BrewView Vermont - Winter 2021

2021 ISSUE 1

LAWSON’S FINEST LIQUIDS MAKES AN IMPACT

GET A GRIP

HOW TO SKI FIRM SNOW LIKE A PRO

WEIRD WINDOW

PANDEMIC WOES LEAD TO THE THRILL OF A NEW BUSINESS

POWDER DURING THE PANDEMIC

HOW SKI AREAS ARE ADAPTING

802 . 764 . 1413 THETAVERNVT.COM

FEATURING

Lawson’s Finest Liquids

10

INTERESTING FINDS

21 Four Quarters Brewing

BY BART BEESON

MAKES AN IMPACT

BY BART BEESON

14

Powder During the Pandemic Weird Window

36 The Birth of Vermont's Hut Network

BY VIRGINIA DEAN

Get a Grip

HOW TO SKI FIRM SNOW LIKE A PRO

BY LISA BALLARD

6 IN EVERY ISSUE

BY JENNIFER GOSS DUBY

28 The Boardroom Cafe

PANDEMIC WOES LEAD TO THE THRILL OF A NEW BUSINESS

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The Johnny Appleseed of Craft Brewing

HOW SKI AREAS ARE ADAPTING TO A DIFFERENT WINTER

BY LISA BALLARD

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50 55

BY BART BEESON

BY BART BEESON

40 Mt. Mansfield Creamery

BY BART BEESON

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Craft Beer and Cider Stores

Brew News

FUN STUFF WE’VE HEARD ABOUT

Brew Finds

LOCAL TASTINGS AND HOW TO FIND THEM

What’s Happening

EVENTS AND MUSIC COMING TO A PLACE NEAR YOU

To Go . . .

60 BrewView A COMPREHENSIVE MAP AND KEY OF WHERE TO FIND

Contents LOCAL BREWERIES, DISTILLERIES, WINERIES, AND CIDERIES

COVER PHOTO BY HAWKE SLEIGH COURTESY OF BLACK FLANNEL PHOTO THIS PAGE COURTESY OF HIRED HAND BREWING

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

Cheers to 2021 H

ey Everyone. We hope that things find you healthy and safe. No doubt a different winter. And all the while the craft scene in Vermont continues to forge ahead. All kinds of cool new releases, collaborations, and folks lending a hand to each other. Nice to see.

Checking out the issue, we’ll introduce you to Weird Window Brewing.

If you haven’t met Jack and Emily yet, you’ll see why you’re gonna want to.

Despite the pandemic, they’re forging ahead with canning, curbside, window delivery. Oh, and a really, really nice set of beers!

Stan from Mt. Mansfield Creamery shares his story, including the DL on a nice cheese made with a little help from Heady. Yes, that’s Heady Topper!

Since it’s winter and the need to get out is no greater, we run down some ski tips for you and what the areas are doing to keep us all on snow during the pandemic.

And you have to check out the story of Peter Austin. Tip of a cap to Jennifer Duby, our copy editor, for digging into this great story of Peter and Alan Pugsley and how their brewing designs can be found here in Vermont.

Be safe, get outside, BUY LOCAL! And carry on everyone.

Cheers,

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BREWVIEW Vermont 2021 Issue 1

ROBBIE ALTERIO

ADVERTISING DESIGN

ROBBYCAT DESIGN 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, ©2021. 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 21

Online Exclusives Planning Your Next Snowmobile Adventure

IS SU E

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INEST ON’S F LAWSIDS U IM PA C T LIQES AN M AK

A GRI FIIPRM GET TO SK O H O W LI KE A PR SN O W

Get tips from the best before you head out on your next snowmobile adventure…Learn more at www.bestofbrewview.com

DOW TO D WOIN LE AD ES S WEDIR W ES EW BU SI N EM IC N PA N OF A LL RI G TH E TH IN R U ER D POWDANDEMIC TI N G AD AP THE PI AR EA S AR E HOW

Cheers to Craft Cocktails!

After a fun-filled winter day on the slopes, enjoy these great winter cocktails from Caledonia Spirits.

Go to www.brewviewvt.com Cheers!!

Getting Out with Sunrise Mountain Guides

From easy to difficult, snowshoeing to cross country skiing, mountaineering to ice climbing, Sunrise Mountain Guides does it all and you can too.

Go to www.brewviewvt.com to learn more.

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BREWVIEW Vermont 2021 Issue 1

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Backyard Paradise

191 mitchell road, lowell Panoramic Green Mountain views from every room in this 3-bedroom, 2.5-bath home on 86 acres.

Large master bedroom suite with an all-glass walk-in shower and home office. Front rocking-chair porch and another deck the full length of the back to enjoy and spend time with family and friends.

Huge finished and heated room above the attached garage for almost anything (hobbies or crafts, game room, personal bar/brew space or develop into a large guest area). Laundry room and study on the main level and an unfinished daylight basement for even more space. 15 minutes from I-91 or 20 minutes from Jay Peak and the Canadian border. Lots of blueberry and blackberry bushes, beautiful trees, perennials and stonework plus a buried electronic dog fence already in place.

This home is just so refreshing an experience if you love the outdoors or are looking for a retreat! listed by dianne laplante | mlS 4833460 | $699,000 Stowe AreA reAlty Group At Kw Vermont-Stowe 1056 mountAin roAd, Suite 1, Stowe, Vt 05672 | 802.760.3100 | StoweAreAreAlty.com contAct diAnne lAplAnte | 802-323-2472 (cell) or lAplAnte@VtlinK.net

BREWNEWS NEW RELEASES WE’VE GOT OUR EYE ON

IDLETYME BREWING

Imperial Stout is aged for eight months in freshly dumped bourbon barrels provided by Smugglers’ Notch Distillery. It’s velvety smooth with malt, oak barrel, and bourbon notes enhanced by chocolate overtones and a backdrop of vanillin that gives way to subtle licorice notes in the finish. 9% ABV www.idletymebrewing.com

VERMONT BEER MAKERS

Apex 1: Mansfield This IPA is part of a new IPA series, Apex. The Apex series is an exploration of the New England IPA. The first edition, Mansfield, is hopped with Centennial, El Dorado, and Idaho 7, and brings floral aromas and tasting notes of orange and citrus fruit. www.vermontbeermakers.com

Karsten Premium Lager Unfiltered and 100% naturally carbonated. Lagered six weeks for the ultimate clean, crisp taste. 5.1% ABV, 25 IBU. Now available in 12oz 12-packs! www.switchbackvt.com

Cascade, Centennial, Chinook hops from Whitefield Hop Yard East Hardwick, VT

SWITCHBACK BREWING COMPANY

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BREWVIEW Vermont 2021 Issue 1

00401 11380 8

Fireside Red Ale is smooth, slightly sweet, with balanced hops, and very drinkable at 5% ABV. Heimdall Imperial Stout is silky, toffee, roasty, coffee, and delicious. A take on our Norse mythology creations. 8.5% ABV www.simplerootsbrewing.com

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SIMPLE ROOTS BREWING

WOODCHUCK HARD CIDER

Woodchuck 100 Variety Pack, which features four fruit-forward styles including Black Cherry, Cranberry Lime, Watermelon, and Citrus. These varieties have all the flavor of traditional cider, but with a light body and low calories. www.woodchuck.com

CITIZEN CIDER

VT Hop Harvest

11380

00401

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from Whitefield Hop Yard East Hardwick, VT

Tree Tapper Maple Cider Tree Tapper is fermented with Runamok Maple Syrup, red wine yeast, aged on untoasted oak, and infused with dark Belgian candi syrup to add rich and hearty characteristics reminiscent of the season and the good maple farmers at the sugarhouse. www.citizencider.com

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40 IBU | 6% ALC/VOL | 1 PINT

ROCK ART BREWERY

Vermont Hop Harvest brewing now! Vermont hops from Whitefield Hop Yard and Vermont malt from Peterson Quality Malt. Cascade, Centennial, Chinook hops, and hazy all-Vermont goodness. Comes in a 16 oz 4-pack and draft.

6% ABV, 40 IBU www.rockartbrewery.com

www.BrewViewVT.com

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BREWNEWS NEW RELEASES WE’VE GOT OUR EYE ON

STOWE CIDER WEIRD WINDOW BREWING

Urca’s Gold – Vanilla The original Urca’s Gold is deep and rich, much like the famed Spanish treasure galleon, the Urca de Lima.

This stout has notes of dark chocolate and coffee. Perfect for cool Vermont nights spent looking for your own treasure. We brewed this version of Urca’s Gold with vanilla beans, or black gold, giving it a sweet vanilla flavor. 6.5% ABV Rains of Cashmere Featuring a blend of Cashmere, Sultana, and Lotus hops, this New England IPA is bold and on the rise. This is a beer you will want to conquer again and again. 7.0% ABV www.weirdwindowbrewing.com

GROENNFELL MEADERY

Winter Warmer, a nod to ancient tradition, is a collaboration with Runamok Maple. Based on historic wassail with wild flower honey and maple syrup, bright blood orange, warm cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, and cloves. A portion of the sales of every bottle goes to a charity chosen by the employees of Runamok Maple and Groennfell Meadery. Bottled in white ceramic 750 ml swing top bottles. www.groennfell.com

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BREWVIEW Vermont 2021 Issue 1

When snowfall closes the Notch it’s a pretty good sign that it’s time for us to empty our barrels of Smugglers’ Reserve Bourbon Barrel Aged Cider! This year marks batch number 006 of this annual limited release.

Coming in at 8.5% ABV, this smooth, dry, bourbon barrel aged cider is inspired by the rich history of Smugglers’ Notch. www.stowecider.com

ZERO GRAVITY BREWERY

The Stars Above is a delightful double IPA featuring an all-star hop bill of Southern Cross, Amarillo, Galaxy, Comet, and Sabro. A tropical beer with notes of starfruit, melon, and papaya, it is smooth and light on the palate. www.zerogravitybeer.com

HOGBACK MOUNTAIN BREWING

Bartlett Plow Works is a seasonal, easy-drinking brown porter with a malty chocolate-like taste. Hogback Mountain Brewing is a nanobrewery embracing the concept of local supporting local. www.hogbackbrew.com

B ee r Love s C h e e s e !

