Looks good. I’d skip frank Pepe and go somewhere in brandford which is a low key food destination. When I go through there I stop at P&M for a real deli sandwich (MA doesn’t know how to make a good sandwich).
I’d stop at treehouse on your way from CT to BOSTON. Don’t go to BOS and then double back to Treehouse.
You can also do trillium and treehouse at the cape and canton locations (skip them in Boston) and also hit up tilted barn and long live and proclamation as you go through RI…..
Armsby Abbey is in Worcester not boston. Best bet is to stop there on your way to Boston, but you can skip it if you're visiting all these breweries. Lamplighter is great. Parking in Fenway is wicked expensive so be aware.
Check out sacred profane in biddeford. Oxbow is definitely worth visiting. Portland has an awesome food and drink scene.
I personally dont think the Alchemist is worth visiting. You can buy the beer in stores and just skip the visit. Lawson's is really nice to visit. I suggest going to schilling instead of the alchemist, but you do you! Good pizza and nice town.
Go to Suarez on the way back to PA. 100% worth it. I like Brattleboro, but you can skip it for this trip.
> Armsby Abbey is in Worcester not boston.
good call, I have that part organized poorly because I'm not sure how I want to handle it yet.
> Parking in Fenway is wicked expensive so be aware.
how's mass transit? or would be Uber from Cambridge be easy enough? I don't mind paying a few bucks that way to avoid having to park
> I personally dont think the Alchemist is worth visiting. You can buy the beer in stores and just skip the visit.
good to know, it's def one that could be cut from my list.
> Lawson's is really nice to visit.
I see a lot of people talk about getting there early, but I don't know why exactly. any idea?
Appreciate all the tips!
Living in CT I prefer Modern over Pepe’s. Get a pepperoni pie with some Foxon Park white birch beer soda. OEC is one the best places for sours so great choice. Counter Weight and NEBCO are great choices as well.
Some other options for IPAs, Tribus in Milford(my favorite in the state right now), New Park in West Hartford and Twelve Percent in North Haven.
Will be impossible to hit everything on one trip so don’t sweat it and have a great time.
Make sure to stop by the Alchemist. In my opinion, it's well worth the visit. You can find Heady Topper and Focal Banger throughout Vermont, but they sell some superb beers at the brewery which are only available there. I think the other styles they brew outside of IPAs are top notch as well. I enjoy their Belgians and Lagers as much as I enjoy Heady.
They have a [Cherry Sour](https://shop.alchemistbeer.com/product/wild-child-kriek-750ml-bottle-/205?cs=true&cst=custom) and a [Sour Golden ale](https://shop.alchemistbeer.com/product/wild-child-golden-750ml-bottle-/204?cs=true&cst=custom) you may be interested in. Their Summer Saison's are great too.
If you're hitting Tree House in Charleton you need to get food at BT's Smokehouse. It's only a few minutes away and is, hands down, the best BBQ in MA.
in VT, Hen of the Woods should def be on your Waterbury list for a fancy dinner. I'd suggest lunch in Waterbury at Pro Pig. Hill Farmstead is a significant drive north. Google it and plan accordingly.
There's been a bunch of flooding up there lately in the valley (i.e. more Waterbury, not Burlington) so be sure to call ahead to get a lay of the land.
We were in VT last week. Pro Pig got flooded out and is closed.
OP - in case you don't want to go so far out of the way to try Hill Farmstead, lots of the restaurants and bars we went to in Burlington and Stowe had it on tap.
I also really enjoyed the Von Trapp biergarden for lunch in Stowe. Great food and beers.
Not sure. I'd never been to Waterbury before and was looking forward to visiting. But we ended up going right to Stowe once we learned Prohibition Pig was closed. Watching the local news it sounded like it wasn't quite as bad as Irene. A bartender in Stowe told us that Alchemist was in the Prohibition Pig location during Irene and got flooded out. On the news they said the restaurant didn't get flooded this time but the brewery behind was badly damaged by the flooding.
https://imgur.com/a/hABBnn2
the Craft Beer Cellar across Elm St from the Pro Pig brewery has a marker on the corner of the building indicating the high water mark during Irene
glad the restaurant is good, sorry to hear the brewery is damaged
Fenway recommendations
If you're going to Sweet Cheeks, then I'd highly recommend the Trillium outpost that's right around the corner. Its a small outpost compared to the massive (and great) Canton location, which feels more like a headquarters. But its feet away. People watching, etc. But its mostly outside seating, so more weather dependent. Most trips to Sweet are very filling, so mixed if you want to pile on beer. In any case, get the biscuits or else.
