When the average person thinks about everything Vermont has to offer as a vacation destination, beer may or may not be at the top of the list — but it should be. Vermont has the most craft breweries per capita of any other state in the country, clocking in with an impressive count of at least 40. There are endless ways to prioritize and experience the substantial supply of beer found in the Green Mountain State, and you could always start with five of the best breweries across Vermont. From exploring a singular destination like the bustling city of Burlington, to trekking your way through the Champlain Valley or the more rural Upper Valley, there’s no right way to follow (or build your own) beer trail.
Brewing enthusiasts can focus on visiting as many nano breweries as possible, bring along man’s best friend to one of the 28 dog-friendly establishments, or take the road well-traveled by hitting the highlights of the most popular Vermont Beer Trail: the trinity of Smuggler’s Notch, Stowe, and Mad River Valley. The choice is yours, and with the state’s commitment to high-quality when it comes to craft brewing, it would be difficult to make a wrong decision.
Burlington features a beer trail accessible by bicycle
Burlington is known for many things, including unbeatable views of Lake Champlain, and Vermont’s largest city offers an artsy urban vacation while being surrounded by mountains. It also happens to be home to no less than a dozen breweries, all of which are worth a visit for those looking to try new beer. The choices are plentiful to the point that the Vermont Brewers Association has strung together a trail with seven destinations so close together you can walk between select locations as well as bike, because most of the breweries listed are accessible to Burlington’s beautiful bike trail.
The list suggests beginning your experience in the city’s New North End at Simple Roots Brewing, started back in 2014 by Dan Ukolowicz and Kara Pawlusiak in their garage. It took only two years for the couple to outgrow the space, finding a new home in the same neighborhood where this community-focused brewery offers tap room hours from Thursday to Sunday, and offerings like the “American Dream” ale, as well as a Mexican-style lager aptly called “Beer Is Life.”
Continue the journey by heading about 3 miles down North Avenue to Foam Brewers, founded in 2016 by an experienced group of industry professionals passionate about the science and art of beer brewing. Enjoy a seasonal selection of beer on tap, cheese, and charcuterie before hitting the trail’s third stop at Zero Gravity Craft Brewery, where they boast more than 10 beers on draft with seasonal and specialty selections alongside a full food menu.
It’s not surprising that the well-known Switchback Brewing Co., which is 100% employee-owned, appears as a recommended destination on this trail — Queen City Brewery, the Vermont Pub and Brewery, and Burlington Beer Company also make the list.
Stowe has a lot to offer the Vermont brewing scene
Smuggler’s Notch and Mad River Valley feature top-notch breweries
Like their neighbor Stowe, the surrounding areas of Smuggler’s Notch and Mad River Valley are home to some of the most popular brewery destinations in the state of Vermont. Morrisville is where you can find both Soulmate Brewing Company and Rock Art Brewery, where the former features a menu highlighting the categories of hoppy, reds and browns, stouts, and light and crisp, while the latter offers a unique selection to include Coconut Porter with Vanilla, Peanut Butter Cup Milk Stout, and Vermont Maple Wheat Ale, among many others. Ten Bends Beer in Hyde Park is right next door, where the year-round offerings of the DIPA Northern Heights, IPA Green Fountains, peach double IPA Cream Puff War, and pilsner Sterling Pils are sure to intrigue.
In Waterbury, you can find the Prohibition Pig, a popular restaurant featuring a brewery around the back with a dog-friendly patio, and The Tropic Brewing, a beachy brewery new to the scene as of May 2024. Started by brothers Matt and Zack Gordon, Tropic utilizes a four-barrel system and offers a 21-seat tasting room where guests can sample full and half pours alongside bar snacks.
If you’re willing to head a little ways south to Waitsfield, be sure to visit the tap room of Lawson’s Finest Liquids, where a healthy selection of beer on tap, as well as their limited release pilot beers, are sure to please. Pair that with an extensive food menu and retail store, and you have the perfect recipe for an afternoon well-spent.
The Northeast Kingdom is home to award-winning beer
The Northeast Kingdom in Vermont is home to a handful of notable breweries, including Red Barn Brewing in Danville, where the Little Devil India Pale Ale and Evil Angel Double India Pale Ale are favorite offerings. The taproom is open every day, with an extensive pub menu that will keep you from going hungry, and events like trivia and open mic night happen weekly.
Whirligig Brewing in St. Johnsbury is a BIPOC-owned and brewed one-barrel nano brewery offering IPAs, lagers, and stouts, but specializing in sours and wild ales, and locally-sourced ingredients like maple sap, spruce tips, and berries are the star of the show at Kingdom Brewing in Newport. Enjoy handmade, wood-fired pizza at their Brew Cabin on Fridays and Saturdays, and they’re both kid and dog-friendly.
One very special brewery that’s been garnering national attention is the Hill Farmstead Brewery in Greensboro. Founder and head brewmaster Shaun Hill started his company in 2010 on the land his family has owned for generations, and today people flock from all over the country to try the brews that are named for his ancestors. Hill is no stranger to awards, earning the title of the “best brewery in the world” from RateBeer in both 2013 and 2015, with at least seven of his beers also making their list for “world’s best beers.” Interestingly enough, these best beers could initially only be purchased in the state of Vermont — Hill has since expanded to offer an exclusive home delivery system licensed for the District of Columbia, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Oregon, and Virginia only. In-person customers often line up to fill their growlers hours before the brewery opens at noon, and like the brewery itself, their retail shop is open Wednesday through Saturday.
Explore Vermont’s nano breweries
Bigger isn’t always better, and Vermont’s nano breweries are up to the task of proving it. With at least eight establishments operating on a four-barrel or less system, these small but mighty breweries have something to prove when it comes to standing up to their larger counterparts. While we’ve already highlighted Whirligig Brewing in St. Johnsbury and Ten Bends Beer in Hyde Park, those interested should head west to check out Kraemer & Kin in North Hero and Two Heroes in South Hero. While the former is open seasonally and focused on community events, offering their products at local farmers’ markets, the latter offers a local gathering place featuring live music.
Taking a turn south will offer up the remaining four nano breweries, beginning with the Red Clover Ale Co. in Brandon. Both USA Today and Thrillist called them one of the 10 best new breweries in America, and you can visit their tap room Thursday through Sunday. Bent Hill Brewery in Braintree Hill also prides themselves on pairing its craft beer with a meatless menu, and their hilltop location offers beautiful views of the countryside.
Brocklebank Craft Brewing in Tunbridge is a former organic dairy farm featuring pilsner, IPA, fruit beer, and dark beer. The tap room is open on Fridays and Saturdays, and offers nine beers on tap for both tasting and purchasing, and refilling growlers. Finally, the Upper Pass Beer Company in South Royalton has come a long way since beginning in a converted sheep barn in 2015. Just one year later, they began contract brewing at von Trapp Brewery, and now work with Baker Distributing to get their products into as many hands as possible. Their core offerings include First Drop IPA, Cloud Drop Double IPA, and Cashmere Hoodie.