MT. MANSFIELD CREAMERY Aw ard W i n n i n g Ch eese from Aw ard W i n n i n g Cow s

Handcrafted farmstead cheeses using recipes with European origins, aged in our own cheese caves to produce and develop unique flavors. www.mtmansfieldcreamery.com Member of American Cheese Society

@MtMansfieldCreamery

2020- 10 Mt Mansfield Creamery Brew Magazine Half Page Advertisement.indd 1

(802) 888-7866 @ vtcheeseman

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www.BrewViewVT.com

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BY B A RT B E E S O N

LAWSON'S

FINEST LIQUIDS MAKES AN IMPACT

T

o say that the owners of Lawson’s Finest Liquids have been busy in the last two years would be vast understatement. In 2018, Sean and Karen Lawson opened their new brewery, taproom, and retail store in Waitsfield, Vermont. The move allowed them to grow from a seven-barrel brewery to a 30-barrel brewery, while also providing for a dedicated space for people to come enjoy their beer. Sean relates that with their new home, they hoped to “find a place for our fans to gather to enjoy Lawson’s Finest at the source.” In addition, the couple have been extremely active with a wide variety of social impact programs. And they did all of this while

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continuing to brew some of Vermont’s best known and most sought-after beers.

WELCOMING TO ALL The two had put a lot of thought into what they wanted in the new taproom.

Primarily, says Sean, they wanted to finally have a home for Lawson’s Finest, because the business had operated out of a small brewery next to their house for the previous 10 years. They also wanted to make sure that the taproom, with its spacious timber-frame building and inviting outdoor beer garden, was welcoming to all. Says Karen, “On one side we have long Octoberfest style tables to allow for bigger parties or groups that end up chatting to

their neighbors, and then on the other side of the taproom is what we designed as more of a family space, where we have free arcade games, checkers, coloring books, board games and the fireplace.”

AN EMPLOYER OF CHOICE Sean and Karen saw the taproom as an opportunity to provide economic vitality to the Mad River Valley in several ways.

First, they wanted to be an employer of choice and provide living wage jobs with generous benefits, ultimately creating over 50 full-time and part-time jobs. Karen says, “We wanted to show how committed we are to wanting our employees to stay, and to see Lawson’s

Finest as a place they want to stay for a long time and not just a job. And it’s really awesome how many of our staff have stayed with us for the two years.”

In addition, they saw the taproom as an opportunity to create community vitality by drawing visitors to Waitsfield throughout the year, encouraging tourism in the valley during slower times

of the year where small businesses tend to struggle.

INITIATIVES GALORE Along with opening the new taproom, they have been working on a spate of social impact programs, and it’s clear they are just as proud of this work as they are of their beer. Instead of

leaving tips at the taproom, guests are encouraged to leave donations, 100 percent of which go to selected nonprofit organizations through their Sunshine Fund. They were quickly overwhelmed by the guests’ contributions. Says Karen, “The donations were so incredibly high, higher than we ever would have thought they would have been, we shifted from picking one beneficiary every 30 days to one every 15 days.” She adds that since the opening they’ve been able to provide over $500,000 worth of donations to 45 different organizations, focusing on organizations that work in the Mad River Valley and central Vermont, that provide food and economic security, or

LAWSON’S FINEST LIQUIDS 155 Carroll Road Waitsfield, VT (802) 496-4677 www.lawsonsfinest.com

www.BrewViewVT.com

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that promote sustainable recreation in the Green Mountains.

In yet another initiative, they created Good Brews for a Cause as a way to brew beer and support worthwhile causes. For example, they brewed a Black is Beautiful stout as part of a nationwide collection of brewers, in support of racial justice and police reform, and they released their Kingdom Trails IPA, which raised funds to help conserve several hundred acres for the Kingdom Trails mountain biking network.

As if those efforts weren’t enough, they have the Green is Grand Initiative, which Sean says is “our way at Lawson’s Finest of running our business to ensure that we have a healthy earth that we’re leaving for future generations.” One aspect of this was building their own state-of-the-art wastewater treatment facility for the new brewery, as there was no local municipal plant. They also covered the brewery in solar panels, and plan to add more, so that eventually they will produce 60 percent of their annual electrical consumption through solar energy.

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In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the couple adjusted some of their charitable activities. In April, they released a beer to benefit the Vermont Brewers Association and later released

another beer to benefit Frontline Foods, a Burlington organization that helped restaurants provide meals to healthcare workers during the pandemic. After shutting down their taproom in March,

they resumed service in their beer garden in May and opened a drive-through set up for customers to be able to pick up beer and merchandise through contactless delivery. For the upcoming winter months, they plan to continue with the drivethrough model, and are expanding the sandwich and grilled cheese options on their menu, and offering more soups and adding chili and mac and cheese.

BUT REALLY, IT’S ALL ABOUT THE BEER With all their different initiatives, it would be almost easy to forget that Lawson’s Finest is first and foremost a brewery, and Sean’s face lights up when he talks about their upcoming brewing projects. They have collaborated with the WhistlePig, Saxtons River, and Mad River distilleries to produce some barrel-aged beers, including a brown ale aged in whiskey barrels, and a maple imperial stout aged in sherry casks. They also have their first-time releases in cans of fan-favorite Steve’s Backyard Red Ale, as well as Big Hoppy, a 7.5% ABV black IPA. And they’re also continuing to produce house beers for their local ski resorts, Sugarbush and Mad River Glen, canning the two beers this year to make for easier to-go options. While fans may not be able to enjoy their beers in the taproom this winter, they can rest assured they’ll still be able to pick up their favorite beer there. Says Sean, “It’s important for us to co-create experiences and memories with our customers and to provide a space not just for our fans, but for our community.” U www.BrewViewVT.com

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BY LISA BALLARD

Powder During the Pandemic

T

How ski areas are adapting to a different winter

he pandemic abruptly shut down ski areas last March and still rages nationwide, raising the question, what is skiing and snowboarding like this winter? Luckily, snowsports are outdoors, so short of a return to a full lockdown, Vermont ski areas plan to give us a complete season on snow, but it’s not exactly what we’re used to. We can still arc

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turns on white corduroy, mash moguls, and play in the powder, but with a few COVID-related caveats.

LIFT TICKETS In general, ski areas are reducing the number of guests on a given day, up to 50 percent. The actual reduction varies, depending on a mountain’s ability to spread people out. Smaller ski areas

may need to turn people away on a busy day, so you should plan to arrive early to guarantee access to the snow.

Don’t bother going inside to buy a ticket. If the ticket windows are open, it’s only the outside ones.

Many ski areas, particularly the bigger ones which can attract thousands of skiers and snowboarders on a given day, require reservations in advance,

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which can be made online. Season’s passholders have priority. On the bright side, this reduced capacity means a full season on uncrowded slopes!

MASKS You should plan to wear a face mask, a neck gaiter, or similar face covering.

Nothing new about that. The difference is, you need to wear it both indoors and outdoors, except when you’re eating, drinking, or heading down the hill exerting yourself. On the bright side, most of us are used to face coverings while skiing and snowboarding, for protection from the cold and wind.

LIFTS Like masks, we’ve all gotten used to markers delineating six feet from the person ahead of us at the grocery store, post office, and any other place where people line up. Lift lines are no different.

Again, no sweat. Skiers have been social distancing in lift lines for 100 years. Six feet is about the distance between the tails of the skis in front of you and your ski tips, with a foot or so in between.

(Snowboarders should leave the length of a snowboard between each other.)

What’s new is the number of people allowed to get on a lift together. Obviously, social distancing on the single chair at Mad River Glen is no problem.

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Beyond single-person lifts, you should expect to load 50% fewer people on doubles, triples, quads, and six-packs, rounding down if you don’t know the other people. Singles lines have disappeared, and if it’s an enclosed lift, like a gondola or tram, you may have the cabin to yourself unless you’re skiing with people you live with. It’s a great winter to ski with your family if you want conversation on the lift ride up.

LESSONS Most ski areas now require a reservation for a lesson. Lessons may be shorter in duration, and you may need to take a health screening upon arrival. That said, it’s also an ideal winter to take a lesson. Group sizes are smaller at most ski areas, so you get more attention from your instructor.

IN THE LODGE Most ski area restaurants are open and following Vermont state guidelines for eating establishments. Seating throughout the lodge is more spread out and, if the cafeteria is open, most items are prepackaged or served to you.

If you want to pay with cash you may be out of luck, not just buying food and beverages, but most other purchases related to your day on the slopes. Ski areas are going cashless wherever possible. In addition, high-touch surfaces and bathrooms get cleaned more frequently, not to mention the daily disinfection of most mountain facilities. Hand sanitizer is as ubiquitous as garbage cans.

Another important detail related to day lodges is that fewer people will be allowed inside. “Plan to dress warm and boot up at the car,” advises the Smuggler’s Notch website. “You may want to practice walking in those ski boots!”

Despite these covid-caveats, Vermont ski areas remain a viable and enjoyable way to exercise outdoors during the pandemic. “Will you have fun? Yes,” writes Kevin Mack, General Manager of Burke Mountain in an open letter to the skiing community. “Will there be changes to how you interact with staff and your fellow skiers and riders? Yes. Are masks required? What about social distancing? Yes and yes, indoors and outdoors. If this surprises you, welcome to Planet Earth.

Pull up a chair, and let’s talk.”