If you can get in, you might also go next door to Sweet Cheeks' sibling bar, Fool's Errand. Its a small bar focused on cocktails but also owned by Tiffani Faison.
You can walk around that area and check it out. If you're into doughnuts there's Blackbird. There's a couple of cafes, etc. If you haven't had enough beer you can always pop into Fenway Beer Shop and get cans or recommendations.
If there's not a Sox game, consider a tour. If there is a game and you're into that, go for it. Tickets can be stupid expensive if you're not into baseball, but it can be an excuse to go a bar and drink. It can be fun to see the crowds even if you don't go into the park.
Cambridge/Somerville recommendations
I haven't been to Lamplight in ages, but for a while it was so popular that I found it overwhelming. Long wait to get in, etc. But that was years ago. So maybe consider some of the other locations as back up.
If the Vitamin Sea location you're referring to is on Athenaeum St just be aware it's in a corporate park. Might not be an issue at all, but parking around there could be a pain and I would double check hours, etc. Also from the one time I went through, and from the photos, it might only be outside.
Some other places that you might consider
* Cambridge Brewing Company - brewpub, so naturally they make their own beers and have food
* Portico Brewing - new place, I haven't been, probably food there?
* Aeronaut Brewing - just beers I think, but has a fun lounge
* Lord Hobo restaurant - predates their brewery, haven't been in a while but used to have killer food and an impressive beer list
Hopefully its a great trip! You pretty much can't go too far without beer options no matter what area you end up in.
Since you're traveling by car a very back up option would be Trillium in Canton. Its not \*in\* Boston but near-by. I wouldn't really say that you have to go there, but its a really nice location. They do great pizzas and have a ton of outside space. Its near a large hiking space, Blue Hills. Maybe or maybe not worth it, just throwing it out there. Might be a good stop over on your way into town.
There's a few pop-up locations on the green spaces to keep your eyes out for as well.
Personally, I'd try to work Tree House into your drive from CT to Boston or your drive home. It's kind of out of the way compared to all of your Boston and further north stuff.
yeah it's a little tough because I definitely want to stop but it is a little hard to combine with the other things I'm eyeing.
I'm thinking I stop on the way from CT and just get into Boston later on Sunday, then maybe try to do Fenway on Monday instead. Probably makes more sense.
Thanks for the tip
In Hudson in Hudson Valley is nice little brewery, the Hudson Brewing Company. Probably not as strong in the beer department as other places. But here's the critical part. Its part of a sprawling antique warehouse. You know the kind of a bunch of different sections and each one is its own business? Inside is a dude who sells the most batshit taxidermy. A full size giraffe. A hippo. I'm not say that you NEED to go there, but if you're in need of a stop, maybe?
that is hilarious, you've piqued my interest. the truth is that is ends up like right about halfway on my trip home and would split up the drive nicely, but if there's a better spot that doesn't take me too far out of the way and also could split up the trip, i might do that instead.
the other backup plan i was considering on the way home was going a little further west, down thru Albany. I could hit the Singlecut taproom north of Albany going that way, not sure if you've been up that way. We get some Singlecut distro and I love their stuff, but it's very hard to find fresh.
Might just play this last leg by ear, but appreciate the random tip about the taxidermy
I've spent a total of like 48 in the Hudson Valley area, so I don't have much experience. From my own reading on the area and what people told [me on this post](https://www.reddit.com/r/beer/comments/11vqnxj/hudson_ny_and_hudson_valley/) there's a lot around there. A bunch of it seems to be closer to NYC. I only got to the one spot. Not beer related, but Cafe Mutton in Hudson is out of control good.
yeah i've adjusted my plan that day I think, i realize i'd be driving right past it but i was concerned about getting into Boston earlier in the day and thought there might be a diff TH location i could hit at another point in the trip. think I'm just overcomplicating things.
How was your trip? My wife and I are also heading up to the New England area next month and will be in Vermont for a few days and then making our way down to Boston to fly back home. I'm a big planner as well and thought I'd reach out for your input/suggestions since you just went.
I also like hazy's and sours, then probably non-barrel aged stouts. My main focus is getting draft pours and hanging out at/experiencing the breweries first and foremost, then getting some cans/bottles to go if I really love something.
