The

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

Vermont Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to the ...

is home to several

breweries A brewery or brewing company is a business that makes and sells beer. The place at which beer is commercially made is either called a brewery or a beerhouse, where distinct sets of brewing equipment are called plant. The commercial brewing of beer ...

microbreweries Craft beer is a beer that has been made by craft breweries. They produce smaller amounts of beer, typically less than large breweries, and are often independently owned. Such breweries are generally perceived and marketed as having an emphasis ...

, nanobreweries, and

brewpubs Craft beer is a beer that has been made by craft breweries. They produce smaller amounts of beer, typically less than large breweries, and are often independently owned. Such breweries are generally perceived and marketed as having an emphasis o ...

that produce a wide variety of

beer Beer is one of the oldest and the most widely consumed type of alcoholic drink in the world, and the third most popular drink overall after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches, mainly derived from cer ...

. In 2011, 2012, and 2014, the Brewers Association ranked Vermont as the state with the greatest number of breweries per capita. Using the 2010 US Census population estimate of 625,741 and 26 breweries, there is 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% for 2012.

History

The

history of beer Beer is one of the oldest drinks humans have produced. The first chemically confirmed barley beer dates back to the 5th millennium BC in modern-day Iran, and was recorded in the written history of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia and spread throu ...

in Vermont is similar to its

history History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the History of writing#Inventions of writing, invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbr ...

in the rest of the United States – no local breweries existed from the late 1800s when Vermont passed its own local prohibition laws, several decades prior to national

Prohibition Prohibition is the act or practice of forbidding something by law; more particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacture, storage (whether in barrels or in bottles), transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholic ...

, until the microbrewery explosion of the 1980s and 1990s. Since then a number of strong breweries have developed despite Vermont's small population.

Pre-Prohibition

On November 2, 1798, Vermont passed a law which began restricting sales of strong beer, ale, and cider. This law was eventually overturned on November 10, 1814. However, the temperance movement remained very strong in Vermont. In 1840, tax statistics published by Zadock Thompson show there were one brewery in Vermont producing 12,800 gallons of beer. This brewery was operated in

Burlington Burlington may refer to: Places Canada Geography * Burlington, Newfoundland and Labrador * Burlington, Nova Scotia * Burlington, Ontario, the most populous city with the name "Burlington" * Burlington, Prince Edward Island * Burlington Bay, ...

and went by the name of Burlington Brewery. In 1840, the brewery was completely destroyed when an arson set fire to numerous downtown buildings. The Burlington Brewery was rebuilt and fully operational by late 1841. In 1844, a law was passed which set brewing license fees and appointed county commissioners to approve each license. In 1846, a provision was passed by the legislature to allow a "local option" to whether grant or deny these licenses. This meant the citizens of the towns could vote on whether to allow or disallow these establishments. In 1850, town selectmen became authorized to approve business license to sell small beer or cider, but not strong beer. In 1852, several more laws were passed which started Vermont's prohibition era. In 1853, the legislature passed the Vermont Prevention of Traffic in Intoxicating Liquors for the Purpose of Drinking law. Licenses published in the ''Burlington Free Press'' of January 1863 show only one licensed brewer within Vermont. In 1877, Internal Revenue records show two breweries, one liquor establishment, and 433 saloons. In 1887, the Boston Journal reported that "Vermont seems to be the nearest place to paradise for prohibitionists. There is not a brewery in the state." Vermont hop production took off around 1840 and peaked in 1860. In 1840, Vermont produced 48,137 pounds of hops, 292,023 pounds in 1850, 638,657 pounds in 1860, and 527,927 pounds in 1870. Around 1900, there were around 4,400 pounds produced. By 1910, hops production had been reduced to near zero. On January 16, 1919, the 18th Amendment (Federal Prohibition) which outlawed the manufacture, transportation, and sale of alcohol was passed by 3/4 of US states and became law.

Post-Prohibition

On December 5, 1933 Federal Prohibition came to an end. In 1935, two alcoholics from Vermont, Bill Wilson, from

East Dorset East Dorset was a local government district in Dorset, England. Its council met in Wimborne Minster between 2016 and 2019. The district (as Wimborne) was formed on 1 April 1974 by merging Wimborne Minster Urban District with Wimborne and Cran ...

, and Bob Smith, from

St. Johnsbury St. Johnsbury (known locally as "St. J") is the shire town ( county seat) of Caledonia County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 7,364. St. Johnsbury is situated on the Passumpsic River and is located approximatel ...

, started Alcoholics Anonymous with a twelve-step program. In 1988, after spending three years lobbying the Vermont legislature to legalize

brewpub Craft beer is a beer that has been made by craft breweries. They produce smaller amounts of beer, typically less than large breweries, and are often independently owned. Such breweries are generally perceived and marketed as having an emphasis ...

