What's up with Maple Valley?

[Smellytele]

So when was the last time you were at Schilling?

I agree that there may be oversaturation, but Schilling is very well established, speaking from someone who follows them and visits them everytime I am up there.

I have never seen their beer anywhere but at their place. I am guessing i may as they did just build that huge bottling/canning line next door

 

[AdironRider]

So when was the last time you were at Schilling?

I agree that there may be oversaturation, but Schilling is very well established, speaking from someone who follows them and visits them everytime I am up there.

I'm just saying they need a lot of things to go right to support that debt in that area in a business with zero protections. Sounds like they are so far. Hopefully it doesn't change. Any turbulence economically and eating out and top shelf booze are the first vices people drop.

For someone who lives in SLC, and hasn't seen their books either, you seem to be taking affront to this concept. You know them personally or something?

Schilling is pretty much unheard of outside of the immediate area. Maybe that changes?

Ultimately its not important. Back to Maple Valley, they have 750k in a place that is outdated, probably needs to be brought up to code otherwise, and they haven't even built out the actual brewery or restaurant yet. Thats 2 million easy given the size of that building (and assuming they brew in house and all that entails). Lets argue Schilling is the real deal with zero chance of failure. If they are spending 3 million and are already established with the following to support it, would you feel confident putting 2 million down at Maple Valley hoping the results would be similar?

 

[Smellytele]

Ultimately its not important. Back to Maple Valley, they have 750k in a place that is outdated, probably needs to be brought up to code otherwise, and they haven't even built out the actual brewery or restaurant yet. Thats 2 million easy given the size of that building (and assuming they brew in house and all that entails). Lets argue Schilling is the real deal with zero chance of failure. If they are spending 3 million and are already established with the following to support it, would you feel confident putting 2 million down at Maple Valley hoping the results would be similar?

With Schilling they started small then expanded. MV sounds like they want to start big and hope.

 

[tumbler]

With Schilling they started small then expanded. MV sounds like they want to start big and hope.

Then someone else can come in and buy it for pennies on the dollar.

 

[VTKilarney]

So when was the last time you were at Schilling?

I agree that there may be oversaturation, but Schilling is very well established, speaking from someone who follows them and visits them everytime I am up there.

The concern is valid. Schillings has decided that they are NOT going to sell through a distributor, which is going to limit their market to a very local area. Yes, they are popular and have a good following. But, yes, this is a LOT of money to spend. Deep pockets aren't always smart pockets.

Even if they make it (which they very well may), the ROI isn't going to be that good.

 

[deadheadskier]

I think Schilling should be able to make it. Littleton is kind of the commerce center for that part of the state. Not a lot of great dining/entertainment competition in the area. Folks from Lisbon, Whitefield, Lancaster, Bethlehem etc all head into Littleton for shopping and maybe plan a stop for beer. You've got the Mountain Grand Hotel nearby with lots of wealthy guests looking for something off property.

I'm up there frequently for work and seem to meet a fair amount of retirees in the area. That probably skews the wealth a bit higher than W2 reporting. Cheap land/real estate compared to places south of the notch I'm sure is the draw.

I'd say Schilling / Littleton has a lot more going for it than Maple Valley

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[thetrailboss]

I think Schilling should be able to make it. Littleton is kind of the commerce center for that part of the state. Not a lot of great dining/entertainment competition in the area. Folks from Lisbon, Whitefield, Lancaster, Bethlehem etc all head into Littleton for shopping and maybe plan a stop for beer. You've got the Mountain Grand Hotel nearby with lots of wealthy guests looking for something off property.

I'm up there frequently for work and seem to meet a fair amount of retirees in the area. That probably skews the wealth a bit higher than W2 reporting. Cheap land/real estate compared to places south of the notch I'm sure is the draw.

I'd say Schilling / Littleton has a lot more going for it than Maple Valley

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Exactly.

 

[deadheadskier]

Off topic, but every time I'm up staying in Lancaster for work I look over at Starr King mountain and think what could have been had the proposed Willard Basin ski resort gone through. It would have made for such better skiing than the Balsams with better access. That whole area would have been a mecca for skiing with that resort as proposed with Bretton Woods and Cannon nearby, Burke only an hour away.

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[Smellytele]

Off topic, but every time I'm up staying in Lancaster for work I look over at Starr King mountain and think what could have been had the proposed Willard Basin ski resort gone through. It would have made for such better skiing than the Balsams with better access. That whole area would have been a mecca for skiing with that resort as proposed with Bretton Woods and Cannon nearby, Burke only an hour away.

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And they would have had a monorail.

 

[thetrailboss]

Off topic, but every time I'm up staying in Lancaster for work I look over at Starr King mountain and think what could have been had the proposed Willard Basin ski resort gone through. It would have made for such better skiing than the Balsams with better access. That whole area would have been a mecca for skiing with that resort as proposed with Bretton Woods and Cannon nearby, Burke only an hour away.

