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i just picked this up for a friend... NOTE the price - NOT cheap either! (ok i will drink half of it).
Another overpriced Vermont product, what a surprise. I've heard from a few people that they thought the Lawson's hysteria would eventually die down. They thought it was a good beer, but felt that the mystique factor in not being able to find it is driving the demand.
I really want to get to Hill FArmstead. Fifteen dollar growlers-hmmm. I'll try it once. I really don't like where the beer market is going now. I don't think you should have to pay more than ten or eleven dollars for a six pack.
Another overpriced Vermont product, what a surprise. I've heard from a few people that they thought the Lawson's hysteria would eventually die down. They thought it was a good beer, but felt that the mystique factor in not being able to find it is driving the demand.
I really want to get to Hill FArmstead. Fifteen dollar growlers-hmmm. I'll try it once. I really don't like where the beer market is going now. I don't think you should have to pay more than ten or eleven dollars for a six pack.
I've had a lot of beer, including many of what are considered the best beers in the world. Lawson's beer is worth the price. It's a very small operation so it costs more to make the beer than it would at a larger brewery. If he drops the price, he risks doing a couple things. First, he risks not making enough money to stay in business. That's the obvious one. But the other thing is he risks cheapening the product in people's minds. If prices are in line with lower quality beers, including the Long Trail brewmasters series (which are excellent beers, but not on the same lines as Lawson's beers), perception changes. I know a lot of people in the beer industry from brewers to distributors to bar and liquor store owners. They all hate when someone comes along and has something like a "truck load sale" and seriously cuts the price of an otherwise expensive beer (sometimes to the point of selling it for near or even below cost). It cheapens the industry. Believe it or not if a craft beer had a similar cost to Budweiser, there are a lot of people who wouldn't buy it because of the perception that it is cheap and equivalent to Bud. I'm not one of those people but a large portion of the craft beer market thinks that way... large enough that it does make a difference.
Hill's beers are of an even greater quality than Lawson's and he uses a lot of expensive ingredients and some longer processes that cost more money. Do I think he should be charging $15 for a 500 ml bottle of beer? I pay that price for expensive imported Scandinavian beer. I think $10 would have been good for that bottle (though the beer was among the best beers I've had). I don't think a $15 growler of his beer is too pricey (throwing in the extra $10 for the bottle is a bit much though). I have seen growler fills down here for $12 with a savings of $2 if you return a growler. And these are places that are way below the quality of his beer. Paying an extra $5 for his beer is worth it.
Now, in Lawson's defense, the beer that Joe bought is an 8% IPA. Higher alcohol beers use more ingredients and tend to take more time to make. It costs more. I think I paid something along the lines of $5-6 for a 22 oz of his Weiss-K at the Warren Store and probably $8-9 for Maple Nipple (which makes sense at 9%).
I have seen a $9 22oz beer before I think, but not often. I think a Sierra Nevada special release is about that much. I know their yearly releases are more like $5-6 and I love those beers.
My understanding is that Lawson is doing 1 barrel at a time - 31 gallons or maybe 160 or 170 22oz bottles. Not sure of how many barrels he can ferment simultaneously but a barrel will take at least 3-4 weeks to be ready to bottle. It also sounds like he is bottling and labeling by hand. Definitely people like the rarity and the personal touch.
I can't afford these often , but will enjoy it with a friend
RunawayJim-glad you enjoy the Bobcat. It's one of our faves. We always make a reservation because it gets packed....good to know that you have not have had problems without one!
Hill Farmstead is pretty cool. We went up this fall for their Octoberfest event. As mentioned, it's on the family farm up in Greensboro on a back road. If you go up there stop at Willey's Store as well-a Vermont institution!
My understanding regarding the Alchemist is that he doesn't do growlers due to quality control....
Quoted from their website (hope this is okay): Why don’t we sell growlers though? Quite simply, quality.
According to Brewer John Kimmich: “It is impossible to present a bottled version of the beer and have it taste identical to the draft version. I have a hard enough time letting someone else pour my beer, let alone watch it walk out the door to an uncertain future."
That being said, I read they did a limited run of bottles in November, I'm sure they sold out immediately.
I have seen a $9 22oz beer before I think, but not often. I think a Sierra Nevada special release is about that much. I know their yearly releases are more like $5-6 and I love those beers.
I'm mainly a wine drinker but recently got back into beer a bit. I was shocked at the price of single bottles at the beverage warehouse in Winooski.
I remember visiting the first microbrewery in the Northeast in Albany NY around 1980. It was a tiny building by the hudson river. I got a souvenir glass that day and my wife recently dropped it-heartbreak.
I'm a bit disappointed in the present offerings by micros in the US as most beers seem to be super hopped or stouts. Americans seem to like something and just go overboard, I'd prefer more of a balance in our beers like the german brewers provide. I can't say I'm in love with any of the Vermont bottled beers either. I find Magic Hat and Long Trail to be exceptionally bland. Otter Creek is just decent. Trout river-no. I've enjoyed some of the McNeils but you really have to check the date on the bottle because they start tasting a bit metallic close to expiration. I'd like to try these on tap.
We have good micropubs at least-Alchemist and the one in Burlington are very good.
