Vermont Brewers Festival – 1st Amazing Winter Brewfest in Killington Vermont

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Update 2023: Saturday, September 30, 2023

Whet your whistle with a backdrop of Vermont’s finest autumn foliage and enjoy live music, fabulous food offerings, and dozens of the finest craft beers, ciders, and seltzers in the region.

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Brewfest is one of Killington’s most distinctive annual celebrations. This event will once again be returning to the Pico Mountain Base Area to enjoy the best in craft beers and Vermont mountain views.

A ticket cost $77 (2023 pricing) at the gate but they were certainly few and far between the VIP tickets have already been sold out.  Designated Drivers: $15

Tickets include a commemorative drinking glass, a 10-punch beer sampling card, dozens of brews to sample, and live music. An extra 5-punch sampling card will be available for purchase exclusively on-site.

2023 Participating Breweries:

14th Star, Anheuser-Busch, Ayinger, Bent Water, Black Flannel, Burlington Beer Co., Canteen Spirits, Citizen Cider, Day Chaser, Downeast Cider, Fiddlehead, Frost Beer Works, Groennfell Meadery, Halyard, Harpoon, Lawson’s, Long Trail, Mount Holly Beer, Mountain Mac Cider, Rutland Beer Works, Sierra Nevada, Simple Roots, Smuttynose, Switchback, Toppling Goliath, Upper Pass, Vermont Beer Makers, von Trapp, Weihenstephan, Woodchuck Hard Cider, Zero Gravity

The tasting session will be rocking with live music from start to finish. To kick things off, we’ll have music from The Gully Boys, followed by a performance by the Chris Pallutto Band.

Brewfest general admission tasting will run between 1:00 and 5:00 p.m. Tastings of 3, 6 or 9 oz. of exclusive beers created in collaboration by Vermont brewers were highlighted throughout the festival. There will be over 30 breweries in attendance and over 100 beers to sample.

In my initial visit, there were over 30 exclusive brews created for the occasion. This was both a good and bad thing:  good because there were some very interesting collaborations which created very interesting beers.  The bad part was you could only get them here.  No buying these unique blends elsewhere… so if you were not at Brewfest, you missed out!

Original Review of the First Brewfest in Vermont

One of the highlights of my week-long trip to Vermont in 2018 was attending the first winter Vermont Brewers Festival at the beautiful Killington Resort.  For 25 years, the Brewers Association has been running a very successful summer event on the waterfront in Burlington. 

After touring various microbreweries from southern Vermont, I was looking forward to venturing into a 3-hour tasting event.  The festival is set up in two large rows with brewers side by side.  Each brewery had kegs of their brews for the festival goers to sample.  While you stand in line (and that we did the whole time), decide on a beer to taste.  Get there early, as the lines can be long.  Once you’ve entered the venue, the lines for the beer are about 20 deep, so come with friends to chat while you wait. To be honest, it was fairly efficient and ultimately very fun.

There were a few food vendors (cash only), including Bluebird Barbecue, Cornerstone Pub & Kitchen, The Worthy Burger, Woodbelly Pizza and Wicked Twisted Gourmet Pretzels.  One of these had a variety of tater tots with accoutrements (an American version of poutine is what it looked like to me). We loved the pizza from Woodbelly, right out of a woodburning oven!

We enjoyed an evening of beer sampling, delicious pizza and a memorable time with the Ski Vermont team members!  If you plan to go next year, I say embrace the elements in this “all outdoor” winter-themed festival at the base of the K1 Lodge at Killington. Sit by the fire pits with the brewers who host this event while enjoying a sample of beer.

Vermont Brewers Festival

Brewfest is set up under four large tents.  I’ve listed the breweries as they were laid out in the map.  To say the least we were not able to visit all of the taps because there were too many.  I also included some of the beers that we tasted in the days leading up to the festival.  I did note the beers that I tasted.  These however are not all the beers which were featured.  To get a better idea, you can have a look at the festival guide.

• Cousins Brewing – Waitsfield, Vermont
• von Trapp Brewery – Stowe, Vermont – Yes, it’s THOSE von Trapps!  Made popular by The Sound of Music, this Austrian family immigrated to the US and has managed the von Trap Lodge in Stowe. The brewery was added in 2010. I tasted a von Trapp earlier in the week at Stratton and enjoyed this ‘white beer’.
• Weissbier – 5% 12 IBU –  Vermont take on a Bavarian classic, this “white beer” exudes a spicy, citrusy aroma with a lush, tropical pallet. The malt imparts a fruity, peppery character.Rich mouthfeel that yields to a lovely, brightly carbonated finish.
• Beer Naked Brewery – Marlboro, Vermont – The appeal of Beer Naked was not just the brew but the view.  Located at the top of  Hogback Mountain in what was the old Skyline Restaurant, Beer Naked is on an expansion curve.  The brewery is up and running but the bar and pizza restaurant are still undergoing renovations.  Owner Jason Petrelli is hoping for a Memorial day weekend opening.  With a wood fire pizza oven on premises the pizza is going to be great although he was quick to point out that their focus is the beer.  I say grab a pint and sit out on the deck… you won’t regret it!
  • Michoacan (7.6%)  Toasted Hemp Maple Brown made with Vermont maple syrup and toasted hemp seeds.  Pure nuttiness!