Greg Noonan Gregory "Greg" John Noonan (March 4, 1951 – October 11, 2009) was an American brewing expert who wrote several published books on brewing. His writing credits include ''Brewing Lager Beer: The Most Comprehensive Book for Home - And Microbrewers' ...

opened the first brewpub in Vermont, the Vermont Pub & Brewery. On the 25th anniversary of the Vermont Pub & Brewery, the city of Burlington dedicated a plaque commemorating Noonan at the front of the pub. In 1997 Wolaver's Fine Organic Ales became the first certified organic brewery in the United States. In 2014, Wolaver's (now owned by Otter Creek Brewing Company) became the first non-

GMO A genetically modified organism (GMO) is any organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques. The exact definition of a genetically modified organism and what constitutes genetic engineering varies, with ...

certified brewery in Vermont. Due to proximity, distribution, and availability of beer produced by these three brewers, the town of

Waterbury Waterbury is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut on the Naugatuck River, southwest of Hartford and northeast of New York City. Waterbury is the second-largest city in New Haven County, Connecticut. According to the 2020 US Census, in 20 ...

was named the Best Beer Town in New England by the Boston Globe in 2012.

Beer regulations and laws

Within Vermont statutes, beer is defined as a "malt beverage" containing "not less than one percent nor more than 16 percent of alcohol by volume at 60 degrees Fahrenheit." An exception to the law provides that any beverage with an alcohol content of "more than six percent and has a terminal specific gravity of less than 1.009" which is considered a spirit and not a malt beverage. A "specialty beer" is defined as a malt beverage that contains "more than eight percent alcohol and not more than 16 percent alcohol by volume at 60 degrees Fahrenheit". Holders of first and third class licenses may sell malt beverages between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 a.m. the next morning. Holders of second class licenses may sell malt between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 12:00 a.m. the next morning. A person may import or transport not more than six gallons of malt or vinous beverages providing it is not for resale. It is illegal to serve more than 32 ounces of beer at a time which prevents sales of normal 64 oz pitchers of beer.

Beer styles

Black IPA

, owner and head brewer of The Vermont Pub & Brewery, and Glenn Walter, then an assistant brewer, are cited with creating the Black IPA (AKA Cascadian Dark Ale, India Black Ale, or Vermont Porter) with the initial brewing of Blackwatch IPA on December 4, 1994.Black and Bitter, True Origins of Black IPA
/ref> The Blackwatch IPA second brewing was November 25, 1995, where Noonan was assisted by John Kimmich, who is now the owner and brewer of

The Alchemist An alchemist is a person who practices alchemy. Alchemist or Alchemyst may also refer to: Books and stories * ''The Alchemist'' (novel), the translated title of a 1988 allegorical novel by Paulo Coelho * ''The Alchemist'' (play), a play by Ben ...

. This beer inspired John Kimmich's (The Alchemist) El Jefe Black IPA (2003) and Shaun Hill's (then Shed Restaurant & Brewery) Darkside Black IPA and later Hill Farmstead's James. Mitch Steele, head brewer of

Stone Brewing Co. Stone Brewing (formerly Stone Brewing Co.) is a brewery headquartered in Escondido, California, USA. Founded in 1996 in San Marcos, California, it is the largest brewery in Southern California. Based on 2020 sales volume it is the ninth larges ...

, states the Darkside Black IPA was the inspiration for Stone's Sublimely Self Righteous Ale.

Vermont IPA

The Alchemist, Hill Farmstead Brewery, and Lawson's Finest Liquids have created a loosely named beer India Pale Ale (IPA) category called "East Coast IPAs" or "New England IPAs". In 2012, Jeff Baker wrote "The Case for the Vermont IPA." In 2013, Gary Dzen of the ''Boston Globe'' called the style "East Coast IPAs", but noted that Vermont "brewers have started something of their own IPA revolution, helping to loosely create the category of 'East Coast IPAs'. While these beers can be as bitter as their counterparts out west, they're generally less so, focusing on aromatics and perceived bitterness rather than actual pucker-factor. These brews are heavily dry-hopped and lighter on the palate, forgoing malt sweetness for levity in the quest for balance." In 2014, Jeff Baker restated his case, saying Vermont IPAs are "bright golden and hazy (unfiltered typically) in appearance, soft in mouthfeel, dense with hop flavor and aroma, yet restrained in bitterness allowing for balance to occur between the hops and the malt."

Beers

One of the most widely known beers from Vermont is #9 from

Magic Hat Brewing Company Magic Hat Brewing Company is a brewery and wholly owned brand of Florida Ice & Farm Co., which is headquartered in Costa Rica. It began production in 1994, and is distributed across the United States. Their flagship beer, the apricot-tinged #9, i ...

