Ultimate United States Beer Vacation

VT/MA/NY:

Alchemist, Hill Farmstead, Lawsons, NEBCO, Two Roads, Peekskill Brewing

 

Was just in Michigan, and I went to Founders, New Holland, and Odd Side Ales. If I actually had the goal of taking in as many breweries as possible though, I could have spent my entire week doing so and still not get to them all.

 

my fantasy is going to the GI bar... and when I drive home, go to ohio and completely fill my hatchback with Columbus IPA.

 

To the OP, you do realize you are talking about probably 7-9 hours of driving between Sam Adams and DFH? I'd prefer to hit a number of great breweries in a concentrated area so would have to go with either the San Diego or Denver areas.

 

I think you're right on target. Do some hitting the Northeast with your UBV and visiting Sam Adams, DFH, Brooklyn, among others. That sounds pretty ultimate.

 

Those "others" absolutely must be Jack's Abby in Framingham, MA & Hill Farmstead in Greensboro Bend, VT (About 4 hours out of the way from everything else, but absolutely necessary.) Oh and don't forget The Alchemist in Waterbury, VT which is necessary if you go to HF.

As of right now, I've done my personal ultimate beer vacation when I went to VT because I did hit HF, The Alchemist and Lawson's was conveniently at a Farmer's Market the weekend I was there.

EDIT: Still haven't hit the west coast for beer yet.

 

Start at far Southern California and work my way all the way up to Vancouver, WA hitting all the big boys on the way. Bruery, Firestone, Stone, Russian River, Sierra Nevada, Pelican Pub and Brewery, Deschutes, Cascade, etc.

When you live in Michigan, these are the things you dream of.

Edit: Already did the VT trip and it was totally worth it!

 

Start in Portland and hit up everything I can. Roll through Bend for a day or 3. Then down to Russian River, SN, Lagunitas, and Firestone Walker. Finish up in San Diego for SD Beer Week.

 

Southwest Michigan! I loved the trip we took there last here. Here is the video.

 

I would hit West Coast by starting in SD and probably end by Portland. But thts because I am in central Ct and can't get there easily. My most epic trip was 14 VT breweries in 3 days! No, we did not drink at all of them that would be Ludicrous. We bring a large empty cooler to stock up. The journey is better than any destination!

 

Even though I am from Oregon, I would go back to Oregon for my road trip, there are more than enough breweries to fill up your two weeks.
Deschutes, Bridgeport, Cascade, Full Sail, Hopworks Urban, Lucky Labrador, Occidental Brewing, and Widmere Brothers / Red Hook to name a few. Also the very difficult to find on the East Coast Henry Weinhards, which I grew up drinking (they make root beer and cream soda for the kids).

Even the restaurants have great breweries that you have to visit the restaurant to get because they generally dont bottle it for stores, such as Raccoon Lodge, Rock Bottom Brewery, and one of my all time favorites McMenamins, which takes over "haunted" and curious establishments all over the state and turns them into awesome breweries/restaurants/hotels. Also I would time this visit for the end of July so it would coincide with the Oregon Brewers Festival on the waterfront, which is just plain lots of fun.

 

not to mention Three Floyd's isn't too far from that part of Michigan

 

This was going to be my exact answer. Clearly, this means we need to go on a roadtrip.

 

I'm going to suspend all rules related to time and space and take at least a month. I'd do sort of a spiraling trip, starting on the West Coast and circling toward the center.

Southern California (too many places to mention)
Northern California (too many places to mention, but definitely RR and FW)
Oregon (Portland, Bend, Hood River: too many breweries to name)
Washington (outside Seattle, where I almost never venture these days)
Alaska (Anchorage Brewing mainly, maybe a few others)
New York (Ommegang, just to see that beautiful brewery)
Vermont (HF, Alchemist, Lawson)
Florida (Funky Buddha, Cigar City)
Michigan (Founders, Bell's, Dark Horse)
Wisconsin (New Glarus)
Iowa (Toppling Goliath)
Minnesota (Surly, Minneapolis Town Hall)
Colorado (too many places to mention)
Montana (Big Sky etc.)

I'm sure I'm missing a few places but I think this covers the places I'd most want to visit if time/money weren't obstacles.

 

Fort Collins CO has 4 breweries within a mile of each other. Fat Tire, Odell's, Funkwerks and Ft. Collins. I think there are even a couple of smaller ones right around there as well.

 

Too much driving. Even staying in CA on one trip, going North to South had some long driving days.

Will spend 2 weeks in the Fall in Northern CA, and that will be just right. Done that area several times, so maybe that is my answer.

Last year we spent 2 weeks in OR and WA, and that is a good trip also. One can spend a lot of that time in Bend.

 

Hey now this is my dream. I'm taking a helicopter!

 

Spend the first week going from Kuhnenn to Surly by way of Grand Rapids, Munster, Chicago, and Madison.
Second week fly to the bay area and head south to San Diego.

I don't get all the complaints about too much driving. 10 hours of driving over two weeks is less than an hour per day. That's a pretty leisurely road trip.