From the Alchemist to Zero Gravity, Vermont is burgeoning with craft breweries, and if you’re looking for a way to sample them all, well, you can. The Vermont Brewers Association has a dozen beer trails that wind through various stretches of the Green Mountain State, taking you to some 50 craft breweries — far too many to list here, but we’ll highlight a few. You won’t need hiking shoes — just a designated driver.
Note that these breweries are all part of the passport program. If you want, pick up a passport at any brewery to get stamped as you go. Or, if you’re looking for specific beers, you might download a smartphone app like Untappd, which lets you look up breweries around you.
The Northeast Kingdom — a stunning swath of northeastern Vermont nestled between the actual Green Mountains and the Connecticut River — is probably what you picture when you picture Vermont. And the Northeast Kingdom Trail boasts three breweries that offer a panorama of the Vermont craft beer experience.
Driving up from Boston, start at the southern-most tip, at the more commercial Saint J Brewery in Saint Johnsbury. You might sample an American Blond, a smooth American style with a mild bitter finish; a Smokin’ J, a Citra dry-hopped aromatic IPA with a spicy smokey finish; or (and) a Russian Imperial Stout with hints of chocolate and coffee. Soak up the alcohol with a Green Monster Steak-N-Cheese or Big Papi Hall-of-Fame Meatball hoagie. Open Wednesday through Sunday. 2002 Memorial Drive, Suite 6, St. Johnsbury. 802-424-1700. saintjbrewery.com.
Head northwest to Hill Farmstead Brewery in Greensboro. Down a long dirt road, the remote and rustic gem of a brewhouse has earned a reputation as something of a poster child for the ideal farm-brewery, and was named “World’s Best Brewery’’ in 2012 by Ratebeer, an independent site for craft beer enthusiasts. With a tap room and brewhouse in the same building, you essentially see where your ales originated as you buy them. Brews are broken down into series here: The Philosophical Series, for instance, pays homage to Thoreau, Kierkegaard, and the ilk. Toast to Nietzsche with “Twilight of the Idols,’’ a winter porter with a touch of locally roasted coffee and cinnamon, and aged with vanilla beans. Open Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. 403 Hill Road, Greensboro. 802-533-7450. hillfarm stead.com/main
Two miles from the Canadian border, Kingdom Brewing is a working, sustainable cattle farm that uses a greenhouse for food production and its Angus herd for spent grain and trub recycling. The beer is made from mountain water from a spring in the woods out back, and the hot water system is wood-fueled from the plot’s timber. Taste the Maple Nut Brown Ale and the hearty winter ale, Addy Pearl’s Maple Spiced Rum Grog, which weighs in at 14 percent ABV. Oh, and you might get to feed the cows their beer if you go mid-afternoon. Open Thursday through Saturday. 353 Coburn Hill Road, Newport. 802-334-7096. kingdombrewing vt.com
In southern Vermont, the Brattleboro Trail stops at Whetstone Station Restaurant & Brewery, a riverfront experimental nanobrewery. You might sip a Rudyard’s Brown — a malty brown ale with notes of toffee and nuts. If you want to buy a crowler — growler in a can — go Friday. Whetstone has an extensive and creative menu: Pair an ale with duck wings in mandarin orange glaze, hand-cut poutine, or fried potato and cheese pierogis. Really hungry? Pair a porter with Southern fried chicken and Belgian waffles with honey butter and gravy, or a crisper ale with Tim’s Awesome Burger with Vermont cheddar cheese, maple glazed bacon and, yup, peanut butter. Brewery tours on Sundays; must book in advance. 36 Bridge St., Brattleboro. 802-490-2354. www.whetstone station.com
Heading northwest, McNeill’s Pub and Brewery features dozens of beers on tap, including 18 award-winners. (90 Elliot St., Brattleboro. 802-254-2553. www.facebook .com/McNeillsBrewery.) The final stop on this trail is Hermit Thrush Brewery, a rustic Vermont brewhouse that harnesses green technologies to create thoughtful, limited-edition ales like Rakau, a sour pale ale with hops from nearby Four Star Farms. Weekends best for tours. 29 High St. Brattleboro. 802-257-2337. www.hermitthrushbrew ery.com.
Go West, beer fan, to find a cluster of breweries on various trails along the Western border of the state. You’ll find Magic Hat, the steam-punk Wonka Factory of breweries, on the Beyond Burlington Trail. Take a guided tour, taste free samples, take in an art exhibit, and bring your dog along. 5 Bartlett Bay Road, South Burlington. 802-658-2739. www.magichat.net.
Meanwhile, on Central Vermont Trail, you’ll find Long Trail Brewing Co. on the banks of the Ottauquechee River. Take a self-guided tour, then head to the pub for Double Bag beer-battered fish and chips, or a locally-raised beef burger with Vermont Cheddar. You might pair with Citrus Limbo IPA, infused with grapefruit and tangerine oils, or Unearthed, an American stout with notes of coffee and chocolate. 5520 Route 4, Bridgewater Corners. 802-672-5011. longtrail.com/home
Still thirsty? No worries. There are beer trails scattered over the state. www.vermont brewers.com/passport- program
Lauren Daley can be reached at ldaley33@gmail.com. Follow her on Twitter @laurendaley1.
