While I created this blog to focus specifically on craft beer in Boston, the beer culture here has really come to involve New England as a whole. So when my girlfriend suggested we spend a couple of nights drinking beer and eating cheese at a bed and breakfast in Vergennes, Vermont (a special shout-out to the Strong House Inn and Mary’s delicious banana pancakes), I jumped at the opportunity. I don’t think too many boyfriends could get away with spending their Spring Break driving around snowy Vermont looking for rare IPAs, but I guess I’m one of the lucky ones, so a big thanks to her (and look out for her upcoming guest review)!
Ok, let’s get to the beer. I’m going to spread all of the hoppy details across a couple of reviews and features over the next couple of days, but here are a few things that I learned.
- It is entirely possible (and enjoyable, and recommended) to drink only beer from Vermont while traveling in the state. Really, as much as I love beer from other parts of the country, you’re in a state that’s crazy for craft beer. Take advantage of it.
- The Alchemist’s Heady Topper Double IPA is every bit as good as they say it is (it currently holds the top spot on BeerAdvocate and has a 100 rating on ratebeer). Hype has become a big factor in craft beer, and a lot of the time I think that it’s a little overblown or based more on rarity than quality. But I have to say, popping open a fresh Heady we had picked up hours earlier at the cannery in Waterbury while sitting in front of the fireplace in our room was one of the best drinking experiences of my life. I’ll give it a full review in a later post, but for now I’ll say this: I wouldn’t have been surprised if I had found full hop flowers stuck between my teeth after finishing the can. Continue reading
The Hop Hub 