Plan Bee Farm Brewery - Poughkeepsie, New York

After a hiking weekend in the Catskills and a sort of failed local brewery attempt at Hunter Mountain Brewery (great food, no on-site brewed beer, still confused) I was excited to find a local brewery with great beer, and yes, a brewery that actually made beer on-site.  

What we found was even better.  

Not only do they brew a variety of great beer, but they do it using ingredients from the farm. 

This second brewery attempt was a trendy little brewery outside of Poughkeepsie where you can drink a beer brewed with local "right from the farm" ingredients while dodging roaming chickens and petting friendly goats.  If this is up your alley (or er, field?) look no further than Plan Bee Farm Brewery.

Idletyme Brewing Company - Stowe, VT

If you have been following Katie Wanders for a while, you probably know a few things to be true:  1) I love to be active and 2) I love to park my behind at a brewery immediately after said activity.   Hike/Ski/Run, Beer, Repeat.  And if I am being honest, it has to be good beer - preferably local, preferably new to me.  As some may tease, I have a loose set of rules when it comes to boozing in various locations.  You can drink a Narraganset on the Block Island Ferry... you can drink a PBR on a ski mountain, but in about every other situation, it has to be good beer. 

After a great hike up Mount Hunger, three silly sweaty hikers left the trailhead and immediately drove to one of the local breweries to drink cold beer (and cider, and vodka) and order everything on the menu that was deep fried or smothered in sauce and cheese.  A few hundred calories burned and a few thousand consumed.  It was a weekend for the books, just not the scales. 

Citizen Cider - Burlington, Vermont

Citizen Cider

It is hard for me to go to Vermont without spending at least $100 in beer to bring back home to my well stocked fridge or to thirsty friends.  This trip was no exception and after biking Burlington for the day and a delicious lunch at Sweetwaters, I hopped back on my bike to check out the well known and loved Citizen Cider. 

Fox Farm Brewery - Salem, Connecticut

Sometimes adventures are just a short drive from home.  It's not always airplanes and suitcases, maybe its a local hike and a visit to a new brewery.  In the busy month of November with the rise of the chaos of the holidays and dwindling expenses, that is exactly what I went out to do. 

If you've read my Connecticut Brewery post, you know breweries have been popping up throughout the state  - Don't quiz me but I think we are past the 60 mark with breweries in this rather small state.  It feels like every other weekend someone is mentioning a new brewery popping up somewhere in the state.  In the spring of 2017 a new brewery opened in my neck of the woods and Fox Farm Brewery was a name that kept spilling out of my friends mouths and popping up on tap lists at restaurants.  It is a rather big brewery in a rather small town and Fox Farm in Salem, Connecticut has been receiving some amazing reviews.  

After hearing all the hype, I went out for a hike at nearby Devils Hopyard, grabbed my dog and the largest sandwich I have ever seen from Salem Prime Cuts, and headed to Fox Farm.  What did I think?  Great setting, dog friendly, picnic friendly, amazing space, and best of all fantastic beer with a great variety.  

1 Hike 2 Breweries- Easthampton, Massachusetts

There are very few things better than scouting out a new brewery after a hot New England hike.  The temperatures were in the 80s in September and after a lovely hike up to the summit of Mount Tom, I was happy to discover that there were two breweries just a few miles away. New City Brewery and the Abandoned Building Brewery were both in the same complex a 5 minute drive from the state park entrance.  With Olive in tow, we headed out to try some local Massachusetts beer.  

Schilling Beer Co. Littleton, NH

Filled Crowler from Schilling Beer Co.

I've been a little...burnt out from local breweries lately.  Within the last few months, I have tried my hand at various local breweries around New England.  Most recently, a trip to Norwich brought me to two small(ish) breweries practically next door to each other and this stop, like several others, left me leaving with my growler empty.  I just couldn't find a beer memorable enough to even fill a growler.  It's not that the beers were terrible, they just weren't memorable.  It was just another mediocre or another double IPA trying a little too hard.  But I digress, this post is not about the bad breweries I have been to, but the one really good one I went to while hiking in New Hampshire.  

