Made in Vermont – The Deep South
This is the last article in my 4-part series on the 21 breweries that can be found within the borders of this very small state. This final chapter of the series will focus on the southern most portion of the state. Both the people population and the breweries are spread farther apart in this region than in the other 3 regions that we have discussed so far, but that takes nothing away from the availability of their beer to the rest of us. In fact, two of the breweries in this southern region are among the largest in the state and have their beer distributed state-wide as well as outside of the state’s boundaries.
The three previous articles in the series, in the order that they appeared, are:
- Made in Vermont – Burlington Region
- Made in Vermont – The Spine of the Green Mountains
- Made in Vermont – The Northeast Kingdom
I count myself as truly fortunate to live in a state that caters so heavily to the craft beer movement and I am exceptionally lucky that Vermont is such a small place that each of these breweries is but a short drive away. Several of Vermont’s breweries have won medals and awards in both national and international competitions. You need to understand, however, that Vermonters are not ones to rest on their laurels and the state’s beer industry is in constant flux. For example, I am aware of at least two new breweries in the development stages and there are several of the existing breweries that are in the process of expanding their operations; some of them significantly.
The Long Trail Brewery is located at the junction of Routes 4 and 100A in the tiny burgh of Bridgewater Corners. The brewery and the small store nearby represent nearly all of what this town has to offer. In spite of its relatively remote location, Long Trail is both one of the oldest and largest commercial breweries in Vermont. They recently purchased the Otter Creek/Wolvers brewery up in Middlebury to give them increased capacity and a better avenue for the distribution of all of their beer. Long Trail Ale was one of my first experiences with a non-macro beer and it was love at first drink for sure. I have a number of other favorites from this brewer. They relatively recently began producing a “Brewmaster Series” of beers and a couple of those have become some of my most sought after Vermont beers; the Centennial Red and the Coffee Stout in particular.
The other major brewery that calls southern Vermont its home would be the Harpoon Brewery. Although headquartered in Boston, where they have another brewery, the brewery in Vermont inhabits the former Catamount brewery facility in Windsor. I have talked frequently of the events that they hold at the Vermont location as well as of their significant contributions to Vermont communities, charities and social causes. For one event or another, I end up visiting this venue several times each year and I look forward to that each and every time that it happens. Harpoon’s IPA was an early favorite in my craft beer career and to this day you will find a can or two of this beer in my fridge awaiting my enjoyment. Like many brewers, Harpoon offers a“premium” line of beer, two of them in fact; the “100 Barrel Series” and the “Leviathan” series. I am a big fan of several of these Harpoon beers and like their IPA, you are apt to find at least one of these higher end brands either aging in my beer larder or being chilled in preparation for its final showing.
From there we move from beer production on a much smaller scale. Northshire Brewery is located in Bennington, at the very southwest tip of Vermont. Relatively new to the Vermont craft beer scene, I am starting to see their beer in more places, some of them farther north where I have easier access to them. Most of my experience to date with their beer has been as samples at the Vermont Brewers Festival, held every summer in Burlington. Having just visited their Web site, I can see that they have greatly expanded the number of places where their beer can be purchased. I definitely plan to catch-up with them at one of these new locations in the very near future.
Madison Brewing Company & Pub is also located in Bennington and right on Main Street in the downtown area. Madison offers a very nice location to both have some great food and to sample some of their fine beer. Like most brewpubs, they offer a regular selection of beers that are nearly always available and then seasonal or special offerings to fill in at different times of the year. I particularly enjoyed their Old 76 Strong Ale the last time that I was there, along with something called a “New England Bog Salad” for a light lunch.
Last on our list of breweries, but hardly least, we finally come to McNeill’s Brewery, which is located in Brattleboro. McNeill’s is another of Vermont’s breweries that have been around for a while and it has been producing high quality beers for as long as it has been around. One of my long-time favorites had been their Imperial Stout , which is no longer made. Some of Ray McNeill’s latest creations are coming on strong though; like his Warlord Imperial IPA, a hop head’s dream and one that I grab now and again just to satisfy my hop cravings.
Well that brings us to the end of our series on the current list of 21 Vermont breweries. Don’t you think for one moment that this is the last that you will hear of Vermont’s fine beers. Vermont can rightfully be called a craft beer-lover’s mecca and I think that it is high time that you finally planned a vacation (or beer quest) to a state that is just bursting with both scenic beauty and great beer, no matter where you are in the state. Although our winters are long here, which is a good thing for some of the best ski areas in the East, it is not cold and snowy all year long. The summers here are a perfect escape from the sweltering heat of the real deep south and the colors of our autumn can’t be matched anywhere. Come to Vermont and enjoy our people, enjoy our scenery and enjoy some of the best beer this side of anywhere!
