Beer and barbecue: is there a better pairing? Lucky for us in Vermont, a few Vermont breweries also offer barbecue on-site or right next door. Check out these three Vermont breweries, along with a beer and BBQ annual event, the next time you’re in the mood for a bite of smoked meats alongside your favorite Vermont-made pilsners, IPAs, and ales.

Mill River Brewing BBQ & Smokehouse, St. Albans, Vermont

One of Vermont’s newest breweries is Mill River Brewing, BBQ and Smokehouse located in St. Albans. In their smokehouse, they prepare locally raised meats and produce, from Smokehouse Wings to BBQ Tacos, and Brisket, Rib and Pulled Pork Platters. Aside from making their own beer, they also make their own breads, sauces, dressings, and desserts for everything on the menu.

Beer and Barbecue Pairing: Smoked Brisket Philly on a Potato-Chive Roll with caramelized onions and peppers, and smothered with Vermont cheddar cheese sauce served with Maple City Amber

_________________

Lost Nation Brewing, Morrisville, Vermont

Sit outside in Lost Nation’s Biergarten and enjoy Chef Erik Larson’s variety of smoked meats, paired with IPAs, farmhouse ales, pilsners, and goses. From a Boneless Rib Sandwich, complete with smoked and shaved pork rib chop, Vermont BBQ sauce sliced pickles and onions, and garlic aioli, to Cured and Smoked Pork Belly or Sugar-Cured Smoked Tofu, there’s something for everything on the menu that celebrates rustic, pub-inspired fare.

Beer & Barbecue Pairing: Dry Rubbed and Smoked Pork Shoulder with local greens on Elmore Mountain focaccia bread served with Lost Nation Pitch Black Ale

_________________

River Roost Brewery, White River Junction, Vermont

River Roost Brewery, known for their well-executed and juicy IPAs, is the perfect stop in White River Junction for barbecue and a beer. Big Fatty’s BBQ, located next door, offers some of the best barbecue in the state and pairs exceptionally well with River Roost brews, along with other Vermont beers commonly on the draught menu. From BBQ combos to burgers to traditional BBQ sides, such as cole sale, collard greens, Fatty’s Baked Beans and Fried Okra, the barbecue offerings are some of the most extensive in Vermont.

Beer and Barbecue Pairing: Fatty’s Monster Dog, covered in pulled pork, slaw, and homemade BBQ sauce served with River Roost’s Mas Verde IPA

_________________

Harpoon Brewery BBQ Festival, Windsor, Vermont

To celebrate summer, every year Harpoon Brewery in Windsor hosts a BBQ festival, complete with a BBQ competition that brings some of the best competitors to Vermont for the challenge. Couple Vermont beer with some of the best barbecue from around the country, this is an event that draws a crowd every year and is a must for a Vermont barbecue experience.

By Erin McCormick