The weekend before last I ventured out of my cocoon to attend the 18th annual Vermont Brewers Festival. I had committed to going at the end of last week and spent the week resting up for the adventure. The heat and the lines threatened to do me in, but I slathered on 50 SPF sunscreen to samples a vast assortment of microbrews.

Armed with my 3oz sampling glass and 15 tickets I set off to find some thirst quenching summer ales. I must pause and thank @sportsfan12921 for graciously taking notes on her blackberry about the various brews I tasted. She often choose the heavier fuller bodied brews while I stuck to the lighter offerings the vendors put forth. The first tent inside the gate featured Old Burnside Brewery and one of my favorites from the Happy Memorial Day: THE GRACE THE SPOT COLD 100 – the Ten Penny Ale. Happy to have a taste of home, the heat and lines were quickly forgotten. Had it occurred to me that this would make a great post I would have paid closer attention to the order in which each beer was sampled, but there was more than just beer. There was food, there were kids in strollers – why I am not quite sure, there were cute dogs, and apparently a girl who checked me out when she attached the tasting session band to my left wrist.

Maybe she will be at Pride next year.

So here are some of the beers I tasted in no particular order.

Rock Art Brewery: Sunny and 75.

Wolaver’s Organic : Ben Gleeson’s white Ale.

Long Trail: Blackberry wheat and Belgian White

Magic Hat: #9, Odd notion Summer 2010. Odd notion had best promos – glad I got a free t-shirt and not free condoms

Zero gravity: Uchi Fuchi. May be the most fun named brew.

Moat Mountain Smokehouse: Moat Blueberry. It sorta tasted smoky and not in a good way

Northshire Brewery: Equinox Solstice

Old Burnside Brewery: Ten Penny Ale, Penny Weiz Ale.

With 23 breweries with multiple brews represented, there is just no way one Grace can taste them all.

Perhaps they will offer a Winter fest where my palate can best enjoy the full bodied brews that were just too heavy for me on a hot summer Saturday.