Lost Nation Brewing- Morrisville, Vermont

What would a Katie Wanders trip to Vermont be without stopping at a brewery?  The amount of New England breweries I have visited in the one year I have been home is impressive and alarming.  When traveling north to hike, bike, ski and play in the mountains,  a stop at a new brewery is just the perfect way to break up a road trip (as counter-intuitive as that may sound).  So yes, I have done a lot of hiking, biking, skiing and playing in my year here.  Oh yeah, and a fair amount of drinking I suppose. 

Stony Creek Brewery- Branford, Connecticut

While I am in the Cayman Islands diving (sorry for all of you stuck in winter still..) Katie Wanders will be sharing a few posts all about local breweries.  

Welcome to Monday and another post featuring a New England brewery (Katie Wanders visited, tasted and approved).  Truth be told, Stony Creek has been on my radar for a while.  I have heard awesome things about their new space in Branford with its large outdoor area right on the water.  I have also enjoyed some of their beer on tap at restaurants and bars around the Connecticut shoreline like Little Cranky that was almost always on tap at Dog Watch right down the road. 

von Trapp Brewing - Stowe, VT

A Beer Flight and Map of the Trap Family Lodge Cross-Country Ski Trails 

Stowe sorta blew my ski socks off.  I feel like every time I go to Vermont, I am taken back by how awesome Vermont is.  Did I really just forget? Did I never fully experience it?  Do I have a new outlook on all things New England?  When I was there in October to bike Kingdom Trails and hike the state's highest peak (Mansfield), I was amazed by how gorgeous the state was.  I also felt a wave of nostalgia to be back in the mountains, a new love affair sprung from my time living in Salt Lake City.  

I have only heard good things about Stowe from friends but truth be told, I was not expecting to be so smitten with this little town so far away from the coast (you know me, coast is king).  This adorable ski town has it all with amazing restaurants, several breweries, the cutest general stores, recreation trails, oh and an awesome ski mountain.  I kept saying over and over "we HAVE to come back in the summer".  I loved that the town and the mountain share the iconic Stowe logo and everywhere you go, you are reminded of where you are from the towns many signs, banners and logos representing the mountain town.  My weekend in Stowe was just one awesome adventure after another, and just what I needed to start off the ski season.  From shopping to skiing to trips to local breweries, Stowe did not disappoint. 

Grey Sail Brewing - Rhode Island

I swear I do more than visit breweries and drink beer.  The problem is, if you can even call this a "problem" is that there are so many awesome breweries popping up all over New England.  Some (like this one) are virtually in my backyard.  Add in the fact that it's winter in New England and outdoor activities are a little limited and all the brewery tours suddenly make sense.  Summer is for playing in the woods.  Winter is for drinking beer in breweries. 

This week, the blog is taking you over to one of my newly found and favorite local breweries.  Grey Sail Brewing calls the town of Westerly, Rhode Island home.  Yes, I live in Connecticut but the little Pawcatuck River is what separates the states of Connecticut and Rhode Island, Pawcatuck (CT) and Westerly (RI).  Over state lines but still virtually in my back yard.  Now let's talk beer!

Allagash Brewing Company

When heading north to Maine in the winter, I knew our options of outdoor activities were a little limited.  With temperatures hovering in the high 20s, this trip was going to be mostly about eating and drinking our way around Portland.  When the temperatures are below freezing and you want to take off on a foodie/boozie adventure in New England, Portland Maine is the perfect place to go.  

The weekend was a mix of good food and great local beer.  Looking at a map of breweries, the list of local brews in Maine can almost be overwhelming (so much beer, so little time I am afraid).  While the microbreweries are popping up at an alarming rate, there are the big names like Shipyard and Allagash who are well known and have been around for a while.  To start our tour in Portland, we decided to stop into Allagash to see the space and of course, sample some Maine brewed beer. 

Entrance to Allagash Brewing Company

A great and very busy brewery in an awesome space.  On a "campus" or I guess you could call it an industrial area with several other breweries and distilleries.  Free tours, FREE TASTINGS and a really cool tasting room and patio (covered and with heaters in the winter).  I loved that the patio was dog-friendly and I can see how this would be an amazing spot in the summer, making your way through the various breweries, distillery and food trucks.  While here in January, we tasted four beers, all delicious with my favorite being their classic (and first beer!) Allagash White.  Little Brett was a close second and the porter was a delicious winter treat.  White makes it pretty far across the U.S. and it is pretty common to see it bottled at various restaurants in New England. 

