Head to the Hills
Vermont's Okemo brews up fun at annual festival
August means lush growth in the eastern mountains, dense with trees, bushes and vines laden with berries. Birds, badgers, beavers, bears and other denizens report for duty.
And at Okemo, Vt., this past weekend, the scene brought out some true mountain gems: the best in beer, wine, food, music, adventure and just plain fun. Hops in the Hills, Okemo's annual beer (and more) festival, took place under a perfect sky to the delight of attendees.
Tucked into the courtyard area between the resort's Jackson Gore Inn and the mountain itself, the weekend festival feels at once massive yet intimate. In past years, the event was held on a field below the hotel area.
There's something intoxicating about lounging on a field listening to great live music while someone zip lines practically above you. And being a few steps from a brew fest tent, a semicircle of food trucks, a giant stage with a live band, real restrooms and a beautiful resort hotel and still feel like you're way out in the middle of nature — that's pretty amazing.
We arrived Friday afternoon and checked in at Jackson Gore. (Tip for attending next year — reserve early. The hotel was 100 percent booked for the event; a rarity in summer months.) We got our weekend drink holder choices (we opted for the 22-ounce stein because it's vacation!) and headed for a first pour. The choices were excellent; many Vermont breweries were represented, but so too were some quirky and interesting brews from around the U.S. My beer-snob husband was impressed.
Right away, we realized as rookies we'd come up short. (Tip: Bring a beach chair.) Those in the know not only had beach chairs, some even had small tables, rugs, umbrellas and even small tents. Impressive. We'll be ready next time.
It's not such a hardship, though, to lounge on soft grass as you sip your beer and listen to some tunes. The weekend featured five bands, each bringing its own vibe to the stage for three-hour (or longer when the mood hit them) sets. Friday night we grooved to East Coast Soul as the late-day light slanted across the slopes of the mountain.
Next we headed to the intimate Beer Pairing dinner in the wine room at Okemo's Coleman Brook Tavern. There executive chef scott Coleman teamed up with Von Trapp (yes, those Von Trapps) Brewery's Mike Whitty to create a four-course meal that celebrated Von Trapp's creative brews and locally sourced gourmet foods. Perfect right through dessert (beer float anyone?).
saturday, we started with an off-road segway tour. True, my friends on social media deemed me “nerd” when they saw photos of us on our rig, but that's because they don't get it. This tour takes you through the trees, up hills, into the thick of what is Vermont. It's wickedly cool, even if it's nerdy cool. so there.
high noon the festival was in full swing again. since the event is free (that's not a typo. It's free to attend — beer, wine and food are extra), the crowd gets big fast. Okemo estimates this year it brought in more than 6,000 guests. But here's the thing: We never, ever waited a long time for anything. Not for a beer (the staff was impeccable, not only pouring quickly but with precision; such things matter to true brew-lovers), not for a ride on the Mountain Coaster or a jump off the big air bag platform (all this was happening just above the stage, just a cool juxtaposition), not for a bite at the food trucks, not for a restroom.
The crowd spread out on the massive lawn that is tucked into the base, carving out little spots for themselves for the day and evening. What was incredible was this: 6,000 people, and yet it felt somehow intimate. In time, you even started to get to recognize faces in the crowd. We sampled beers and loved the mix of sound, including Big Fez & the surfmatics, who took me back to my college days. We had work to do, too, as the crowd was tasked with sampling and choosing the best chicken wing in the valley. We took it seriously. In the end, the vote required two recounts and ended up with Killarney Pub winning over Mojo Cafe by just four votes.
as night fell and I sipped a hard lemonade (“dessert brew,” my husband explained), we savored the day we'd had.
sunday we mixed it up a bit, starting the day with 18 holes across the road at the resort's Okemo Valley golf Club. It should have been no surprise that the fairways and greens would be pristine even this dry summer: The Muellers, owners of Okemo, are known for their attention to detail. Our round was beautiful, challenging and fun. I even almost got a hole-in-one on the 17th, but apparently the green there does not roll just right in that one spot. Close and yet so far.
Back at Jackson gore we wrapped our weekend with more music and a last few beer choices. There was wine too, and just to be fair, we sampled a bit.
hops in the hills is ranked one of the top events in Vermont, and I'd argue it should be nationally as well. From start to finish, from stein to roller coaster to food truck to tunes, it was the perfect celebration of what thrives in the hills in summer. (Tip for next year: Find me. I'll be back.)
For more information, go to: www.okemo.com/activities/calendar/hops-in-the-hills/