Nai-publish: 10.02.2019
The last stop on our brewery tour was at the Three Penny Taproom in the capital city of Montpelier. This was a hidden gem recommended by Jim, where we might find the highly sought-after Backacre Sour Golden Ale. The beer sells out on the same day in every market, the demand is huge, and it is only brewed 5 times a year. On top of that, the 'brewery' is located in the southern part of Vermont and only a few restaurants have this beer. Fortunately, it was still on the menu here for $30.
What sets this beer apart is that it is made from the remnants of another brewery (which is never revealed) through lacto-fermentation (and other organisms). That may sound cheap and commonplace at first, but it's very interesting to me as I have never heard of anything like it before.
Backacre - Sour Golden Ale 7.8%
An incredible sour beer experience that I have only known from a very old brewery in Belgium (Cantillon). The long aging in oak barrels with God knows what kind of microorganisms and the blending of multiple batches make it very exceptional, yet perfect.
Furthermore, Montpelier surprised me a lot. Despite its population of just under 8000 residents, the city has a lot to offer. Comparable to the 6 times larger Burlington.