Milk It

This is not a photo of Miley Cyrus.

Vermont’s official state beverage is Milk. And while nothing goes better with a cup of cowboy coffee than some Vermont Farm Fresh, we think that there’s a strong case for changing our official state bevy to Craft Beer. The Green Mountains have more cows per capita than the rest of the country, but we also boast more breweries per capita than the entire Red, White and Blue. And in addition to having such a high concentration of craft brewers, we are home to some of the highest quality and most reputable beers and breweries in the world.  Vermont has serious quality in our quantity.

Vermont’s show of craft beer strength is due in large part to the support it has received and SIPtemberfest is a perfect example of that. There are tons of beer-lovers who are willing to travel from impressively far distances to taste the best beers they can find. Vermont has a crazy amount of passionate and talented brewers who love to share their brews with said beer-lovers. SIPtemberfest has always aimed to bring everyone to the party but this year with the generous support of the businesses who teamed up with us, we are pretty sure this will be the best SIPtemberfest ever!

Please be sure to thank these and all our sponsors for supporting SIPtemberfest and craft beer:

  • Three Penny Taproom – If you are looking for a beergeekasm, this is your place. The beer list is off the hook. The staff know their scheisse. Our Montpelier ticket outlet is easily one of the best bars in the area. They again have teamed up with the crew at the  Mad Taco  (our Waitsfield ticket outlet) to bring the sausages on Saturday. The Taco served as host to many an afternoon taco and beer meeting, as did Mule Bar  (our Winooski ticket outlet, located conveniently near Costco.) The team behind this awesome trifecta has blended cool, classy and casual with quality craft beer and food to create these little slices of beergeek heaven.
  • Hostel Tevere – Host to the SIP Post Prost Party, our Warren ticket outlet is the coolest bar you didn’t know about. Located near the bottom of the Sugarbush Access Road, Hostel Tevere makes for sweet apres spot whether there are fire flies or the snow flies. At the Prost Party you can expect some choice beers to be on tap so be sure to hit it up after SIPtemberfest!
  • Prohibition Pig – If you are still empty handed, the last Unicorn SIPtemberfest tickets will be given away on at Prohibition Pig on FRIDAY!  And if you are just looking for a good beer to put in that hand, this is still the place to go. They have beer and food menus that will have you filling in every nook and cranny you and your svelte figure can manage. Our Waterbury ticket outlet and Beer Aficionado Sponsor is a top destination for quality food, beer, and atmosphere.  They mean it when they say “Meat Here,,” offering up a never boring, always delicious menu that will pair with their equally impressive drink list. With an awesome and knowledgeable staff you can get an education with every course!
  • Mehuron’s Supermarket – This SIPtemberfest Beer Aficionado Sponsor offers a huge and quality selection of groceries with lots of local, all natural and organic options, they also house a huge beer (yes, you can find Heady Topper here – but don’t tell anyone!) and wine selection as well as the hard stuff. It’s the one and only stop you need to stock your beer fridge and your liquor cabinet full of beverages found at SIPtemberfest, as well as the rest of the groceries on your list!
  • Mad River Distillers – The Mad River Valley’s newest beverage is Rum! Also one of our Beer Aficionado Sponsors, MRD is just at the beginning stages of their distilled offerings but they have plans for an amazing line up of spirits and intend to woo beer lovers to the dark side, or maybe just the aged or silver side. Be sure to swing by their booth, sample their goods and then come back for more!

Walk It Off

Beer is tasty, isn’t it? Especially the craft beers that we will have at SIPtemberfest!

Unfortunately, beer is not as easy on the wasteline as it is on the taste buds. A nice refreshing craft beer can earn you somewhere between 200-500 calories per pint. While’s it by no means a steadfast rule of thumb, it’s pretty safe to say that the higher the ABV% of your beer, the more calories you have to work off (and no, pint curls aren’t going to cut it.)

beersneakersSo when SIPtemberfest teamed up with the Mad River Path Association  way back when, we had  ulterior motives for doing so. Sure they have a great mission: to build, maintain, and conserve a system of continuous public pathways from Warren to Moretown, and foster a healthy community by connecting the people, businesses and special places of the Mad River Valley. But really we just thought this would be a good way to balance out our calories in/calories out ratio. Drink beer: support a healthy life style!

Each of our brewers generously donate to the path and you can follow their lead! The MRPA will have a booth at SIPtemberfest and you can donate or become a member, or you can support the cause by simply get some raffle tickets!

The MRPA will be selling tickets on Saturday for only $1 each or $10 for an arm’s length worth. And for that bargain you could win one of the following three prizes:

Raffle tickets will benefit the Mad River Path. Thanks to the Pitcher Inn and American Flatbread/Lareau Farm Inn for their generous donations!

Don’t forget to bring your tickets, your IDs and your sunglasses this weekend! thanks and cheers!

More excited than a husky in a pile of leaves.

We are this excited if not more at SIPtemberfest HQ: 

Between the amazing line up of Brewers we have for this year, the incredible Sponsors who joined our team and, dare I say: the forecast, we’re gonna need a much bigger pile of leaves to play in!

As things get closer PLEASE REMEMBER:

  • You MUST HAVE YOUR ID & ticket (if you purchased tickets online,) when you enter. We will be scanning you in so we will need your paper ticket or you can get it on your phone. Click here for more about online tickets.
  • If you didn’t get your tickets online, you still need your ID but you will go to Will Call. You won’t need a physical ticket.
  • This is a rain or shine event. So far it looks like we might have the nicest weather for SIPtemberfest than we’ve had in recent memory. But should the weather turn ill, bring a sweater, a rain coat and appropriate footwear. There will be no refunds for weather wimps, (toughen up buttercup – it’s a beer fest!)
  • Parking is very limited in the MRG lot and SIPtembefest is as busy as a powder day so PLEASE CARPOOL and/or take the shuttle!
  • FREE SHUTTLE service will take place from 11:30-5:30 and lap from Hostel Tevere to MRG thanks to  VT Tour & Charter. The Hostel is hosting our Post Party again this year so save yourself some driving by starting and finishing at the Hostel and using the shuttle in between.
  • If you don’t already have tickets and you haven’t already contacted us to get on the wait list, you’re plumb out of luck at this point. Sorry!
  • Other questions, please email siptemberfest@madriver.com

thanks and see you soon!