. #9 is an

apricot An apricot (, ) is a fruit, or the tree that bears the fruit, of several species in the genus '' Prunus''. Usually, an apricot is from the species '' P. armeniaca'', but the fruits of the other species in ''Prunus'' sect. ''Armeniaca'' are al ...

-flavored

fruit beer Fruit beer is beer made with fruit added as an adjunct or flavouring. Fruit beer is a beer made from malt-scented strawberries, plums, raspberries, and cherries. It's an additive- or flavoring-containing form. Initially manufactured in Belgium, fr ...

based on a traditional

pale ale Pale ale is a golden to amber coloured beer style brewed with pale malt. The term first appeared around 1703 for beers made from malts dried with high-carbon coke, which resulted in a lighter colour than other beers popular at that time. Dif ...

Heady Topper Heady Topper is a double India Pale Ale brewed by The Alchemist in Waterbury, Vermont. It is unfiltered and contains 8% ABV. The Alchemist describes Heady Topper as having flavors of orange, tropical fruit, pink grapefruit, pine, and spice. Unpas ...

from The Alchemist is only sold in Vermont as of January 2014. Heady Topper is a double India Pale Ale and is one of the highest rated beers on both

BeerAdvocate Beer rating is assessing and evaluating beer using a point system. The process is similar to that used in beer judging competitions, such as those organised by the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) in America, though the participants are cons ...

and

RateBeer Beer rating is assessing and evaluating beer using a point system. The process is similar to that used in beer judging competitions, such as those organised by the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) in America, though the participants are cons ...

. Other beers, such as Hill Farmstead's Edward and Abner and Lawson's Finest Liquids Double Sunshine IPA, have gained national acclaim.

Breweries

As of May 2019, there were 56 operating production breweries and brewpubs operating in Vermont. Two Vermont brewers have been awarded the Brewers Association Russell Schehrer Award for Innovation in Craft Brewing. Steve Parkes, owner of the American Brewers Guild and Drop-In Brewery in Middlebury, won the award in 2009. Greg Noonan, owner of Vermont Pub & Brewery, won the award in 2005. In 1996, Jigger Hill Brewery, which used the "Tunbridge Quality Ales" brand name, was opened by Liz Trott and her partner Janice Moran. Trott became the first female head brewer in Vermont and the first Vermont brewer to distribute bottle conditioned beer. This was also the first woman-owned, lesbian-owned brewery in Vermont, and one of the first within the United States. In 2000, the partners helped reformulate and re-launch Gay Pride Beer for J. Lewis Company. In May 2002, the brewery closed due to one of the partners' health complications. In 2011, Hill Farmstead Brewery was named the 2011 Best New Brewer in the World by RateBeer. In 2013, Hill Farmstead Brewery was named the 2013 Best Brewery in the World, Best Brewery in Vermont, and Best Brewery in New England by RateBeer. Additionally, Alchemist Heady Topper was named the Best Beer in Vermont for 2012. In 2014, Hill Farmstead Brewery was named the 2014 Best Brewery in Vermont, Alchemist Heady Topper was named the 2014 Best Beer in Vermont, and Lost Nation Brewery was named the 2014 Best New Brewery in Vermont. In 2015, Hill Farmstead Brewery was named the Best Brewery in the World by RateBeer.

, Hill Farmstead, and Lawson's Finest Liquids have become so popular that the route that leads between the three breweries is called the IPA Highway and is a popular destination for beer enthusiasts.

Craft breweries

According to the Vermont Brewers Association, as of May 2019, there were 56 breweries operating in Vermont that could be described as

craft breweries A craft or trade is a pastime or an occupation that requires particular skills and knowledge of skilled work. In a historical sense, particularly the Middle Ages and earlier, the term is usually applied to people occupied in small scale pr ...

. *14th Star Brewery –

St. Albans St Albans () is a cathedral city in Hertfordshire, England, east of Hemel Hempstead and west of Hatfield, north-west of London, south-west of Welwyn Garden City and south-east of Luton. St Albans was the first major town on the old Roman ...

*1st Republic Brewing Co – Essex *

Alchemist Brewery Heady Topper is a double India Pale Ale brewed by The Alchemist in Waterbury, Vermont. It is unfiltered and contains 8% ABV. The Alchemist describes Heady Topper as having flavors of orange, tropical fruit, pink grapefruit, pine, and spice. Unp ...

–

*Backacre Beermakers –

Weston Weston may refer to: Places Australia * Weston, Australian Capital Territory, a suburb of Canberra * Weston, New South Wales * Weston Creek, a residential district of Canberra * Weston Park, Canberra, a park Canada * Weston, Nova Scotia * ...

*Covered Bridge Brewing – Lyndonville *Drop-In Brewing Company – Middlebury *Fiddlehead Brewing – Shelburne *Foley Brothers Brewing –

Brandon Brandon may refer to: Names and people *Brandon (given name), a male given name *Brandon (surname), a surname with several different origins Places Australia *Brandon, a farm and 19th century homestead in Seaham, New South Wales * Brandon, ...

