Photos courtesy of the Southern Vermont Homebrew Festival
Vermont Business Magazine Amidst a galaxy of flavors and great cosmic weather, the Southern Vermont Homebrew Festival celebrated its fourteenth edition on Saturday, May 4th, 2024, at Depot Street in Bennington, Vermont. The festival, celebrating a Star Wars-themed May The Fourth Be With You Day, brought together over 500 attendees, brewers, vendors, sponsors, and volunteers for a day filled with cosmic brews, live music, epic culinary delights, and Star Wars-inspired revelry.
The festival commenced under sunny skies and great, early May weather. From noon onwards, exclusive VIP ticket holders embarked on a journey through regional delicacies and brews, setting the tone for a great afternoon for all. General ticket holders joined the festivities from 1 pm to 4 pm, immersing themselves in the galaxy's finest libations.
Established in 2015, the Southern Vermont Homebrew Festival has become a hub for homebrewers across the region and tri-state area. Festival-goers reveled in unlimited tastings of over 140 artisanal samples - the largest sampling yet for the festival - which included beer, wine, cider, mead, and more, crafted from over 29 homebrewers from across the galaxy.
The festival witnessed friendly competition among the galaxy's top homebrewers vying for coveted titles such as "Best Home Brewery," "Favorite Beer," "VIP Hour Beverage," and "Favorite Non-Beer Beverage." Additionally, a special award was introduced this year to honor the memory of late Seth Barrows of Farm Road Brewing, a cherished friend and festival supporter.
Award Winners:
-
Best Home Brewery: Three Girls Brewing
-
Favorite Beer: River Valley Brewing with their "I am your Lager!" Czech
-
VIP Hour Beverage: Three Teachers Brewing - "LightSaber Wheat"
-
Favorite Non-Beer Beverage: Three Girls Brewing - "Blueberry-Mint Fizz" Seltzer
-
Seth Barrows/Farm Road Brewing Award Winner: Marshall Mash Brew Lab - "A Little Fuzzy Brett" Saison
Matt Harrington, Executive Director of the Southwestern Vermont Chamber of Commerce, expressed the festival's unique allure: "We aimed to create an immersive Star Wars experience, uniting fans of craft beer and Star Wars for an unforgettable celebration. By scheduling the event on May The Fourth, we brought together the spirit of camaraderie and the splendor of the galaxy. We couldn’t have asked for better weather and to be the festival to kick off the summer festival season! I am proud of this now veteran team who come together annually to give Bennington a well-established festival."
The Homebrew Festivals have served as a launching pad for aspiring brewers, fostering a vibrant craft beer scene across star systems. Over the past seven years, the festival has inspired numerous amateur brewers to transition into professional roles, enriching the brewing landscape.
The organizers extended heartfelt gratitude to this year's sponsors, including Presenting Sponsor Coggins Auto Group, VIP Hour Sponsor Vermont Construction, Brewer Sponsor The Bank of Bennington, and Best Dressed Sponsor Fidium Fiber. Special thanks were also extended to the venue host, TPW Real Estate, and media sponsors The Bennington Banner and CAT-TV. Supporting partners such as Ramunto's Pizza, and Hannaford of Bennington contributed to the festival's success.
Co-producer and founder of the Homebrew Festival Will Gardner added, “When a festival comes together like this it makes all the hours of planning, blood, sweat, and tears all worth it. We are a huge HomeBrew Festival family that supports one another and all work toward giving our attendees a remarkable experience. We cannot thank our incredible volunteers enough who tirelessly give their time and efforts to ensure a fun and safe festival. Thank you to everyone who helped make this 14th annual Southern Vermont HomeBrew Festival festival so successful!”
As the fourteenth Southern Vermont Homebrew Festival draws to a close, organizers and attendees alike bask in the glow of a day filled with cosmic camaraderie and stellar libations. Stay tuned for future festival updates by visiting VTHomebrewfests.com
Source: (Bennington, VT) –– SWVTChamber.com
To support great journalism, access our archives and get unique features like our award-winning profiles, subscribe HERE!
