History
Founder
The VBA was founded in 1995 by Greg Noonan. In the craft brewing industry, few people are as well known as Greg Noonan who made significant contributions to the art of brewing and played a major role in shaping the landscape of Vermont’s beer culture. One of his notable accomplishments is opening Vermont’s first brewpub in Burlington, The Vermont Pub & Brewery in 1988. Breaking a 94 year old draught, Burlington had its first brewery since prohibition.
Vermont Pub and Brewery
Defining Brewpub
Prior to the opening of Vermont Pub & Brewery, Greg Noonan enlisted the aid of Bill Mares, who was then the state legislator, to seek changes in the existing legislation governing the on-site sale of manufactured beer. Together, Greg and Bill rewrote the language of law to allow manufacturers to sell their malt beverages on-site. After a certain amount of drafting acrobatics, that idea found favor with the Liquor Control Board, and then progressively with four legislative committees, both legislative chambers, and finally, Governor Madeline Kunin. Today, every brewery that offers beer for consumption on their brewery premises owes a debt of gratitude to both Greg and Bill for their efforts.
The Vermont Brewers Festival
The Vermont Brewers Festival was founded in 1991 to foster an air of camaraderie and mutual cooperation among brewers and promote VT beer. 2024 will mark the 31st Vermont Brewers Festival, growing from 6 participating breweries/year to over 50 a year. The Vermont Brewers Festival is known as one of the most premier Brewers Festivals in the world.
2024 Vermont Brewers Festival