Yankee Brew News Archive

What's Brewing: Vermont

Originally Published: 10/96

By: Tom Ayres

Leaf-peepers and skiers trekking across the Green Mountains in the coming months may be treated to a plethora of new brews and breweries.

At the Vermont Brewers Festival on Burlington's waterfront in July, brewers and beer-drinkers alike were buzzing that as many as six more micros or brewpubs could open in the state in the coming months.

Williston's One World Brewing purportedly has up to four of its contract brewpub operations in various stages of negotiation. (See the feature article on One World elsewhere in this issue for more details.)

First out of the gate with new product, however, is likely to be the Three Needs Taproom in Burlington, which will soon live up to the brewery moniker it has claimed on its sign since it opened last November. Proprietor Glenn Walter expects to be brewing in a custom-built, steam-generated three-barrel system by the time this issue of Yankee Brew News hits the streets. In a twist on convention, he'll pack the brewpub's compact basement with thirteen conditioning tanks and offer lagers and wheat beers only. Look for a trio of Three Needs beers on tap by the beginning of November, complementing nine guest brews, including at least one cask-conditioned ale.

Other new breweries in the offing and chatted up at the Vermont Brewers Festival included Dan Gate's Trout River Brewery in East Burke and a Montpelier micro planned by UC-Davis grad Russ Fitzpatrick and his business partner, Ian Dowling. Watch What's Brewing: Vermont for updates on these operations as they progress.

Lastly, there's nothing new to report on the progress of the Hinesburg Brewing Company, the proposed micro in Milton's Catamount Industrial Park that I highlighted last issue. Several calls to the startup company's Hinesburg telephone number went unanswered.

With so many new breweries popping up in Vermont, companies like Middlebury's Otter Creek Brewing are becoming part of the "old guard" after only five years of operation. For its part, Otter Creek continues to expand and add to its line. Look for its Oktoberfest--popular in its initial draught-only incarnation last year--in bottles for 1996. Introduced just after Labor Day, it will be available in twelve-packs only through October. Otter Creek Oktoberfest will again be available on tap as well.

Fall is also the time to find Otter Creek's Hickory Switch Amber Ale, a delicately smoked ale produced from malt smoked right at the brewery. For the first time, Hickory Switch will be available throughout Otter Creek's entire market area, which now embraces all six New England states and upstate New York north of Albany along the Massachusetts and Vermont borders. Otter Creek will also start producing its Stovepipe Porter--formerly a winter-only offering--year-round beginning in November.

Those who enjoy great blues and other forms of roots music with their brews have a friend in Burlington's Magic Hat Brewing Company.

Magic Hat is sponsoring an ongoing series of concerts at the Old Lantern Dance Hall, off the road to the ferry in Charlotte. The funky Old Lantern (complete with mirror ball!) proved a great spot to work up a thirst dancing to the likes of The Subdudes, Koko Taylor, King Sunny Ade and His African Beats, and The Band throughout the summer and early fall. At press time, Magic Hat Cofounder and Brewer Bob Johnson reported that East L.A. roots-rockers Los Lobos had been signed for an early October gig. Those who know me know what a Los Lobos fanatic I am. I'll crawl over broken Bud Light bottles to be at the gig!

In addition to great tunes with a world beat, Magic Hat is also offering Vermont music fans something else that's special at the Old Lantern: a smoke-free environment. Smokers at the summer and fall shows were relegated to an outdoor courtyard. To find out what performances may be on tap when you visit the Burlington area, call Magic Hat at (802) 658-2739.

The ale-chemists at Magic Hat aren't the only ones mixing malt and music. Down the road in Middlebury, Otter Creek will sponsor the After Dark concert series at the Knights of Columbus Hall this winter, warming things up with nationally known folkie acts, including Greg Brown. To learn more, call Otter Creek at (800) 473-0727.

Winter's coming on. Stay warm, put on your dancing shoes, and enjoy those Vermont brews.