Of course, pandemic policies at your favorite ski area could be different by the time you read this. Protocols are in constant flux based on infection rates, state and local guidelines, and how a mountain’s management reacts to it all. For the most current info on COVID-19 guidelines, contact the ski area or go to SkiVermont.com and click on the name of your favorite resort. U www.BrewViewVT.com

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BY V I R G I N I A D E A N

Pandemic woes lead to the thrill of a new business

H

istorians are certain that social tumult caused by world pandemics can lead to social change and not necessarily for the worse. After all, they say, the bubonic plague led to the Renaissance; the plague of Justinian led eventually to the rise of feudalism; and the Antonine plague that ravaged the Roman Empire triggered the rise of Christianity.

Perhaps no one knows this better on a microscopic level than Emily and Jack

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Droppa of South Burlington who—when the recent pandemic came to town and shut it down—spent quarantine readying their new business, Weird Window Brewing, so that they could open as soon as regulations relaxed.

including a selection of IPAs, pilsners, brown ales, red ales, and stouts.

Grateful for the time to explore their creative freedom, Jack and Emily were quick to express their delight at starting a new business during these dystopian times.

FRESH START IN DYSTOPIAN TIMES

ROUSING RESPONSE

And, sure enough, on July 18, 2020, its taproom was able to open its doors to the public with nine beers on tap,

“We were shocked at the response from the community,” said Jack. “Our seats were full the entire first weekend, and

we continued to have reservations for almost every seat in the following weekends.

Opening a business is never easy and opening in the midst of a pandemic makes it even harder. We have been fortunate to have support from the local community as well as local breweries as we navigate the challenges.”

Customers enjoyed the beers in particular, Jack related. One of the most popular was their Cersel’s Wildfire, a 6.5% jalapeño cream ale.

“That was one of the first beers we ran out of and brewed a second batch to keep up with the demand,” said Jack. “Once the weather starts to warm up, keep an eye out for it to make a comeback!”

A few other popular choices were Rains of Cashmere, a 7.0% New England IPA, All My Friends Are Hop Heads, an 8.0% New England double IPA, and We’ve Been Dancing, a 6.0% brown ale.

“It was a great feeling to have all the reservation slots filled almost every weekend, and great to see a lot of returning (masked) faces enjoying our beers,” said Jack. “The beer community here in Vermont is amazing. From the customers to the other brewery owners, everyone wants to see everyone else succeed.”

MAKING A TOUGH DECISION But success came at a price with the raging pandemic swirling around the state—and country—and so the Droppas have had to continually adapt and improvise their plans to create a safe, yet welcoming, environment.

So, on November 13, the Droppas made the tough decision to close the taproom to in-person service and begin offering contactless curbside pickup for growler fills and merch.

“This wasn’t an easy decision,” said Jack, “but it was what we determined to be the safest course of action for Emily and I as well as our customers and community.”

Once things have calmed down, the Droppas plan to re-open the taproom and outside space to in-person service.

“Seeing customers and interacting with them about the beers was a highlight for us,” said Jack. “In the meantime, we have accelerated our original timeline for cans,

WEIRD WINDOW BREWING 82 Ethan Allen Drive Suite A South Burlington, VT (802) 489-5279 www.weirdwindowbrewing.com

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and will have two styles available in cans in mid-December.

We hope also to offer more varieties of beer in cans in the coming months.”

GREEN MOUNTAIN HOME Jack has spent the last ten years brewing all over the country. His and Emily’s love of Vermont local community and culture is reflected in their beers and their name, Weird Window, which refers to the slanted windows unique to the Green Mountain state. The windows—whether called weird, crooked, coffin, Vermont, or witch—are commonly found on old farmhouses in rural Vermont. Jack and Emily thought weird would be perfect for their new business because of the strong connection to Vermont.

The pièce de résistance is the witch window in the taproom looking out onto the production space. Customers might notice other namesake panes incorporated into the décor as well, like the weird window acting as the mirror behind the bar.

To have a community that they both like and a brewery environment of so many craft breweries are some of the reasons the Droppas ended up staying here and opening their business.

“The quality is so high, so it’s a cool community to be a part of,” Jack said. U

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

Four Quarters Brewing

I

t was 2014, and Brian Eckert of Four Quarters Brewing had a decision to make. Not satisfied with his graphic designer job, he had narrowed his career choices down to two of his passions: beekeeping and brewing. As luck would have it, the decision came down largely to a physical space. Says Brian, “A place in Winooski popped up and it was the perfect spot that just matched the vision I had for a tasting room.” And with that,

Makes a Move

Four Quarters was born. Fast forward six years and Four Quarters has grown significantly, and is expanding even more with the recent opening of their new brewery, retail space, and taproom on Winooski’s Main Street.

Brian, a long-time homebrewer, got involved with the homebrew club The Green Mountain Mashers after moving to Vermont in 2007. Through the club he attended various competitions and quick-

ly became obsessed. “It was such a cool, creative outlet and I wanted to do more of it,” he says. After finding that initial location on Winooski’s Canal Street, he pitched the idea to the landlord and city officials, and before he knew it, he was opening the four-barrel brewery in March of 2014. As the sole employee, Brian says the first few years were a labor of love, which he got through with the help of many friends. He made the jump to fullwww.BrewViewVT.com

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time in 2015, and then two years later he was joined by two partners. Together they started putting some money into the brewery, scaling it up to a size that would be more profitable, and expanding their space into the next-door suite.

IPA BY DEMAND At first, Brian focused on Belgian beers, sours and stouts. He says he wasn’t brewing IPAs, as he found that some of those he tried lacked a solid base, covered up by an overdose of hops.

“For me, the foundation is brewing solid classic-based beers, because adding a bunch of stuff to them, none of that means anything unless the base is good and credible,” he says. But, as so many people came to the taproom asking if they had an IPA, after some experimentation, he came up with one he was proud of and they released their flagship IPA, Phaze, and now offer a variety of IPAs and double IPAs.

BUT EXPERIMENTAL IS WHERE IT'S AT In addition to their IPAs, sours, and stouts, Four Quarters has become known for some of their experimental beers, which Brian says provides them with a great creative outlet. One example is Pickle Juice, a sour ale conditioned on honey-

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dew, cucumber, and fresh dill. They also have their Tomato Basil Fleur de Lis, a tart saison for which Brian says the roasted tomatoes provide some sweetness, while the fresh basil adds great aromatics. Another successful experiment that’s proven popular with fans are their beer slushies.

Brian relates that for the 2019 Vermont Brewers Festival they got a slushie machine, and as it turned out to be such a hot weekend, the beer slushies were a great way for people to cool off. They brought it out again this past summer and sold beer slushies to go, including a sour brewed with orange and mint, one with pineapple and coconut, and another with pureed watermelon mixed in.

The move to the new brewery on Winooski’s Main Street allows them to continue producing their creative beers, and the taproom provided Brian more freedom to design a space that he feels is more in line with their brand. “I’ve always said that our palate for the brand is black, stainless steel, and wood, and we were able to take that palate and apply that to the taproom,” he says. The

new space features a large outdoor beer garden, arcade games, and live edge tables made from locally harvested wood.

Having a larger space and dedicated taproom allows them to brew every day of the week—due to space constraints in their previous location, they shut down production on the weekends to open the taproom. They’re also taking advantage of the fact that the new building has a flat roof, so they plan to use a milk-crate system to install a garden, growing fresh ingredients for their beer and food offerings, and donating any surplus to the food bank across the street.

DON'T FORGET THE NOSHES Along with their beers, Four Quarters will have a menu featuring a core list of sandwiches, as well as weekly specials.

The larger 20-barrel facility (in addition to the 10-barrel facility they will retain at their original location) allows them to increase production of their staples, and still be able to fit in some experimental batches. And while the entire operation has grown substantially, Brian relates

that the brewing is still what gives him the most enjoyment.

“It’s a creative outlet coming up with flavors, as well as a name and concept, that all fit together to provide something that people enjoy.” U

FOUR QUARTERS BREWING 70 Main Street Winooski, VT (802) 391-9120 www.fourquartersbrewing.com

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

BY JENNIFER GOSS DUBY

The Johnny Appleseed of Craft Brewing Alan Pugsley’s journey to share the craft of brewing beer

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n the complicated tapestry of the history of Vermont craft brewing, there are a LOT of interesting stories. One thread that caught my attention in our last issue was this tidbit in our story on Outer Limits:

“Wesley uses a rare system to brew Outer Limits beer—a 10-barrel Peter Austin system with its trademark brick kettle.”

A what now? A brick kettle? And who is Peter Austin?

That was a thread I had to pull.

ENGLAND, MID 1970S A boy, lean and lanky, wearing glasses, maybe 13 years old, walks along a canal with his mother and two sisters. It’s an autumn day in Warwickshire, England, and the walk is like many others they’d done before. In the early evening they turn into a local pub for a snack. It’s a good English pub called Tom O’ The Wood, with Old World architecture and traditional pub food on offer. The boy sits in the warmth of the pub and takes in the good humor of the place—the dog lying in front of a roaring fire, the raucous laugh of the landlord, and the locals laughing over pints. “What a happy place to be,” he thinks.

Years later, the boy, Alan Pugsley, has graduated from university with a degree in biochemistry. The options open to www.BrewViewVT.com

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a recent biochem grad left him cold. He just couldn’t see himself beavering away in a lab coat somewhere, working the type of job where in a whole a career you “might never actually discover anything.”

He’d kind of always wanted to run a pub, but without the funds to start a venture like that it was just a pipe dream. Academic advisors suggested he look at working for one of the Big Six national breweries. After all, brewing is biochemistry and these national breweries all had real estate divisions that owned pubs. If Alan got in the door through brewing and that didn’t pan out, maybe he’d be able to transition to the pub side of things.

Being the studious, analytical sort, Alan went straight to the library and began to read up on the technical side of brewing. “It was everything I loved about biochemistry,” he recalls. “And that was the moment I knew I wanted to go into brewing.”

