What's your Beer Happy Place?

There ya go if all else fails. But.. if you married or have a GF there’s better options.

 

Not exactly the utopian/idylic kind of place the OP is asking for but I must say I was pretty happy last night while downing half liters of fresh Hofbräu Festbier, Ayinger Maibock and Celebrator to finish my already week long end of project celebrations in good company. You know you are in a happy place when you pass on three different taps from Weihenstephan, and seeing Ayinger Kellerbier 'tapping soon' on the electronic board was the cherry on the cake, as I love that one.

The kegged version of Hofbräu was phenomenal and inmensely drinkable. Maybe the coldness somewhow 'killed' some of the nuances from the malts but it also added to the refreshment/drinkability and I just couldn´t stop enjoying this balanced brew yet again (first time on tap). Note the girl didn´t serve it too nicely and exceded the 0.5 l line by some margin, robbing me of the pleasure of a proper head. I didn´t complain.



I´ve already praised Ayinger Maibock from the tap before. The very definition of a dangerous beer, as you can enjoy it either as a sipper or downright gulp a couple of liters without noticing. This beer defines a style I previously 'hated' in my opinion, and while some experiences from the bottle have not been this impressive you just can´t pass on it when it shows on tap. One of the best this year definitely, and while I do love the seasonal thing it is nice to see it showing in early autumn.



These two were so good that I didn´t care much for the Celebrator closing it all, the conversation heating up etc. It was also great to 'session' these particular beers on the margins of styles, given the german subtlety when it comes to ABV.

So getting back to the question I could think of several kind of places I´d be happy having a beer; German biergartens in the spring, a nice pub in coastal Cornwall while drinking bitter or IPA with the sight of the sea, and possibly rain...Or one of those lovely cafe bruins in Amsterdam (I have a favourite), the bartender serving Belgian witbier with the foam pouring out from the glass under the candles lightening, a tripel in mind for later.

That said any place with an exciting line-up will make me happy, as it happened last night!

 

I have a monthly beer share at a BYOB wood fired pizza place- Always a good a time.

 

This guy gets it.

 

My new space has a photography studio, separate desk/editing space, and quaint reading/drinking area. I find I really enjoy cracking a beer open and enjoying it while I work in the studio area, and then enjoy drinking the beer I just shot in the studio, at my desk. If I don't care to get on to edit, I can splay out on the lounge chair and just sit back with good music and my beer for enjoyment. Cost of operation is great, considering I can bring home quality beer for much, much cheaper than at the bars - and I get to enjoy it in my personally curated setting.

Honestly, I'm spoiled with this new setup, but it has been a dream so far.

 

It used to be the Bierstube in Old City(Philly)

RIP

 

Probably just Vermont in general. Heady + Summer + Outside.

Other than that, my favorite brewery experiences have been Hill Farmstead and Other Half. Other Half always has old school NYC hip hop bangers on with a perpetually amazing taplist. Hill Farmstead is just in a beautiful area and of course the beer is word class

 

Sitting on the pier in Oly on a rainy evening drinking fresh hops is my current favorite beer memory.

 

Some bars are just more comfortable than others for whatever reason, but it’s personal to a degree. Blackback doesn’t look like much but it’s comfortable, Burial in Asheville is the same way, it’s humble but a nice place to sip a beer. I’d also say Old Mecklenburg, it’s vast, but this time of year you can sit outside and not be bothered by the crowd and noise. Places I don’t like are SN in Asheville and or Wicked Weed, just frantic and over crowded, noisy you can’t even hear who your with. I also like Resident Culture, but Heist is a bit of a hassle. To each their own.

 

There is a few park benches along the Missouri River in Hermann and I’ve only been there twice but it was the most happy I’ve ever been while drinking a beer. Both times was sipping on gulden draak 9000 and had the same person as company so maybe those variables out weigh the spot.

 

My typical happy place is a picnic in loose park by the pond in Kansas City right after hitting up bks or mikes liquors

 

In my attic in front of the stereo when the weather's cool enough, like now.

When the Wine Spot has something really special on tap (their regular selection is generally fine but every now really snag something unexpectedly primo) or is doing verticals, the people there are knowledgeable and friendly. And it's less than a mile from me.

 

Yard work in the summer with a good pils/kolsch/helles or in the fall with a fest/esb/brown ale.

 

Pretty much any Binny's.

 

It depends.

Typically, I'd say home and variable locations within the boundaries. My chair watching sports, reading, or listening to music. Outside cooking, and the few times we've actually used the firepit we have. Once in a while in the hot tub, but after falling asleep a couple times haven't done that as much - high ABV and sitting in warm/hot water...Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

Away from home - we typically vacation at a rental on the water, usually they have a nice deck overlooking said water and that's always special.

And we enjoy visiting breweries - most have been very positive experiences, a few duds over the years. Jack's Abby and Springdale are usually fun with very good food and good people. Love visiting Allagash when we get up that way. Throwback Brewery was a nice surprise this year - great food, super service, chill vibe, and good but maybe not great beer. Learned it is pretty easy to overdo it when cruising breweries, so we've cut back on that some and are a little more selective vs. trying to do a bunch all at once.

 

My beer happy place is me with a beer in my hand.

This could be with me sitting on the couch watching the Eagles win their football game. Or it could mean sitting on the deck listening to the birds (real birds this time) singing. Or it could be like last week sitting at a beer garden in the Czech Republic drinking from a dimpled mug:



It's all good!

Cheers!

 

Except for those poor bastards who's SO's can't handle the beer on your breath. Choosing between the two recreations can be tough sometimes. So here's hoping for alternate positions to come to us beer-drinkers rescue. Cheers!