Best Beer-cation cities

Legends is outstanding for the lover of well made lagers! I typically don't mention them as most people seek out the big boys around here. But I guess I should do so more often because that's some true craft. Asylum obviously doesn't get too much love mainly due to their location (right across from Bottle Logic), and agreed with you on Phantom. Can't help but want to go home and brew after a visit there. Cheers!

 

Agree with everything you've said. ABQ is one of the most surprisingly awesome beer (and general) places I've ever been. Most people's experience with ABQ includes arriving and departing en route to Santa Fe, but I'd argue ABQ is cooler than Santa Fe these days. The sense of place is insane, and the New Mexican food and culture is amazing. ABQ was also the first city to designate a 'brewery district' a number of years ago I learned. Nob Hill (original Route 66) is also a very fun area of town, with great food, and a lot of history. There are some great spots to stay these days too. La Cumbre is definitely the top of the list in my opinion, but as you mention Bosque is also great. Have a look at IPA awards (if that's your thing), and you'll see ABQ (and NM as a whole) have taken home as much or more hardware than anyone in the last five years. Fun spot. And yes, very inexpensive almost the entire year (outside of Balloon Fiesta, when it's still not pricey compared to elsewhere).

 

In the last two years I've been to San Diego, Chicago, Minneapolis, and NYC.

#1 San Diego-IMO, far ahead of the others. So many great places and everything is so chill.

#2 Chicago-Not a big fan of 3 Floyds but a lot of other good options in town. More about the bars than the tap rooms.

#3 NYC-Had a ton of great beer, mostly in Brooklyn. The biggest problem is that every place is so busy. It was hard for me to find a place to just hang out, which is what I'm use to doing.

#4 Minneapolis-I feel bad about putting it 4th, but for the size, it's very impressive.

 

Just stop it! You will ruin it for some of us.

NM has become a go to for us. Great scenery, culture, history, food, and beer. Will be back in November for five nights. Will spend a month in early spring.

For those that don't know, I expect to see snow. Santa Fe is at 7000 ft, and gets snow.

 

If I'm going to Chicago for a beer trip, I'm not going to Three Floyds.

There are so many great breweries and bottle shops, along with brew pubs and bars with incredible selections, why leave the city and drive 30 miles to another state?

 

And with 3F having a TON of taps around town, just no reason to make the trip to the brewery, unless you're on a pilgrimage or something.

 

-Portland, OR
-Burlington, VT
-Portland, ME
-Montreal, QC
-Barcelona, ES

The key to these cities is that they have great beer, are walkable, not crazy expensive, good food, scenic views, and they aren't ridiculously hot. You shouldn't ever have to enter a car, uber or otherwise. That just kills the flow of the day.

 

Great choice! An ocean of beer between these 2 cities.

Wife & I did similar trip 8 years ago, centered around D/FC with stops in Boulder, Longmont, Estes Park & Lyons. Also a LOT of hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Lasting memory? Oskar Blues Pub & Grill in Lyons. Pinball joint underneath. Just a cool little town.

 

I could describe to you cultural and linguistic distinctions locally that change quickly regardless of city and county boundaries. The borderlands between North Carolina and Virginia, called the Southside of Virginia, still have an utterly unique old English accent that is pronounced. This accent is also prevalent on the Outer Banks and I've known a number of Eastern Canadians with nearly identical tones, inflections, and cadence. Beyond that, Haw River Farmhouse Ales in Saxapahaw, out in beautiful old Quaker territory between Chapel Hill and Greensboro, makes great beer very reminiscent of the beers on the French/Belgian border area. Cheers!

 

I moved to the Portland area from Boston three years ago. Local beer is prolific and quite good, but distribution from other parts of the country is not. It is a great beer destination, though.

 

2 years ago I was drinking pints of Pliny the Elder for $4 a pop in Toronado in San Francisco. Really loved that bar.

 

Been to lots of beery places, but I'd have to second Franconia. Beautiful countryside, great beer, good food and, to top it all, dirt cheap. Zoigl country is another good one. And everyone should experience Düsseldorf's Altstadt at least once in their lives.

 

Could NY not be considered part of New England because it was originally a Dutch colony?

 

I'm with ya! Just got back from Colorado on Tuesday. The amount of breweries between Denver, Boulder and Fort Collins is insane.

 

That description is exactly what I'm looking for.

 

I live in SD, Ive been to almost every brewery, meadery, cidery and ever other "-ery" in the county. We have a great selection but hitting all areas will require a car and a plan of attack. Portland has fewer breweries but they are a bit closer together so navigating the beerscape would be easier there.

 

Soooo many to choose from...

VT - Burlington's awesome, with Waterbury, Stowe and HF easy drives away. Everyone knows the big breweries, but Foam, Four Quarters, River Roost, Good Measure, Ten Bends, etc are killing it.

Portland...Maine - Bissel, Foundation, Austin Street, Barreled Souls, foulmouthed, maine Beer Co, Ebenezers, oxbow, banded horn, allagash, funky bow, riding tide, liquid riot, bunker, etc. Oh and NOVARI RES. And get a reservation for dinner at FORE STREET.

Denver/Fort Collins/Boulder/Greeley/Longmont - you can't throw a rock without hitting 3 good breweries here.

Tampa - TBBW may be the best beer week in the country. FLA as a state is busting out the best stouts in the country. And crazy good Sours. Cycle, Angry Chair, Cigar City, Arkane, Calusa, 7venth Sun, Coppertail, Green Bench, etc.

Ashevillle - yeah, it was better before Wicked Weed was AB, but it's still a fantastic place to visit and as walkable as any beer city in the country.

Philly - what it lacks in breweries in the city (2nd District, Tired Hands and Forest & Main notwithstanding), it makes up for it with the best beer bar scene possibly in the country. No city on the east coast has the quality of beer bar that Philly has, case and point MONK's. And it's supremely walkable. When in doubt, check PhillyTapFinder.com

St. Louis - time your trip for a Side project release. Great beer, BBQ, and you can give AB the finger.

Seattle/Portland OR/Bend - All worthy as well. I'd go into more detail but it was too blurry to remember.

 

I can attest to this having just sent my honeymoon beercation there.

 

1. asheville - burial, vortex donuts, a float down the french broad & a tourist baseball game-
2. portland, me - bissell, foundation, allagash & awesome summer weather.
3. tampa/st pete - cigar city cans for the beach, angry chair & cycle. yes, please. cubans from bodega on central, F yes.