Burlington VT Breweries: Every Taproom Worth Visiting

Burlington VT Breweries: The Craft Beer Hub of Vermont

Few cities punch above their weight in craft beer the way Burlington does. Vermont ranks #1 in the United States for craft breweries per capita — 15.4 breweries per 100,000 adults aged 21 and over — according to 2024 Brewers Association data. The state has 77 craft breweries total, which ranks just 35th nationally by raw count, but on a per-person basis, no state comes close.

Burlington is the engine behind that reputation. The city’s breweries range from historic brewpubs that rewrote Vermont law to employee-owned operations pouring unfiltered ales alongside southern BBQ. Whether you’re planning a brewery crawl burlington vermont itinerary or just looking for a reliable pint after exploring the Burlington waterfront, this guide covers every Burlington VT breweries taproom worth your time — organized by neighborhood so you can plan efficiently.

Downtown & Waterfront Cluster

Vermont Pub & Brewery

Location: Church Street, Downtown Burlington
Hours: Open daily (check current hours on-site)
Dogs: Outdoor beer garden only
Family-friendly: Yes — full food menu, welcoming atmosphere

Burlington’s craft beer story starts here. According to Vermont Pub & Brewery’s own history, the pub opened in late 1988, ending a 94-year dry spell and becoming Burlington’s first brewery since Prohibition — and one of Vermont’s first brewpubs. Founder Greg Noonan didn’t just open a bar; he worked with state legislator Bill Mares to rewrite Vermont law to permit on-site beer sales, a legal change that every taproom in the state still benefits from today.

The brewing credentials are real. The pub won a gold medal at the 1991 Great American Beer Festival for its Wee Heavy Scotch Ale. Its award-winning lineup spans styles: the Burly Irish Ale, Forbidden Fruit, Raspberry Sour Mash, and Handsome Mick’s Smoked Stout are all standouts. The food menu leans on locally sourced ingredients, and live music fills the space regularly.

Local Verdict: The original — historically significant, reliably good, and the right place to start any downtown crawl.

Foam Brewers

Location: Lake Street, Burlington Waterfront
Hours: Wed–Thu 12PM–10PM | Fri 12PM–12AM | Sat 10AM–12AM | Sun 10AM–10PM (closed Mon–Tue)
Dogs: Check with staff
Family-friendly: Daytime hours are relaxed; late-night Friday/Saturday skews adult

Foam Brewers sits steps from Lake Champlain, making it a natural stop after a walk along the Burlington waterfront. The brewery is known for imaginative, artisan beers that resist easy categorization. According to Foam Brewers’ official site, signature offerings include Canvas Pale Ale (whose label art changes annually via a juried contest), Built to Spill Double IPA, Dead Flowers IPA, and Tranquil Pils, a clean German-style Pilsner.

The brewery has also launched Natural Hack — a small-batch, low-intervention wine, cider, and mead project in collaboration with House of Fermentology — for drinkers who want something beyond beer. The Canvas Contest is worth knowing about: each year, a winning artist’s work graces the can label for a full calendar year, and the artist takes home $2,000 cash plus a gift basket. It’s a genuine community arts program, not just marketing.

Local Verdict: The most creative taproom on the waterfront — go for the beer, stay for the view and the art.

South End Cluster

Burlington’s South End is the densest craft beer corridor in the state. According to Hello Burlington VT, Pine Street alone has four breweries within half a mile of each other. Bring comfortable shoes.

Zero Gravity Craft Brewery

Location: 716 Pine Street, South End
Hours: Open daily — coffee & waffles from 8AM; full food menu 11:30AM–9PM
Dogs: Leashed dogs welcome on outdoor patio only
Reservations: Not accepted
Family-friendly: Yes — early hours and full food menu make this genuinely all-ages

Zero Gravity is the South End anchor. According to Zero Gravity’s Beer Hall page, the taproom opens at 8AM for coffee and waffles before transitioning to a full lunch and dinner service — an unusual setup that makes it work as a morning café, afternoon hang, or evening destination.