After a fruitless job search with the largest, then not so large, then medium-sized breweries, Alan turned to a professor at a post-grad brewing school at the University of Birmingham for advice, who told him about a fellow down in the New Forest, name of Peter Austin.

CAMPAIGN FOR REAL ALE Austin, head brewer for Hull Brewery, had been enlisted in a post-retirement project by Terry Jones of Monty Python fame to start a small brewery to make real ale, not the bland keg beer being pumped out by the national breweries.

After the success of that project, Austin decided to create his own small brewery—Ringwood Brewery.

Alan’s interview with Peter was completely different from what he’d experienced with the large, traditional breweries, where everyone wore three-piece suits and the interview was conducted in an office. It was midmorning, and Peter, dressed in his yeast-stained brewing smock, said, “It’s time for elevenses, do you mind joining me?” So in they popped to the pub for a pint.

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TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, BUT WAS HE WILLING TO GET DIRTY? The rest of the interview had Alan, dressed in his good interview suit, mucking about in the brew works, pulling thermometers out of vessels. Peter needed to know “if we could work together—he knew I had the biochemistry… now was I willing to go to the pub with him and was I willing to get dirty?” The clincher was getting the stamp of approval from Mrs. Austin, who took in the polite young man in his threepiece suit with black gloves and an umbrella, and thought, “Such a smart young man.”

Alan worked with Peter for several years, learning how to brew and how to design and install small brewing systems as well as how to create new beer recipes. One of their clients, Domus Brewery in Leuven, Belgium, wanted a direct-fired brick brew kettle. “It’s an absolute classic. Very functional, very efficient, very simple.” The pair created two or three more systems like that in France, and Alan came to the US to put in the same system for the D.L. Geary Brewery in Portland, Maine. This distinctive system became their trademarked design.

SPREADING THE GOOD WORD Alan and Peter shared an evangelical zeal for craft brewing.

Peter is credited with spreading the knowledge and capability to craft brew to 75 breweries in the US and more across the world, and since emigrating to the US, Alan has put in more than 80 brew systems as well as consulted on countless other brew projects, including the original Magic Hat brewing facility and facilities for The Shed and Madison Brewing company. “I just love what I’m doing and consider that I’ve never worked a day in my life.”

Peter was part owner of Shipyard Brewery for 20 years but people wonder why he doesn’t have his own little microbrewery now. “But I have so much fun helping other people establish their dreams, like the folks at Outer Limits, that I live it through there. It enables me to meet all these different people, all these different projects in different parts of the country and the world. I just really enjoy seeing people’s faces for the first time when we brew the first batch of beer and they taste it and a big smile comes up. I think I can say that 99.9999 percent of customers say that the first beer off the line is beyond their wildest dreams. It gives me a lot of satisfaction and pride. It continues the work that Peter Austin did in his retirement. To carry on his work—he was a true mentor and friend—is just delightful for me.” U www.BrewViewVT.com

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

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or many people, playing board games brings back memories of their youth—the colorful board of Candy Land, the fake money and metal pieces of Monopoly, the complex plastic contraption of Mouse Trap. And while those games are still popular, there’s a whole world of board games most people don’t know about, with more coming out every day. At Vermont’s first board game cafe, The Boardroom, customers can

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choose from nearly 700 different games, both old and new. Having to pick from so many might seem overwhelming to some, but co-owner Kerry Winger says, “We tend to offer suggestions to people.

We might ask you to name some games that you like and we help people cross over to the modern style of gaming. And then in reverse, for people who have only played modern games, we try to bring them back to the classics.”

MAKING SPACE FOR GAMES Kerry and her husband Mark opened The Boardroom in November of 2019, after finding a space on Burlington’s Mill Street, just across the river from downtown Winooski. Kerry relates that after visiting similar cafes in other cities, she had a clear vision of what she wanted in her own game cafe. First, she wanted to make sure that she hired wait staff who played a lot of games, so

Fun and games at

The Boardroom Cafe

Parcheesi, anyone?

that they could teach customers how to play. She also wanted to make sure that people had enough room for their food and their games, and not be squeezed into a table for two. And she wanted customers to be able to get up and browse the games themselves, without having to request a specific game from a staff member. Finally, Kerry felt it was important that they didn’t charge by the hour, so that people could play as long as they want.

“We have people who come in as soon as we open at noon on Saturday and stay

until we close—they eat all day, they have something to drink, they play four or five games, and it’s their monthly get together with their friends,” she says. (The Boardroom charges a $6 per person table fee to play games and offers monthly and yearly passes.)

A ROUSING SUCCESS After opening, Kerry was surprised at the enthusiastic community response.

“When we initially opened, people in the community reached out to me and started donating games to us,” she says.

They quickly developed regulars, who would come in three or four times a week. Additionally, as board games can be expensive, many customers would come in to try a game to see if they liked it enough to purchase it for themselves.

Kerry adds that one of her favorite parts of the job was seeing parents come in and teach games they had when they were young to their own children.

They soon started offering group games like Dungeons and Dragons

THE BOARDROOM – BOARD GAME CAFE 3 Mill Street Burlington, VT (802) 540-1710 www.theboardroomvt.com

www.BrewViewVT.com

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(with staff members serving as Dungeon Master), workshops, trivia nights, and other events. Unfortunately, after being open only a few months, The Boardroom had to close due to COVID-19. They reopened in midAugust (much to their customers’ delight) with new safety protocols in place such as having fewer tables to allow for social

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distancing and sanitizing each game after being used.

CLASSIC GAME After talking to Kerry on the phone, I decided I had to visit in person, so on a rainy Tuesday evening my friend and I headed to the cafe to play some games. We were greeted by a

GIVE THE ARTS TO UNIFY, INSPIRE, & HEAL.

friendly host who explained how the place works and offered suggestions about which game we should play based on some of our favorites. The cafe is set on two floors and feels both open and cozy at the same time, with the upper level overlooking the downstairs area. Games line all the walls and are color coded with stickers depending on their degree of difficulty (our host told us that they have one game that can take about 10 hours to play, and that’s if you know what you’re doing.) On Kerry’s recommendation we decided to play Parcheesi (like Sorry! but more strategic, she tells us).

After a quick review of the rules with our host, we settled in at an upstairs table and moved our pieces around the board while enjoying a couple of cold IPAs. The cafe menu can only be described as comfort food, featuring a variety of PB&Js, grinders, milkshakes, and grilled cheeses—we chose two of the latter for our dinner.

NO WI-FI ALLOWED While it was a quiet evening at the cafe, it was easy to imagine it buzzing with groups of people laughing and talking strategy while immersed in their respective games. There’s a small sign on the wall that says “No Wi-Fi, Play Boardgames, Talk to Each Other.” Says Kerry, “It’s really about bringing people together. Most people who come here and hang out don’t even look at their phones because it’s not about that.”

We spent an enjoyable hour at the cafe, and as we were leaving I couldn’t help thinking how, as things eventually return to normal, we could use more places like this that bring people together. U

HELP OTHERS EXPERIENCE

THE JOY OF LIVE PERFORMANCE. FLYNNVT.ORG www.BrewViewVT.com

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BY LISA BALLARD

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BREWVIEW Vermont 2021 Issue 1

Get a Grip!

HOW TO SKI “FIRM” SNOW LIKE A PRO

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f you’re a skier in Vermont, you know the scenario. Temperatures creep above freezing. It rains. Temperatures plummet. The snow refreezes into a surface that the snow report calls “frozen granular,” or in some circles, “firm snow,” both nicer phrases than “ice.”

To remedy the situation, groomers till the frozen surface, creating a fine sugary layer. The skiing is pretty good for an hour or two, until the sugar gets scraped off. If the weather cooperates, the ski areas blast snow. Within 24 to 48 hours,

the skiing is good again, until that gets scraped off, too.

Firm snow is not just a northeastern phenomenon. It happens at all ski areas, even the powder meccas in the west, but ski areas here are particularly susceptible due to the inevitable thaws that happen during the winter. You gotta give ski areas credit for their quick recoveries, but it’s never instantaneous.

No need to stay at home in the interim.

With the right tools and technique, you can not only survive but enjoy firm snow.

HERE’S HOW: Get the Right Gear. Consider a narrow ski. Skis under 90mm in the middle are easier to roll on edge, a necessity for getting the edge to grip. That edge needs to be sharp, too. If your skis are dull or burred, they won’t bite into ice. If conditions remain firm, you’ll need to tune your skis every day or two.

Get Forward. When your skis begin to skid, the natural reaction is to sit back as you psychologically pull back from what you don’t like. Do the opposite! Drive forward by flexing hard at the ankles and applying pressure to the tongues of your ski boots to stay balanced and in control.

You should concentrate your weight on the balls of your feet, not on your heels, and your shins should always touch the tongues of your boots.

Get on the Downhill Ski. When conditions are firm, you need to put all your weight on the downhill (or outside) ski.

Apply pressure to the tip of the ski at the beginning of the turn, then quickly but progressively bring that pressure underfoot. If the ski chatters, you probably slammed all your weight into the middle of the ski all at once. To test whether you’ve got 100 percent of your weight on the downhill ski, make a series of wide radius turns, the kind that involve a long traverse between each arc. If you can tap the heel of the uphill ski as you traverse, your weight is on the downhill ski. www.BrewViewVT.com

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Get Quicker. Quick turns are the ticket on hard snow. Get on and off that edge, rather than trying to hang on it. If you lose your balance or your edge doesn’t grip, move immediately into the next turn. In addition, remember to steer your skis fully through the turn, especially as the terrain gets steeper. Even though you’re making a crisp edge set, if you don’t get the skis across the fall line, you’ll go faster and faster. In other words, make a quick but complete turn to facilitate better edge grip and control your speed.

Get Aggressive. Don’t wait for the edge to bite, stand on it!

