The Shed Brewery - Mountain Ale

The Shed’s Mountain Ale is their flagship offering, and it’s easy to see why it’s so popular. Brewed in the style of an English Strong Ale, which one could think of as a sort of bolder, boozier brown or amber ale, this brew pours a gorgeous deep red hue capped by a crop of light beige foam that drops to a persistent collar. Look for a complex aroma that’s at once richly malty, fruity, and somewhat hoppy. We picked up underlying touches of caramel, light toastiness & nuttiness, and a wisp of cocoa powder, overlaid by really engaging fruity esters and fruity hops that conjure impressions of dried berries, cherries, and figs, plus a dash of herbal woodiness. All these notes come forth on the palate too. Expect a rich, malty, caramelized backbone supporting those prominent fruity notes. Hop bitterness is moderate and, in concert with just a touch of spicy alcohol, easily balances the sweeter malty elements. For pairing options, we’d shoot for roasted meats with a fruity sauce, like a cherry glazed roasted pork loin, or roasted duck with plum sauce. This bold and lightly boozy brew can stand up to some fat and spice, so feel free to experiment. Cheers!

The roots of The Shed Brewery stretch all the way back to the construction of a building in Stowe, VT in 1830. Originally home to a blacksmith shop, the building later became a cider mill where local apple farmers would gather and socialize after a hard day’s work. In the 20th century, the building would serve as a variety store and a hostel before The Shed Restaurant opened there in 1965. The restaurant became a popular hangout for skiers enjoying the local snow.

The restaurant burned down in 1994, but it was reopened in 1995 – this time with the addition of a modest 7-barrel brewery that specialized in producing English-inspired ales. In 2011, the owners closed the Stowe location and production moved to Otter Creek/Long Trail’s brewery in Middlebury, VT, where the new team set about packaging Shed beers for off-premises retail sale for the first time. In 2022, the Long Trail family became part of the employee-owned Mass. Bay Brewing Company of Boston, MA and Windsor, VT – most famous for their iconic Harpoon beers. Production of The Shed’s beers moved to Windsor while the Middlebury location became home to WhistlePig Whiskey. Today, The Shed currently offers their original flagship Mountain Ale (an unfiltered English Strong Ale) as well as Mountain Hazy IPA. For more info, visit them at theshedbrewery.com.