Beercation Day 2

It’s the morning of day five and we just woke up and check out of our hotel. We stayed in Ann Arbor and are heading to Kalamazoo, Michigan to visit Kalamazoo Brewing. But before I keep writing about today, I need rewind back to day two of this epic adventure. That morning we woke up and ate breakfast at the hotel. Then we headed from Burlington, Vermont to Harpoon brewery in Windsor, Vermont. There we sampled a couple of the beers and sat outside and enjoy the pints that we ended up liking. I had the 100 barrel series beer and a summer beer that was on tap. But I also had the privilege of trying the Leviathan series (all above 9% ABV). While sitting outside enjoying our refreshments, we met a new friend Art. I spotted him chilling in the grass a few chairs behind where we were sitting. We were all thinking that it was quite odd that there would be a turtle near a brewery since we were unaware of any nearby water sources. I was able to take a few pictures and videos while at Harpoon, of the brewery and our newly found friend. We also discovered that if you visit four Vermont breweries you were eligible for a free bottle opener. So we began our hunt for more breweries in Vermont.




We had already mapped out a rough itinerary for the day, stopping at a few breweries and brew/pubs. But along the way we found a few more because of a newly acquired map and recommendations from people we met along the way. Our next stop of the day was Walver/Otter Creek in Middlebury, Vermont. Here we sampled all the beers that they had on tap, spoke to the marketing director and were even able to try allegedly the bitterest beer. At a laboratory tested 135 IBU’s, it was by far the most bitter beer that I have ever tasted. The company is also allegedly in the works of contacting Guinness Book of World Records to make the claim as the world’s bitterest beer. Out of all the beers I sampled, I was quite partial to both the Imperial stout and Heller’s Ale. The marketing director that we were conversing with mentioned that the head brewer of their operation had switched places with another brewery at a brewery across town a few years back. Needless to say, we added yet another stop in our fact finding quest.

We arrived at Bobcat and talked to the bartender there for a while. After a brief initial discussion we decided to get the sampler of the beers on tap. Nine beer samples didn’t seem like a big deal but at the end of the tasting, we were all feeling a bit full. I also shot some pretty good video inside Bobcat of the different beers that we tried and maybe a conversation with the bartender (don’t quite remember). The more driving and drinking (safe of course), the more the days seem to blur into one another. Yesterday we were at lunch and had not begun any fact finding for Beercation but were unable to name the day of the week without looking at a cell phone. Sorry to get off track. Anyway, after finishing up at Bobcat, we were off to visit Magic Hat. At this point, we were about to earn a free bottle opener and were contemplating whether ten Vermont brewery visits for a free shirt was a possibility or just a far-fetched dream.

We arrive at Magic and walk around the store, which I am digging immediately. The store is a lightly lit warehouse style tasting room with a store selling everything from pint glasses to apparel. The brewery has quite a few beers on tap so obviously we sample them all. During our first few samples, we ask our bartender what his favorite beer is, he won’t tell us. I’m definitely enjoying all of the samples of beer that we are trying and also taking some video, but I must say that the suspense is killing me. So I get the attention of another bartender and ask her what her favorite beer is and she immediately responds that she enjoys the Magic Hat #9. About half way through our tasting we realize that we can get our fourth stamp here and earn the coveted right to a free beer bottle opener, great success (think Borat). At the end of our tasting (high five), our first bartender reveals his favorite beer the brown ale. My cousin Matt and I agree that is also our favorite, good stuff (really though, no Borat). So we have a free bottle opener, via mail-in-form to Vermont and are extremely feeling adventurous.

We get back to our hotel in Burlington and leg it over to the breweries and brew/pubs in downtown Burlington. Our first stop brings us to the Burlington Hearth. We enjoy a beer in the bar are here and get our stamp for our Vermont passport. A few girls (5 or 6) waiting for a table in the restaurant approach Andrew and start a conversation. Ben also talks to a few of the girls who approached Andrew. But I’m sitting too far away from the bar, next to Matt who is closer to these girls, to hear the ensuing conversation. Somehow Matt jumps into the talk and begins talking to the girl who was originally talking with Andrew. She makes her way closer to Matt so that I am within earshot of the conversation. She asks Matt a few questions about what brings us to Vermont and the Burlington Hearth. Matt tells her a bit about our trip, with him starting out in Boston at the American Craft Brew Festival and heading from the east coast to the west coast on a Beercation. She perks up a bit to the fact that we are making a road trip across the US and turns more towards Matt as they continue to talk. At this point, I’m just overhearing the conversation when Matt begins with his own question, “So are you townies?” Surprisingly, she immediately ends the conversation with Matt and heads back to her friends to wait for a table with her friends. Matt and I both begin to crack up at the fact that calling a girl a townie is a degrading term. We later discover that these girls are underage and were probably trying to mooch free drinks and maybe a place to party later in the night. While this might have been a fun prospect (these girls were pretty cute), the fact that Matt ended a conversation telling girls that they were from around the area and getting the “cold-shoulder” is hilarious.

After our first beer at the Burlington, we headed over to the Vermont Pub for some food and brew. Everyone but me got something to eat, but I just wasn’t feeling eating anymore. Beer is filling. Since we all walked to the bar, we decided to try the sampler which was six beers, nothing compared to the nine at Bobcat. Nevertheless, it was a great sampler and I was completely full when I finished. After everyone finished eating, finishing sample packs, and pooping (a few of us did…no comment), we headed over to a local bar, the Red Square. I walk in very toasted and find my cousin Matt and ask him what he is drinking. Not a second later, my mom calls and I run outside to answer.

She begins to grill me with questions like a good mom should. I answer as best as I can, but she lets me know that she doesn’t appreciate the driver having a few samples at breweries we were visiting. To be honest, she should be concerned about her son and the road trip I’m on. Good form mom but we are being safe. Once I get off the phone, I hear some faint music in the background and ask the bartender what song is playing. She informs me that there is a live band playing outside and directs me where to walk to get there. I walk outside and find my cousin Matt chilling, listening to the live band at Red Square. I’m usually not a big fan of random live bands at bars but Sour Boy played some great covers of Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaugn, 311, Eric Clapton, and The Who. While this band had a great guitar player, the rest of the band was easily replaceable. And the band lacked a solid singer. The covers and original songs were good but just weren’t as good as they could have been. After requesting a few more songs and seeing the end of Sour Boys set at Red Square, we left for bigger and better beers.

From the Red Square, we headed back to Three Needs, a brewery which we visited the night before. There we had a Alt beer and and a Scottish Wee. After talking with the bartender for a while and apparently getting a picture, I scored a free drink. Before leaving Three Needs, I wished Monique (my apparent bartender of choice) a goodbye. At the end of our night I was close to not remembering the walk back since it was miserable walk. But 2.2 miles later, we made it home safe.