Comment on Go For the Food: The ultimate beer run in Vermont

If you have even a passing interest in great beer, chances are good you've heard of Heady Topper, the intensely hoppy, grapefruitily-delicious American double IPA by The Alchemist Brewery in Waterbury, Vermont. [...] autumn is a lovely time to hit the back roads of Vermont. Take in the foliage, grab some artisanal cheeses, do a little apple picking, and fill the trunk of your car with as much Heady Topper as you can get your hands on. Pay close attention to those delivery dates; locations sell out fast. To optimize the indulgent nature of this trip, first overlay your route with the Vermont Cheese Trail Map, which shows you the locations and hours of the state's amazing artisanal cheesemakers. Since I was coming up from the south, my search began in Barre, where I visited the rather nondescript Beverage Baron. Taped to the cooler was a sign that looked as though it never came down: "Sorry we're out of Heady Topper." [...] things improved when I moved across town to the Maplewood Convenience Store, where a clerk directed me to a back cooler with just a handful of four-packs left. Next up, Montpelier, the state capital and home to quaint restaurants, funky shops and comfortable bookstores. [...] the Co-Op is a fine place to grab lunch, with tons of easy-to-grab items. First stop — Crossroad Beverage, a convenience store/liquor shop. [...] a snazzy carrying box bearing the Alchemist logo to keep my growing cache from rolling around on the back seat. Final stop, the Craft Beer Cellar, a funky-in-the-extreme beer shop owned by a couple young guys who clearly love their beer. After a day spent mostly in the car and dingy convenience stores, this place was a little sip of heaven.