Early-bird tickets go on sale this Thursday, March 17, for the second annual Stowe Brewers Festival. The 21-and-older event is set to take place July 29 and 30 at the Mayo Farm Events Fields in Stowe and feature beer samples from 45 New England brewers.

Tickets buy the bearer 15 beer sample tickets good for three-ounce pours, up from 12 tickets last year. Early prices are $35, or $65 for VIP tickets that include access to a lounge, a goodie bag and a VIP line at busy beer tents. Prices will increase on or before April 30 and again at the door, if available, but organizers say they expect the festival to sell out.

IPA lovers, rejoice. Burlington's Switchback Brewing has added Connector IPA to its year-round brew list. According to a company announcement, the brewery has served various test batches of the IPA intermittently over the past year. The result was the current recipe, which features Mosaic and Centennial hops, plus Citra hops added near the end of the brewing process

Says brewery spokesperson Maegan Gorton, "You get a burst of hop-forwardness in flavor that is quick and leaves you looking for that flavor again, as opposed to feeling like you can't escape it."

The brew's name comes from the long-disputed Southern Connector, the proposed roadway designed to connect the southern end of Burlington to Route 7 (now called Champlain Parkway). Stuck in planning since 1965, the project inspired the art installation just down Flynn Avenue from Switchback that is considered the world's tallest filing cabinet.

Perhaps Connector IPA will have better luck at making connections — or at least at fostering good cheer among those who raise a glass. It's only available on draft, so find it at Vermont bars and restaurants with the help of switchbackvt.com/beer-finder.html.