Vanish Farmwoods Brewery: No Adulting Allowed

Adulting

There can only be one explanation for acting like a child at a grownup interview. When a brewery like Vanish makes the claim of being The Disneyland of Beer and then throws in a twelve flight-tasting sampler…well. Its just about all a girl can do to stop from busting into song while spinning on the hills.

Of course, I did share it with my better half, the founder of Brewdoun.com, Matt Leonard.

We sat down to speak with Tommy Skelly, Director of Marketing, Sales, and Taproom Operations of Vanish Farmwoods Brewery. He explained what life was like for him only a few years ago. In a stuffy suit and working in commercial realty, he hated the lifestyle. While at his brother’s bachelor party one night, he started talking about his dream job. Another fellow that worked at Devil’s Backbone informed Tommy he was describing his line of work.

That was the beginning of Tommy getting involved in the beer industry. After earning the Cicerone certification, he searched for the right opportunity. He met Jonathan Staples, current owner, who sold him on the idea of making something out of nothing.

He also persuaded Tommy Vanish could be “The Disneyland of Beer.”

Open air outdoor space

Photograph by Matt Leonard

Someone else had plans to turn the property into a housing community. It only made sense to name the brewery Vanish, since all the farmland and surrounding nature could have vanished.

In keeping with the Disneyland theme, the location strives to cater to the masses. No matter who walks in the door, they hope to be the kind of brewery that has something for everyone. They offer their American Amber, malty with a dry finish and a light lager, quite popular with the non-beer enthusiasts. McAuliffe’s Irish Stout is great for those that like more of the coffee notes.

Lucketts Calling, their Citra Wheat IPA, was a Brewdoun favorite with a mild yet pleasant bite. Their Grapefruit IPA has delectable grapefruit flavor and their Juicy Tangerine, a tart witbier, was the perfect sour. The White Wine Project might be another enjoyable beverage for non-beer lovers so long as one doesn’t mind a tart finish. Imperial Ghost Fleet (a DIPA) though not for the faint of heart, was another Brewdoun favorite striking some great notes. With twelve beers on tap at any given time, Vanish is up to the challenge to find any particular palate something to drink.

Vanish’s generous beer flight

Photograph by Matt Leonard

They also have the space and capacity for any event. They did a charity event with celebrity chefs for No Kid Hungry and hosted the governor for their cyber security summit. Their calendar is full with music on the weekends and trivia on the first and third Friday of the month. Beer Bootcamp is every other Thursday and more events can be found on their Facebook calendar.

Like any good theme park, Vanish is dog and kid friendly. There are established bathroom facilities for furry visitors with outdoor seating for mom and dad nearby. There is plenty of space for kids to run around along with games such as corn hole and disc golf.

If you’re a fan of BBQ, stop by Vanish to enjoy some pulled pork or ribs on the weekend. Chef Dan does all their barbecue right on premise and it’s all the rage. The location serves pizza Thursday through Sunday as well. If you visit on a weekday, no worries, they still offer snacks such as jerky and hot pretzels.

Vanish may be missing park rides but I certainly felt the same post rollercoaster euphoria after paying them a visit.

For some endorphin releasing fun, take your visit to Vanish-land soon. But be warned: No adulating allowed.

**A special thank you to Tommy Skelly for giving us a great tour of Vanish Brewery.

Tommy Skelly; Director of Marketing, Sales, and Taproom Operations
Jonathan Staples; Owner
Larry Pomerantz; Head Brewer
Laurie Mills; Director of Operations, Black Hops Farm
Chris Griffin; Hopyard Engineer