The beer range is broad and well-executed. Flagships include:

• Green State Lager — Pilsner, 4.9% (the easy-drinker)
• Conehead IPA — 5.7% (clean, classic)
• Conehead Haze — Hazy IPA, 6.3%
• Madonna Double IPA — 8.0%
• Bear Snores On — Russian Imperial Stout, 11.9% (barrel-aged)
• Après Vous — Barrel Aged Saison, 8.3%

The food program is genuinely good. Zero Gravity sources bread from August First Bakery and uses Bridport Creamery cheddar cheese curds. The menu runs from Belgian-style fries and wings to grain bowls, burgers, and sandwiches.

Local Verdict: The most complete package on Pine Street — great beer, real food, and a patio that fills up fast on warm evenings.

Switchback Brewing Co.

Location: South End, Burlington
Dogs: Outdoor areas
Family-friendly: Yes

Switchback is 100% employee-owned through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), according to Switchback’s official site. Every beer is unfiltered and naturally carbonated — a production choice that gives the flagship Switchback Ale its distinctive hazy amber character. The taproom pairs that ethos with southern-style BBQ, which makes it one of the better food-and-beer combinations in the South End.

Local Verdict: Employee-owned, unfiltered, and serving BBQ — the kind of brewery that earns loyalty rather than just foot traffic.

Burlington Beer Company (BBCO)

Location: 180 Flynn Avenue, South End (near Oakledge Park)
Hours: Daily, 12PM–9PM
Dogs: Welcome outside
Reservations: Available for indoor seating
Family-friendly: Yes — wide beverage selection and vegetarian-forward food menu

Burlington Beer Company has been operating since 2014 out of a 120-year-old brick building near Oakledge Park, according to Vermont Explored. The tap list is enormous — up to 30 beers at peak season, plus ciders, kombucha, wine, cocktails, and non-alcoholic options. That breadth makes it the right stop for groups with mixed preferences.

Signature summer releases lean fruited and tart: the Strawberry Whale Cake and Raspberry Whale Cake gose beers are crowd favorites. The food menu is notably vegetarian-friendly, with options like a seitan grain bowl featuring farro, roasted mushrooms, shredded cabbage, and crispy chickpeas alongside salads and sandwiches.

Local Verdict: The best tap list variety in Burlington — bring a group, stay for two rounds.

Day Trips Within 30 Minutes

Fiddlehead Brewing Company (Shelburne — ~10 minutes south)

Location: 6305 Shelburne Rd, Shelburne, VT
Hours: Sun, Wed & Thu 12PM–8PM | Fri & Sat 12PM–9PM | Closed Mon–Tue
Dogs: Not allowed
Family-friendly: Yes — relaxed tasting room, bring your own food

Fiddlehead is one of the best vermont breweries near Burlington and requires almost no effort to reach. According to Fiddlehead’s tasting room page, the space has indoor and outdoor seating on a first-come, first-served basis. There’s no kitchen on-site, but guests can bring their own food or order from neighboring Folino’s Pizza — a setup that keeps things casual and unhurried.

The flagship Fiddlehead IPA is one of the most approachable New England IPAs in the state. Second Fiddle Double IPA (9% ABV) is the step-up option for hop-forward drinkers, and Fiddlehead White rounds out the core lineup for those who prefer something lighter.

Local Verdict: A pilgrimage-worthy tasting room — simple, focused, and producing some of the best IPAs in Vermont.

Four Quarters Brewing (Winooski — ~5 minutes from Burlington)

Location: The Winooski Oval, Winooski, VT
Family-friendly: Yes

Four Quarters Brewing sits on the Winooski Oval, just minutes from Burlington, according to Hello Burlington VT. It’s a local favorite for anyone catching a show or dining in Winooski’s compact, walkable downtown. The proximity makes it an easy addition to any evening that starts in Burlington.

