Unspoiled Beer in an Unspoiled State

Open since the summer of 2012, Drop-In Brewing Company is perhaps Vermont’s smallest microbrewery. Local Vermonters Steve and Christine Parkes’ dreams became reality when they acquired an old plumbing building off Route 7, providing them with a place to open their craft business.  From their Supernova IPA to their Black Hole Stout, Drop-In Brewing Company has focused on homegrown, authentic beer that is emblematic of everything Vermont.  Below is a snippet from their website, outlining how they got Drop-In got its name.

 

What Makes Vermont Beer Special?

“This state is so gorgeous; you come up here, and the awe and beauty of the actual terrain really complements the relaxed drinking culture” 

In our tours around the state’s most notable breweries, we have asked employees and brewmasters alike what makes their beer special.  What about the craft beer in Vermont separates it from Brooklyn, New York, or California?  According to Vilija Bizinkauskas, the Head Brewer at Middlebury’s Drop-In Brewing Company, it’s all about location, location, location.  He notes “the state is so gorgeous; you come up here, and the awe and beauty of the actual terrain really complements the relaxed drinking culture.”

If this description of Vermont sounds familiar, that’s because we’ve heard it before.  Many of the adjectives used to describe the state, along with the fixation on natural beauty, are echoed by the account of “unspoiled Vermont” that we read earlier this semester.  By evoking this imagery that is embedded in Vermont’s identity, Drop-In makes its beer that much more desirable.  An unspoiled beer for an unspoiled state, indeed.

 

Images courtesy of http://www.dropinbrewing.com