Skiing rewards assertiveness. The tougher the terrain and/or conditions, the more powerful you need to be. That’s especially true on firm snow. If you hold back psychologically, you’ll likely sit back with your weight on both feet, sliding down the ski slope.

If you go for it, you’re more apt to be forward, with your weight on the downhill ski, and thus in balance and in control.

Firm snow is a fact of life for all skiers now and again. If your edges are sharp and you’re carving correctly, you’ll dance the slopes as if they were covered with corduroy. U www.BrewViewVT.com

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

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n a typical winter day at the Chittenden Brook Hut in the Green Mountain National Forest, you’ll find rows of skis and splitboards leaning up against the deck railing. Inside, the current guests will be enjoying the warmth from the propane stove after a long day of skiing in the nearby backcountry zones of Brandon Gap. The attention to detail in the cabin design is obvious: mountain profiles on the back of one of the benches, a poured concrete countertop for the cooking area with a slick mountain profile backsplash, and

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a cozy reading nook that doubles as a sleeping cove for two. With the babbling of the nearby brook, it’s hard to imagine a more idyllic location for a winter getaway.

CREATING A HUT NETWORK The Chittenden Hut is the first completed project of the Vermont Huts Association, or VT Huts, which began in 2016 when a group of folks from various organizations got together to talk about creating a statewide hut network. Representatives from the Catamount Trail Organization, the Vermont Backcountry Alliance, the

Green Mountain Club, and the Randolph Area Sports Trail Alliance, as well as several other individuals, discussed whether existing organizations could take on the task of developing a network or if it should be run by a separate group.

“We needed an organization that could be agile and operate in four seasons,” says VT Huts Executive Director R.J. Thompson. “So Devin Littlefield and I formed the nonprofit that year and pretty much hit the ground running.”

The central goal of VT Huts is to create an end-to-end style experience in

end they tend to show up in good numbers.” He cites the winter of 2018 as an example, when volunteers showed up despite blizzards and made it up the two-mile access road to Chittenden Brook to finish the hut.

RISING TO MEET CHALLENGES

THE BIRTH OF VERMONT’S HUT NETWORK Go exploring then relax in comfort Vermont for skiers, bikers, and hikers. To that end, they are also working closely with numerous mountain biking chapters to create the Velemont Trail, which would connect towns, villages, and trail systems across the state for a hut-to-hut riding and skiing experience.

Since forming in 2016, VT Huts has come a long way. They currently promote eight huts, including the Nulhegan Hut, the Crow’s Nest Yurt, the Triple Creek Cabin, and the

Chittenden Brook Hut, all of which can be booked through their website. For the building of the Chittenden Brook Hut, they partnered with Yestermorrow, a Waitsfield-based building and designing school. Much of the work on the exterior deck and railing, as well as interior work, was done by volunteers. R.J. says that one of his favorite parts of the whole endeavor has been the volunteer response. “They’re super motivated and with minimal call to action on our

The effort has not been without its challenges, and even some intrigue.

In 2017, the Trust for Public Land purchased a house that was to be the crown jewel of the hut system.

Says R.J., “It was a beautiful log home and we were going to retrofit it with a few modifications to make it accessible according to the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and turn it into a hut. Two nights before we were scheduled to do an overnight to feel out the situation and better understand what needed to be done there, I got a call that someone torched it.” No charges were ever filed for what was determined to be arson. According to R.J., they hope to rebuild something in the vicinity of the old cabin if the land is eventually transferred to the Green Mountain National Forest.

Of course, the coronavirus pandemic has presented challenges as well. In response, the association has instituted various measures to ensure the health and safety of their guests.

VERMONT HUTS ASSOCIATION 51 Main Street Stowe, VT (802) 798-3003 vermonthuts.org www.BrewViewVT.com

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All reservations are for the entire hut, and guests are required to fill out a digital health survey on the day of their arrival to make sure no guests are symptomatic. Check-in and check-out times have been modified to allow more of a buffer between guest stays. VT Huts tries to adequately stock its huts with hand

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sanitizer, cleaning agents, and disposable gloves but encourages guests to bring their own supplies as well. Finally, full refunds are given for any reservation canceled due to COVID-19 illness, including those canceled by VT Huts due to future government or selfimposed shutdowns.

As for the future of VT Huts, R.J. says they hope that eventually the network will be statewide, stretching from the northern border with Canada to the Massachusetts border in the south. He adds that he’d like to have huts in most counties in the state, expanding to the east and west as well, so that it’s not just a linear network. “I would hope that we truly can offer a bikepacking experience with the huts, allowing that opportunity to tie into rural communities and provide the users of the trail with the huts experience in the backcountry and a taste of Vermont’s towns as they navigate through the network.” U

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

Mt. Mansfield Creamery

The secret behind the award-winning cheese producer

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p to ten Vermont-made, one-of-akind cheeses are what make Mt. Mansfield Creamery so special in addition to the tender loving care owners Stan Biasini and Debora Wickart put into their products for all to savor.

The family farm of over 30 Holstein and Brown Swiss cows produces milk that also supports the St. Albans Cooperative Creamery. The cows are raised with rotational grazing in the summer months and fed grain and hay during the winter for an authentic farmstead product.

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Founded in 2009, the creamery lies four miles from the farm and is housed in the original cheese facility in the heart of Morrisville in the old United Farmers Creamery building that was renovated and now houses two cheese caves in the basement.

The development of these caves has helped to ensure the natural rind products for which Mt. Mansfield Creamery is known. The rinds of the 100 percent Vermont farm product are washed and brushed to keep them thin to ensure the product is totally edible.

“I think we have a unique product due to the microflora in the caves that help to develop our beautiful rind cheeses,� says Stan.

The seeds of Mt. Mansfield Creamery were planted as a result of the declining building trades in which Stan was a professional carpet installer and the head of his own company. Prior to that, he attended Paul Smith College in upstate New York, graduating with a degree in hotel/restaurant management.

In order for the creamery to grow, Stan took a two-day cheese class with world-

its award-winning cheeses. Debora and the family tend to the farm and milk the cows, and Stan concentrates on developing unique cheese recipes that blend European traditions and Vermont flavors.

The current recipes include Forerunner, the creamery’s premiere raw milk Havarti that is aged for three months. It features a full body flavor with buttery notes and is perfect for melted cheese on burgers, for example. Inspiration is a washed rind raw milk cheese from Corsican recipe.

The molds on the rind are typical of this French cheese that offers smooth and semisoft texture with a nutty flavor.

The rinds are washed with a variety of local Vermont beers depending on the season. Chin Clip is based on a raw milk renowned cheesemaker Peter Dixon at the Consider Bardwell Farm in West Pawlet, Vermont. From there, he worked with Success on Farms at the Intervale Center in Burlington to put together a business plan in which he established branding for Mt. Mansfield Creamery, naming all the cheeses after ski trails in Stowe.

Stan is a Level 3 American Association of Snowboard Instructors (AASI) certified snowboard instructor and a Level 3 Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA) Alpine instructor. He currently teaches part-time at Stowe.

The Creamery is a farmstead cheese operation and uses its own milk to make

MT MANSFIELD CREAMERY 120 Pleasant Street Morrisville, VT (802) 888-7686 www.mtmansfieldcreamery.com

www.BrewViewVT.com

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recipe from the Austrian Alps, providing a full season flavor. Aged four months, this natural rind cheese has complex flavors and pairs well with red wine.

Halfpipe is a French Alpine cheese that pairs well with white wine or fruits and vegetables and is perfect for fondues.

Aged five months, it boasts a high moisture content with a hint of salt at the finish. Sunrise is an aged cow’s milk Romano cheese that has been rubbed with Lake Champlain organic cocoa and olive oil, giving it a distinct flavor as it ages for 8 to 14 months to allow it to develop more slowly.

Tres Amigos is a cheese that incorporates sundried tomatoes, garlic, and onions giving it a spicy flavor that lingers on the palette. Look for this product during the Cinco de Mayo season. Gondolier is an herb Havarti seasoned with garlic, onion, parsley, celery, and chives. Many restaurants use it to melt over their burgers. Patrolman’s Blues is a raw milk, blue-veined cheese aged three months that has a pronounced and pungent flavor. Hayride is distinct in its flavor and body and has been aged for nine months. The rinds of this cheese are washed in a brine solution to develop

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its unique flavor. It has a high moisture content and goes well with white wine.

The recipe is Austrian Tomme, similar to that of the Chin Clip, and distinct in its flavor and body. Lookout—available only in the winter months—uses a Havarti recipe including hot chili. Featuring a smooth texture with added spice at the finish, this cheese pairs well with chili.

Stan says he prefers beer with Inspiration, washed with Heady Topper

from Alchemist Beer as well as Trosten from von Trapp Brewing. Another of his favorite washes is the Mosaic from Lost Nation Brewing. In 2011, Inspiration, washed with Rock Art Brewery’s Mountain Holidays in Vermont, won second place at the American Cheese Society.

The Chin Clip pairs well with red wine, Stan says, while the Halfpipe pairs well with chardonnay or champagne. Halfpipe and Forerunner go nicely with ciders

from Stowe Cider, Eden Ice Cider, and the Dirty Mayor from Citizens Cider.

“One of my favorite collaborations in tasting is our Sunrise paired with 104 Porter from my friends at First Republic Brewery,” Stan says.

Although the creamery doesn’t have a signature cheese, its Patrolman’s Blues has become a bestseller, Stan notes.

“I was one of the first patrolmen in Stowe to certify on a snowboard and one of only two to be certified on a snowboard, skis, and telemark skis,” he says. “So, this cheese is dedicated to all patrolmen out there who keep us safe as well as drag us off the hill in a sled when in dire need.”

This blue cheese will also be in a specialty program next March called “Cave to Co-op” throughout New England.

“Our wholesale accounts are Black River Produce, Provisions International, and Seacrest Foods,” says Stan. “We are also members of the Vermont Cheese Council as well as the American Cheese Society.”

