• Jeb Wallace-Brodeur
• Burger and Morrisville hot chicken sandwich at Lost Nation Brewing

When Lost Nation Brewing opened in Morrisville in 2013, it quickly carved out a place in the New England beer canon with its beloved gose, Vermont Pilsner and Mosaic IPA session beers. And thanks to its prime location between the Alchemist brewery in Waterbury (now Stowe) and Hill Farmstead Brewery in Greensboro Bend — not to mention its full lunch and dinner menu — the biergarten soon became an essential stop for beer tourists.

Lost Nation's beers proudly displayed its tagline: "We who wander are not lost." However, in recent years, some have worried that the brewery is wandering too far. Since stopping production a year ago, the brewery has been haunted by rumors of a sale, which was confirmed when the business was listed in May 2023. The company's future looked bleak.

Technically, Lost Nation is still for sale, though owner Allen Van Anda is prioritizing finding an investor to build the business with him. Meantime, he's bringing new life to the Morrisville spot, sparked not by its beer but a new focus on food, entertainment and community.

While that change of direction may surprise some, Van Anda knew the intoxicating heights of the craft beer boom wouldn't last forever.

"I remember saying, 'This is not sustainable,'" Van Anda said. "I mean, guys driving up from Massachusetts to spend $500 a weekend on beer? But we rode the wave, and it was fun."

That wave crashed in 2020 when COVID-19 hit. But even before the pandemic, consumer trends that once worked in Lost Nation's favor were changing. Hard seltzer became a thing. Ditto hard cider and ready-to-drink cocktails. In 2021, according to beer industry website Brewbound, national craft beer sales declined for the first time in years, even as general alcohol consumption surged. The pandemic also crippled the service industry. Finding employees was a challenge, and patrons weren't going out as much or traveling as far.

Lost Nation's nadir came in 2022, when it halted beer distribution and Van Anda and original co-owner Jamie Griffith parted ways. (Van Anda declined to elaborate on why.) Lost Nation's last batch of beer was brewed in January 2023, and by May the company was up for sale to recoup its losses. Meanwhile, its staff had dwindled from 48 in 2021 to six. But Van Anda, 46, a pensive guy with an easygoing demeanor, still had a couple of aces up his sleeve, including a great venue and a dedicated crew.

• Jeb Wallace-Brodeur
• A mussels special at Lost Nation Brewing

Last year marked a turning point for the brewery as the team resumed restaurant service in February and began hosting community events and concerts. Lost Nation's chef, Kyle Miller, has taken a starring role. Formerly sous chef of the now-closed Blue Moon Café in Stowe, the 37-year-old delivers pub fare favorites such as burgers and fried fish and chicken sandwiches that have kept the brewery afloat.

The Lost Nation burger ($15), a well-executed, flavorful Boyden Farm patty on a buttery Two Sons Bakehouse brioche, does not disappoint. Neither does the Morrisville hot chicken sandwich ($15), a twist on the classic Nashville version. The southern-fried chicken is slathered in a maple-butter cayenne sauce with just the right amount of sweetness to counteract its heat, then topped with housemade dill pickles.

Miller also offers elevated specials more commonly found at fine-dining establishments — without the elevated price point. The evening Seven Days visited, a housemade beet tagliatelle pasta ($13) was among the specials. The pink-striped noodles were paired with smoked yellow tomatoes, salty farmer's cheese and crispy sage to create an inspired vegetarian entrée with an earthy, complex flavor and a wonderful texture.

But it is the chef's passion and loyalty that cement his partnership with Van Anda. Miller, who said he's never "had such a great boss," convinced Van Anda to reopen the restaurant after a few months of uncertainty. It was the push Van Anda needed.

"I was like, 'We can do this,'" Van Anda said. "That's how important this crew has been. I cannot say it enough."

The crew also includes Mike Katz, whose affordable pop-up, Burger President, takes over the kitchen on Wednesday nights. At the end of 2022, when regular restaurant service and brewery distribution were shut down, Katz's pop-up kept Lost Nation's doors open while Van Anda staffed the bar.

Lost Nation bartender Phil Rosenblum, a local musician, had the idea to bring acoustic musical acts to the taproom to boost revenue. Eventually, Van Anda asked him to book larger events for the 5,000-square-foot warehouse. The two used pallets to make a stage, and Rosenblum brought in backline equipment. Now Rosenblum acts as booking agent for what has become a solid concert venue. Its Friday-night Warehouse Sessions feature anything and everything, from open mics to blues with Les Dead Ringers to electronic dance music with DJ Bay 6.

• Jeb Wallace-Brodeur
• Allen Van Anda at a new performance space at Lost Nation Brewing

But what about the beer? Naturally, all of Miller's entrées and Katz's pop-up burgers pair well with Lost Nation's beer list. For now, that list is a mix of local offerings from neighbors such as Hill Farmstead and Morrisville's Rock Art Brewing, as well as Belgian beers and lower-brow classics like Miller High Life. Van Anda's priority is to deliver a well-rounded list, from light to dark and bitter to sweet.

"I've been in beer for a really long time, and I think that we've gone way too heavy on the IPAs," he said. He cited restaurants and bars with 10 draft lines and "nine of them are the same type of juicy IPA."

Winter visitors to Lost Nation will find much more variety on the beer list, even if they won't benefit from the biergarten's sun-drenched picnic tables, smoked barbecue and proximity to the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail. But the intimate bar setting, with its burgundy walls and galley-style layout, is cozy and friendly. Locals sometimes drive up in snowmobiles. Van Anda himself often greets guests at the bar.

The bigger news is that Van Anda anticipates reviving the brewery this year.

"The plan right now is to slowly start brewing again in January with Pilsner and Mosaic," he said. He added that the first couple of batches would probably be released locally to drive sales at the brewery, while distribution could follow as early as this summer.

That doesn't mean the restaurant, music and events will go away. Van Anda said he's learned a lot about efficiency over the past year and hopes to grow the concert space in tandem with the brewing.

"There's not a single pool table in Morrisville, so [we want to] make it into an all-day space," he said. He added that the indoor gathering spot could prove useful if this summer is as unseasonable as last year's.

Whatever the season, Lost Nation is open for business. For all its wandering, the Morrisville brewery is still a great place to get lost.