Best Breweries in Vermont: Top Mass Breweries and Craft Breweries

Some of the best breweries in Vermont produce top beers in the USA, so if you want to go on a beer trip, this is an excellent place to check out. From craft beers to diverse styles, there’s a lot to enjoy in this state.

To make things easier for you, we have compiled a complete list of all the best breweries in Vermont.

Our guide also contains essential information about brewing and brewpubs in Vermont, so continue reading the reviews below to know more.

Vermont Breweries	Number of Active Beers	ABV Range
Hill Farmstead Brewery	157	1.7 – 10 percent
The Alchemist	37	5 – 9 percent
Zero Gravity Craft Brewery	78	2 – 12 percent
Red Clover Ale Co.	25	5 – 8 percent
Foam Brewers	199	5 -12 percent
Lawson’s Finest Liquids	60	5 – 12 percent
Lost Nation Brewing	28	4 – 8 percent
Four Quarters Brewing	94	3 – 11 percent
Burlington Beer Company	112	3 – 12 percent
Frost Beer Works	48	5 – 9 percent
Von Trapp Brewery	15	3 – 8 percent
River Roost Brewery	31	5 – 11 percent
Hermit Thrush	42	5 – 14 percent
Magic Hat Brewing Company	27	2 – 8 percent
Foley Brothers Brewing	26	5 – 10 percent
Harpoon Brewery	77	4 – 11 percent
Whetstone Station Restaurant and Brewery	15	3 – 8 percent
The Bobcat Café and Brewery	2	6 – 8.2 percent
Drop-In Brewing Company	13	5 – 12 percent
Long Trail Brewing Co.	34	3 – 11 percent

20 Best Vermont Breweries You Should Visit – The List

Here are the top breweries in Vermont for you to visit.

1. Hill Farmstead Brewery

No one can talk about brewing in Vermont without mentioning Hill Farmstead Brewery, which is considered one of the best in the city and even in the United States. It is located on the outskirts of Greensboro in Northeast Kingdom, Vermont. It was established in 2010, but the brewery’s history dates to way before this.

Shaun Hill founded it, and his family lived in Vermont for over two centuries. Even the brewery logo is derived from a sign that his great-great-great-grandfather’s bar had in the early 19^th century. The Hill Farmstead Brewery became very popular since it was founded.

Now, it is made up of a taproom and a shop that sells to-go beer bottles. One unique feature about their beers is the names, as they name them after members of their family. An example is Mary, a pilsner, or Edward, a pale ale. They also have some unique brews like the Twilight of the Idols, a winter porter made with coffee and cinnamon and aged in vanilla beans.

2. The Alchemist

The Alchemist is a pretty famous brewery out of Vermont known for making the New England-style hazy IPA widespread in the United States. This is a juicy and cloudy version of the standard IPA. Although pretty tricky to find outside of Vermont, the Alchemist released the Heady Topper, the IPA that made this style famous.

The Heady Topper, like many other IPAs from The Alchemist, has a lot of beer fans which is why their beers are cleared off shelves as soon as they are released. You can visit The Alchemist whenever you’re in Vermont, as it is open for daily curbside pickup.

3. Zero Gravity Craft Brewery

Zero Gravity Craft Brewery started its job in Vermont in 2004 when it served its customers beer and woodfired pizzas in Burlington. The brewery focuses on high quality, especially when making classic beer styles for its dedicated fans. Some of their most popular beers include Conehead IPA and Green State Lager.

Aside from the main Zero Gravity Craft Brewery location, you can visit its secondary site, a 30-barrel brewhouse. It is located in Burlington and features an outdoor patio and a taproom. It is open at any time of the day so that you can order your beer in advance or queue for your turn.

4. Red Clover Ale Co.

Red Clover Ale Co. is a relatively new brewery in Vermont, but it is still good enough to be considered one of the city’s best brewing locations. Three brothers-in-law founded the brewery, and they leveraged their family history to make beers with local recipes and ingredients.

Their most popular beers are hazy IPAs, but they also have diverse, delicious beers like Vienna lager and New England IPAs, so beer lovers can easily find what fits their palate on the tap list. Although this craft brewery is small, it indicates a lot of potential and promises brilliant beers in the future.

5. Foam Brewers

When it comes to modern hazy IPAs, Foam Brewers are known for their brilliant and drinkable beers that all enthusiasts love. Their beers are delicious and balanced, following contemporary approaches that set them apart from Hill Farmstead. You can expect diverse beers on their tap list and they also partner with House of Fermentology for artistic beers.

Founded in 2016, Foam Brewers was led by professionals in the brewing industry, so it’s not surprising that they are pretty popular in Vermont. Aside from their hazy IPAs, they also produce delicious lagers, sour beers and Saison. Some of their most popular beers are Switchback and Magic Hat.

