freak folk bier

Easily one of the best breweries I’ve ever been to (out of 1,500 visited). Incredible beers—IPAs, Lagers, Stouts, Saisons are all insanely good. The nicest team who always goes above and beyond. Cozy taproom space in the heart of Waterbury. Highly recommend!

I’ve heard great things about their beer so I had to go and see for myself! Yup, they were right! The staff were friendly , taproom had plenty of seating, and most importantly the beer was great.

As a local, this place has always been one of my favorite spots. It’s kind of a hidden gem, but it somehow has a reputation all across the state and beyond. The beer’s always great, but what really makes it stand out are the people — both behind the bar and sitting at it. I usually venture out solo, and there’s always someone interesting to chat with. They even project old movies on the wall — I once caught the 1993 horror-comedy Leprechaun, a total childhood classic for me (though probably not for everyone) — and it’s just such a neat touch. It might be adults-only (and no dogs too), but honestly, as a dog owner, it’s nice to have a spot to unwind without the puppers sometimes — there are plenty of places in town for that. It’s just one of those spots that makes you feel welcome the second you walk in.

Next-level beer. Not even next level, as they're on their own level. I border on the awkward side of things, but felt right at home sipping world-class brews early on a Friday afternoon and chatting with the staff. This is the best brewery in Vermont.

Best IPAs we’ve had in a while, although quite expensive at $6 for a half pour. Cool vibe though.

Rounding up given the beer is some of the best around. Really hoping they’re able to expand, both the taproom space and availability of cans / to-go beer. Unfortunately, the small space makes it quite inconvenient for the average consumer, many whom have children and dogs. Beyond not being able to get a draft inside when vacationing with my 3-year old, I also wasn’t able to get anything to go because they were out of dipa 4 packs and didn’t have growler glasses. I was also told that growler pours were limited to very select beers. While this is certainly a great place to grab a few pints if you don’t have kids or pets, i do wonder if there are any expansion plans because the beer is just too good to have such a limited audience. I understand the industry presents financial bottlenecks, and I’ll be the first investor if they ever choose to grow.

These guys are making some of the best craft beer out there. As an Illinois native, I try to make it here every day I’m in Vermont (yeah, it’s that good!) Literally everything they do is solid! You can’t go wrong with their IPAs and lagers. A must stop if you are in the area!

I've always called Waterbury,VT the best small town in America since I started visiting there 8+ years ago. I don't think you can find a small town in the country that has a better array of good restaurants, bars, and pubs. Now they have an awesome newcomer to the Vermont brewery scene in Freak Folk. It's such a warm and welcoming place for beer geeks with an awesome cozy vibe right in the heart of it all.Their portfolio of beers from mixed fermentation all the way to stouts and lagers are absolutely fantastic. It's an absolute must visit everytime you're in the area if you're a craft beer fanatic as I am !

Freak Folk Bier is a craft brewery that opened in Waterbury, Vermont in February 2022. It was founded by couple Lillian MacNamara and Ryan Miller. Both MacNamara and Miller had a decade of brewing experience before they deciding to become brewing partners. MacNamara brewed for Magic Hat and Otter Creek before becoming the head brewer at Queen City Brewing in Burlington. Miller brewed for breweries in Vermont, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Connecticut before becoming the head brewer at Aqua ViTea Kombucha in Middlebury. The duo had a dream to open their own brewery where they could escape the monotony of the typical brewery lifestyle and mentality and have complete creative control. They especially wanted to focus on mixed-culture fermentation. Freak Folk Bier initially launched in 2018 as an alternating proprietorship brewery. The couple rented equipment and wooden barrels for aging from Queen City and set up shop in an extra room at the brewery. After a number of successful bottle releases, they acquired the ground floor of a new multi-use property (dubbed "Bell's Block") in Waterbury to open their own brick-and-morter brewery and taproom. I recently visited Freak Folk Bier for the first time while I was on a Vermont craft beer road trip. I actually never heard of the small brewery until I started making my itinerary for the trip. When I saw that they had a 4.33/5 average rating on Untappd (after being open for only two years in a state with an already impressive roster of breweries), I knew that I had to make a stop. I was actually spending the night at the historic Old Stagecoach Inn and Freak Folk Bier is just a 3-minute walk from the inn. I arrived at Freak Folk's taproom not long after they opened for the afternoon. The place was small, cozy and super chill. I grabbed a seat at the bar and looked over the draught selection. I enjoyed some short pours of "Dark Harvest" (American Porter), "None The Wiser: Mosaic & Nelson" (IPA), and "Double Fantasy: Strata & Strata CGX" (IPA). These were all impressive brews. A customer sitting next to me asked if I wanted to split a bottle of "Penumbra" (Oak-Aged Saison) with him. I happily accepted and I'm glad that I did because it was simply fantastic! I purchased some cans-to-go before I left. I was VERY impressed with my visit to Freak Folk Bier and I look forward to seeing what they brew in the future!

Small micro in Waterbury. A tad bit on the pretentious side for me but but the two IPAs we had were some of the best Ive ever had and Ive had quite a few. If youre a Crafthead its a must.

Wow, what a great brewery. Their wilds are so good, hill farmstead level, without having to make that hike. Their lagers and IPAs are amazing as well. If you are a craft beer nerd, you need to stop here.

Shocked I'm the first to check out the new brewery in Waterbury. This place has been on my radar for a few years now. Still a nano brewery who has been doing small releases out of Queen City brewery outside of Burlington. Great to try some of their beers that aren't mixed fermentation. The Hellespont lager is pretty great (Prong Horn). Their saisons are always a hit with us. Hope they continue to pump out great beers and are successful. Definitely visiting when nearby, which is often

This place is located on Stowe Street, Waterbury, Vermont. The owners are very hard working and love what they do. If you ever want to try some great new bier, this is the place to stop. I am not a beer drinker but the last three I have had here are delicious. I would highly recommend stopping here and trying their unique blends of deliciousness. :-) Stop in today!!! Please be prepared to have the best brew of your life!!

The beer here is great but unfortunately the servers make it a very uncomfortable experience. They should not be working in this capacity. We expect a welcoming group ready to chat and instead found a couple of introverts who only want to pour beer. We recommend the Alchemist or Blackback Pub when in this area and skip this place. Unfortunately, one of the servers took our question of "where are you from?" as a discriminatory comment. Unfortunately he seems to have a chip on his shoulder since all we wanted to do was have a conversation. We love to talk about the world around us as an enriching experience but unfortunately if your self- esteem is not high enough, it seems it can be an antagonistic question when it's not. Needless to say we won't be back.

New brewery in downtown Waterbury. Run by a lovely young couple with a passion for tasty beer. The tap room is pristine. We actually stopped by twice when we were in town. The beer is very good. We both especially enjoyed Primordial 2-a saison. The Prong Horn and Something Cool are very good, as well. Interesting story as to how they came up with the name for the brewery-ask!