*Grateful Hands Brewing –

Cabot Cabot may refer to: Businesses * Cabot Corporation, an American chemicals company * Cabot Creamery, an American dairy cooperative Fictional characters * Alexandra Cabot, in the ''Law & Order'' universe * Leigh Cabot, from Stephen King's 1983 no ...

Harpoon Brewery 257px, Harpoon Brewery is an employee owned American brewery, with locations in Boston, Massachusetts, and Windsor, Vermont. History Harpoon Brewery, also known as the Massachusetts Bay Brewing Company, was originally founded in 1986. T ...

– headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, largest plant in Windsor *

Hill Farmstead Brewery Hill Farmstead Brewery is a brewery established in 2010 by Shaun Hill in Greensboro Bend, Vermont, United States. It is located in the "Northeast Kingdom" of Vermont, about seventy miles from the state's largest city, Burlington. History Brewery ...

– Greensboro Bend *Kingdom Brewing – Newport Center (new brewery as of 2012, independent of the old Kingdom Brewers) *Lawson's Finest Liquids –

Warren A warren is a network of wild rodent or lagomorph, typically rabbit burrows. Domestic warrens are artificial, enclosed establishment of animal husbandry dedicated to the raising of rabbits for meat and fur. The term evolved from the medieval Angl ...

Long Trail Brewing Company Long Trail Brewing Company is a regional brewery in Bridgewater Corners, Vermont, United States. Founded in 1989 by Andy Pherson in the basement of the Bridgewater Woolen Mill, the company relocated to its current brewing facility and visitor c ...

– Bridgewater Corners *Lost Nation Brewing – Morrisville (May 2013) *

–

South Burlington South Burlington is a city in Chittenden County, Vermont, United States. Along with neighboring Burlington, it is a principal city of the Burlington metropolitan area. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the population was 20,292. It is home to the he ...

– owned by

North American Breweries FIFCO USA is an American brewing company based in Rochester, New York. Established as North American Breweries by New York City investment firm KPS Capital Partners to manage its brewery acquisitions ( Genesee Brewing Company, Pyramid, and ...

Rochester, New York Rochester () is a city in the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Monroe County, and the fourth-most populous in the state after New York City, Buffalo, and Yonkers, with a population of 211,328 at the 2020 United States census. Located i ...

*McNeill's Brewery –

Brattleboro Brattleboro (), originally Brattleborough, is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The most populous municipality abutting Vermont's eastern border with New Hampshire, which is the Connecticut River, Brattleboro is located about no ...

*Northshire Brewery –

Bennington Bennington is a town in Bennington County, Vermont, United States. It is one of two shire towns (county seats) of the county, the other being Manchester. As of the 2020 US Census, the population was 15,333. Bennington is the most populous to ...

Otter Creek Brewing Otter Creek Brewing is a brewery in Middlebury, Vermont, that produces two lines of beer: Otter Creek Craft Ales, and Shed Brewery Ales. It brewed Wolaver's Organic Brewery beers from 2002 until 2015, when it ceased brewing that line. Otter Cre ...

– Middlebury,

Bridgewater Bridgewater or Bridgwater may refer to: Companies * Bridgewater Associates, global investment manager * Bridgewater Systems, Canadian software company Education * Bridgewater College, Virginia, United States * Bridgewater High School (disambi ...

(also produces Wolaver's Certified Organic Ales brand and the Shed brand) *

Rock Art Brewery Rock Art Brewery is an American brewery in Morrisville, Vermont. It began production in 1997 in the Johnson, Vermont basement of founders Matt and Renee Nadeau. In 2001 it moved to a larger facility in nearby Morrisville. After buying another ...

– Morrisville *Switchback Brewery –

von Trapp Brewing __NOTOC__ von Trapp Brewing is a brewery in Stowe, Vermont, United States. Founded in 2010, as Trapp Lager, it is part of the Trapp Family businesses. The brewery, owned by Sam von Trapp, produces around 2,000 barrels of beer per year. It was t ...

–

Stowe Stowe may refer to: Places United Kingdom *Stowe, Buckinghamshire, a civil parish and former village **Stowe House **Stowe School *Stowe, Cornwall, in Kilkhampton parish * Stowe, Herefordshire, in the List of places in Herefordshire * Stowe, Linco ...

Trout River Brewing Originally called Trout River Brewing, Vermont Beer Makers is a brewery that was originally located in Lyndonville, Vermont, US. It began production in July 1996, and closed in November 2014. In November 2014, the brewery was moved to Spring ...

– Springfield

Brewers Association

In May 1995, the Vermont Brewers Association was founded in order to promote Vermont beer through marketing and festivals, watch the Vermont legislature, and foster an air of camaraderie and mutual cooperation among brewers.

References

Vermont culture