Food & Beer Culture

Vermont is synonymous with cheese and maple syrup. The state is known for its cheddar, which cheesemakers age wrapped in cloth, and for maple syrup made in spring. Both pair well with beer, because fat, salt, and sweetness meet hops and bitterness. A robust cheddar gets refreshed by the hops, while the maple's sweetness finds its counterpart in the malt.

A classic is Cabot Clothbound Cheddar from Jasper Hill, often paired with a brown ale with maple. Foley Brothers brews just such a brown ale using Vermont maple syrup. A stout with maple, like the Fayston Maple Imperial Stout, pairs instead with the soft Bonne Bouche cheese from Vermont Creamery. These are also examples from the region that show just how closely farming and brewing are intertwined.

One special tradition is Sugar on Snow. Hot, thickened maple syrup is poured over fresh snow, where it instantly sets into a soft, chewy caramel. It's often eaten with sour pickles and doughnuts, and the custom belongs to spring, when the sap is running.

The beer culture here feels less like a tavern scene and more like taproom culture. In Burlington, brewers like Magic Hat, Switchback, and Zero Gravity draw a college crowd, and Magic Hat #9 with its apricot note is one of the state's best-known beers. In the village of Waitsfield or at the farm in Greensboro Bend, though, people often drive an hour down country roads just to pick up freshly filled cans. Drinks come in pint size, 473 ml, or as a small pour for tasting.