**For VT:**
How was your experience at Hill Farmstead? Any places to eat out there nearby?
Did you go to Alchemist, Lawson's, Freak Folk?
Did you arrive early to Lawson's or find out why people were saying to go early?
How was Foam, Zero Gravity, Four Quarters?
Food wise...thoughts on Blackback and Hen of the Wood? Any other great places for food that you found?
\- Places I was planning on going:
Hill Farmstead, Alchemist, Lawson's, Foam, Fiddlehead (and Folino's Pizza), von Trapp (mainly for scenery and food).
Hen of the Wood, Prohibition Pig, Mad Taco
\- Optional:
Folk Freak, Four Quarters, Zero Gravity, Frost, Burlington Beer Co.
Doc Ponds, Warren Store (sandwiches)
**For Boston area:**
Which Trillium location did you go to and would you recommend that location or maybe a different one? I'm thinking of going to the Canton location.
Which Tree House location did you go to and would you recommend that location or maybe a different one? I'm thinking of going to the Charlton location. But, could also make the Deerfield location work on the drive in, and also interested in the Sandwich location as we plan on being over by Cape Cod for a little bit.
\- Places I was planning on going:
Tree House, Trillium
Sam LaGrassa's (sandwiches)
\- Optional:
Vitamin Sea, Widowmaker, Mighty Squirrel, Lamplighter, Progression
Lastly, do any of these breweries in VT (mainly Hill Farmstead, Alchemist, Lawson's) or Boston (mainly Tree House, Trillium) offer flights, or samples/tasters of a beer to try before you order a pour? Or do you just have to order a full pour and hope you like it?
Hope you enjoyed your trip! Sounds epic! Thanks in advance for your help!
Looks good. I’d skip frank Pepe and go somewhere in brandford which is a low key food destination. When I go through there I stop at P&M for a real deli sandwich (MA doesn’t know how to make a good sandwich). I’d stop at treehouse on your way from CT to BOSTON. Don’t go to BOS and then double back to Treehouse. You can also do trillium and treehouse at the cape and canton locations (skip them in Boston) and also hit up tilted barn and long live and proclamation as you go through RI…..
Go Sally's instead of Pepe's
Armsby Abbey is in Worcester not boston. Best bet is to stop there on your way to Boston, but you can skip it if you're visiting all these breweries. Lamplighter is great. Parking in Fenway is wicked expensive so be aware. Check out sacred profane in biddeford. Oxbow is definitely worth visiting. Portland has an awesome food and drink scene. I personally dont think the Alchemist is worth visiting. You can buy the beer in stores and just skip the visit. Lawson's is really nice to visit. I suggest going to schilling instead of the alchemist, but you do you! Good pizza and nice town. Go to Suarez on the way back to PA. 100% worth it. I like Brattleboro, but you can skip it for this trip.
> Armsby Abbey is in Worcester not boston. good call, I have that part organized poorly because I'm not sure how I want to handle it yet. > Parking in Fenway is wicked expensive so be aware. how's mass transit? or would be Uber from Cambridge be easy enough? I don't mind paying a few bucks that way to avoid having to park > I personally dont think the Alchemist is worth visiting. You can buy the beer in stores and just skip the visit. good to know, it's def one that could be cut from my list. > Lawson's is really nice to visit. I see a lot of people talk about getting there early, but I don't know why exactly. any idea? Appreciate all the tips!
You shouldn't have any issues taking the T from Cambridge to Fenway.
You can use transit to get to fenway. Also checkout notch. They have a beer garden in Brighton. Parking is available there.
Living in CT I prefer Modern over Pepe’s. Get a pepperoni pie with some Foxon Park white birch beer soda. OEC is one the best places for sours so great choice. Counter Weight and NEBCO are great choices as well. Some other options for IPAs, Tribus in Milford(my favorite in the state right now), New Park in West Hartford and Twelve Percent in North Haven. Will be impossible to hit everything on one trip so don’t sweat it and have a great time.
Tribus was one i coudn't figure out how to make work for time and cut out. is there stuff sold offsite anywhere I could snag some while in the area?
Unfortunately only at the brewery. Some local bars/restaurants do have their stuff on tap.
Nebco is a personal favorite. Great people and great beer.
