Vermont musician Noah Kahan's 'Northern Attitude' inspires a beer to debut this week

Two of Vermont’s best-known exports the past few years – New England-style India pale ales and musician Noah Kahan – have joined for a new brew that becomes widely available this week.

Northern Attitude IPA by Connecticut-based Two Roads Brewing Co. is named for a song by Kahan, who grew up in Strafford in Orange County and has become a huge success since last fall’s release of his Vermont-inspired album, “Stick Season.”

“A true New England collaboration from Noah and Two Roads Brewing,” the can reads, “this piney and resinous IPA is crafted with the same inspiration that fuels Noah’s songs.”

The beer debuted Sept. 3 at Two Roads’ brewery in Stratford, Connecticut. Northern Attitude IPA was also scheduled for availability at Kahan’s sold-out concerts Sept. 5 in Bridgeport, Connecticut and Sept. 6-7 at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion in Gilford, New Hampshire.

Following the Sept. 7 concert, according to a publicist for Two Roads, Northern Attitude IPA will become available at retailers that distribute Two Roads’ beers. In Chittenden County, that includes stores such as Hannaford and Price Chopper supermarkets, Pearl Street Beverage in Burlington and Beverage Warehouse in Winooski.

Noah Kahan and New England-style IPAs

The New England-style IPA, sometimes called the Vermont-style IPA, is generally a strong, hazy, unfiltered hop-driven beer. IPAs associated with Vermont include Heady Topper by The Alchemist in Stowe and Sip of Sunshine, created by Lawson’s Finest Liquids in Waitsfield but produced at Two Roads’ brewery in Stratford, Connecticut.

Those beers have been popular for about a decade, but Kahan’s popularity is more recent. He was already playing sold-out shows at places such as Higher Ground in South Burlington a couple of years ago, but his career really shot to another level after he released “Stick Season” last fall. Songs such as the Vermont-specific title track have helped the singer-songwriter sell out concerts throughout his long 2023 touring schedule.

He played two sold-out concerts at the end of July at Waterfront Park in Burlington. On both nights he performed the song “Northern Attitude,” in which Kahan sings of being raised with the title perspective in a cold land with little light.

Proceeds from sales of Northern Attitude IPA will benefit The Busyhead Project, a charity founded by Kahan that provides resources for mental-health organizations serving marginalized communities. Kahan has spoken freely, including at the July concerts in Burlington, about his own issues with mental health.

Northern Attitude IPA is not the first brew inspired by Kahan to appear this summer. Foam Brewers created a limited-edition beer, No Complaints IPA, that was available around the time of Kahan’s concerts in late July in Waterfront Park, adjacent to the brewery. “No Complaints” is another song of Kahan’s that he played both nights this summer in Burlington.

Contact Brent Hallenbeck at bhallenbeck@freepressmedia.com.

This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Noah Kahan's 'Northern Attitude,' inspired by Vermont, inspires a beer