Yankee Brew News Archive

What's Brewing: Vermont

Originally Published: 12/96

By: Tom Ayres

Vermonters and visitors will enjoy a wealth of new apres-ski brews this winter.

Three new breweries are introducing flagship products to the market in the late fall and early winter. In addition, two hangouts popular among specialty beer aficionados, skiers, and Gen Xers will come on line with their own pub-brewed offerings.

First to the taps among the breweries: the Golden Dome Brewing Company, a Montpelier outfit profiled elsewhere in this issue of Yankee Brew News. Ian Dowling and Russ Fitzpatrick expected to deliver the first kegs and bottles of their Ceres Back Forty Amber Ale to accounts throughout north-central Vermont in time for Thanksgiving.

That bane of all brewery startups--the permitting process--delayed two other new brewers who had hoped to have their first beers out by foliage time. Based in the state's northernmost environs, each brewery now hopes to have its inaugural beers on the market in time for the holidays.

Schussing the slopes at the Northeast Kingdom's Burke Mountain this winter? If so, check out the Trout River Brewing Company in East Burke. Dan and Laura Gate plan to proffer as yet unnamed porter, Scottish ale, amber ale, and Oktoberfest. "We'll be leaning on the malt a little more than other Vermont brewers, who've tended to emphasize the hops," says Dan Gate, a former gold medal winner in the Scottish ale category at the American Homebrewers Association's national competition. To learn more about Trout River, give the Gates a call at (802) 626-3984.

Bennett Dawson, proprietor of The Brew Lab homebrewing supply store in St. Albans for the past three years, is also stepping up to the Big Show. "I'm wiser than I was eight months ago," Bennett quipped regarding the permitting process. "I've never experienced child-bearing, but I think I have a sense of what it must be like. This has been quite an experience."

Dawson's Franklin County Brewery, housed in the same building as the homebrew shop, was slated to introduce its Rail City Ale in kegs and growlers by Turkey Day. Bennett was running test batches of Rail City when I spoke with him. He describes the flagship brew as "a well-hopped variation on amber ale. But I refuse to pigeonhole it--it's a mongrel American pale ale, with lots of fruitiness from the yeast to balance the hops." The St. Albans brewer noted his fondness for Harpoon Ale and Long Trail Ale in citing inspirations for Rail City.

On the brewpub front, One World Brewing has outfitted a second Vermont eatery and bar with one of its turnkey brewing operations. Gallagher's in Waitsfield, a popular night spot with skiers at nearby Sugarbush, will initially be pouring Sugarbush Ale, a maple-tinged old ale, and Mad River Stout. "I'm excited about being able to offer my customers beers that capture the Vermont tradition and the spirit of this region," said Steve Polcek, owner of Gallagher's.

The Three Needs Taproom in Burlington will officially add the title "brewery" to its moniker at Thanksgiving. Proprietor Glenn Walter, former head brewer at the Vermont Pub and Brewery, and brewer Dan Lipke, a skilled homebrewer taking an initial foray into the commercial sphere, will offer a distinctive range of lagers and wheat beers. The duo expected to mark the taproom's first anniversary by pouring the first of the new pub brews over the Thanksgiving weekend. The Three Needs will continue to offer one of the area's widest selections of draught specialty beers in addition to its own beers.

All the moving and shaking among new fermenters in the state has tended to grab the headlines of late, particularly at the Burlington Free Press, which spotlighted the state's micro and pub-brewery boom in a recent cover story in its "Business Monday" supplement. The state's established brewers are hardly standing still, however.

Magic Hat Brewing Company hopes to follow on the heels of Otter Creek Brewing and the Long Trail Brewing Company, both of which moved into spacious new quarters within the past year or so. At press time, word on the street was that the Burlington alchemists--purveyors of Magic Hat Ale, Blind Faith, Number 9, Hocus Pocus, and the new Jinx strong ale--were close to a lease agreement on a large facility south of the city.

Out-of-state beer lovers interested in checking out the Vermont brew scene may want to take part in the annual Trub Trek, sponsored by the Green Mountain Mashers, the state's largest homebrewing club. On Saturday, February 8, trekkers will board a charter bus for a day-long sojourn, visiting several breweries and brewpubs in northern Vermont. The itinerary was still being worked out at press time. A limited number of seats are available to non-Mashers on a first-come, first-served basis. To learn more, call Trekmeister Dan Hament at (802) 434-5098.

Speaking of the Green Mountain Mashers, kudos go out to club member Dan Marshall. Dan's award-winning Dusseldorf Alt is now on tap at the Vermont Pub and Brewery in Burlington. Dan took the Brewmaster's Cup at the annual Green Mountain Homebrew Competition last May, earning the privilege of brewing a commercial-sized batch of the prize-winning beer with the VP&B's John Kimmich. Congratulations, Dan--and cheers to Greg and Nancy Noonan, John Kimmich, and all the folks at Vermont's oldest brewpub for their continued, stellar support of the state's homebrewing community.