The Beer Exploration Package

A stellar experience for brew lovers!

By Noah Detzer

Have you ever wanted to sample the ultimate Vermont beer experience? Hotel Vermont has you covered. Matt Canning, the hotel’s beer concierge, sat down with us to talk about the program. It’s called the “Beer Exploration” package—a two-day, two-night experience for no more than 12 people.

It all starts with dinner on Tuesday evening when the guests arrive. They’ll enjoy five courses, each accompanied by a Vermont beer (ranging from selections brewed by Hill Farmstead Brewery, The Alchemist, Foam Brewers, and Lawson’s Finest Liquids, among others) and paired with foods prepared with complementary ingredients.

The following day, the group heads to Hill Farmstead, where they will sample an exclusive offering from the cellar. These selections are not readily available and are usually specific to the group. Often, this is followed by a short, personalized tour of the brewery, which was awarded the title “Best Brewery in the World” five times from 2012 to 2017.

Next, the group will gather for lunch down the road at Thornhill Farm in Greensboro, where guests enjoy family-style dishes served at an outdoor communal table overlooking fields of barley and rye that are grown to make some of Vermont’s best beers. Afterward, the group continues on a day trip through the scenic Green Mountains and the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont.

The trip back to Burlington includes stops at Lost Nation Brewery’s biergarten (depending on the season) or taproom. Then it’s off to Blackback Pub to pay a visit to Dave, who touts Vermont’s best draft-beer selection, and finally, exclusive access to select retail beers at Craft Beer Cellar in Waterbury. In short, it’s the perfect getaway for beer lovers.

Interested? Be sure to book early—this experience is offered only once a month from June to October. For more information, email [email protected] or call (802) 651-0080.