Three More Breweries Rise in Chittenden County 

click to enlarge

• Québec's Farnham Ale & Lager

When it comes to beer, Chittenden County is already home to an embarrassment of riches — and there's no reason to believe that growth will slow anytime soon.

In Williston, Good Water Brewery is set to open by year's end, joining 2014 newcomer Burlington Beer as that town's second brewery. According to owner-brewer Marty Bonneau, Good Water will focus on pilsners, Irish reds, English malts and more. "Easy to drink beers," Bonneau says, "beers you can enjoy with your friends."

The 5,000-square-foot space will house a 20-barrel brewhouse and tasting room; a large window between the two will allow patrons to watch the brewing area in action. In addition to filling growlers in the tasting room, Bonneau plans to wholesale kegs to local retailers and restaurants.

And things are about to get wild in Burlington's South End. When Todd Haire and Bill Mares open House of Fermentology at 777 Pine Street next spring, it will become the fifth ferment to take up residence on the mile-long strip.

Mares says the duo will brew wild ales, such as sours, while the brewery's Facebook page promises "mixed fermentation ales aged in oak barrels" and plenty of beers made with funk-forward brettanomyces yeast.

Though Haire plans to start brewing in the next month, both partners emphasize that they're nowhere near ready to open. "Right now we are just getting going," says Haire, adding that some HoF brews could take up to four years to produce. Still, the duo plans to release its first batch when the weather warms in 2016 — another reason to look forward to spring.

In South Burlington, Québécois brewery Farnham Ale & Lager has temporarily taken over the former Infinity Brewing space at 80 Ethan Allen Drive. Visitors can sample head brewer Kendall Krebs' hefeweizen and IPA on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays during afternoon and evening hours.

Come January, the brewery will move one door down to 82 Ethan Allen Drive, where it plans to install a 30-barrel brewery with a taproom and small kitchen. Krebs says he'll expand the lineup to including a double IPA, a pilsner and some saisons.