Local Verdict: The right detour when you’re already heading to Winooski — small, local, and worth the five-minute drive.

Brewery Crawl Route: Walkable Downtown Circuit {#brewery-crawl-route}

A walkable burlington vt taprooms circuit that covers the downtown and waterfront breweries in under two miles:

For the full vermont craft beer burlington experience, combine the downtown walk with a rideshare or bike to the South End cluster (Zero Gravity → Switchback → Burlington Beer Company). According to Vermont Explored, all major Burlington breweries are part of the Burlington Beer Trail and most are within biking distance of each other.

Organized options: A Burlington Brewery Bus Tour visits four breweries and includes a beer-themed meal at a local restaurant — a good choice if you’d rather not navigate yourself.

Seasonal Releases: What to Expect by Season

Vermont’s brewing culture is deeply seasonal, and the taprooms reflect it. Here’s what to look for across the year:

• Spring: Farmhouse ales, saisons, and lighter lagers return as temperatures climb. Look for fresh-hop experiments and barrel-aged releases from winter finally hitting taps.
• Summer: Fruited gose beers (Burlington Beer Company’s Whale Cake series), hazy IPAs, and easy-drinking lagers dominate. Outdoor patios fill up — arrive early or expect a wait at popular spots.
• Fall: Pumpkin ales, Märzens, and darker amber ales appear. Many breweries release limited imperial stouts and barrel-aged bottles ahead of the holiday season.
• Winter: Imperial stouts, barleywines, and warming winter warmers. Zero Gravity’s Bear Snores On Russian Imperial Stout (11.9%) is a prime example of what Vermont breweries do well in cold months.

The Vermont Brewer’s Festival — which started in Burlington in 1991 — is a globally acclaimed annual event that draws breweries from across the state and beyond. It’s the single best opportunity to sample seasonal and limited releases in one place.

The Vermont Brewers Association also offers an app for tracking Vermont’s 11 beer trails, earning rewards, and participating in brewery challenges — a useful tool for visitors trying to cover ground efficiently.

After the Taprooms: Food Pairings and Next Steps

Beer and food are better together. Burlington’s restaurant scene is strong enough to hold its own after a brewery crawl — see the best restaurants in Burlington VT for a full breakdown of where to eat before, between, or after your taproom visits.

For a full day out, combine the brewery circuit with Burlington’s broader attractions. The things to do in Burlington VT guide covers everything from the waterfront bike path to Church Street — all of which connect naturally to the brewery geography described above.

Family & Kid-Friendly Notes

Several Burlington breweries work well for families:

• Vermont Pub & Brewery — Full food menu, welcoming pub atmosphere, outdoor beer garden
• Zero Gravity — Opens at 8AM, full kitchen, indoor and outdoor seating
• Burlington Beer Company — Daily noon opening, broad non-alcoholic options, vegetarian food menu
• Fiddlehead Brewing — Relaxed tasting room, bring-your-own-food policy

Breweries with late-night Friday/Saturday hours (Foam Brewers until midnight or later) are better suited to adults-only evenings. When in doubt, call ahead — Burlington’s taprooms are generally accommodating and happy to confirm what works for your group.

Planning Your Visit

A few logistics worth knowing before you go:

• Burlington Beer Trail app (Vermont Brewers Association): Track visits, earn rewards, and build a custom itinerary across Vermont’s 11 beer trails
• Biking: Most South End breweries are accessible by bike from downtown via the Burlington bike network
• Parking: Pine Street has street parking; the waterfront has a paid lot near Foam Brewers
• Fiddlehead: Closed Monday and Tuesday — plan accordingly if you’re making the Shelburne trip

Burlington’s vermont craft beer burlington scene rewards exploration. Start downtown, work your way to the South End, and save Fiddlehead for a dedicated afternoon. The density is the point — nowhere else in the country offers this many quality taprooms within this small a radius.