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The U.S. state of Vermont is home to several breweries, microbreweries, nanobreweries, and brewpubs that produce a wide variety of beer.
In 2011 and 2012, the Brewers Association ranked Vermont as the state with the greatest number of breweries per capita. Using the 2010 US Census population estimate of 62,741 and 26 breweries, there are one brewery for every 24,067 people.
The 2012 Brewers Association Economic Impact Report shows Vermont with a total economic impact of beer brewed by craft brewers at $196,287,000. The data places Vermont as third in the category of craft beer industry output per adult (21+) with $418.57 per person. The report states that there are 2,200 full time employees with an average wage of $30,176.
When using the economic impact of beer as a percentage of GDP, Vermont ranks fourth with a percentage of 2.40%.
History
The history of beer in Vermont is similar to its history in the rest of the United States - no local breweries existed from Prohibition until the microbrewery explosion of the 1980s and 1990s. Since then a number of strong breweries have developed despite Vermont's small population.
Beer styles
Greg Noonan is cited with creating the Black IPA (AKA Cascadian Dark Ale or India Black Ale) with his beer Blackwatch at The Vermont Pub & Brewery in the 1990s. Breweries in Vermont produce mostly traditional ales and lagers, along with American interpretations of those older styles.
Beers
One of the most widely known beers from Vermont is #9 from Magic Hat Brewing Company. It is an apricot-flavored fruit beer based on a traditional pale ale. Heady Topper from The Alchemist is only sold in Vermont as of November, 2011 but is one of the highest rated beers on both BeerAdvocate and RateBeer. Other breweries such as Hill Farmstead and Lawson's Finest Liquids have gained a great deal of national acclaim.
Breweries
National breweries
As of November 2011, no national or international brewing company, such as Anheuser-Busch, Molson Coors, or SABMiller, operated breweries in Vermont.
Craft breweries
As of March 2013, there were 29 breweries operating in Vermont that could be described as craft breweries. Several produced too much beer to qualify as true microbreweries. In 2013, ratebeer.com named Hill Farmstead Brewery the best brewery in the world.
- 14th Star Brewery - St. Albans, Vermont
- Alchemist Brewery - Waterbury, Vermont
- Backacre Beermakers - Weston, Vermont
- Covered Bridge Brewing - Lyndonville, Vermont
- Drop-In Brewing Company - Middlebury, Vermont
- Fiddlehead Brewing - Shelburne, Vermont
- Foley Brothers Brewing - Brandon, Vermont
- Grateful Hands Brewing - Cabot, Vermont
- Harpoon Brewery - Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, largest plant in Windsor, Vermont
- Hill Farmstead Brewery - Greensboro Bend, Vermont
- Kingdom Brewing - Newport Center, Vermont (New brewery as of 2012, independent of the old Kingdom Brewers)
- Lawson's Finest Liquids - Warren, Vermont
- Long Trail Brewing Company - Bridgewater Corners, Vermont
- Lost Nation Brewing - Morrisville, Vermont (May, 2013)
- Magic Hat Brewing Company - South Burlington, Vermont - Owned by North American Breweries - Rochester, New York
- McNeill's Brewery - Brattleboro, Vermont
- Northshire Brewery - Bennington, Vermont
- Otter Creek Brewing - Middlebury, Vermont (also produces Wolaver's Certified Organic Ales brand and The Shed brand) - Bridgewater, Vermont
- Rock Art Brewery - Morrisville, Vermont
- Switchback Brewery - Burlington, Vermont
- Brewery at Trapp Family Lodge - Stowe, Vermont
- Trout River Brewing - Lyndonville, Vermont
Brewpubs
- Bobcat Café & Brewery - Bristol, Vermont
- Brewster River Pub and Grill - Jeffersonville, Vermont (April, 2013)
- Jasper Murdock's Ale House at The Norwich Inn - Norwich, Vermont
- Madison Brewing Company Pub and Restaurant - Bennington, Vermont
- Vermont Pub and Brewery - Burlington, Vermont
- Whetstone Station Restaurant & Brewery - Brattleboro, Vermont (opened 2012; brewing May, 2013)
- Zero Gravity Brewing at American Flatbread - Burlington, Vermont
Brewpubs on Hiatus
- Three Needs Brewery and Taproom - Burlington, Vermont Has yet to resume brewing after relocating bar in January, 2012.
Defunct breweries and brewpubs
- The Alchemist Pub & Brewery - Waterbury, Vermont Pub destroyed by Hurricane Irene. Alchemist Brewery remains in operation.
- Bennington Brewers - Bennington, Vermont
- Black River Brewing Company - Cavendish, Vermont
- Catamount Brewing - White River Junction, Vermont (Windsor, VT plant now owned by Harpoon Brewery)
- Franklin County Brewery - St. Albans, Vermont
- Golden Dome Brewing Company - Montpelier, Vermont
- Granite City Brewing - Barre, Vermont
- Hornpout Brewing - Lyndonville, Vermont
- Kingdom Brewers - Burke, Vermont
- Kross Brewing Company of Vermont - Morrisville, Vermont
- Latchis Grille and Windham Brewery - Brattleboro, Vermont
- Maple Leaf Malt and Brewing - Wilmington, Vermont
- The Shed Restaurant and Brewery - Stowe, Vermont
- Thirsty Bull Brew Pub at Peavine Restaurant - Stockbridge, Vermont
- Tunbridge Quality Ales/Jigger Hill Brewery - Royalton, Vermont
- Vermont Brewing Company - Bradford, Vermont
Homebrew clubs
- The Green Mountain Mashers Homebrew Club of Vermont - Burlington and Montpelier areas
Beer festivals
- Brattleboro Brewers Festival - May in Brattleboro, Vermont
- Greg Noonan Memorial Homebrew Competition - May in South Burlington, Vermont
- Killington Brewfest - October in Killington, Vermont
- Mount Snow Brewers Festival - September in West Dover, VT
- SIPtemberfest - September in Fayston, VT.
- Vermont Brewers Festival - July in Burlington, Vermont
- Oktoberfest - October in Hancock, VT
References
- Craft Brewing Industry Statistics
- http://247wallst.com/special-report/2013/04/01/the-10-states-making-the-most-on-beer/3/
- ratebeer best 2013 - best brewers in the world
External links
- Vermont Brewers Association - state brewing industry association
- State directory from RateBeer.com
- State directory from BeerMe.com
- State Directory, News, & Events from vtbeer.org