........................................................54 Midstate Dodge.................................................................................. 7 Northfield Savings Bank.................................... Inside Front Cover NurseGrown Organics....................................................................34 Outdoor Gear Exchange.................................................................27 Prohibition Pig..................................................................................... 2 Public House at Quechee Gorge...................................................43 Red Leaf Gluten-Free Brewing........................................................17 Shelburne Tap House...................................................................... 37 Stowe Insurance...............................................................................26 Stowe Public House..........................................................................21 Switchback Brewing Co.................................................................. 33 The Essex Resort & Spa.................................................................... 5 The Rez/The Bench/Tres Amigos . ................................................ 1 Vermont Brewers Association.......................................................59 Vermont Pub and Brewery.............................................................45 Whetstone Station ........................................................................ 27

BREWVIEW Vermont 2019 Issue 2

ARTSRIOT 400 Pine Street, Burlington www.artsriot.com CHURCH STREET MARKETPLACE Burlington www.churchstmarketplace.com FLYNN CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS 153 Main Street, Burlington www.flynncenter.org HIGHER GROUND 1214 Williston Road, South Burlington www.highergroundmusic.com KILLINGTON Killington Road, Killington www.killington.com LOST NATION THEATER 39 Main Street, Montpelier www.lostnationtheater.org MARTELL’S RED FOX 87 Edwards Road, Jeffersonville www.martellsredfox.com MOOG’S PLACE 97 Portland Street, Morrisville www.moogsplace.com MONTPELIER ALIVE 39 Main Street, Montpelier www.montpelieralive.org NECTAR'S 188 Main Street, Burlington www.livenectars.com SPRUCE PEAK PERFORMING ARTS CENTER 122 Hourglass Drive, Stowe www.sprucepeakarts.org STOWE ASSOCIATION 51 Main Street, Stowe www.gostowe.com VERMONT COMEDY CLUB 101 Main Street, Burlington www.vermontcomedyclub.com VERMONT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA 2 Church Street, Burlington www.vso.org

LOOK GOOD WHILE DRINKING VERMONT BEER Each purchase you make supports the mission of The Vermont Brewers Association. Founded in 1995 to promote and strengthen the culture of craft brewing in Vermont through marketing, education and advocacy for Vermont made beer.

W W W. V E R M O N T B R E W E R S . C O M / STO R E

BREW

KEY

BREWERIES

1. Kingdom Brewing..................................................Newport 2. Next Trick Brewing.............................................West Burke 3. Hill Farmstead Brewery....................................Greensboro 4. Ten Bends Beer................................................... Hyde Park 5. Brewster River Pub and Brewery.................... Jeffersonville 6. J’Ville Brewery.................................................. .Jacksonville 7. 14th Star Brewing Co.......................................Saint Albans 8. Mill River Brewing BBQ & Smokehouse.........Saint Albans 9. Kickback Brewery.................................................. Westford 10. Red Barn Brewing.................................................Danville 11. Foam Brewers....................................................Burlington 12. House of Fermentology....................................Burlington 13. Outer Limits Brewing....................................Proctorsville 14. Queen City Brewery..........................................Burlington 15. Simple Roots Brewing.......................................Burlington 16. Switchback Brewing..........................................Burlington 17. Vermont Pub and Brewery................................Burlington 18. Zero Gravity Craft Brewery................................Burlington 19. Halyard Brewing Company.................... South Burlington 20. Good Water Brewery...........................................Williston 21. Burlington Beer Company..................................Williston 22. Four Quarters Brewing......................................Winooski 23. 1st Republic Brewing Co........................... Essex Junction 24. Stone Corral Brewery........................................ Richmond 25. Frost Beer Works..............................................Hinesburg 26. Fiddlehead Brewing Company..........................Shelburne 27. Rock Art Brewery............................................ Morristown 28. Lost Nation Brewing........................................Morrisville 29. Alchemist Brewery................................................... Stowe 30. Idletyme Brewing Copmany.................................... Stowe 31. Red Leaf Gluten-Free Brewing..................... Jeffersonville 32. Saint J Brewery........................................ Saint Johnsbury 33. Prohibition Pig..................................................Waterbury 34. Bent Hill Brewery............................................... Braintree 35. Brocklebank Craft Brewing................................Tunbridge 36. Foley Brothers Brewing Company...................... Brandon 37. Cousins Brewing............................................... Waitsfield 38. Lawson’s Finest Liquids................................... Waitsfield 39. Good Measure Brewing Co...............................Northfield 40. Norwich Inn........................................................ Norwich 41. River Roost Brewery.........................White River Junction 42. Bobcat Brewery and Café........................................Bristol 43. Hogback Mountain Brewing...................................Bristol 44. Drop In Brewing Company............................ Middlebury 45. Otter Creek Brewing....................................... Middlebury 46. Killington Beer Company.................................. Killington 47. Rutland Beer Works.............................................. Rutland 48. Harpoon Brewery................................................ Windsor 49. Trout River Brewing Company.........................Springfield 50. Backacre Beermakers............................................Weston 51. Madison Brewing........................................... Bennington 52. Northshire Brewery......................................... Bennington 53. Beer Naked Brewery............................................Marlboro 54. Hermit Thrush Brewery...................................Brattleboro 55. McNeill’s Pub and Brewery..............................Brattleboro 56. Whetstone Station...........................................Brattleboro 57. Collaborative Brewing........................................ Waitsfield 58. Hired Hand Brewery......................................... Vergennes 59. Red Clover Ale...................................................... Brandon