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Yep


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[GregoryIsaacs]

The funny thing that people haven't seemed to mention is that southern vermont already has a defunct ski area/brewery combo!

Pizzapalooza aka Beer Naked Brewery is located at the top of Hogback in Marlboro (Right on Route 9)... Ive only stopped by for a quick (food truck) lunch last winter to check it out but it probably has the best view of any brewery around... and has a hikeable skier friendly defunct ski area right across the street. Safe to say route 9 is even more crowded than 30.

Anyone with local knowledge know if they have been successful? Judging by the looks, dont think they will be a driver to spin the hogback lifts any time soon.........

 

[sull1102]

The funny thing that people haven't seemed to mention is that southern vermont already has a defunct ski area/brewery combo!

Pizzapalooza aka Beer Naked Brewery is located at the top of Hogback in Marlboro (Right on Route 9)... Ive only stopped by for a quick (food truck) lunch last winter to check it out but it probably has the best view of any brewery around... and has a hikeable skier friendly defunct ski area right across the street. Safe to say route 9 is even more crowded than 30.

Anyone with local knowledge know if they have been successful? Judging by the looks, dont think they will be a driver to spin the hogback lifts any time soon.........

Didn't realize that's where the Pizzapalooza guys moved to, very interesting.

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[drjeff]

The funny thing that people haven't seemed to mention is that southern vermont already has a defunct ski area/brewery combo!

Pizzapalooza aka Beer Naked Brewery is located at the top of Hogback in Marlboro (Right on Route 9)... Ive only stopped by for a quick (food truck) lunch last winter to check it out but it probably has the best view of any brewery around... and has a hikeable skier friendly defunct ski area right across the street. Safe to say route 9 is even more crowded than 30.

Anyone with local knowledge know if they have been successful? Judging by the looks, dont think they will be a driver to spin the hogback lifts any time soon.........

If I recall correctly, the land that Hogback is on, was bought, or possibly donated (can't recall at the moment which one) to a land conservation trust a few years ago, so short of some occasional forestry management work and the maintaining of the work road to the cell tower at the summit, the Hogback Ski Area won't be coming back as it continues it's natural transition back to wild forest.

Pizzapalooza/Beer Naked wise, the building renovations were just about done when I last stopped in in March. The views from the dining room area are going to be phenomenal on a clear evening for sure. The beers I've had from them (a couple of different IPA's and DIPA's a stout and a brown ale) have been good enough to keep people coming back. Food wise, in addition to the pizza plan, last I heard they have the chef from the old Matterhorn Inn near Mount Snow (which was bought and is now the home base/dorms for the Mount Snow Academy) who specialized in Polish food, in the kitchen as well.

The challenge will be is that can the location work?

 

[The Sneak]

Speaking of places to grab a beer on RT 30, a few years ago we were headed home on Sunday around 1 and wanted to stop for lunch and watch a bit of the Pats game, we ended up in some place that was a freaking JETS bar. I think it’s on 30, is it Ricks?


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[VTKilarney]

IPAs are so overdone.

 

[WoodCore]

Speaking of places to grab a beer on RT 30, a few years ago we were headed home on Sunday around 1 and wanted to stop for lunch and watch a bit of the Pats game, we ended up in some place that was a freaking JETS bar. I think it’s on 30, is it Ricks?


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That would be Rick’s Tavern!



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[Smellytele]

IPAs are so overdone.

Sour are the new "it" beers. I don't like them but my wife does.
I had a good TIPA today as well as a DIPA and 2 IPA's from Pipe Dream in Londonderry. Man was it hot there with no AC but the beer was great.

 

[benski]

Sour are the new "it" beers. I don't like them but my wife does.
I had a good TIPA today as well as a DIPA and 2 IPA's from Pipe Dream in Londonderry. Man was it hot there with no AC but the beer was great.

I love a good sour. I generally avoid IPA’s for anything else.

 

[jaytrem]

so short of some occasional forestry management work and the maintaining of the work road to the cell tower at the summit, the Hogback Ski Area won't be coming back as it continues it's natural transition back to wild forest.

Quite the opposite actually...

https://www.hogbackvt.org/esh-project

Don't think it will ever be lift served again, but lots of work being done.

Edit: After reading more, it is an interesting project. Sure it opens the trails for skiing, at least for a bit, but is more about using the old trails as habitats as they regrow. Seems kinda unnatural, but I guess good for various creatures and plants.

 

[cdskier]

Sour are the new "it" beers. I don't like them but my wife does.
I had a good TIPA today as well as a DIPA and 2 IPA's from Pipe Dream in Londonderry. Man was it hot there with no AC but the beer was great.

I can't get into sours and I'm rapidly getting bored with IPAs. Need more people making beers focusing more on malts than hops for a change.