Vermont makes exceptional beer. It makes more exceptional beer per capita than almost anywhere in the country — the state has one of the highest craft brewery densities in the nation, and the quality is consistently high across the board. Alchemist, Hill Farmstead, Lawson’s Finest, Fiddlehead, Zero Gravity, von Trapp, Foam, Citizen Cider — these names circulate in serious beer conversations far beyond New England.
For two days every July, the majority of Vermont’s craft breweries gather on the Burlington waterfront for the Vermont Brewers Festival — the state’s largest and most anticipated beer event, running since 1994. If you have any interest in craft beer, and you’re in Vermont in mid-July, this is not optional.
How Vermont’s Beer Culture Got This Good
Vermont’s craft beer identity is the product of a specific set of circumstances that are worth understanding.
The state’s deep agricultural tradition provided a foundation. Vermont has always grown hops and grain; the craft beer movement found ready cultural infrastructure. The state’s locavore food culture — which predates the national trend by a couple of decades — created a consumer base that valued local provenance in what they drank, not just what they ate.
But the technical breakthrough came from a handful of brewers in the late 1990s and early 2000s who developed a distinct approach to the IPA. The “Vermont IPA” — hazy, soft, low-bitterness, intensely aromatic — wasn’t officially a style until the Brewers Association recognized it as one. Before that, it was just what brewers like John Kimmich at The Alchemist were making in response to what their customers wanted. Heady Topper, canned starting in 2011, became a national phenomenon. Other Vermont brewers working in similar directions — Lawson’s, Hill Farmstead, Fiddlehead — developed their own versions and audiences.
Today the Vermont beer scene is mature and varied: classic English-style ales, lagers, farmhouse saisons, barrel-aged stouts, sour ales, and ciders all have serious practitioners in the state. The Brewers Festival reflects that breadth.
What It Is
The festival runs Saturday and Sunday on the Burlington waterfront, typically the third weekend of July. Two tasting sessions per day: afternoon (noon to 4 p.m.) and evening (6 to 9 p.m.). Each session is ticketed and capacity-limited, which keeps the experience manageable — crowded, but not overwhelming.
Admission includes a souvenir tasting glass and a set number of tasting tokens. Additional tokens are available for purchase. The pour sizes are small — this is a tasting event, not a volume event — and the idea is to work through a range of breweries rather than settle into one.
Breweries: 50+ Vermont craft breweries, cideries, and select out-of-state guests. This includes heavy hitters (Alchemist usually pours here), mid-size regional favorites, and smaller producers you may have never heard of who turn out to be highlights.
The venue: The waterfront lawn between the ECHO Center and the ferry terminal, with Lake Champlain and the Adirondack Mountains as the backdrop. On a clear July evening, during the 6–9 p.m. session, this is as good as outdoor events get.
How to Approach It
A few strategies that make the experience better:
Go to the evening session. The Saturday evening session, 6–9 p.m., is the best version of the festival — light quality on the lake is extraordinary, temperatures are cooler, and the energy of the crowd is different than the afternoon. It’s also the most in-demand session; buy tickets early.
Have a plan but stay flexible. The festival publishes a brewery list in advance. Identify five or six you genuinely want to prioritize, hit those first, then let the rest of the session be exploratory. The best discoveries often happen at booths you weren’t expecting.
Eat before you arrive. Food vendors are present but lines are long. A proper meal before the session means you can focus on tasting rather than managing hunger and lines simultaneously.
Stay in Burlington overnight. The Saturday evening session ends at 9 p.m., which is the right time to transition to Burlington’s bar and restaurant scene rather than drive 90 minutes back to the Upper Valley. Hotel Vermont, The Courtyard, and a range of well-reviewed rentals make this easy.
Bring water. It’s July in Vermont. The session is three hours. Staying hydrated between tastings is not complicated but it’s easy to forget.
What to Do in Burlington Before the Festival
A Burlington Brewers Festival Saturday has a natural structure if you’re coming from the Upper Valley:
Morning: Arrive by 10 a.m. Walk Church Street from south to north, stopping for breakfast at Maglianero (excellent espresso, a serious coffee shop) or Hen of the Wood if you’re in a brunch mindset. The Saturday Burlington Farmers Market runs in City Hall Park through the morning — one of the better markets in Vermont, with fresh produce, cheese, bread, and prepared food.
Late morning: Church Street Marketplace has good independent shops. The ECHO Leahy Center on the waterfront is worth an hour if you’re curious about Lake Champlain ecology, and the building puts you right at the festival venue to scout the layout.
Afternoon: An hour on the water at Community Sailing Center — kayaks and paddleboards are available for rent and the lake is exceptional in July. Or walk the Burlington bike path along the waterfront for the unobstructed Adirondack view.
