BIZBUZZ
Jul 08, 2026 05:03PM ● By Brewview VT
VERMONT BREWERS FESTIVAL
The highly anticipated summer festival is returning to Burlington’s Waterfront Park July 17–18. The festival will feature 40 breweries, over 200 specialty pours, new VIP lounges, and expanded nonalcoholic designated-driver tickets. This year, the $115 VIP-tier tickets include early access and exclusive pours. They also feature “at-par” ticket pricing for Canadian residents to mitigate currency exchange costs.
BLACK FLANNEL LAGERFEST 2026
Lager lovers, rejoice! Lagerfest 2026 brings together the best crisp, clean, crushable lagers from top New England breweries. Save the date: Saturday, June 13, 4–8pm.
www.blackflannel.ticketspice.com/lagerfest-2026
CROWDS FLOCK TO CAFE MONETTE
The newly opened Cafe Monette in St. Albans is drawing massive crowds and has secured a prestigious James Beard Award nomination for Best New Restaurant in the Country.
VBA AND HEMP GROWERS UNITE
Vermont Brewers Association has partnered with local hemp farmers through the Vermont Hemp & Beverage Coalition, which helps local breweries and agricultural producers tap into the growing CBD and low-dose THC market to offset plateauing beer and cannabis sales.
KUDOS TO HILL FARMSTEAD BREWERY
USA Today released its highly anticipated 10BEST Readers’ Choice Awards for 2026. Greensboro Bend’s world-renowned Hill Farmstead Brewery officially secured the #10 spot in the “Best Beer Garden” category across the United States.
UPPER PASS BEER EXPANDS
Upper Pass Beer relocated its production from Tunbridge to a newly expanded Burlington location. The brewery plans to double its production volume and focus on small-batch sours, lagers, and barrel-aged beers, with food trucks and live entertainment added to the mix.
CRAFT BEER SAFARIS GROW
Experiential travel packages, like The Pitcher Inn Beer Safari in Warren, are seeing a spike in seasonal bookings. They are mapping out specialized tours connecting tourists directly to regional craft powerhouses, like Frost Beer Works, Fiddlehead, Zero Gravity, and Lawson’s Finest Liquids.
BELLOWS FALLS AND 7 BALLS
Bellows Falls welcomed its first local brewpub, 7 Balls Brewing , created by a group of longtime local friends. It took over a former gas station's and ice cream shop’s spaces to offer community-centric, small-batch brews.
BLACK RADISH AT 14TH STAR
Moving beyond its artisan roots, Black Radish has expanded by launching an indoor dining experience embedded right inside 14th Star Brewing Company in St. Albans. Its menu features taproom favorites, plus creative, new items.
