I’ve lived in New York for over a year now, but when anybody asks where I’m from, I’ll blurt out “Vermont!” before the sentence’s last syllables vibrate against my eardrum. At the risk of being exceedingly corny, I’ll admit it: I’m no New Yorker; I left my heart in Vermont (and most of my ski gear, which sits somewhat-neglected in the upstairs room of my mom’s house).

We Vermonter’s are a proud folk — of our ice cream, farmer’s markets, jam bands and foliage. We’re also quite pleased with our beer, which is renowned around the world. You may have heard of the famously-limited and local Heady Topper or Hill Farmstead Brewery, which has topped the list of the best 100 breweries in the world for the past four years in a row. But Vermont’s beer isn’t limited to the few breweries that receive public acclaim — it’s everywhere in the state, and it’s all pretty damn good.

It’s for that reason that I make a point to bring at least a growler’s worth of beer back with me every time I make a weekend trip to Vermont (Fiddlehead and Foam top my current list of favorite breweries, for whatever that’s worth). And for that, I’ve come to love Hydro Flask’s 64-ounce Beer Growler. Unlike the glass bottle you’ll ordinarily find at breweries, Hydro Flask’s is equipped with double-wall vacuum insulation and lined with stainless steel, which doesn’t retain flavor. Its lid is designed specifically to maintain carbonation too.

I’ve learned over the past year that New York has some pretty tasty beer too. Now, my system works going north and south — I’ll fill up the Hydro Flask in the city before I head to Vermont (as a peace offering to friends and family who regularly put me up), and then again before I make my return. My beer is always cold, even when traffic is jammed and a four-hour drive turns into six.

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