While winning awards at the American Cheese Society is “great,” Stan says, Inspiration took second in 2011. Forerunner and Sunrise took second and third in 2015, and the Creamery’s collaboration cheese with Sage Farm Goat Dairy garnered a first-place finish in 2019 with a Parmesan named Starr. Stan says he used 40 gallons of goats’ milk and 80 gallons of cows’ milk to produce this award-winning cheese.

The transformation of Stan the businessman to Stan the cheesemaker is one that he does not regret.

“Our proudest moment is when a customer tells us how incredible our cheese is or seeing a picture on social media that someone posted of one of our cheeses,” says Stan. “It’s crazy to travel to different parts of New England to see our cheese in the cheese case or sit down for dinner and see a few of our cheeses on the menu, but it really makes the work gratifying.” U www.BrewViewVT.com

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

Vermont businesses continue to go toe to toe with the challenge of serving their customers while protecting their staff and clientele from the illness caused by the novel coronavirus. Doing all this and keeping their businesses from falling too far into the red is no mean feat. One of our favorite businesses is going above and beyond to take an active role in community support. To find out how they’re doing it, we posed five questions to Kris Clarke of Edelweiss Mountain Deli.

We are an off-premise or to-go business so, in a sense, already somewhat adapted to this moment in time when lingering shoulder-toshoulder is no longer possible. As an essential business, we remained open, implementing rapidly evolving guidelines and best practices to ensure guest and staff safety. At the same time, we reduced hours of operation to lower the stress on the team. Our goal over the past nine months has been to deliver a little “normalcy” during an otherwise abnormal time.

While we made operational adjustments, we also took a proactive role within the community by (1) partnering with a local peer business and community members to provide 1,000 meals to front-line caregivers and first responders; (2) joining with other community members to create a broad covid community response strategy; and (3) establishing Edelweiss as the Stowe distribution hub for the Shiftmeals (now Everyone Eats) program through which 3,000 plus meals made it to individuals and families in need. Our ongoing commitment to community will continue to be our guide.

1. As with every other business in the state, your business has had to change due to covid. What have you done to adapt?

It’s hard to feel good about discussing business strategy and tactics in the

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midst of a global pandemic. COVID-19 is horrible and its impacts so far-reaching that, at the end of the day, the strategy is to take care of your community, team, and guests. How you ultimately decide to do that is the adaptation.

EDELWEISS MOUNTAIN DELI 2251 Mountain Road Stowe, VT (802) 253-4034 edelweissstowe.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”

802-244-877

7.125 x 4.65 half page

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

2. One of the things we love, every time we’re in, is the food! Delicious. What’s new on that front?

Thank you! We continue to strengthen our work with best-in-class Vermont food and beverage producers. For example, we recently began working with Sisters of Anarchy Ice Cream to serve the Stowe area. Importantly, we’ve always felt that adding high-quality, fresh, to-go prepared foods and meals was in our future. The advent of covid encouraged us to accelerate a number of investments including the hiring of our first executive chef, Christian Kruse, a Vermonter and 2016 Vermont Chef of the Year. Leading a culinary team of five experienced chefs and bakers, he has moved quickly to more deeply connect us with local farmers and producers and reimagine how we can delight our customers with prepared foods for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and special occasions.

3. Any different trends you’re seeing with craft choices? The wines, ciders, beers?

We don’t see new trends per se, but it is clear that quality and innovation continue to be embraced. The standard is very high. That said, there are signs of optimism as outstanding brewers have either launched new operations or expanded capacity while some, who formerly did not distribute, now do.

4. Any good customer stories to share?

We are grateful for how committed our guests have been to protecting their health, our health, and community health. While we can’t see them smile at this point, we have been buoyed by their optimism, good cheer, and support.

5. What’s next for Edelweiss?

We have several exciting collaborations—

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some potentially transformative—in process that will allow us to better serve our community and our guests.

More details to follow in the months

ahead, but it’s our goal to ensure we are doing everything we can to make a meaningful contribution to the quality of life here in Stowe.

BREW COVERS

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We had a tough time deciding on our cover photo this month and really wanted to share the great runners-up with our readers. Keep sending in your cover submissions.

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BREWVIEW Vermont 2021 Issue 1

WINTER IS CALLING

YOU BETTER HAVE A JEEP

Call 800-340-0101

midstatedodge.com

Barre - Montpelier

BREWFINDS PHOTO COURTESY OF LAWSON’S FINEST LIQUIDS

PHOTO COURTESY OF WEIRD WINDOW BREWING

WHO, WHAT, WHERE . . . WE KNOW WHY! Before visiting any of these rockstar venues for Vermont craft beverages, be sure to check their websites. Due to the volatile nature of the covid pandemic, hours and restrictions may change without notice.

Many of the restaurants, brew pubs, and other makers are offering curbside pickup and take-out menu options, so you can still enjoy the fruits of their labor even when they can’t see you in person.

NAME

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WEBSITE

OPEN

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Farm Road Brewing

Bennington

www.farmroadbrewing.com

Check website

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Harvest Brewing

Bennington

www.harvestbrewing.net

Check website

Check website

Check website

Check website

Madison Brewing

Bennington

madisonbrewingco.com

7 Days

N

Y

Check website

Bent Hill Brewery

Braintree

benthillbrewery.com

Thu–Sun

Y

N

Events only

Foley Brothers Brewing Company

Brandon

foleybrothersbrewing.com

Wed–Sun

Y

N

Events only

Red Clover Ale

Brandon

redcloverale.com

Thu–Sun

N

N

Check website

Hermit Thrush Brewery

Brattleboro

hermitthrushbrewery.com

Check website

Y

Check website

Events only

McNeill’s Pub and Brewery

Brattleboro

facebook.com/McNeill Brewery

7 Days

N

Y

Check website

Whetstone Station

Brattleboro

whetstonestation.com

7 Days

N

Y

Check website

Long Trail Brewing

Bridgewater Common

longtrail.com

7 Days

Check website

Y

Check website

Bobcat Brewery and Café

Bristol

thebobcatcafe.com

7 Days

N

Y

Events only

Hogback Mountain Brewing

Bristol

hogbackbrew.com

Check website

N

N

N

Foam Brewers

Burlington

foambrewers.com

7 Days

Outdoor areas

Y

Check website

Queen City Brewery

Burlington

queencitybrewery.net

Tue–Sun

N

Check website

Events only

Simple Roots Brewing

Burlington

simplerootsbrewing.com

Wed–Sun

N

N

Events only

Switchback Brewing Co.

Burlington

switchbackvt.com

7 Days

Y

Snacks

Check website

Vermont Pub and Brewery

Burlington

vermontbrewery.com

7 Days

Patio only

Y

Check website

Zero Gravity Craft Brewery

Burlington

zerogravitybeer.com

7 Days

Outdoor areas

Y

Events only

House of Fermentology

Charlotte

houseoffermentology.com

Check website

N

N

Events only

Red Barn Brewery

Danville

redbarnbrewingvt.com

Fri–Sat

Outdoor areas

N

Events only

1st Republic Brewing

Essex Junction

1strepublicbrewingco.com

Tue–Sun

Check website

Check website

Events only

Black Flannel Brewing & Distilling Company

Essex Junction

blackflannel.com

Tue–Sun

Check website

Y

Check website

Hill Farmstead Brewery

Greensboro

hillfarmstead.com

Wed–Sat

Y

N

Events only

Frost Beer Works

Hinesburg

frostbeerworks.com

Fri–Sun

N

N

Events only

Ten Bends Beer

Hyde Park

tenbendsbeer.com

Fri–Sun

Check website

N

Events only

BREWERIES

50

BREWVIEW Vermont 2021 Issue 1

NAME

CITY

WEBSITE

OPEN

PETS

SERVES FOOD

LIVE MUSIC

Red Leaf Gluten-Free Brewing

Jeffersonville

facebook.com/redleafgf

Fri–Sun

Check website

Check website

Check website

Killington Beer Company

Killington

facebook.com/killingtonbeer

Check website

N

Check website

Check website

Beer Naked Brewery

Marlboro

facebook.com/BNBrewery

Thu–Sun

Y

Y

Events only

Drop-In Brewing Company

Middlebury

dropinbrewing.com

7 Days (Summer)

Y

Y

Events only

Otter Creek Brewery

Middlebury

ottercreekbrewing.com

7 Days

Outdoor areas

Y

Check website

Lost Nation Brewery

Morrisville

lostnationbrewing.com

Wed–Sun

Outdoor areas

Y

Check website

Rock Art Brewery

Morrisville

rockartbrewery.com

Mon–Sat

Y

Check website

Events only

Kingdom Brewing

Newport

kingdombrewingvt.com

Thu–Sat

Outdoor areas

Y

Weekly

Good Measure Brewing Company

Northfield

goodmeasurebrewing.com

Wed–Sun

N

Snacks

Events only

Kraemer and Kin

North Hero

www.kraemerandkin.com

Fri–Sun

Check website

Y

N

Norwich Inn

Norwich

norwichinn.com

7 Days

Y

Y

Events only

Stone Corral Brewery

Richmond

stonecorral.com

Tue–Sun

Y

Y

Check website

Rutland Beer Works

Rutland

facebook.com/rutland beerworks

Wed–Sat

Check website

Check website

Events only

14th Star Brewing Company

Saint Albans

14thstarbrewing.com

Tue–Sun

N

Y

Check website

Mill River Brewing

Saint Albans

millriverbrewing.com

Wed–Sat

N

Y

Check website

Saint J Brewery

Saint Johnsbury

saintjbrewery.com

Wed–Sun

N

Y

Events only

Whirligig Brewing

Saint Johnsbury

www.whirligigbrewing.com

Check website

Check website

Check website

Check website

Fiddlehead Brewing Company

Shelburne

fiddleheadbrewing.com

7 Days

N

Y

Check website

EDELWEISS Mountain DELI

SANDWICHES • PREPARED FOOD • BAKERY • BEER • WINE • BARR HILL TASTING • CATERING

150 BEERS, 100 WINES & GREAT FOOD

2251 MOUNTAIN ROAD • STOWE • 802.253.4034 6:30 AM – 6 PM • 7 DAYS A WEEK • EDELWEISSSTOWE.COM Chef Christian Kruse

www.BrewViewVT.com

51

BREWFINDS NAME

CITY

WEBSITE

OPEN

PETS

SERVES FOOD

LIVE MUSIC

Brewster River Pub and Brewery

Smugglers’ Notch

brewsterriverpubnbrewery .com

7 Days

N

Y

Check website

Halyard Brewing Company

South Burlington

halyardbrewing.us

Thu–Sun

Y

Snacks

Events only

Weird Window Brewing

South Burlington

weirdwindowbrewing.com

Check website

Check website

Check website

Check website

Upper Pass Beer Company

South Royalton (tasting room)