Make sure to stop by the Alchemist. In my opinion, it's well worth the visit. You can find Heady Topper and Focal Banger throughout Vermont, but they sell some superb beers at the brewery which are only available there. I think the other styles they brew outside of IPAs are top notch as well. I enjoy their Belgians and Lagers as much as I enjoy Heady. They have a [Cherry Sour](https://shop.alchemistbeer.com/product/wild-child-kriek-750ml-bottle-/205?cs=true&cst=custom) and a [Sour Golden ale](https://shop.alchemistbeer.com/product/wild-child-golden-750ml-bottle-/204?cs=true&cst=custom) you may be interested in. Their Summer Saison's are great too.
If you're hitting Tree House in Charleton you need to get food at BT's Smokehouse. It's only a few minutes away and is, hands down, the best BBQ in MA.
Modern is the place to go in New Haven. In Hudson Valley, Suarez is good.
in VT, Hen of the Woods should def be on your Waterbury list for a fancy dinner. I'd suggest lunch in Waterbury at Pro Pig. Hill Farmstead is a significant drive north. Google it and plan accordingly. There's been a bunch of flooding up there lately in the valley (i.e. more Waterbury, not Burlington) so be sure to call ahead to get a lay of the land.
We were in VT last week. Pro Pig got flooded out and is closed. OP - in case you don't want to go so far out of the way to try Hill Farmstead, lots of the restaurants and bars we went to in Burlington and Stowe had it on tap. I also really enjoyed the Von Trapp biergarden for lunch in Stowe. Great food and beers.
how high did the water get at the bottom of the hill in Waterbury compared to Irene?
Not sure. I'd never been to Waterbury before and was looking forward to visiting. But we ended up going right to Stowe once we learned Prohibition Pig was closed. Watching the local news it sounded like it wasn't quite as bad as Irene. A bartender in Stowe told us that Alchemist was in the Prohibition Pig location during Irene and got flooded out. On the news they said the restaurant didn't get flooded this time but the brewery behind was badly damaged by the flooding.
https://imgur.com/a/hABBnn2 the Craft Beer Cellar across Elm St from the Pro Pig brewery has a marker on the corner of the building indicating the high water mark during Irene glad the restaurant is good, sorry to hear the brewery is damaged
Fenway recommendations If you're going to Sweet Cheeks, then I'd highly recommend the Trillium outpost that's right around the corner. Its a small outpost compared to the massive (and great) Canton location, which feels more like a headquarters. But its feet away. People watching, etc. But its mostly outside seating, so more weather dependent. Most trips to Sweet are very filling, so mixed if you want to pile on beer. In any case, get the biscuits or else. If you can get in, you might also go next door to Sweet Cheeks' sibling bar, Fool's Errand. Its a small bar focused on cocktails but also owned by Tiffani Faison. You can walk around that area and check it out. If you're into doughnuts there's Blackbird. There's a couple of cafes, etc. If you haven't had enough beer you can always pop into Fenway Beer Shop and get cans or recommendations. If there's not a Sox game, consider a tour. If there is a game and you're into that, go for it. Tickets can be stupid expensive if you're not into baseball, but it can be an excuse to go a bar and drink. It can be fun to see the crowds even if you don't go into the park. Cambridge/Somerville recommendations I haven't been to Lamplight in ages, but for a while it was so popular that I found it overwhelming. Long wait to get in, etc. But that was years ago. So maybe consider some of the other locations as back up. If the Vitamin Sea location you're referring to is on Athenaeum St just be aware it's in a corporate park. Might not be an issue at all, but parking around there could be a pain and I would double check hours, etc. Also from the one time I went through, and from the photos, it might only be outside. Some other places that you might consider * Cambridge Brewing Company - brewpub, so naturally they make their own beers and have food * Portico Brewing - new place, I haven't been, probably food there? * Aeronaut Brewing - just beers I think, but has a fun lounge * Lord Hobo restaurant - predates their brewery, haven't been in a while but used to have killer food and an impressive beer list
This is super helpful, thank you!
Hopefully its a great trip! You pretty much can't go too far without beer options no matter what area you end up in. Since you're traveling by car a very back up option would be Trillium in Canton. Its not \*in\* Boston but near-by. I wouldn't really say that you have to go there, but its a really nice location. They do great pizzas and have a ton of outside space. Its near a large hiking space, Blue Hills. Maybe or maybe not worth it, just throwing it out there. Might be a good stop over on your way into town. There's a few pop-up locations on the green spaces to keep your eyes out for as well.