Vermont Brewers Festival

• Good Measure Brewing – Northfield, Vermont
• Zero Gravity Brewing – Burlington Vermont –
• Stone Corral Brewery – Richmond, Vermont – Stone Corral is a family-owned brewery and pub.  With fifteen beers on tap, you have a lot to chose from.  For Brewfest, they had 7 beers to choose from.  This was our last stop on our ‘brew’ crawl.  Although some of their most popular beer was ‘tapped out’.   I started with the Hummingbird Rodeo but I found it a bit too tart. It’s an Imperial sour with tart cherries and chocolate brewed with a blend of cultures from both Stone Corral Brewery and Zero Gravity Craft Brewery. I pass my sample on to Malcolm (who appreciated it so much more) and I proceeded to the Lil Boh Pilsner.  I enjoyed that much better!
  • Lil Boh Pilsner (5.2% 27 IBU)- A bright crisp and clean Pilsner. Easy drinking and low abv with a slightly hoppy finish.
• Long Trail Brewing Co. – Bridgewater Corners, Vermont – We had dinner the night before Brewfest at Long Trail.  It was packed (and for good reason), it was the first night for their newest IPAs – VT IPA!  I have to say it was very hoppy for my taste but I still enjoyed it.  When you eat here, I would recommend the FULLY LOADED nachos.
  • VT IPA (5.9% 30 IBU) – Hazy, with a soft mouth-feel and big juicy hop flavour.
    
• Otter Creek Brewery – Middlebury, Vermont – This beer was by far my favourite.  I could have easily had a 9 oz. glass!  I love that it was fruity and tart at the same time.  It was light and I was hoping to find it again but it appears this was one of the ‘special brews’ for the Brewfest batch.  Alas, the closest I will come to this again will be their Orange Dream cream ale – which may make a reappearance at the Summer Brewers Festival in Burlington.  No doubt, I will be singing the praise of this brew hoping to see it again.
  • Passion Dream (5.25% 20 IBU) – A dreamy cream ale brewed with passion fruit, experimental hops, and vanilla.   A post shared by Otter Creek Brewing (@ottercreekbeer) on Mar 26, 2018, at 11:20 am PDT
• Prohibition Pig – Waterbury, Vermont
• Frost Beer Works – Hinesburg, Vermont- We stopped at Frost Beer Works because one of our stops on our brewery tour was a tiny beer and cider store.  When asked what would be a great beer to take home to her hubby, our resident beer expert said: Lush from Frost.  Fortunately for us, they had Lush Double IPA on tap at brewfest.  A double IPA means the hops are doubled or tripled from a regular beer.  It is ‘hoppier’ and characteristically American.  A 2xIPA is also known as an Imperial IPA.  It is also measured by the level of alcohol by volume (ABV) over 7%.  That is a bang for your buck!
  • Frosty Pig Collaboration (6%) – This IPA is a collaboration between Prohibition Pig and Frost Beer Works.  Its design incorporates flaked oats and both old and new school hops which create a combination of bright juicy fruit and subtle pine characteristics. Collaboration with Prohibition Pig.
  • Lush Double IPA (8% 80 IPU)- A double IPA with luxuriant aromatics and succulent flavours.  The combination of hops from both hemispheres and our ale yeast complement each other to create a rich, juicy character.
    
• Harpoon Brewery – Windsor, Vermont
• Brocklebank Craft Brewing – Chelsea, Vermont
• Jasper Murdock’s Norwich Inn – Norwich, Vermont
• Rock Art Brewery – Morrisville, Vermont
• Northshire Brewery – Bennington, Vermont
• 1st Republic Brewery – Essex Junction, Vermont
• Idletyme Brewing Co. – Stowe, Vermont
• Hogback Mountain Brewing, Inc. – Hogback, Vermont
  
