How far is too far? Roadtripping!

Well I think this may be the longest drive that anyone would make just to have some HTF beer. I drove from Germany to Belgium (about 6.5 hrs from my location) to visit the St Sixtus Abbey to grab a few cases of Westy 8 and make trades with a fellow forumite.

Drove back to Brussels and topped off the trip with a visit to Cantillon which yielded 3 Fou Founes, 3 Lou Pepe Kriek, 3 Geuze 100% Lambic, 3 Kriek 100% Lambic....and a Ford Escape trunk full to the brim with beer from De Struise, de Dolle, coupleo f cases of Westvleteren 12 and other great stuff.

That drive definitely puts a new meaning to road trip. Will I do it again????? Absolutely

 

Go as far as your wallet allows.

 

I do the same, but once a week. However, I have other reasons for going in that direction, so no big deal.

 

I'd be willing to drive 40-45 minutes each way if that's what it took to get to the nearest bar/restaurant with great craft beer taps, but luckily I have an awesome one under 15 minutes away. For roadtripping, I haven't done that much but have certainly thought about it. 2 hours would be my max unless for beer-specific road trips, but I'm always looking to incorporate beer side trips into longer trips that I'm already taking to get beers that aren't available in MD.

 

5-5.5 hrs to Alpine (from Phx) and Pizza Port. Seems long but my girlfriend and I always feel it's worth it. Usually only do it about 5-6x a year. Regular "local" bar? No more than an hour.

 

if I'm consuming freely at the brewery or brewpub--i stick to places I can walk, usually. For me that means Great Divide, Renegade, Alpine Dog, Lowdown, and Lost Highway.

I'll drive over an hour to a place I really like, and just have 2 beers plus a growler or retail purchase. Funkwerks is about as far north as I can see myself going, or Trinity to the south, for this. Avery fits, fortunately. Also Oskar Blues, Left Hand, Odell. Going west, Backcountry is about as far as I want to drive in one day for beer, closer to an hour and fifteen

Unfortunately Crooked Stave isn't really walking distance, but it's not a very long drive! ditto Comrade.

reading back over this before hitting "enter"--it's good to live in Denver!

 

If regular is once a week, then 30 min. each way. If it's on the way to somewhere else I'm going, it depends on whether my wife is with me or not. Alone I would go up to 15 miles off my route to visit someplace I've never been and have always wanted to visit. With the wife, it had better be no more than 5 minutes off the route. She likes to get where she's going as quickly as possible.

 

Visited forty five breweries in just over a three month period, July - October. Drove 9,000 miles in a motorhome! Next trip is out west ... And could be as long as six months, already compiled a long list of breweries. Retired and decided traveling this great country and sampling the local brews is as good as it can get.

 

if you have to hit wine country it might be too far

 

Current plan is to hit San Fran, Santa Rosa, Chico, and then head into Oregon.

 

I've done the 6 hours to VT a few times. So i'd say 7 hours.

 

It's only too far if you aren't having fun :-)

 

I'm good with about 2 hours each way as long as I can hit at least 2-3 places (shop, brewery or two) as often as a weekly basis if the weekend isn't already slammed. within the last three or four years, we've been blessed with breweries in most every direction but south from central VA.

 

Same as @gopens44. I live 2 hours from St. Louis, so that is my limit.

 

Bell's and Odd Side Ales are both just under an hour away from me. In the past year I've been to both probably a half dozen times or so each. I'd says thats about it for me.

 

Man, that sounds like a freaking blast to me. Living the dream!

 

Just opened my last New Glarus Spotted Cow, so I may have to get back on the road sooner.

 

Just finished a brewery tour totaling around 1,800 miles last month. Started south of Richmond, VA and went as far west as Upland Brewing in Bloomington, IN.

I hit several awesome places including Jackie O's (Athens, OH), Madtree (Cincinnati, OH), Against The Grain (Louisville, KY) and Country Boy (Lexington, KY). I came home with lots of good stuff and would make that same trip again when time off will allow.

 

I have yet to drive more than 1 hr. solely to get beer. I usually let other roadtrip priorities (kids sports, vacation, family day out etc) as primary priority, then can scout en route or destination what beer buying/drinking options fit the itinerary. Usually that means, I find a great place to eat w/ great beer, or a great brewery or beer store in the area or in route.

 

I hope a flight is accepted for this thread. If so, I'm in the planning stages of my 15th 7116 mile round trip to my favorite watering holes.