Beer on Vermont Trip 2017

Two Brothers

The first thing I noticed when I walked into the bar at Two Brothers in Middlebury was that there seemed to be more beer taps than last year. I was there for lunch but I talked to the bartender and he said they now served flights of beer.

 He pointed out to me the Draught Beer menu and I was surprised with how many local beers there were. My first pint was a Switchback, but he said 5 three-ounce glasses was only $6, the same price as a full draft.

I made my selections:

1. Drop In "Orange You Glad I Didn't" Hefeweizen 5.6% from Middlebury Vermont
2. Goodwater "Hoppy Side of Pale" APA 5.4% from Williston Vermont
3. Long Trail "Green Blaze" IPA 6.5% from Bridgewater Corners Vermont
4. Lost Nation "Mosaic" IPA 5.5% from Morristown Vermont
5. Otter Creek "Free Flow" IPA 6.0% from Middlebury Vermont

Here is a photo of my list...

 And here is the presentation...

My favorite was the Long Trail Green Blaze IPA. All were very good...

Magic Hat

I drove up to Burlington to visit UVM and Church Street. On my way back to Middlebury I decided to stop at the Magic Hat Brewery to buy a new tee shirt. Once in the door, it was easy to pay the $3 for four samples. The entrance to the brewery is kind of weird....

The menu was interesting, but having been here before I had tried many of the beers...

For my four samples I picked:

1. Taken for Granite aka TFG American IPA 6.6%
2. HI - #9 5.9%
3. Circus Boy American-Style Hefeweizen 4.5%
4. Zirkus Boy German-Style Hefeweizen 4.5%

I did not get a photo of my samples as all the empty glasses looked the same (when I realized I should take a picture). I really like the TFG and bought two four-packs of cans. I like #9 and IPA, and the HI-#9 is a combo of those. I will stick with the regular #9. Circus and Zircus were very similar and I liked them both. Great summer drinks. I did get a photo of some cans of #9 stacked on a stacked lady...I think she is Queen Victoria!

 Switchback

Tom and I had traveled to Essex Junction to eat at Ray's Seafood Market & Restaurant. On the way home, Tom asked if I had ever been to the Switchback Brewery. I said no so we headed down toward Lake Champlain on Flynn Avenue. He took me down to Oakledge Park first. Very nice and scenic views of the Lake and New York mountains. Then back to the Brewery.

We sat at the bar and looked at the menu.  Flights of four were only $6.

I saw they had a Featured Flight for only $5 on the blackboard behind the bar.

So I ordered the featured flight which included:

1. Switchback Ale 5.0%
2. Citra-Pils Keller Bier 5.1%
3. Extra Pale Ale 4.8%
4. Flynn on Fire (Smoked Series): Gates of Helles 5.1%

Here is what I got...

Note that the flight board is in the shape of the state of Vermont. Very cool! It should be obvious that I liked #1 since I always order a Switchback wherever I go. #2 and #3 were both good. My brother Tom really liked the last one, #4, the smoky Gates of Helles. The smoke comes from German Beechwood. And seriously, it tastes smoky but kinds of grows on you. Tom bought a 22-oz bottle to take with him.

While sitting at the bar, we saw they had Switchback postcards which they allowed you to fill out. I sent one to myself in Florida and it arrived yesterday. It said I was having a great time. Oh, they pay the postage for you! How neat is that! One last look at the Gates of Helles!

Of course, they had tours and viewing areas of the brewery floor.

And some of the ingredients they use in their beers...

Thanks Tom for taking me there.

 Otter Creek Brewing (Shed)

In my hometown, there is the Otter Creek Brewery. It has been there a while. Not sure who currently owns it but they also do Long Trail and the Shed beers from Stowe. They had a psychedelic menu...

My first flight was:

1. Orange Dream - Cream Ale - 5.25%
2. Free Flow - American IPA - 6%
3. Couch Surfer - Oatmeal Stout - 5.4%
4. Backseat Berner - American IPA - 7%

Here is the flight...

I loved the Orange Dream and bought two six packs of cans before I left. The people next to me were trying to hit many of the breweries in Vermont. I caught this picture of them capturing a memory!

Just like I noticed that had wings on special, I also saw they had some beers not on the menu but only on the blackboard. I guess I could do a second flight.

The second flight was the following:

1. Orange Dream - Cream Ale - 5.25% (I said I loved it so I got it again)
2. Neon Flow - Free Flow infused with Passion Fruit - 6.0%
3. Milk Stout - 4.5%
4. Coffee Stout with Nitrogen - 4.5%

Ignoring the sign from flight one, here is the second flight...

Yep, I loved the Orange Dream again. I wish the Passion Fruit was a little stronger in the Neon Flow, I think the hops aftertaste dampened the sweet taste. It was okay. The milk and coffee stout were great.

And that concludes my flight training while in Vermont!