Burlington Vermont Compilation

I was lucky enough to spend a few days in Burlington Vermont and hit up a bunch of breweries and a cidery! Burlington, Vermont is about a 3-hour drive for me, which when you leave at about 9am works out perfectly for some day drinking.

Fiddlehead Brewing Company

My first stop was Fiddlehead Brewing Company – Brewing Approachable, Multidimensional beers. Located in Shelburne VT. Shelburne, VT is on the way heading into Burlington. Truth be told I’m not a huge Fiddlehead fan, but it warranted a stop since it’s one of those iconic IPA beer

We walked in and ordered pizza from next door at Folino’s Pizza | Shelburne, Burlington & Williston, VT (folinopizza.com before we even sat down, food in the belly when drinking is essential. Folino’s staff would bring the pizza over when it was ready.

Popped into the Fiddlehead Taproom which was smaller than I had anticipated, but that isn’t always a bad thing, think a cozy store feeling.

Nate was on the bar and was an absolute joy. He was knowledgeable about not only Fiddlehead beers but also the surrounding area. I ordered up the Pilsner which I thoroughly enjoyed, crisp, floral, and easy to drink. My companion tried the local Shacksbury Classic Cider which was super dry and not my cup of tea but they enjoyed it.

Our pizza arrived and it was delish! We finished up our drinks and took a loop around the merch area before heading out, look at this cute baby onesie!! A perfectly lovely stop as we began our Vermont adventure.

Citizen Cider

The next stop was CITIZEN CIDER.

We have Citizen Cider available everywhere in the Capital Region of NY so I’ve tried a few varieties before.

In the taproom, you’ll find 10 varieties of their cider and 5 guest taps. I wanted to get a flight but the only flights available are preselected ones, boo! I asked the bartender Steve why people can’t make their own flights. He said when it’s busy it’s too challenging. But, it was my lucky day and Steve took pity on me since it was a quiet afternoon and I chose my own! Raspberry Crush at 4.6% ABV, Brose (rose style with blueberries) at 6.1% ABV, Mountain Hopper at 6.9% ABV (made with black tea), and the Hibiscus Lime Seltzer coming in at 5% ABV.

The absolute star of the show was the Mountain Hopper. The use of black tea in a beer or cider seems to have become much more prevalent in the last year or so as they keep popping up in my travels. The cider and black tea combination has moved to the top of my enjoyable cider list. This Cider was light-bodied with a mild and enjoyable spice to it which made it refreshing and extremely drinkable. So drinkable in fact, I picked up a 4 pack to bring home for my cider-loving friends, and well, for me too!

Sidenote, the mac and cheese is amazing!! If you are a lover of mac and cheese like me, don’t leave without trying this one! This mac and cheese was so tasty I was left wishing I had room to order a second one.

I suggest giving Citizen Cider a try even if you aren’t a big cider fan. They serve up some really interesting out of the box ciders.

Zero Gravity Brewery

Stopped at Zero Gravity Craft Brewery (zerogravitybeer.com) first thing on our second day in Burlington. We took seats at the bar and had to wait several minutes for the bartender to acknowledge our presence despite there only being 2 other patrons at the bar. She finally found her way over and asked if we knew what we’d like, we said no and asked for a beer list. I then asked if flights were available to which I was told No. I then asked if they offered short pours. I was again told No. She suggested I do a 10oz pour instead of a 16oz pour and walked away.

Now I understand that not all establishments like to offer flights, some because they’re too time-consuming, and some because they want their beers to be enjoyed immediately after the pour so they are consumed at optimal temperature. However, that being said, this is the first out of the hundreds of breweries I’ve visited that doesn’t even offer a short pour of 4 or 5 ounces. The prices on the 10oz pours are reasonable but not everyone can drink 4-10oz beers in a sitting or maybe they don’t want to. I know personally, that I fill up too fast and don’t have the stomach space.

So although disappointed and slightly annoyed by the less-than-friendly bar staff I soldiered on and ordered an Irish Cream Porter (nitro) which came in at 5.5% ABV. A nose of coffee, a creamy mouthfeel with chocolate notes. There wasn’t much in the way of vanilla and a bit more bitter than I would have anticipated. Not the best porter I’ve ever had but not the worst either.

My second and final selection was the Scotch Ale coming in at 7.3% ABV. It has a nice but subtle caramel toffee nose and pours a deep amber. The flavor was smooth with notes of toffee and some minimal smoke. I’m left again saying it was just ok, nothing to write home about, when I enjoy a Scotch Ale it is typically more complex, rich, caramelly, and malty.

All in all a sub-par brewery visit with a weird unfriendly atmosphere and no flexibility in pour sizes. In my opinion, they did not live up to the hype.

Goodwater Brewery

My last stop on the way out of town was Goodwater Brewery (goodwaterbreweryvt.com) Technically not located in Burlington but only 5 miles outside the city limits, it’s worth the small detour out of town. Andy was on the bar the day we stopped in and made us feel at home in no time with his pleasant demeanor.

I ordered up a flight consisting of Baltic Porter at 7.5%ABV, McAllister Red at 5.2% ABV, Winter Warmer Ale at 6.5% ABV, and Sour Batch (Sour ale with blood orange and tangerine) at 3.8%ABV

My favorite of the day was hands down the Winter Warmer Ale. The nose was a little less malty than I would have expected but the cinnamon and nutmeg were discernable. Smooth with a mild bitterness but well-balanced and full of spicey notes. One of my favorite Winter Warmers to date! I grabbed a 4 pack to travel home with me.

I enjoyed a little snack with my flight and the local company at the bar in the form of spicy french fries. People, if you like french fries and spicy these are not to be missed! Every bite was a delicious mixture of heavenly seasonings on a perfectly cooked french fry.

I would highly recommend a trip to Burlington for any beer lover. While in the area I stopped into another half dozen breweries, so never fear, there will be no shortage of beer! I would however suggest giving yourself at least two full days if not three so you don’t feel rushed or overwhelmed. Cheers to making some Green Mountain State Memories!