upperpassbeer.com

Tue, Fri, Sat, Sun

Check website

Y

Check website

Vermont Beer Makers

Springfield

www.vermontbeermakers.com

Check website

Check website

Check website

Check website

Alchemist Brewery

Stowe

alchemistbeer.com

Tue–Sat

Y

N

Events only

Idletyme Brewing Company

Stowe

idletymebrewing.com

7 Days

N

Y

Check website

Brocklebank Craft Brewing

Tunbridge

brocklebankvt.com

Fri–Sat

Y

N

Check website

Hired Hand Brewing

Vergennes

hiredhandbrewing.com

Wed–Sun

N

Y

Events only

Cousins Brewing

Waitsfield

facebook.com /cousinsbrewing

Check website

N

Y

Events only

Lawson’s Finest Liquids

Waitsfield

lawsonsfinest.com

7 Days

Check website

Y

Check website

Prohibition Pig

Waterbury

prohibitionpig.com

7 Days

N

Y

Events only

Next Trick Brewing

West Burke

nexttrickbrewing.com

Fri–Sun

Check website

N

Events only

Kickback Brewery

Westford

kickbackbrewery.com

Check website

N

N

Check website

Backacre Beermakers

Weston

backacrebeermakers.com

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

River Roost Brewery

White River Jct.

riverroostbrewery.com

Thu–Sun

Check website

N

Events only

Burlington Beer Company

Williston

burlingtonbeercompany.com

7 Days

Y

Y

Check website

Goodwater Brewery

Williston

goodwaterbreweryvt.com

Wed–Sun

Y

N

Check website

Harpoon Brewery Riverbend Taps

Windsor

harpoonbrewery.com /breweries/windsor

7 Days

Common areas

Y

Check website

Four Quarters Brewing

Winooski

fourquartersbrewing.com

Thu–Sun

Y

Check website

Events only

Saxtons River Distillery

Brattleboro

saxtonsriverdistillery.com

7 Days

Y

N

Check website

Mad River Distillers

Burlington

madriverdistillers.com

7 Days

N

N

Events only

Hooker Mountain Farm and Distillery

Cabot

hookermountainfarm.com

See website

Y

N

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

Tue–Sun

Check website

Check website

Check website

Smugglers’ Notch Distillery

Jeffersonville Waterbury Burlington

Smugglersnotch distillery.com

See website

N

N

Events only

Appalachian Gap Distillery

Middlebury

appalachiangap.com

7 Days

N

N

Events only

Caledonia Spirits

Montpelier

caledoniaspirits.com

7 Days

N

Check for food trucks

Events only

Green Mountain Distillery

Morrisville

greendistillers.com

Thu–Sun

N

N

Events only

Vermont Spirits Distillery

Quechee

vermontspirits.com

7 Days

N

N

Events only

DISTILLERIES

52

BREWVIEW Vermont 2021 Issue 1

NAME

CITY

WEBSITE

OPEN

PETS

SERVES FOOD

LIVE MUSIC

St. Johnsbury Distillery

Saint Johnsbury

stjdistillery.com

Thu–Fri

N

N

Events only

Wild Heart Distillery

Shelburne

wildheartdistillery.com

Thu–Sat

N

N

Events only

WhistlePig

Waterbury Middlebury

whistlepigwhiskey.com

See website

N

See website

Events only

Vermont Distillers

West Marlboro Burlington

vermontdistillers.com

7 Days

N

N

Events only

Silo Distillery

Windsor

silodistillery.com

7 Days

N

N

Events only

VINEYARDS/WINERIES Fable Farm

Barnard

Fablefarmfermentory.com

Saturday

Ask first

N

Events only

Neshobe River Winery

Brandon

neshoberiverwinery.com

Wed–Sun

Check website

N

Events only

Boyden Valley Winery & Spirits

Cambridge

boydenvalley.com

7 Days

Outdoor areas

Apps

Check website

Charlotte Village Winery

Charlotte

charlottevillagewinery.com

7 Days

Check website

N

Check website

Hillis Sugarbush Farm and Winery

Colchester

hillisfarm.com

Sat

Outdoor areas

N

Check website

Honora Winery and Vineyard

Jacksonville

honorawinery.com

Wed–Sun

Check website

Y

Events only

North Branch Vineyards

Montpelier

northbranchvineyards.com

Thu–Sun

Check website

N

Events only

y p p a H H

H

ER

N R DIN

AFTE

r u o H

H

H

H

H

H

H

7:30pm-8:30pm Daily

1/2 Price Desserts!

Fresh From Our Bakery & Creamery

Striving To Be Vermont’s

SAFEST

Restaurant Every Day Go to waysiderestaurant.com Click DINE-IN SAFETY GUIDELINES & ENHANCEMENTS

www.BrewViewVT.com

53

PHOTO COURTESY OF CALEDONIA SPIRITS

PHOTO COURTESY OF HIRED HAND BREWING

BREWFINDS

NAME

CITY

WEBSITE

OPEN

PETS

SERVES FOOD

LIVE MUSIC

Lincoln Peak Winery

New Haven

lincolnpeakvineyard.com

Wed–Sun

Outdoor areas

Snacks

Events only

Whaleback Winery

Poultney

whalebackvineyard.com

Wed–Sun

Check website

N

Events only

Putney Mountain Winery

Putney

putneywine.com

7 Days

Check website

N

Events only

Shelburne Vineyard

Shelburne

shelburnevineyard.com

7 Days

Outdoor areas

N

Check website

Snow Farm Vineyard and Winery

South Hero

snowfarm.com

7 Days

Outdoor areas

Check website

Check website

Fresh Tracks Winery

West Berlin

freshtracks.com

Wed–Sun

Check website

Check website

Check website

Fable Farm Fermentory

Barnard

fablefarmfermentory.com

Saturdays

Ask first

N

Events only

Citizen Cider

Burlington

citizencider.com

7 Days

N

Y

Events only

Windfall Orchard

Cornwall

windfallorchardtvt.com

Sat–Sun

Outdoor areas

N

Events only

Chapin Orchard

Essex Junction

chapinorchard.com

Check website

N

N

Events only

Hall Home Place

Isle La Motte

hallhomeplace.com

Fri–Sun

N

Y

Events only

Woodchuck Cider

Middlebury

woodchuck.com

Wed–Sun

Outdoor areas

Snacks

Events only

Boyer’s Orchard

Monkton

boyersorchard.com

7 Days

N

N

Events only

Eden Specialty Ciders

Newport

edenciders.com

Check website

N

N

Events only

Champlain Orchards

Shoreham

champlainorchards.com

7 Days

Y

N

Events only

Stowe Cider

Stowe

stowecider.com

Mon, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun

On patio

N

Saturdays 4–7

Shacksbury Cider

Vergennes

shacksbury.com

Wed–Sun

N

N

Events only

Flag Hill Farm

Vershire

flaghillfarm.com

By schedule only

N

N

Events only

Tin Hat Cider

Waitsfield

tinhatcider.com

Mad River Taste Place

N

N

No

HARD CIDER

54

BREWVIEW Vermont 2021 Issue 1

HAPPENINGS AND EVENTS 122 HOURGLASS DRIVE STOWE, VT www.sprucepeakarts.org Please check websites for details

Spruce Peak Arts JANUARY 23

ALI MCGUIRK

STREAMING 7PM

Ali McGuirk commands attention with her dynamic voice and heartfelt songwriting. Blending classic soul power with folk songwriter lyricism, Ali has the rare ability to silence a room with just a few words of a song. With a vocal style rooted deeply in improvisation, her sets are a hypnotic and intimate emotional journey.

FEBRUARY 20

BOW THAYER

STREAMING 7PM Bow Thayer will be releasing a new album written over the course of the covid pandemic and recorded at his Central Vermont studio, The Woodshed. Thayer’s playing makes up the lion’s share of tracks, but the recording also features long-time drummer Jeff Berlin and Boston bass staple Jeremy Dryden, both of whom will be joining Thayer for this show. Other guests providing tracks remotely include Chris McGandy (Perfect Trainwreck) on pedal steel and Val McCallum (Jackson Browne, Lucinda Williams, Bonnie Raitt) on guitar. The show will cover most of the new album as well as some old favorites. www.BrewViewVT.com

55

HAPPENINGS AND EVENTS ESSEX EXPERIENCE, ESSEX, VT (802) 662-4808 www.essexexperience.com Please check websites for details

Arthound Gallery at Essex Experience

DECEMBER 2020

KRIS KRINGLE MARKET & CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING In the spirit of the European Christmas markets, the ArtHound Gallery brings you a month-long celebration of over 250 Vermont artists and an array of locally made products. Daily artist demonstration, curated gift baskets, tables, and an outside Christmas tree lighting on December 6 at 6pm kick off the holiday season.