While most breweries are just trying to sell beer (and it seems to be all about IPAs these days), Allagash is working on expanding on and perfecting Belgian Ales.  If you like Belgian beers and want to taste and tour the operation, this is a great stop in Maine.  While the tours were booked up, we were told we absolutely have to come back to see the operation.  Tours are free but book up quickly (reserve in advance online).  While the tastings are free, you cannot order a pint at the bar, beer is only sold to go.  They have some various merchandise and snacks available for sale as well.  If you love the local beer scene after your tasting at Allagash, you can turn this into a full out Maine Brew Tour.  Head across the street to try out Foundation Brewing Co, Austin Street Brewing, Bissel Brothers Brewing, New England Distilling and Geary's Brewing. 

Newport Storm Brewery - Rhode Island

The new theme of the weekends for me has become "An adventure and a brewery".  If I leave the borough to explore a new town or hike a new trail, I try to find a new brewery on the way or nearby to try.  After spending the day visiting the Newport Mansions decked out for the holidays, we decided to stop at Newport Storm Brewery in Newport, Rhode Island. 

Newport Storm is Rhode Island's most popular microbrewery.  Located in a commercial area outside of historic downtown Newport, you can get away from the crowds and sample some Rhode Island beer.  If rum is more your style, you can also check out Thomas Tew Rum by Newport Distilling Co., (both the brewery and distillery run by the same company) operation that started in 2006.  I had to drive so the rum tasting would have to be on another day with a different driver.  

Newport Storm has the beginning of most of your New England breweries. They all sort of go a bit like this: some guy working in corporate America questioning his life and worth in his field decides to take a leap of faith, open a brewery and after a lot of ups and downs, hard work and a vision, a brewery is born. Newport Storm has a similar story, their story goes like this: "4 guys from college came up with an idea to start a brewery. Coastal Extreme Brewing (or The Newport Storm Brewery as we are known by many) was the dream of Brent, Derek, Mark, and Will. These four spent their years at Colby studying the science that would help them understand how to make beer while also doing the “sampling” that would make them love beer. In 1997, staring at graduation and a life just working in “a job”, the idea was hatched to start a brewery". 

North Country Hard Cider - New Hampshire

Breweries are great and I am happy to say they are popping up everywhere.  I mean, we have over 40 breweries in the small state of Connecticut and more every year.  But Cideries?  Cideries are rare, unique, and so so delicious.  Where can you find a specialty brewhouse making cider, only cider, and six different kinds of cider?   Locally sourced apples, unpasteurized, unfiltered, without additives or preservatives.  If you are in New Hampshire, you can find this at North Country Hard Cider Company. 

Hog River Brewing- Hartford, Connecticut

Next stop on the Connecticut Brewery tour was in Connecticut's capital city, Hartford.  Hog River Brewing is located in the Parkville neighborhood, a trendy little area that made you kind of think "Hartford isn't so bad after-all".  This section seems to be an up and coming neighborhood that was once industrial and is being converted to a commercial space with cute storefronts, restaurants and now a brewery.   The quick and dirty of this brewery is a historic rubber factory turned beer making, shiny brewing tanks and 20' machine presses sitting in this lofty industrial building.  The guy behind the beer left his 9-5 to brew full time, working his way up the ranks to create Hog River.  He has a variety of styles and overall decent beer in an awesome space.  Bring your own food or enjoy the ndifferent food trucks that park right outside on the weekend.  Read on to learn more about one of Hartford's new breweries. 

Tidal River Brewing- Canton, CT

When I moved back to Connecticut I was amazed to see how many breweries had popped up all over the state. So much so that I put together a list of all the breweries and made tentative plans to visit as many as I could.  

Let me start by saying that I am not one of those girls that shies around beer and prefers a glass of wine or a fruity drink.  And I am definitely not the person who orders a Bud-lite or a Corona.  I love beer and love trying new flavors and styles (especially small scale local breweries).  My favorite beers are typically a good spiced Saison, or the citrusy bite of a west coast IPA.  I like my beers with a whole lot of funk and flavor and I love a good IPA, as long as it's not "too hoppy".  

I figured this would be the perfect winter activity, sample some of Connecticut's finest beer dressed up in my favorite sweater while the weather was crummy. Well, I started a little early on my brewery tour and after hiking Bear Mountain, I stopped at one of Connecticut's newest; Tidal River Brewing Company in Canton, Connecticut. 

