My wife, son, and I are in Vermont to use our Indy Passes one last time for the season. While here, we made a point of visiting the pub/main facility for Long Trail -- one of the OG brands in New England craft beer -- in Bridgewater Corners, 15 minutes down the road from Killington. Take note of the word "retail" in the sign:
Founded in 1989 and still very much tied to the state’s outdoor identity, the name is inspired by the 270+ mile Long Trail that runs the spine of the Green Mountains. You can ski at Saskadena Six, Middlebury, Okemo, Killington, or Pico (between 10 and 40 minutes of the pub) and use Long Trail as your consistent après base, which is exactly how the place feels designed to be used.
The brewery built its brand around hiking, skiing, and the state's no-nonsense outdoorsy ethos. The all-Vermont-all-the-time vibe carries into the beer lineup, mostly classic styles including their flagship Long Trail Ale, a German-style altbier. We had two of their standbys: Blackbeary Wheat and Riverside Lager:
There's a big deck along the Ottauquechee River for warmer months:
I should've bought a set of these glasses with northeastern topographic highlights:
As a part-time connoisseur of smooth marketing, what really stands out for me is how much the place leans into its brand beyond the beer. The merchandising on display is extensive and very visible -- cases of beer along with racks of apparel, hats, glassware, stickers, and trail-themed gear, all built around their “Take a Hike” aesthetic.
I love the old-school logo and visuals. None of the annoyingly loud graphics and high-falutin' language (velvety, pillowy, silky, supple, resinous, dank, jammy, juicy, nectarous, succulent) that so many craft beer purveyors use and abuse:
A peek inside the laboratory:
You'll never forget which part of the country you're in at Long Trail: Northeast represent!
Founded in 1989 and still very much tied to the state’s outdoor identity, the name is inspired by the 270+ mile Long Trail that runs the spine of the Green Mountains. You can ski at Saskadena Six, Middlebury, Okemo, Killington, or Pico (between 10 and 40 minutes of the pub) and use Long Trail as your consistent après base, which is exactly how the place feels designed to be used.
The brewery built its brand around hiking, skiing, and the state's no-nonsense outdoorsy ethos. The all-Vermont-all-the-time vibe carries into the beer lineup, mostly classic styles including their flagship Long Trail Ale, a German-style altbier. We had two of their standbys: Blackbeary Wheat and Riverside Lager:
There's a big deck along the Ottauquechee River for warmer months:
I should've bought a set of these glasses with northeastern topographic highlights:
As a part-time connoisseur of smooth marketing, what really stands out for me is how much the place leans into its brand beyond the beer. The merchandising on display is extensive and very visible -- cases of beer along with racks of apparel, hats, glassware, stickers, and trail-themed gear, all built around their “Take a Hike” aesthetic.
I love the old-school logo and visuals. None of the annoyingly loud graphics and high-falutin' language (velvety, pillowy, silky, supple, resinous, dank, jammy, juicy, nectarous, succulent) that so many craft beer purveyors use and abuse:
A peek inside the laboratory:
You'll never forget which part of the country you're in at Long Trail: Northeast represent!
Sorry, that's the last time I'll trot out that joke.
