I was wrong.
It's probably the most populated area of Vermont. I saw more houses per square mile than in and around Smuggler's Notch. Apparently the islands are a center for ice fishing in the winter and water sports during the summer. The islands are South Hero, Grand Isle, North Hero, and Isle La Motte. From what we explored, there are a few apple orchards, a couple of places to eat, marinas, and some wildlife. We stumbled across two foxes crossing the road within two minutes of each other, and we helped a turtle make it across the road. Other than that, we mostly drove around to see what there was to see. There is everything from expansive farmland to quaint lake houses, but it just didn't meet the expectation I had in my mind. Plus, it was overcast on our day up there. If we had brought our fishing equipment, a stop at one of the parks on the island probably would have been arranged.
After spending the morning driving around, we decided to head back down to Burlington to "bar hop." I feel like I should note, for all of my conservative friends who may stumble across this, that the beer scene for me isn't about getting drunk. Drinking alcohol has never been about that, for me. I enjoy the creativity and passion that others have for what they do, even if that means making cheeses, weaving baskets, or harvesting maple syrup. Tasting the flavors of beer that people come up with by playing around with hops variations or ingredient brightness is something I thoroughly enjoy. So, the last half of this post will be about beer. If you don't agree, then you don't have to read.
We ate at Vermont Pub and Brewery, which makes its own beer in the basement of the restaurant. Apparently when the weather is right, it's perfect to grab a bite and sit outside. Located on College street, it certainly has some interesting views. Because Robby is a porter guy, he got their Lake Champlain Chocolate Stout. It had a delicious chocolate full-bodied flavor that was full, dark, and sweet. I tried their Burly Irish Ale, by recommendation of our waitress. It's one of their most popular, and I can understand why. It was so smooth and easy to drink! With a slight caramel flavor and medium body, it hit the spot. They have so many other ales, and a lot of them sound incredible. They also do experimental batches weekly. Definitely a place to check out if you're in town.
Our next stop was Zero Gravity Craft Brewery, located exclusively in the Burlington American Flatbread. It's right down the street from VPB, so we swung by. Up until about 5 PM, the restaurant only does light fare, but the bar is open. It's an English-style pub setting, and their beers reflect that. Robby tried their Black Cat Porter, and him and I both tried Conehead. The Black Cat was certainly a dark ale, robust in flavor, with coffee and chocolate in the palette. Conehead - I have to say that I'm not a huge fan of IPAs, but this one was amazing. It wasn't very bitter, and to balance out the bitterness of the hops was a strong citrus punch (because they used Citra hops). It was grapefruit all the way, and simply delicious. We really enjoyed conversing with the bartender, Chris (who apparently goes by Steve). He was friendly, and gave us frank opinions on local breweries as well as tips of things to see before we left the area. Out of the breweries we visited, this one was definitely the one that made me feel most at home.
After that, we decided to walk up and down Church Street. They have restaurants and places to shop all up and down the way. Vermont doesn't have taxes on clothing, but, as one of the sales attendants told us, they make up for it in other areas. There are pretty big state, land, and food taxes. But buying a cute pair of socks for what it said on the price tag was reminiscent of Delaware shopping. Church street is a fun destination to just see. Even if you don't want to buy anything, you get a real taste of local life by perusing the shops and people-watching. And, if you do want to shop, you're in luck. You can pick up your "Eat More Kale" bumper sticker and some UVM gear and be good to go!
After our excursions in Downtown Burlington came to a close, we quickly visited Switchback Brewing Company. Unlike Zero Gravity and VPB, we got free samples. When I say we, I mean Robby. I wasn't really interested in trying any more beer at this point. The people here were equally friendly and more than willing to tell you about the story of their company and the stories behind their beers. I did try their Extra Pale Ale, which was designed by the employees themselves and took a couple of years before the company actually decided to brew it. It was a good twist on an IPA, with less bitterness than normal. Switchback is also one of the newer brewing companies that is giving Magic Hat a run for its money.
We also swung into Citizen Cider. I'm a cider gal through and through. If it tastes like apple juice and not beer, I'm for it. What's neat about Citizen Cider is they do all sorts of crazy things with cider that other companies just haven't hit quite as well as they have. You can get a sampler for $6, and pick five to try. I had had a glass of Unified Press, their signature cider, at Zero Gravity and loved it. Think Martinelli's - not as sweet as Angry Orchard, and definitely more dry. Our sampler included bROSé (an off-dry cider fermented with Vermont blueberries), AMERiCRAN (an off-dry cider fermented with local Vermont cranberries), The Dirty Mayor (their cider made with ginger and lemon - tasted JUST LIKE ginger ale), The Full Nelson (A beer-like cider made with Nelson Sauvin hops that reminds you of champgne, an IPA and cider all in one), and Citizen's Cellar special: Pear Wild (an off-dry cider with light notes of pear that's crisp and clean). They are doing some crazy things with cider, but everything we tried was fantastic. I picked up a growler of The Dirty Mayor to take home. I'm a little sad that they only distribute to VT, MA, IL, and NC, so I'm going to stop by my local and see if they'd be willing to order some as a test run. It's just too good to leave up north!
Our last stop was to Fiddlehead Brewing Company just down the road in Shelburne. It's a lot smaller than the other breweries we stopped at, with only two beers on tap when we arrived. The owner was one of the original brewers for Magic Hat, and broke off to start his own. What's interesting, beside their awesome logo, is that it's connected to probably one of the best pizza places I've been to. So, if you stop by, pick up a growler and go next door to order a pizza from Folino's. The pizza place itself is BYOB, and they have a whole fridge stocked with frosty glasses to fill. I wasn't too impressed with the beer itself, but then again, there were only two to try. You get free samples, and I bought a growler for $3. Stay tuned, because I'm going to turn the ones I got into lamps :)
After eating a delicious meal, we headed back to our place. All of these breweries have websites, so definitely check them out if they catch your interest. Vermont is doing some cool things in what they produce, and they're pretty darn good at it. So, if you enjoy good cheese, good beer, or good maple syrup, I would suggest a trip. Overall, my time there was quite enjoyable - it's certainly a state I would move to . . . just maybe for the summers. I'll post my last blog about it tomorrow and give more pointers, tips, and resources for those interested in planning a vacation.
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