Even though I'm not a fan of hopped ales, I certainly recognize the quality of DogFish Head ales. They do a great job of balancing the hops and alcohol taste. Stone is good too, but not quite as good as DogFish. I don't know of anyone in Vermont who can touch these guys. Not even close.
I'm mainly a wine drinker but recently got back into beer a bit. I was shocked at the price of single bottles at the beverage warehouse in Winooski.
I remember visiting the first microbrewery in the Northeast in Albany NY around 1980. It was a tiny building by the hudson river. I got a souvenir glass that day and my wife recently dropped it-heartbreak.
I'm a bit disappointed in the present offerings by micros in the US as most beers seem to be super hopped or stouts. Americans seem to like something and just go overboard, I'd prefer more of a balance in our beers like the german brewers provide. I can't say I'm in love with any of the Vermont bottled beers either. I find Magic Hat and Long Trail to be exceptionally bland. Otter Creek is just decent. Trout river-no. I've enjoyed some of the McNeils but you really have to check the date on the bottle because they start tasting a bit metallic close to expiration. I'd like to try these on tap.
We have good micropubs at least-Alchemist and the one in Burlington are very good.
Even though I'm not a fan of hopped ales, I certainly recognize the quality of DogFish Head ales. They do a great job of balancing the hops and alcohol taste. Stone is good too, but not quite as good as DogFish. I don't know of anyone in Vermont who can touch these guys. Not even close.
If you're not big on hopped ales, watch out for Hill, though he is doing some different stuff. When I was there, he had 2 Saison's (Belgian Farmhouse ales) on. One was Americanized and hopped, but not your standard hoppy offering. The other was made with VT honey and was excellent.
Long Trail can make some fine beers. Their Brewmasters Series is excellent and the Triple Bag is something totally worth trying. They've got the talent, but they cater to a more mainstream taste. Magic Hat is the same. They used to make some incredible beers but dropped them for dumbed down weird stuff that's just not that good. In fact, they've changed their lineup more frequently than any other brewery I can think of. Trout River is very "meh" to me. I've been to 2 brewpubs in Burlington, VT Pub and Brewery and the brewpub at American Flatbread. Both are excellent brewpubs. McNeill's has the talent. I had their Imperial Stout and thought it was excellent. I also had an IPA from them that I dumped 3/4 of the bottle. It was called "Summer IPA" and I bought it in June so it was probably fresh.
I have a similar problem with a lot of over-hopped American beers. I find Stone to be the most overrated brewery because all their hopped up beers taste the same (though their imperial stout and barleywine are both excellent). Dogfish Head does a lot of weird stuff. Their big bottles, though expensive, are all interesting, and some are incredible (the most recent being the ******* Brew).
Have you had any of the Trapp beers? I've only had their standard lager and I was very impressed.
RunawayJim-glad you enjoy the Bobcat. It's one of our faves. We always make a reservation because it gets packed....good to know that you have not have had problems without one!
Hill Farmstead is pretty cool. We went up this fall for their Octoberfest event. As mentioned, it's on the family farm up in Greensboro on a back road. If you go up there stop at Willey's Store as well-a Vermont institution!
I haven't been to any of his events, but plan on it. He's a very frank guy. He said the VT Brewers Association was begging him to have beers in the festival in Burlington, but he has to donate his time and beer there. He wasn't going to do that, especially since he just started last year, because his beer costs a lot of money to make. Where is Willey's Store? Last time we were up there, everything was covered in snow and we were on our way to Woodstock to stay with some friends on our way home from skiing. The time before that was a quick stop between a morning wedding and the evening dinner and it was an hour away. But I'll be sure to check it out next time.
Bobcat is one of our faves as well. Besides the quality of the beer, the food is amazing. I actually like it a lot better than the Alchemist, which tends to be the favorite of beer lovers.
Have you had any of the Trapp beers? I've only had their standard lager and I was very impressed.
No, but I was tantalizingly close.
I went to see the Vermont Symphony Orchestra and they were selling Trapp in the lobby at intermission. As I stepped up to order I was told the girl in line in front of me got the last one and the keg was drained. I was forced to buy a tasteless Long Trail. I want to go to that tiny bar across the street from the Alchemist. I've been meaning to try the bar in Monntpelier-something penny taproom. I think they both have Trapp.
The Vermont beer I've enjoyed in the past is Switchback. However, I've had really mixed experiences with it. Sweetwaters in downtown Burlington served it just right and it was delicious, however, when I got it at the Irish bar across the street it tasted just like an American Macro. It's not an in your face beer and what makes it good is really subtle, it has to be served just right. I got it in a limited edition bomber once and it was terrible.
That's the problem with smaller breweries, lack of quality control and consistency. I, too, enjoy Switchback. The Irish bar probably doesn't clean their lines very often (which is a common problem in places).
I think it's either the Three Penny Taproom or the Ten Penny Taproom (can't remember off the top of my head), but I have heard great things about it. I need to get there myself.
I will say, I enjoy Long Trail. Their Double Bag is really good, and their IPA is more traditional and not in-your-face like most American breweries. Harpoon is another favorite brewery of mine (in part because their rep for RI is an awesome guy). Their Leviathan series and 100 Barrel Series are both awesome and their standard beers are really good (their IPA has gone downhill, though).
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