Dinner: Eat before the evening session. Hen of the Wood is the recommendation if you have a reservation; Farmhouse Tap & Grill is more casual and reliably good. Leunig’s Bistro on Church Street is another option with solid Vermont fare and a good atmosphere.
Evening session: 6–9 p.m. on the waterfront. The light on Lake Champlain in July during the golden hour, with craft beer in hand, is a specific Vermont experience that’s hard to reproduce elsewhere.
The After Party: Burlington’s Bar Scene
The festival ends at 9 p.m. on the waterfront, but Burlington’s evening is just getting started. A few options for continuing:
Foam Brewers on the waterfront is the obvious choice — best craft brewery in Burlington proper, outstanding tap list, the kind of place where the brewers know what they’re doing with every style. Walk there from the festival.
Zero Gravity Craft Brewery on Pine Street is a few minutes’ drive and has a larger, more food-oriented setting — good lagers and session beers alongside bigger offerings.
Radio Bean on North Winooski Avenue is a Burlington institution — music, craft cocktails, and a crowd that doesn’t wear logo fleece. Good for a late-night wind-down after the festival.
Nectar’s on Main Street is the other Burlington institution — the club where Phish got their start, which tells you something about the room. Hosts late-night shows during festival weekends.
Getting There from the Upper Valley
From Woodstock or Quechee, I-89 North runs directly to Burlington — 90 minutes without traffic. On festival weekends, expect some additional time on the Burlington approaches. The waterfront venue has limited adjacent parking; garages on Cherry Street and St. Paul Street are the most practical options, with a ten-minute walk to the venue.
Burlington is worth a full day or overnight beyond the festival itself. Arrive Saturday morning, spend the afternoon on Church Street or kayaking on the lake, attend the evening festival session, stay over, and take Sunday to explore at a slower pace.
Planning a Full Vermont Beer Weekend
If you want to extend the beer-focused Vermont trip, several breweries near the Upper Valley and along the Route 100 corridor are worth building into the weekend:
Long Trail Brewing Company in Bridgewater Corners — right on Route 4, twenty minutes west of Woodstock, with a riverside beer hall and outdoor seating. This is a logical stop on any drive between the Upper Valley and Killington.
Harpoon Brewery in Windsor — right on the Connecticut River, twenty minutes from Woodstock. The riverside setting and beer garden make for a good afternoon stop.
von Trapp Brewing in Stowe — the Austrian-style lager tradition coming from the Trapp Family Lodge. Worth combining with a Stowe day trip if you’re already heading north.
The Vermont Summer Guide covers the full range of what’s happening across the state in July and August. The Vermont Events Calendar has exact dates and locations for the major summer events.
Notable Vermont Breweries to Know
If you’re new to Vermont beer, a primer on who to look for:
The Alchemist (Stowe) — Famous for Heady Topper, arguably the beer that started the Vermont IPA conversation. Not always at festivals, but when they pour, the lines form fast.
Hill Farmstead (Greensboro Bend) — Considered by many beer professionals to be among the world’s best breweries. Their saisons and IPAs are benchmark examples of the styles.
Lawson’s Finest Liquids (Warren) — Sip of Sunshine and Super Session are two of the most sought-after IPAs in New England.
Fiddlehead Brewing (Shelburne) — Consistently excellent, more approachable to find than some of the above, with a rotating lineup that rewards attention.
Foam Brewers (Burlington) — The best brewery in Burlington proper, with an adventurous tap list and a great waterfront location.
Zero Gravity Craft Brewery (Burlington) — More food-forward, excellent lagers and session beers alongside bigger offerings.
Citizen Cider (Burlington) — Vermont’s most prominent cidery, making dry and semi-dry ciders from Vermont apples in a range that goes well beyond what most people expect from cider. Worth trying even if you think you don’t like cider.
Planning Details
- Dates: Third weekend of July (check vtbrewfest.com for exact dates)
- Sessions: Saturday and Sunday, afternoon (noon–4 p.m.) and evening (6–9 p.m.)
- Tickets: $55–70 per session; purchase well in advance
- Venue: Burlington Waterfront, between the ECHO Center and the ferry terminal
- Drive from Woodstock: ~90 minutes via I-89 North
- Recommended: Saturday evening session + Burlington overnight
Vermont’s craft beer scene is one of the legitimate reasons to visit this state. The Brewers Festival is the single best way to understand the full breadth of it in two hours. If you’re also in Vermont in early June, the Burlington Discover Jazz Festival gives you another reason to make the Burlington drive a regular part of your Vermont summer calendar.