• Kingdom Brewing – Newport, Vermont – Hailing from the North-East of Vermont, this area is considered very unique within the state.  I could not resist this sample.
  • Olde East Kent Gold Imperial Pale Ale (7.9% 100 IBU) – Imperial Pale Ale features a classic smooth British Ale profile reminiscent of an ESB but with a smokey and earthy finish.
• Saint J. Brewing – Johnsbury, Vermont
• Magic Hat Brewing – South Burlington, Vermont
• FarnHam Ale and Lager – South Burlington, Vermont – This was our first stop on our tour and it was very interesting.  The beer I choose had a distinct coconut flavour.  It was very tasty!  The brewery is located in South Burlington which was named the second safest city in the US!
  • Coconut IPA (7.6% 36 IBU)- Getting a little out there dreaming of summer, we brewed a crushable IPA featuring generous amounts of coconut complimented by kaffir lime and bright citrusy hops, Motueka and Idaho.
• Whetstone Station – Brattleboro, Vermont – A few days before Brewfest, we had dinner at Whetstone Station in Brattleboro and it was delicious.  I highly recommend any beef dish but especially the beef tips.  Our entire meal was paired with different beers depending on the course and food choice.  Whetstone also had a cheese plate that featured local cheeses and charcuteries.
  
• Hermit Thrush Brewing – Brattleboro, Vermont – My introduction to sour beer was in Brattleboro at Hermit Thrush, the owner of which is also the President of the VBA.  The pride in his craft is evident. Avery carefully explained how sour beer is made from a yeast starter somewhat akin to yoghurt. The whole brewing process can take months or years as opposed to most beers which take weeks. Sour beers are an acquired taste. Not one I was able to enjoy but I can see the appeal in creating new taste sensations.
  • Chaga Chaga Choo Choo (4.9% 20 IBU) – Red wine barrel-aged sour Brown Ale with foraged Chaga mushrooms. Collaboration with Hermit Thrush Brewery.
    
• Trout River Brewing Co. – Springfield, Vermont
• Simple Roots Brewing – Burlington, Vermont
• Goodwater Brewery – Williston, Vermont
• 14th Star Brewing Co. – St. Alban’s, Vermont – In my quest to find the best beer for my taste, I asked the help of Malcolm from @MalcolmistBeer for advice.  He was our resident expert on our trip but after a few different tastings, he determined I am a double IPA kind of gal.  The B-72 from 14th Star Brewing Co was one of my favourites.  I’ll keep going back to those citrus notes.
  • B-72 (8% 72 IBU) – Double IPA brimming with tropical fruit and citrus notes
• Drop-In Brewery – Middlebury, Vermont
• Lawson’s Finest Liquids – Warren, Vermont
• Switchback Brewing Co. – Burlington, Vermont – Since 2015 Switchback has been bottled in old school ‘stubbies’. Because it is unfiltered if you are drinking from the 22 oz. long neck bottle you are encouraged to give the bottle a #switchbackswirl to unsettle the yeast and proteins into the beer.  Check out this quick video that explains this fun technique.  Fun fact: the employees of this brewery believed so much in their fine brew that they bought the company.  Switchback Ale is 100% employee-owned
  !

  

Vermont Brewers Festival

What you need to know:

Location: Killington Resort

How to get there: Fly into Rutland airport, Drive 1.5 hours from Burlington Airport, drive to Killington Mountain.

Parking: Limited parking is available on-site. Free shuttles are available from Snowshed (at the base of Killington) to K-1.  Free bus services are provided to various hotel, condos and accommodations in the Killington area.  Best tip: drink responsibly and let someone else do the driving. It was very quick and efficient.

Cost: $42 advance purchase, $45 at the door (but it sells out so buy beforehand); Combo Lift Pass + Festival Ticket = $111.  Lift pass can be used the day of or the day after the festival.

Website: VTBREWFEST.COM

Who was there: 32 Breweries – primarily from Vermont with a few from out of state and one from Canada; various food vendors, Vermont Brewers Association, Think Vermont (Tourism Board & State reps).

Travel’s Tips: (1) It is winter so wear boots, a warm jacket, gloves, a hat and maybe even snow pants.  You are outside the entire time and the fire pit was packed. (2) Go to the washroom beforehand as the line ups were long (3) bring cash – although there was an ATM it ran out of money before we got there! (4) Don’t drive – take the FREE shuttle from your condo, hotel room or ski chalet – stay overnight – don’t drive!

Summer Edition: Vermont Brewers Festival at Waterfront Park in Burlington on July 20 & 21, 2018.  You know I will be making a special trip just to be there.

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Disclosure: I would like to thank #SkiVermont, Vermont Brewers Association, Hermit Thrush, Whetstone Station, Beer Naked, Long Trail Brewery and Killington for hosting both at their breweries, restaurants and Mount Snow, Stratton and Killington Resort.  Although I was a guest, all opinion about the Vermont Brewers Festival and the beers are all my own.  #sponsored

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