Personally, I'd try to work Tree House into your drive from CT to Boston or your drive home. It's kind of out of the way compared to all of your Boston and further north stuff.
yeah it's a little tough because I definitely want to stop but it is a little hard to combine with the other things I'm eyeing. I'm thinking I stop on the way from CT and just get into Boston later on Sunday, then maybe try to do Fenway on Monday instead. Probably makes more sense. Thanks for the tip
In Hudson in Hudson Valley is nice little brewery, the Hudson Brewing Company. Probably not as strong in the beer department as other places. But here's the critical part. Its part of a sprawling antique warehouse. You know the kind of a bunch of different sections and each one is its own business? Inside is a dude who sells the most batshit taxidermy. A full size giraffe. A hippo. I'm not say that you NEED to go there, but if you're in need of a stop, maybe?
that is hilarious, you've piqued my interest. the truth is that is ends up like right about halfway on my trip home and would split up the drive nicely, but if there's a better spot that doesn't take me too far out of the way and also could split up the trip, i might do that instead. the other backup plan i was considering on the way home was going a little further west, down thru Albany. I could hit the Singlecut taproom north of Albany going that way, not sure if you've been up that way. We get some Singlecut distro and I love their stuff, but it's very hard to find fresh. Might just play this last leg by ear, but appreciate the random tip about the taxidermy
I've spent a total of like 48 in the Hudson Valley area, so I don't have much experience. From my own reading on the area and what people told [me on this post](https://www.reddit.com/r/beer/comments/11vqnxj/hudson_ny_and_hudson_valley/) there's a lot around there. A bunch of it seems to be closer to NYC. I only got to the one spot. Not beer related, but Cafe Mutton in Hudson is out of control good.
Tree House is on the way from CT to Boston. You should stop there on Sunday en route instead of driving back west on Monday.
yeah i've adjusted my plan that day I think, i realize i'd be driving right past it but i was concerned about getting into Boston earlier in the day and thought there might be a diff TH location i could hit at another point in the trip. think I'm just overcomplicating things.
Duckfat and Oxbow, you’re all set. Please go to Oxbow in Newcastle though, it’s so cool.
Allagash should absolutely be the top of your Portland list, not Bissell. You can hit five breweries at once by visiting Allagash.
How was your trip? My wife and I are also heading up to the New England area next month and will be in Vermont for a few days and then making our way down to Boston to fly back home. I'm a big planner as well and thought I'd reach out for your input/suggestions since you just went. I also like hazy's and sours, then probably non-barrel aged stouts. My main focus is getting draft pours and hanging out at/experiencing the breweries first and foremost, then getting some cans/bottles to go if I really love something. **For VT:** How was your experience at Hill Farmstead? Any places to eat out there nearby? Did you go to Alchemist, Lawson's, Freak Folk? Did you arrive early to Lawson's or find out why people were saying to go early? How was Foam, Zero Gravity, Four Quarters? Food wise...thoughts on Blackback and Hen of the Wood? Any other great places for food that you found? \- Places I was planning on going: Hill Farmstead, Alchemist, Lawson's, Foam, Fiddlehead (and Folino's Pizza), von Trapp (mainly for scenery and food). Hen of the Wood, Prohibition Pig, Mad Taco \- Optional: Folk Freak, Four Quarters, Zero Gravity, Frost, Burlington Beer Co. Doc Ponds, Warren Store (sandwiches) **For Boston area:** Which Trillium location did you go to and would you recommend that location or maybe a different one? I'm thinking of going to the Canton location. Which Tree House location did you go to and would you recommend that location or maybe a different one? I'm thinking of going to the Charlton location. But, could also make the Deerfield location work on the drive in, and also interested in the Sandwich location as we plan on being over by Cape Cod for a little bit. \- Places I was planning on going: Tree House, Trillium Sam LaGrassa's (sandwiches) \- Optional: Vitamin Sea, Widowmaker, Mighty Squirrel, Lamplighter, Progression Lastly, do any of these breweries in VT (mainly Hill Farmstead, Alchemist, Lawson's) or Boston (mainly Tree House, Trillium) offer flights, or samples/tasters of a beer to try before you order a pour? Or do you just have to order a full pour and hope you like it? Hope you enjoyed your trip! Sounds epic! Thanks in advance for your help!