Physically Most Demanding Release & Most Remote Brewery

Well, I went to Crown Town's release at Boulevard this year. It was pretty cold. Not the worst line I've waited in though (the worst was a 50% off vintage video games, I was there at 4 A.M. and it was single digits).

Can't say I've tried many breweries far out of the way. Lone Star Brewery might take the cake for me because it was during my visit in Fort Collins this past May. It was about 45 minutes of driving one way in a borrowed car.

 

I wouldn't say it was all that physically demanding - especially since I was waiting in my car... But the Fantasia release at Upright on Saturday was very cold and wet.

As for out of the way breweries... The Ale Apothecary is pretty much in the middle of nowhere.

 

Lawson's Triple Sunshine. One of the most annoying lines I've ever waited in. The beer was fantastic but for 3 22oz bottles it was a bit ridiculous.

 

HMC is going to have triple sunshine on 1/21.

 

Hard not to say HF. That place feels so remote. The only time I go is when Im visiting my family in the middle of NH, which isn't even that far. But the 1.5-2 hour drive from there, albeit beautiful, feels pretty absurd. Whats more is I always feel intrusive up there. I kind of get the feeling that people choose to live up there in order to enjoy a little solitude, and I ruin that for them. Especially because my first trip up the sign for whatever turn (I think Taylor Road) was taken down..

 

Most remote brewery?

I visited Fish & Game Brewing Company (which has since become Maui Brewing) on a visit to Hawaii. Hawaii is 2390 miles from the nearest significant landmass, so I'd say that's pretty damned remote.

 

Well the lincoln park binnys Bcbs release is pretty demanding.

The two years I went I ate thanksgiving dinner left for Chicago after, got there between 2 and 3 am and waited until 9am when the store opened, I don't think it cracked 20°F either year I attended. We also went to the GI pub after to get lunch and Bcbs on tap we stayed up more than 24 hours both years.

Now I can handle bitter cold done it plenty of times but its not so much temperature as it is length of exposure after 5-6 hours even at 20°F it starts to be pretty bad. The 2014 binnys Black Friday was probably the coldest I've ever been I'm sure I was some level of hypothermic.

Between the cold and lack of sleep I decided to skip it this year, I regret nothing but I can tell you I won't ever be doing it again lol.

That or the line for 16 at central waters its was like 0°F if I remember right and it took like 2 hours to get in the tent. Honestly my feet were the only thing that bothered me that time, sneakers were a bad idea obviously not meant to keep your feet warm standing outside in temps like that.

 

Does De Garde count?

 

In years past, the Dark Horse 4 elf party was an overnight wait in blustery cold, snowy weather, and problematically organized in terms of the line. Great bottle share, and good times spent while braving the elements!

 

I don't go to releases.

However the most remote brewery in New England is easily Hill Farmstead. Smack dab in the middle of nowhere.
I will also say that Oxbow is quite remote themselves. Luckily I was staying in Friendship, Maine for Columbus day weekend so it wasn't too bad for me, but the brewery itself if the only thing that's really over there.

 

Wonder how Alaska breweries would rate here....

 

Alpine

 

Heard getting Great was a real pain

 

Casey

 

I'd have to echo Hill Farmstead as the farthest I've gone out of my way solely for a brewery.

But the best brewery I've visited that's the farthest from home would be Saya in La Paz, Bolivia. My wife and I spent seven months backpacking in South America in 2008-09 and, while I'm sure the craft beer scene has changed a ton since then, it seemed nearly nonexistent in the continent at the time. After a few months drinking Coronas by different names, we kinda went crazy drinking Saya beers at the Adventure Brew Hostel in La Paz. The place and the beers were great. I was writing for a travel publication at the time, and as a result, ended up getting to do a personalized tour with the owner that ended with a long night of drinking at the pub. I ended up doing the tour a couple more times while we were there, plus the beer soak in the rooftop hot tub (not sure if they still do that, but it was an interesting experience worth trying at least once).

 

My first instinct was to say HF and Oxbow, which others have already mentioned.

I'll take a more urban approach instead...when I lived in DC I didn't have a car - was pumped when both DC Brau and 3 Stars opened, but their locations, despite being within city limits, made them very difficult for me to get to with any regularity.

 

Kern River Citra has to be rough.. That place is far from everywhere.

 

I'm thinking the most physically demand release I've been to was the last Kate the Great release at Portsmouth Brewery before they went to the lottery system. They were supposed to be releasing tickets at 6AM, so I got up at like 3 to get up there. On my way, I got a text from my friend who went up the night before, they had released them at like 1AM. (would have been nice if she texted me then...) Anyway, I get up there at like 5, and stand in line, cold and raining, for 6 hours until the tapping at 11. I ended up getting a couple pours and having lunch, then going up to Allagash. (I don't remember if Maine Beer had opened yet, and certainly Foundation, Bissell and Austin were not yet glimmers in the founders' eyes.)

Most remote breweries? Aren't there a couple in Alaska?

 

I wish I trusted my vehicle enough to take me to those remote breweries.