Beer-cation ideas needed

I did something similar with my girlfriend over the summer, except we timed it to the barrel aged Mexican Cake release in SC. Possibly look to see if you could schedule your trip around a beer release. Or look for a city with multiple breweries to see how different folks make great beer.

Cheers

 

Hit up Allagash, then take a little drive over to northern Vermont.. I hear there is some good beer up there.. Something about a farm and some alchemy..

 

In December, I'd go to San Diego!!

 

December? I'd head to FLA for a beer-cation centered around Cigar City, Funky Buddha, and Seventh Sun!

 

I'm sure somebody from mass would know where to go in Maine.
I would try hitting up Maine beer co. Probably one of the top 5 breweries on the eastern seaboard.

 

Gotta add Cycle Brewing to that list

 

Not sure where your wife is going but for you I'd suggest Asheville NC

 

Munchen!
Edit: sorry, thought you said long week.

http://www.beerdrinkersguide.com/

 

I'd say to stick with Northern New England. Whenever I work in Portland, Maine, I'll make a weekend out of it by taking a drive out to VT, getting a day of skiing in and then taking a drive out to Alchemist/HF/Waterbury.

If you don't plan on leaving the Portland area, I'd suggest going to Allagash, Maine Beer Company, Rising Tide, and Oxbow. For a great lobster check out The Lobster Shack and for more upscale dining, check out Street & Company. If there's a wait at Street & Company, you can always walk over to Novare Res and grab some great beers over there. The Great Lost Bear is also another good spot to visit, but it's more of a sports bar sort of place.

 

I second this!

 

Colorado is a great beercation destination. Fort Collins (Odell, FCB, New Belgium, Funkwerks, Equinox) down through Lyons/Longmont/Boulder (Oskar Blues, Left Hand, Avery, Upslope, Twisted Pine,Gravity), Denver (Crooked Stave, Great Divide, Denver Beer Co, 471) and Colorado Springs (Trinity). Visit some of the best breweries in America then head into the mountains to ski.

 

I'm fllying in to Chicago for my Bday next year and driving east and up around Lake Michigan stopping at all the brewery's I can get into..............I can't wait

 

Reiterating the suggestion of San Diego. The potential for a ruined vacation is just too high for the Atlantic NW in December.

San Diego is packed with good breweries, and the weather will be a fantastic change for the time of year.

 

San Diego. Portland, OR. Boulder/Denver. Asheville, NC. Hell, even Clevland OH has a decent beer scene.

 

dont forget Peg's Cantina and Saint Somewhere!

 

Belgium

 

I've beer-cationed in Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio. I'd recommend all of them although December isn't the best of months in the Midwest. Florida, NC, Atlanta, San Diego and Belgium all sound like solid choices.

 

If you want to stay in the NE, I'd say Portland, ME. The Vermont trip is great (http://www.vtbeer.org/2013/06/19/vermonts-ipa-highway/), but a bad weather could cause you problems. Save it for the summer.

If you're willing to spend more $, I'd vote for San Diego. Enjoy the beer AND the weather.

 

Hill Farmstead / The Alchemist in Vermont