JANUARY 2021

LET THERE BE LIGHT The ArtHound Gallery is happy to bring you a monthlong event showcasing artists that have the elements of light at the heart of their work. Fine art originals, photography, candles, unique lighting, and more beautiful items that bring light into our lives.

Local owners John and Jennifer Churchman are committed to providing you a safe and enjoyable holiday experience in the spacious gallery.

FEBRUARY 2021

FIRE & ICE

The ArtHound Gallery is excited to bring you a month-long event showcasing artists that have the elements of fire and ice at the heart of their work. An artist who works with the element of fire brings a special esthetic gift to the world. Featuring works in pottery, pewter, metals, tin, glass, and jewelry. You will feel the warmth emanate from their creations. The icy opposite is created through original paintings, fine art photography, and multi-media pieces.

56

BREWVIEW Vermont 2021 Issue 1

HAPPENINGS AND EVENTS

Higher Ground JANUARY 16 @8PM

KING BUFFALO BAND WITH WOLFHAND

1214 WILLISTON ROAD SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT www.highergroundmusic.com Please check websites for details

APRIL 16 @8:30PM

MARCH 6 @7:3PM

POKEY LAFARGE, ESTHER ROSE

PURPLE PLAYS THE HITS: A TRIBUTE TO PRINCE CRAIG MITCHELL AND HIS 7PIECE BAND, MATTHEW MERCURY

MARCH 26 @8PM

APRIL 23 @8PM

BACK IN BLACK

The True AC/DC Experience

APRIL 10 @8PM

LOST DOG STREET BAND, MATT HECKLER

TENNIS, MOLLY BURCH MAY 10 @7PM

THE RESIDENTS MAY 14 @8PM

THE JACKS, THE CUCKOOS

START MAKING SENSE TALKING HEADS TRIBUTE

APRIL 15 @8PM

MAY 28 & 29 @5PM

APRIL 14 @8PM

NADA SURF

THE AVETT BROTHERS

brewery and taproom located in Proctorsville, VT check our website for hours & menu www.outerlimitsbrewing.com follow us @outerlimitsbrewing

www.BrewViewVT.com

57

HAPPENINGS AND EVENTS 2 CHURCH STREET, BURLINGTON (802) 864-5741 www.vso.org Please check websites for details

Vermont Symphony Orchestra JANUARY 16

JUKEBOX LIVESTREAM The popular chamber music series is streaming live from ArtsRiot! Hosted by Matt LaRocca, each concert will feature an eclectic program of familiar and nontraditional pieces, performed by the Jukebox string quartet.

Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic we are providing a limited events schedule at this time. See below for a list of venues and their contact information. Please check with them to find the most updated information.

CHURCH STREET MARKETPLACE Check their website for details on special events happening December through May www.churchstmarketplace.com FLYNN 153 Main Street, Burlington www.flynnvt.org 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 STOWE ASSOCIATION 51 Main Street, Stowe www.gostowe.com THE ESSEX EXPERIENCE 21 Essex Way, Essex www.essexexperence.com VERMONT COMEDY CLUB Check out their livestreaming shows for adults and kids.

101 Main Street, Burlington www.vermontcomedyclub.com

Other Noteworthy Events JANUARY 30 Free ice fishing day at Knight Point State Park

FEBRUARY – MID MARCH Check the slopes for sugar on snow and spring skiing events

MARCH 6

58

Sugar on snow at Shelburne Farms, check website for details shelburnefarms.org BREWVIEW Vermont 2021 Issue 1

ted

ost

AD INDEX

WINTER 2021

14th Star Brewing .......................................................................................30 Black Flannel Brewing & Distilling Company ....................................... 53 Caledonia Spirits ........................................................................................ 27 Cold Hollow Cider Mill..............................................................................45 CW Print and Design.................................................................................43 Edelweiss Mountain Deli .......................................................................... 51 Eden Specialty Ciders ................................................................................ 35 Fable Farm Fermentology ..........................................................................16 Flynn............................................................................................................... 31 Four Quarters Brewing .............................................................................. 53 Fringe Salon and Lash Bar ....................................................................... 27 Lawson's Finest Liquids .............................................Outside Back Cover Meuleman's Craft Draughts .....................................................................16 Midstate Dodge..........................................................................................49 Mt. Mansfield Creamery ............................................................................ 9 NurseGrown Organics .............................................................................. 35 Outdoor Gear Exchange ........................................................................... 39 Outer Limits Brewing ............................................................................... 57 Red Leaf Gluten-Free Brewing ................................................................. 38 Shelburne Tap House ............................................................................... 23 Smugglers' Notch Distillery ..................................................................... 38 Stowe Area Realty .........................................................................................5 Stowe Insurance .........................................................................................30 Stowe Public House .................................................................................... 13 Switchback Brewing Company ................................................................ 59 The Automaster ......................................................................................... 47 The Essex Resort & Spa ............................................... Inside Front Cover The Rez/The Bench/Tres Amigos .............................................................3 Vermont Beer Makers ...............................................................................34 Vermont Cider Company..........................................................................34 Vermont Country Deli ............................................................................... 47 Wayside Restaurant ................................................................................. 53 Weird Window Brewing.............................................................................17 Woodstock Hops & Barley ....................................................................... 57

www.BrewViewVT.com

59

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. Farm Road Brewing .............................................Bennington 7. 14th Star Brewing Co. ............................................ St. Albans 8. Mill River Brewing BBQ & Smokehouse .............. St. Albans 9. Kickback Brewery ..................................................... Westford 10. Red Barn Brewing ......................................................Danville 11. Foam Brewers........................................................Burlington 12. House of Fermentology ..........................................Charlotte 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 .................................................. Morrisville 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 Jct 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. Vermont Beer Makers .......................................... Springfield 50. Backacre Beermakers .................................................Weston 51. Madison Brewing ................................................Bennington 52. Harvest Brewing ..................................................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 60. Long Trail Brewing................................ Bridgewater Corners 61. Upper Pass Beer Company ..................... South Royalton VT 62. Weird Window Brewing ..............................South Burlington

60

BREWVIEW Vermont 2021 Issue 1

63. Freak Folk Bier .......................................................Burlington 64. Black Flannel Brewing Co. & Distilling Co. ..................Essex 65. Whirligig Brewing ............................................. St. Johnsbury 66. Kraemer and Kin..................................................North Hero

DISTILLERIES 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

Elm Brook Farm................................................. East Fairfield Smugglers’ Notch Distillery ..............................Jeffersonville Green Mountain Distillery ..................................Morristown Caledonia Spirits ..................................................Montpelier St. Johnsbury Distillery ..................................... St. Johnsbury Wild Heart Distillery .............................................. Shelburne Old Route Two Distillery ............................................... Barre Hooker Mountain Farm and Distillery ................ Marshfield Vermont Spirits Distillery ..................... White River Junction Applachian Gap Distillery ................................... Middlebury Black Flannel Brewing Co. & Distilling Co ...................Essex WhistlePig.............................................................. Shoreham Silo Distillery ............................................................ Windsor Spirits of Old Bennington Distillery ........North Bennington Vermont Distillers ...................................................Marlboro Saxtons River Distillery ....................................... Brattleboro Mad River Distillery ................................................ Waitsfield

WINERIES 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

Boyden Valley Winery ........................................... Cambridge Snow Farm Vineyard & Winery ...........................South Hero Hillis Sugarbush Farm & Vineyard .......................Colchester Shelburne Vineyard ............................................... Shelburne Charlotte Village Winery..........................................Charlotte North Branch Vineyards.......................................Montpelier Montpelier Vineyards ...........................................Montpelier Neddo Family Vineyards ............................................... Barre Fresh Tracks Winery ..................................................... Berlin La Garagista Winery .....................................................Bethel Neshobe River Winery..............................................Brandon Lincoln Peak Vineyard .........................................New Haven Whaleback Winery ................................................... Poultney Putney Mountain Winery ............................................Putney Honora Winery & Vineyard .................................Jacksonville Fable Farm Fermentory..............................................Barnard

CIDERIES 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

Eden Specialty Ciders ...............................................Newport Stowe Cider .................................................................. Stowe Hall Home Place .............................................. Isle La Motte Citizen Cider ..........................................................Burlington Groennfell Meadery............................................... St. Albans Chapin Orchard .............................................. Essex Junction Boyer’s Orchard ......................................................Monkton Shacksbury Cider ...................................................Vergennes Lawson’s Finest Liquids......................................... Waitsfield Flag Hill Farm ............................................................Vershire Champlain Orchards ............................................. Shoreham Vermont Hard Cider ............................................ Middlebury Woodchuck Cider ................................................ Middlebury Windfall Orchard ......................................................Cornwall Mountain Cider Company......................... North Chittenden Wood’s Cider Mill ................................................. Springfield Whetstone Ciderworks ............................................Marlboro Fable Farm Fermentory .............................................Barnard Shelburne Orchards .............................................. Shelburne

BREWVIEW TO GO

Everywhere you want to be at a glance Newport 3 66

15 19

12 16 20

13 17 21

63

3

4

4

22

26

8 42 43 12

45 12 14

13

6

33 57 37 38 17 9

Middlebury

Montpelier 4

7 39

93

8

91

35

34

11

65

8

60

7

9

32

5

2

25 24

7

St. Johnsbury 10

2 29 30

7

58

3

28

2

91

Stowe

89

5

6

27

23

19 6

3

5

9

18

Burlington 4

62

2 31

64

100

1

14 18

1

St. Albans

89

2

1

1

8

7

2 11

7

5

44 10 11

11 12

61

100

89

59

10

15 10

16

36 46

4

Rutland 13

41

Woodstock

4

60

47

40

18

13

7

48

91 Springfield

50

16

9

White River Jct.

Breweries Wineries

49

Cideries Manchester

Distilleries

7

14

100

30

14 6

51

52

9

Bennington

9

15

53 17

16 15

54 55 56

Brattleboro 91

www.BrewViewVT.com

61