Beer and Travel

I travel for work a lot and my approach tends to be some mixture of most of the following. Each one kind of cross informs the other.

1. First answer the question by google, common knowledge, whatever as to what that area is likely to offer. Is it Munich where I should be thinking lagers, old world, etc? Is it Portland where you know there's a million great options and it's really down to what you're looking for? Is it Barcelona where it's wine first, beer far second and I should understand that when search? Are you going to the distro footprint of some killer brewery like Trillum or Bissell Bros where you may be able to find some of their stuff or even highly limited stuff at a good beer bar?
2. Based on #1, know what you're looking for.
3. Search the regional forum here for knowledge. There's often a thread or many threads.
4. Google "best craft beer/craft beer bar/craft beer brewery in <city/country/whatever>" and some different variations of that however it makes sense. Find articles, advice, whatever and the more recent the better. Many places literally have articles less than a year old written with some solid starting advice
5. Go on here and see what's most rated in that area. Not most highly, but most. Among those, you should find the 'standards'. Then look for most highly rated and look for at least 10 ratings+, preferably 50. Those are likely pretty good and should get some additional research.
6. Once you've shortlisted some places of interest, untappd stalk them and see what's getting checked in there. See what's on menus if they have them posted.
7. Start a thread here. Once you've done at least the basic legwork and have an idea, post here and ask for suggestions and ideally throw out what you were thinking so those here can steer you right.

 

Buses have been free for nearly three months with social distancing rear entrance guidelines Metra conductors don't come around either for tickets, not sure when either policy will end, though CTA's policy stated rear bus entry is still in force.

You still must pay to ride the El, unless you jump the turnstyle. Consider giving Spiteful some love if you are hitting the Half Acre Balmoral location (my favorite of the two and likely the first to reopen with their patio space).

Cheers Public Transportation Advocate!

 

BA has been huge helping me research places to find beer before going on vacations. Using it a lot for a September trip back to MI to find places, and getting a bunch of hits. Yowza!

 

I use the BA forums for suggestions and I research the area through google. I go to the website of each potential place I find to see if I like what I see, then figure out an itinerary from there.