Yankee Brew News Archive

What's Brewing: Vermont

Originally Published: 10/97

By: Tom Ayres

Richly varied and colorful foliage won't be the only thing drawing visitors to Vermont this fall. Two of the state's major microbrewers will also be attracting leaf-peeping beer lovers with new facilities in Windsor and Burlington.

The state's oldest craft brewer, Catamount Brewing Company, welcomed more than 1,500 people to grand opening ceremonies for its new, 33,000-barrel brewhouse on August 4 (see cover story in this issue). The brewery offered revelers a dunkelweizen, Windsor Wheat, custom-made solely for the opening event.

Test brewing at the new Catamount facility got under way at mid-month and Catamount President Steve Mason projected initial bottlings from the plant in mid-September. First up: Catamount's annual Oktoberfest. The brewery will also craft its annual Christmas Ale in the new plant. Watch for a November 1 release.

Mason added that Catamount will continue to operate its original brewery in White River Junction as a keg-only operation for the short term. "Into 1998 and beyond, we'll analyze financial costs and see where things go," the Catamount founder said. "White River Junction is where the company started and it would be great to think we can operate there, too. But the Windsor plant is much more efficient, so we'll reevaluate when the time is right."

Catamount is now operating its brewery store at the new Windsor location. For tours and other information, call Catamount Brewing Company at (802) 296-2248.

Burlington's Magic Hat Brewing Company was also readying a new brewery as Yankee Brew News went to press. Located in a former Grossman's Lumber building off Route 7 on Bartlett's Bay Road in South Burlington, the facility enables Magic Hat to shift all of its brewing operations to Vermont. (To date, Magic Hat's 12-ounce bottled product has been crafted under contract in Maine.) Jinx, a specialty strong ale previously available only in 22-ounce singles, will be Magic Hat's first product from the new brewery. The Belgian-inspired ale, made with a hint of smoked malt, will now be available in six-packs of 12-ounce bottles as well.

Like Catamount, Magic Hat is expected to continue operating its original brewery on Flynn Avenue in Burlington. Brewery founders Alan Newman and Bob Johnson have yet to announce firm plans for the Burlington site, however.

To schedule a visit to Magic Hat's new plant in South Burlington, call the brewery at (802) 658-2739.

East Burke's diminutive Trout River Brewing is presently unable to accommodate tours due to its small size and staff. That shouldn't stop you from savoring the brewery's beers, however -- its Red Ale, Robust Porter, and Scottish Ale are available in growlers in northern Vermont's better package stores.

Trout River's Dan Gate promises a hefty doppelbock for October release. The brewery also crafted a limited-edition pils and Oktoberfest for the annual Germanfest at Burke Mountain in August. You may want to stop by the year-round resort to see if these beers are still available come fall. Also look for Trout River beers on tap at selected accounts in the Northeast Kingdom and at Burlington beer haunts such as Manhattan Pizza and The Three Needs.

Speaking of The Three Needs, the brewpub on Burlington's College Street will mark its second anniversary in November. Faced with resistance from city authorities, The Three Needs has decided to forego selling growlers of its beer at the pub. Growlers will, however, be available soon at selected area packies, including the Beverage Warehouse in Winooski. The brewpub has added another tap and will henceforth have four of its own beers on draught at all times, in addition to a varied selection of mostly Vermont micros. Look for the pub's annual Oktoberfest and the return of a breathtakingly hoppy India Pale Ale.

Franklin County Brewing Company is taking a different approach to the customary release of seasonal beers in 12-ounce bottles. The St. Albans brewer is marketing monthly specials in growlers instead. Its October offering will be a robust porter. An Imperial stout is planned for November and a barleywine is set for December release

"We're looking into bottling options with an eye toward offering these limited-edition specialties in 12-ounce bottles," said Franklin County President Bennett Dawson. "We may use special caps and specialty six-pack carriers stamped with the style, while keeping our standard Rail City Ale and Rail City Lager labels in an effort to keep labeling costs down."

Dawson is enthusiastic about the new line of monthly beers, which enable him to break out of the molds established by his "house" ale and lager.

"I just wanted to do another recipe, for heaven's sake," he quipped.