6. Lawson’s Finest Liquids

Another top brewery in Vermont is Lawson’s Finest Liquids, which stands out with its wide range of beers and family themes. It was opened in 2008 by Sean and Karen Lawson, a husband and wife team. This brewery is well-known for its maple stouts that are made with Vermont syrup, which sets it apart from other modern craft beers.

Lawson’s Finest Liquids is also known for its hop-forward beers like Super Session and Sip of Sunshine. They make delicious and popular beers, but their involvement in the community has caused them to attract a massive following of beer enthusiasts.

7. Lost Nation Brewing

You can also check out Lost Nation Brewing whenever you’re in Vermont, which is known for some of the best beers in the United States. If you’re curious about this brewery, it’s best to try out Gose, a German-style beer with a tart character, or the Mosaic IPA, with a good balance of modern and traditional ingredients.

Since Lost Nation was founded in 2013, it has focused wholly on brewing European-style beers, making it a respectable company in Vermont. They offer rustic and traditional beer styles and are highly committed to their customers, making it one of the best breweries on our list.

8. Four Quarters Brewing

Next on our list is Four Quarters Brewing, which is known for experimenting with its beer styles, leading to some delicious results. The ten-barrel brewery is located on the outskirts of Burlington and uses unexpected ingredients in brewing its beers.

These ingredients include raspberries, pumpkin, and even locally-made apple cider doughnuts to make beer. These ingredients are used to make sour beers, IPAs, rauchbiers and stouts with unique flavors.

You can try out their popular beers like the Fluffer Nutter Chocolate Drop when you reserve their tasting rooms or purchase their beer cans. This unique imperial stout is made with peanut butter, bananas, chocolate and marshmallow.

9. Burlington Beer Company

You can quickly locate the Burlington Beer Company around the Burlington International Airport, consisting of a spacious taproom and many fermentation tanks. Their main beers are hoppy pale ales, porters, fruity brews and stouts, and they are known for experimenting with even fruits and vegetables to give remarkable results.

This Vermont brewery makes up to 75 beers yearly, and you can find many of these unique beers on their tap list. It’s advisable to try out the Beekeeper IPA whenever you visit the brewery for curbside pickup, as it is a delicious ale made with organic Vermont honey. You can even enjoy snacks, tacos and sandwiches that go well with their beers.

10. Frost Beer Works

Another good brewery you can visit in Vermont is Frost Beer Works, located just outside of Burlington. It is one of the underrated breweries in the city, known for offering delicious and unique beer beverages to those who purchase cans or growlers at the location.

The taproom is located close to the brewery, so you can discern scents of the freshly made beer while you enjoy their brews. They specialize in pale ales like the Really Pale Ale and Plus Double IPA but make other beers like porters, stouts and blonde ales as well.

11. Von Trapp Brewery

The Von Trapp family, well-known for their musical prowess and inspiring the movie “The Sound of Music,” are the same people who made this delicious brewery. The family settled in Stowe and opened the brewery in 2010. They are now known for their Austrian and German-style pilsners and lagers, some of which have even won awards.

Some popular brews from Von Trapp Brewery include the Golden Helles lager, the Bohemian pilsner which has won awards, and the Dunkel brown lager. You can make a reservation for in-person dining at the brewery, as they offer a wide range of American and Bavarian foods on the menu that pairs well with the beers.

12. River Roost Brewery

River Roost Brewery has its roots in the Magic Hat brewery, as it was founded by Mark Babson, who owned, operated it, and was previously a brewer at Magic Hat. They are known for their smoked brown ales and barrel-aged stouts, but Vermont locals are especially in love with their IPAs.

River Roost is located at the White River Junction and is always open for picking up beers of your choice. You can visit the humble taproom beside the brewery, making it a fun place to visit.

13. Hermit Thrush

Another Vermont brewery on our list is Hermit Thrush, and this company focuses more on making sour beers with 100 percent wild yeast. The beers are also barrel-aged to give their customers a unique, Vermont-like taste. They always have a wide range of sour beers available.

If this is your first time purchasing beers from Hermit Thrush, you can try out the Party Jam series, which are kettle-soured and made with blueberry, mango, other fruits and local hops. But beer lovers would also enjoy the Rowdy Monk sour brown beer, aged in Scotch and red wine barrels for 12 to 18 months.

14. Magic Hat Brewing Company

Magic Hat Brewing Company is so famous in Vermont that some of the other top breweries are founded by those who previously worked there. It is also the largest brewery in Vermont, making over 175,000 barrels yearly.

You can visit the company in South Burlington for a tour and learn more about the history, brewery operation, artifacts and more. You might even be allowed to see the brewery in action and taste three of their beers. Magic Hat also sponsors different events in Burlington and Vermont.

