By James Kent
Something exciting’s brewin’ in the RU; take a brief jaunt west a couple of blocks from downtown Rutland to 136 Granger St., and you’ll find a cozy brewery nestled into this mixed-use neighborhood of residences and businesses.
The brewery isn’t new to the neighborhood. Rutland Beer Works arrived on the scene nearly a decade ago, and most who know their beer have probably sampled their assortment at downtown Rutland’s Hop’n Moose Bar & Grill. Still, until a few weeks ago, the closest pour from the vat to the tap was to hit up the Moose. All of that’s changed.
Ian Harbage, the new owner of Rutland Beer Works, is no stranger to beer making. His brewing career started almost 14 years ago, first at the Long Trail Brewery and then at Rutland Beer Works for the past four years. After purchasing the company from Hop’n Moose owner Dale Patterson, Harbage’s first order of business was to create an onsite tap room at the Brewery.
Although Rutland Beer Works and Hop’n Moose are now two separate entities, folks will still find Rutland Beer Works beers on tap at the Moose.
Rutland Beer Works is a full-service brewery, complete with a canning line. They distribute their beer through Farrell Distributing throughout locations in Vermont, with a focus on the Southern Vermont region. But now, fans of its ales, lagers, and IPAs can get that authentic tank-to-tap experience with exclusive offerings at the brewery’s new taproom, which opened on Oct. 11.
“The official opening was the Friday before Columbus Day and a soft opening the week before that, so it’s brand new,” Harbage said. “I bought it [Rutland Beer Works] in July, and I think we started renovations in mid-August. It’s been a pretty quick turnaround.”
And while the Brewery’s location on Granger Street may appear hidden away from the main activity of downtown Rutland, a little added adventure for suds seekers makes Rutland Beer Works’ new taproom a bit of a hidden gem that early adopters will surely cherish. And, as Harbage pointed out, they are just a block away from the Vermont State Fairgrounds, which could make them a prime destination for fairgoers next August.
The tap room serves light snacks and six beers on tap. On this day, Rutland Beer Works’ tap lines featured Schwarzbier dark lager, Blueberry Blonde ale, Stick Season Harvest IPA, Pine Hill West Coast IPA, and its exclusive to the taproom offerings, pineapple mango fruit ale, and Granger IPA. Harbage is looking to partner with different food vendors and restaurants who may want to provide food during open hours. The Hangry Hogg food truck has recently been set up on select days to satisfy those food cravings.
One upcoming event that Harbage looks forward to is the Stifel Killington World Cup event at the end of the month. He hopes to host a watch party during the races and keep the taproom open after the event for those venturing into Rutland for some post-race celebrations. And, Harbage is brewing up something special for the event, which should be ready and available in the coming weeks, a Superstar IPA, paying homage to the Killington trail that the World Cup skiers will be skiing on that weekend.
“Our Superstar IPA is a New England style IPA with a softer mouth feel and juicy tropical fruit notes with hops from Australia and the Pacific Northwest,” Harbage said.
A tour inside the taproom finds a warm, welcoming spot filled with the pleasant aroma of fresh hops, perfect for relaxing with friends and some local beer. People can purchase Rutland Beer Works graphic shirts, designed by Harbage’s wife, and a stocked fridge features 4-pack cans for purchase to take home and enjoy later. Just beyond the taproom, Ian Harbage took the Mountain Times on a tour of the brewery to see where all the magic happens.
“We’re getting full pallets of malt in once or twice a week,” Harbage said, pointing to the large stack of malt waiting to do its part in the beer-making. “We’re milling everything on site. So, it will go from here a whole batch of malt into our gris bin. Depending on the recipe, that’s anywhere from 900 to 1800 pounds.”
Harbage walked the Mountain Times through the brewing process, machinery, and tanks. “The fermentation process is anywhere from two weeks to six weeks, depending on the style of beer we’re making,” Harbage said. “In these tanks, we may add more hopes, we may add fruit or carbonation or conditioning.”
The tanks’ names are a throwback to Dale Patterson, the Brewery’s previous owner. One tank, Flash, is an homage to Dale’s basset hound. Another pair of tanks, Crash and Burn, were named after the box truck that delivered them had a bit of a jostle. The Keg machine, aptly named Keg Commander, features two large googly eyes.
The Rutland Beer Works taproom is open from 1 to 6 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and from 1 to 5 p.m. on Sundays, so head on down and experience local beer poured from a tap whose tanks are onsite a few short feet away.
For more information, visit: Rutlandbeerworks.com.