BREWVIEW Vermont 2020 Issue 2

60. Long Trail Brewing...........................Bridgewater Corners 61. Upper Pass Beer Company....................... South Royalton 62. Weird Window Brewing......................... South Burlington 63. Freak Folk Bier .................................................Burlington 64. Black Flannel Brewing & Distilling Co..................... Essex

DISTILLERIES

1. Elm Brook Farm.............................................. East Fairfield 2. Smugglers’ Notch Distillery........................... Jeffersonville 3. Green Mountain Distillery................................ Morristown 4. Caledonia Spirits..................................................Hardwick 5. St. Johnsbury Distillery.............................. Saint Johnsbury 6. Wild Heart Distillery............................................Shelburne 7. Old Route Two Distillery..............................................Barre 8. Hooker Mountain Farm and Distillery...............Marshfield 9. Vermont Spirits Distillery...................White River Junction 10. Applachian Gap Distillery............................... Middlebury 11. Black Flannel Brewing & Distilling Co...................... Essex 12. WhistlePig......................................................... Shoreham 13. Silo Distillery......................................................... Windsor 14. Spirits of Old Bennington Distillery.... North Bennington 15. Vermont Distillers...............................................Marlboro 16. Saxtons River Distillery....................................Brattleboro 17. Mad River Distillery............................................ Waitsfield

WINERIES

1. Boyden Valley Winery......................................... Cambridge 2. Snow Farm Vineyard & Winery........................ South Hero 3. Hillis’ Sugarbush Farm & Vineyard....................Colchester 4. Shelburne Vineyard.............................................Shelburne 5. Charlotte Village Winery....................................... Charlotte 6. North Branch Vineyards.................................... Montpelier 7. Montpelier Vineyards........................................ Montpelier 8. Neddo Family Vineyards.............................................Barre 9. Fresh Tracks Winery....................................................Berlin 10. La Garagista Winery.................................................Bethel 11. Neshobe River Winery.......................................... Brandon 12. Lincoln Peak Vineyard..................................... New Haven 13. Whaleback Winery................................................ Poultney 14. Putney Mountain Winery........................................ Putney 15. Honora Winery & Vineyard............................. Jacksonville 16. Fable Farm Fermentory........................................ Barnard

CIDERIES

1. Eden Specialty Ciders............................................Newport 2. Stowe Cider................................................................ Stowe 3. Hall Home Place.............................................Isle La Motte 4. Citizen Cider.......................................................Burlington 5. Groennfell Meadery............................................Colchester 6. Chapin Orchard........................................... Essex Junction 7. Boyer’s Orchard and Cider Mill............................ Monkton 8. Shacksbury Cider................................................ Vergennes 9. Lawson’s Finest Liquids...........................................Warren 10. Flag Hill Farm.......................................................Vershire 11. Champlain Orchards......................................... Shoreham 12. Vermont Hard Cider........................................ Middlebury 13. Woodchuck Cider............................................ Middlebury 14. Windfall Orchard..................................................Cornwall 15. Mountain Cider Company..................... North Chittenden 16. Wood’s Cider Mill............................................ Springfield 17. Whetstone Ciderworks........................................Marlboro 18. Fable Farm Fermentory........................................ Barnard 19. Shelburne Orchards..........................................Shelburne

BREWVIEW TO GO

Everywhere you want to be at a glance Newport 3

16 20

12 17 21

14 18 22

57 37 38 17 42 43 12

12 13

Middlebury

Montpelier

25 24

St. Johnsbury 10

2 29 30

Stowe

19 4

Burlington

100

15 19

St. Albans

2 11

7 39

44 10 11

11 12

100

15 10

36 46

Rutland 13

Woodstock

Springfield

White River Jct.

Breweries Wineries

Cideries Manchester

Distilleries

100

14 51

Bennington

15 6

53 17

16 15

54 55 56

Brattleboro 91