Distance for beer

Some of you are either extremely spoiled by your proximity to great beer, or have no idea how to read an odometer.

Granted, I live in a rural area, but driving 35 - 50 miles for anything is routine here.

 

The farthest I go is about 40 miles up north to Buellton (from Santa Barbara) for releases at F-W Barrelworks. But that's usually a party too. But I absolutely include beer stops on every long road trip I take.

 

Hmmm....about 3 or so miles from my house is a place with 60 taps. A good bottle store is about 6 miles, and other ones are probably 10 miles or so. Breweries same distance...Maybe I'm a bit spoiled....

 

I do loop of about 350 miles to Vermont about once a month to restock Heady, Fiddlehead, Lawson's and Hills!

 

OK so I am calling you out, who is the one complaining about long lines. Or is just a general statement about this post. Be in line for me has always been a positive experience. I have met people and get to talk about Craft Beer. Also the statement " these day" sounds like you aren't enjoying Craft Beer.

 

I lived in SW NH for a while, used to be able to get Heady about 30 minutes away. Then I had to drive to the brewery, then it became a whole song and dance about which stores would get it certain days. So my final answer is 190 miles.

 

I've never driven anywhere solely to get beer.

 

I'm enjoying it pretty well thank you. But to have people leaving their house at 2am to make it to VT in line for whatever at 10am sounds pretty ridiculous to me. And more times than not they are there to load up on a particular bottle only to profit from it on the internet. I'm glad my state has a fine selection in the liquor stores but to chase a KBS lets say and only to be beat out by hoarders or truck chasers just ruins it for everyone.

If I travel on vacation I'll take advantage of what that area has, hit up a few stores and whatnot but to go out your way and drive 300-500 miles for the sole purpose of picking up a couple cases at a brewery is just pretty sad to me.

 

I drive 540 miles each way to VT from Baltimore, usually stay in Waterbury or Montpelier. Well worth the trip.

On the most recent trip(just returned Saturday 8/23/14), we came back with tons of Heady (8cs between 2 of us) & Lawson's + scored some Mastermind from Fiddlehead (just happened to be a release they day after we arrived). We detoured through Boston on the way up and hit Trillium - Awesome beers! We also stopped at NE Brewing on the way back - stuff on tap was very good but also met a really nice local couple there and traded for some Gandhi Bot, can't wait to try it.

On the previous trip in May we included Hill Farmstead and were there for Lawson Triple Sunshine special release and the Alchemist Focal Banger/ Beelzebub pop up sale. Hill Farmstead had a tap takeover in Waterbury then too!

VT is always worth the drive. Great restaurants and we always meet great people in lines (and yes, we waited in several lines!)

With our running around to buy the Heady and Lawson's (daily limits!), this last trip was about 1600 miles total!

 

I don't know how far away you are from Jacksonville, FL or Charleston, SC. But those cities are worth driving long distances.

 

Live in Frederick MD about a 5 minute walk to Flying Dog but longest drives solely for beer purposes are about 150 miles-ish from my place in Frederick to Philadelphia to hit a craftbeer shop that had some Russian River beers in stock (and cheesesteaks @ Jims!) and I somewhat regularly drive from my place to Richmond VA which is also about 150 miles as well to go to Hardywood Craft Brewery when they release new barrel aged stuff I can't get easily near my office in Arlington VA.

 

All the time! Brew hunting takes no holidays.

 

I would travel 50 miles not including the traffic to NOVA to get Bells, Founders, Great Lakes and etc since we don't get them in MD. Thinking about driving to SEPA soon for what they get.

 

I did about a 220 mile each way trip to pick up some New Glarus. But only 220 miles from NC for New Glarus isn't too bad!

 

I drive 162 miles each way to get Jester King. Houston to Austin

 

400 miles each way to HF, done it many times, with a few stops along the way. Its a great day trip

 

Will probably drive 200+ miles roundtrip tonight for a Philly beer run. Look for my haul post tomorrow!

 

I hate to one up you all... but 8 miles.

I was already heavily intoxicated, and decided I wanted a solid brew. So I walked... 8 miles for a case of Zombie at 1 in the morning.

 

You guys are nuts. I try to incorporate beer into trips I'm already taking. But aside from a trip from my house to Julio's in Westboro...26 miles, nothing.

 

When's your next trip to Sherbrooke?

Do a 900 mile round trip, twice a year to Whitefish/Kalispell to stock up on beers we don't get in Canada. A long drive but well worth the trip...lovely scenery once I leave Highway 2.