15. Foley Brothers Brewing

Located in Brandon, Vermont, Foley Brothers Brewing is ideal for those who want to enjoy the taste of beer and wine in one place. This is because the Foley Brothers also run the Neshobe River Winery.

When you visit the brewery, you’ll be allowed to sample small-batch beers, especially the IPAs. One of the best brews in the company is Decided Funk #3, a delicious beer on their tap list. It is a dark sour ale that has been aged in barrels that previously contained wine. If you want to visit the brewery, you can stay at the Inn at Neshobe River.

16. Harpoon Brewery

Harpoon is one of the oldest breweries in the United States, as it was first founded in 1986 in Boston. It was the first new brewery in Massachusetts for over two decades, and now it is the 12^th largest craft brewery in the United States. But after the brewery in Boston became too small, they had to move to Vermont in 2000.

You can easily find many Harpoon beers not only in Vermont but in other states as well. One of their top beers is the IPA, but they also often experiment with their beer recipes to impress customers. The brewery also holds a lot of special events, especially during Oktoberfest season.

17. Whetstone Station Restaurant and Brewery

Another unique brewery in Vermont with a lot of attention on the community is Whetstone Station Restaurant and Brewery. It is located on the banks of the Connecticut River in Vermont and features a rooftop and deck beer garden where you can sit and enjoy the river views while enjoying beers.

Aside from their craft breweries, the Whetstone Station Restaurant also features delicious foods that go well with their beers. The on-site brewery might look small, but they have many delicious beers and experiment often to give exceptional results.

18. The Bobcat Café and Brewery

The Bobcat Café and Brewery is another top Vermont brewery founded back in 2002, making it currently one of the longest-running breweries in the area. It combines a café with its brewery, appearing like a fun neighborhood for all beer-lovers to visit and have a good time. Their beers are handcrafted and served with foods that are well-paired.

The craft brewery uses only high-quality ingredients to make their brews, and you can visit at any time to sample their beers. Some of the most popular brews include the Kolsch and Easy Rider, a Belgian pale ale.

19. Drop-In Brewing Company

The Drop-In Brewing Company is based in Middlebury and was founded in 2012. It is owned by Christine Mckeever Parkes and Steve Parkes and is known for its craft brewery. The tasting room is open every day, but it is a kegging-only company. It also operates a craft brewing school called the American Brewers Guild.

One of its most popular brews is the Sunshine and Hoppiness, a flagship brew and a Belgian-style golden ale. You can also try out the Fetchez La Vache, a sweet milk stout. Then there is the Chicharito, which is a pale ale with vanilla and chocolate hints.

20. Long Trail Brewing Co.

Long Trail Brewing Co. was established way back in 1989, one of the longest-running breweries in Vermont. It was founded by Andy Pherson and is a high-quality craft brewery. It is located on the banks of the Ottauquechee River and comes with a brewpub for all its visitors.

Visitors can try out their farmhouse ales in the tasting room and many other breweries. If you’re not sure what to choose, you can go for the Double Bag, which is a double altbier. The Limbo IPA is made with hops from the Pacific Northwest and Australia, and their flagship beer, the Long Trail Ale, is also a delicious one to try.

Brewing in Vermont

Although Vermont is a small state, it has one of the most breweries per capita in the United States. The state features traditional breweries and many craft breweries, nano breweries and brewpubs. A wide range of beers also come from this state, especially different kinds of IPAs, ales, stouts and more.

The history of brewing in the state dates back to 1988 when the first brewery was opened in Burlington. Vermont has a lot of history with craft breweries, as many opened in the 1980s before turning to standard breweries.

Now you have access to various brews whenever you visit Vermont. Some of these breweries also come with restaurants that serve food. Their food choices also go well with the served beers, so enthusiasts can enjoy delicious pairings without thinking about them too hard.

FAQ

Is Vermont famous for craft beers?

Yes, Vermont is renowned for its craft beers, especially its hop-forward IPAs. The state has been called “America’s craft beer capital.”

Are there microbreweries in Vermont?

Absolutely! Vermont has over 60 microbreweries producing unique and delicious craft beers using locally sourced ingredients.

Do Vermont breweries have taprooms?

Yes, many Vermont breweries have taprooms where visitors can sample their offerings and enjoy a pint in a cozy, laid-back atmosphere.

Conclusion

If you ever find yourself in Vermont, you can visit any of the top 20 breweries on our list and enjoy the whole brewing experience.

• The best brewery to visit in Vermont is Hill Farmstead Brewery for their unique brews like the Twilight of the Idols.
• Another must-visit brewery in Vermont is Magic Hat Brewing Company, which is the largest of its kind in the state.
• Next, head on over to The Alchemist, which is well-known for making the New England-style hazy IPA widespread in the United States.

With our complete guide, you can plan your trip to Vermont and enjoy the best beers at the top breweries in the city.