Vermont has an incredible selection of breweries, cideries, wineries, and distilleries that brew, ferment, and distill delicious intoxicating beverages for all tastes. For your ease and convenience, we’ve compiled a list of some of our favorite producers located within 30 miles of Swift House Inn that are currently open for tastings. Take in the beauty of Vermont with a carefully handcrafted drink at these nearby locations!
Drop-In Brewing Company
Drop-In Brewing Company is a must-visit spot for craft beer enthusiasts. Open since 2012, it features a cozy tasting room with music and brewing memorabilia.
Visitors can sample a variety of beers on tap, including favorites like Heart of Lothian Scottish Ale and Supernova IPA. Our preferences goes to Red Dwarf, a classic amber ale. The brewery also offers growlers, cans to go, and branded merchandise. You might find a Middlebury College professor or a local farmer sidled up to the welcoming bar. You can also order a sandwich at Grapevine Grille next door and wait for it while you sip your ale. Enjoy your meal with your pint or flight inside the tasting room or outside if the weather permits.
The venue is also home to the American Brewers Guild, a renowned brewing school, which adds to the unique appeal of the location.
Drop-In Brewing is open Monday through Thursday from 12 PM to 5 PM and Friday and Saturday from 12 PM to 6 PM (closed Sundays). Enjoy expertly crafted beers and a welcoming atmosphere steeped in brewing history. 610 Route 7 South in Middlebury, VT.
Lincoln Peak Vineyard
Just a five minute drive from Swift House, Lincoln Peak is a beautiful vineyard with regional Vermont wines. Swift House Inn has partnered with Lincoln Peak to offer vineyard tours and wine tastings to support the local wine industry, which we believe will grow in prominence with climate change.
Buy a glass or a bottle, or take advantage of their curated wine flights to sample a variety of their wines. The tasting room offers wine tastings (duh!), light bites, and is a bucolic destination for community events like live music nights and food truck festivals. 124 River Road, New Haven, VT.
Golden Rule Mead
Golden Rule Mead’s tasting room is just one block from Swift House Inn.
They specialize in this honeyed wine, which packs about as much alcohol as a glass of wine, so no need to worry. It is not a spirit. They experiment with a variety of blends which you can sample in their homey atmosphere. Their mead is brewed at the Artesano Meadery in Groton, Vermont, and you can try it yourself just a 5 minute walk away! It’s the bee’s knees. Open Friday and Saturday, 4-8 p.m. 8 Elm St., Middlebury, VT.
Woodchuck Cider
Woodchuck is a powerhouse in the world of hard cider, and we love that they are located right here in Middlebury just a three-minute drive away.
Originally founded in Proctorsville, VT in 1991, they have been brewing cider locally in Middlebury since 2000. The Woodchuck Cider House is currently open Wednesday through Friday 11 a.m.-6 p.m. and Saturday through Sunday 11 a.m.-5 p.m. 1321 Exchange St., Middlebury, VT.
Local Bars
We are partial to our own Blue Bar at Jessica’s at Swift House Inn, where you can order a specialty cocktail, peruse the award-winning wine list, or try our beers on tap or by the can. On Friday nights, DJ Serena spins music live.
Two Brothers Tavern, Mister Ups, Mad Taco, and Fire and Ice are some other local restaurants we love with bars where you can pull up a stool and meet some locals or watch a game.
If whiskey is your spirit of choice, arrange for a tour of WhistlePig Distillery, which is offered through Swift House Inn as an add-on for inn guests. The WhistlePig Experience also includes a gift basket comprised of Swift House and WhistlePig memorabilia. Learn more.