First Impressions:  Awesome owner/founder running the place with a passion for beer. The beer ranged from easy to drink ales to crazy basil and chile beer. Tidal River beers are as fun and funky as their names. The spot is a low-key, unassuming place with small scale production (just a tasting room, no formal tap room... yet). It is in a commercial space with a main tasting bar and a table or two (they are not large enough to accommodate large parties). They are technically a "nano-brewery" and their license does not allow the sale of pints or flights. They are more than happy to provide samples of their beer on tap and they can fill growlers for you to take home.

Sampling beer at Tidal River Brewing in Canton, CT

Connecticut Breweries

There are a few states that are known for their awesome breweries. For example, we have California, with (as of 2013) 268 craft breweries, and Washington with (as of 2013) 136 craft breweries. Its a little hard to compete with those numbers.  But my East Coast loving friends, we can't let the West Coast get all the attention. Vermont also makes the ranks of a state with good local beer, home to big names like Long Trail, Magic Hat, and Harpoon. 

But what you probably didn't realize, is that the little state of Connecticut, sitting between New York and Boston is rising in ranks of breweries. I feel like I moved away for two years and BAM breweries were popping up all over the state. I even moved in virtually next door to a brewery, Beer'd Brewing Co.  Why the sudden change in CT?  A 2012 change to state liquor laws, allows breweries to have onsite tap-rooms, really helping the fleet of craft brewers.  You can read all about the trend of New Breweries in CT here.  

Brattleboro, Vermont (and Whetstone Station)

This weekend I was back on a jet plane for the 458th time this summer, traveling from the west back to the east coast.  After landing in Connecticut, we packed up the car and headed for Vermont.  If you are dizzy from the back and forth Utah to East Coast post, so am I.  But I am having a ton of fun along the way.

I spent a fair amount of time in Vermont over the years, but always during the winter to ski, or during the spring to run the Vermont City Marathon relay with friends.  This was my first trip back in early fall and I was so excited to find some of that good ole New England charm I was craving. 

We took the first exit over the border from Massachusetts to Vermont.  Instantly I was smacked in the face with that old feel charm I was craving. Utah is beautiful, the mountains are gorgeous, but I just missed that old small town feel that is so hard to find outside of New England. We were bound for Killington, Vermont but stopped for a bite and some scenery at Whetstone Station in Brattleboro, Vermont. 

Fun Fact:  Vermont has more breweries per capita than anywhere else in the United States .  Small State Big Beer is kind of their thing.  I counted 41 breweries on my map.  Some are big names like Harpoon and Magic Hat, while some are smaller and less known like Whetstone Station. 

Whetstone Station is a quaint New England restaurant brewery right on the Connecticut River.  We were so excited to pull up seats at the bar, and be welcomed back by some of our favorite New England taps, some local Vermont beers, and best of all, a selection of beer of tap over 4% ABV

A beer flight was a perfect way to sample local Vermont beer while taking in the gorgeous views and chatting over some pub grub.  It is pretty amazing how hard it can be to find a pub with a view, a good vibe, and good food.  Whetstone Station had it. 

We settled on a rueben and a burger (with peanut butter might I add) and some delicious parmesan fries. The food was great, the atmosphere was awesome, and the beer didn't have to follow any silly rule.  This is just the perfect way to start any trip through Vermont.  

Whetstone doesn't take reservations, but get there early to score a seat on their patio. The seating over the river with views of the water and the bridge is a perfect spot to sip a beer on a Friday afternoon.  Or maybe enjoy the "bier garten" on the roof deck. 

After lunch, we took a walk over the bridge to stretch our legs before finishing our drive to Vermont.  Vermont is known for their skiing, their covered bridges, maple syrup, and their breweries.  Not a traditional covered bridge but a gorgeous spot for a photo opp none the less. 

Did I convince you that a fall weekend away to Vermont is just what you needed?

Our stop at Whetstone Station was a perfect start to a beautiful weekend.   It was what you expect Vermont to be.  Good beer and beautiful scenery.  Oh how I wish my waistline, liver and schedule had time to visit all of Vermont's breweries.  But there was a wedding ahead.  Next stop, Killington and Pittsfield, Vermont!