sipping through vermont

​By this point, you know I like to enjoy a local brew or two whenever I’m visiting somewhere new.  So many craft beer enthusiasts told me that I NEEDED to try Heady Topper from the Alchemist. I was excited about it! I was happy to have been able to have a delicious Heady Topper on a patio with dinner one night, but the actual brewery itself was closed on Sunday and Monday when we were in the area, what a bummer. It’ll have to be a stop for next time.  (For those who don’t know, Heady Topper is a double India Pale Ale brewed in Stowe, it’s a whopping 8% but still goes down smooth with hints of citrus. It was voted the 4th best beer in the world this year by Beer Advocate, that’s a pretty big deal).

​We were able to make 3 other drink pit stops while in Vermont:
 
PROHIBITION PIG BREWERY
2 Elm St – Waterbury VT
Right behind the delicious Prohibition Pig BBQ restaurant (great brisket sandwich, btw) is the Prohibition Pig Brewery. They’ve renovated a charming neighbourhood house into a brew pub with a good sized patio out front to enjoy a drink and snack. I enjoyed their Blueberry Milkshake Swine Cooler which is a tart wheat ale with blueberries, while Mike ordered their Vanilla Bean Porter. They had a really interesting selection including ‘Yes Sir or Yeah Sure’ a double IPA with notes of pineapple and snozberries and ‘Jack Be Little’ a mild English ale with pumpkin notes and light spices. It’s worth a stop.

​VON TRAPP BREWERY AND BEIR HALL
1333 Luc Hill Rd – Stowe VT
Now, this one came as a surprise to me. I was aware that the famous von Trapp lodge was located in Stowe but had no idea the youngest son of Maria opened up his own Beir Hall close by in 2010. Johannes von Trapp apparently noticed a lack of lagers that reminded him of brew’s he had enjoyed when visiting Austria and decided to take action. On the top of a hill on Luc Hill Road, take a seat in their beer garden and crack open a Hoppe Pilsner (Austrian spin on American style pilsner), Oktoberfest Lager, or Golden Helles (Dry and hoppy lager). Enjoy the tranquillity of the forest and admire the mountains in the distance.   Not only can you grab some great beer, you can also enjoy some Austrian style meals to accompany them! Katie and I enjoyed some chicken schnitzel and Leo had a Bratwurst.  Be sure to stop at the family lodge on your way back into the city!

STOWE CIDER
17 Town Farm Ln – Stowe VT
Nothing like a enjoying a crisp cider in the Fall. We were happy to stumble upon Stowe Cider. It’s located in a garage/industrial  style building with a few tables inside and picnic tables outside. They have a great selection sure to please a crowd who has different tastes. (My husband and I usually enjoy the exact opposite of each other when it comes to brews and ciders). I loved the cider shandy, half lemonade half cider; Katie had the Strawberry Fields with mint and lime (she even bought some to take home) and Leo tried to finish off a very strong Barrel Aged bourbon cider (it’ll put hair on your chest). They had some fun rotating taps (blueberry and Vermont maple syrup and raspberry with basil and honey) and a small bottle/gift shop. There are tons of restaurants in the area as well if you want to make a night of it. Stop by and sample some of the best cider that comes out of Vermont!