BY GEORGE FJELD
TUNBRIDGE—Thirteen of Vermont’s smallest breweries, including Brandon’s own Red Clover Ale Company, gathered at the Tunbridge Fairgrounds last Saturday to celebrate their hand-crafted beers. Red Clover’s Pete Brooks said, “Because we are so small, we can’t do many festivals and keep our taproom supplied. But we always make sure we can go to NanoFest. It is such a well-run event and has a special place in our hearts for sure.”
“This is our seventh NanoFest,” said Organizer Anne Linehan from Brocklebank Craft Brewing. “Smaller breweries, it can be hard to get a foothold. To get attention with, you know, some of the big names out there. So, this is a good chance for people to learn about some of the little breweries that are out there. We love getting brewers from all over Vermont together to celebrate beer.”
By “out there,” she means from Bennington (Farm Road Brewing) to Jericho (Lucy & Howe Brewing Company) to St. Johnsbury (Whirligig Brewing). The NanoFest started 8 years ago with only 3 breweries.
The beer selection was all over as well: many variations of IPAs, lagers, pilsners, and stouts. A few examples are S’mores False Dawn (cask-aged stout made with S’more ingredients) from Upper Pass Beer Company, Cool Guy cucumber pilsner from Brocklebank Brewing, Strawberry Shortcake Sour Ale from Whirligig Brewing, and Rad, a grapefruit radler from Good Measure Brewing. These are unique beers not found in the beer aisle at your favorite beverage center.
All the participants brew on systems of 5 barrels or fewer but produce some of the most flavorful and original beers found. The beers are not widely distributed but can be as good as or better than the larger breweries’ products. This gathering was an opportunity to taste many different offerings of similar styles as well as some truly different beers. By serving beer in sizes from 3, 6, 9, to 12 ounces, attendees could sample a wide variety of beers without consuming too much. This is a premium event for beer lovers from all over the northeast; tickets went on sale last June and sold out quickly.
Outside space was plentiful for the beer lovers and their families. There was ample space outside the beer hall to set up chairs, pop-up shelters, and sample the diverse offerings from the food trucks. Kids had tons of room to run around and play. Musical entertainment was provided, with reggae, Celtic, and folk all represented.
