February 24, 2022
While the pandemic and its related challenges have lingered, there are some hopeful signs for beer enthusiasts and travelers in 2022. The Craft Brewers Conference is currently scheduled for an in-person event in Minneapolis in May, and the Great American Beer Festival is poised to celebrate its 40th anniversary October 6–8 in Denver. As states reopen at different intervals and welcome tourists back, a few can’t-miss opportunities for beer travelers have become possible again. Here’s a top 10 list of coveted beers that mirror the spirit and history of their local community, and are best enjoyed near the breweries that crafted them.
Washington is the top hop-producing state in the U.S. and no time of year quite matches the excitement and anticipation of the fall hop harvest. For IPA lovers, fresh-hop and wet-hop versions are some of the most intense in the beer world. Short of drinking straight from the fermenter, there is no way to get a fresher hop experience than sipping the award-winning Topcutter IPA in the heart of hop country.
The beer that helped establish the Belgian white ale style in the United States comes from one of the many fine breweries in the Pine Tree State, but whether it’s the nostalgia (it was the only style the brewery made for years after its founding, was recently awarded a GABF silver medal, and pairs wonderfully with any kind of weather) or the tranquil photos of Maine that Allagash shared with followers during the stress of the pandemic, White seems to taste even better off the taps at its birthplace.
While Sierra Nevada’s calling card is undoubtedly its Pale Ale, the brewery’s open-fermented Kellerweis wheat beer stands as a testament to traditional brewing methods. The brewery has showcased the mammoth head the beer develops during fermentation and the spectacle was even part of the advertising campaign when Kellerweis made its debut. While the beer is no longer part of Sierra Nevada’s year-round lineup, savvy enthusiasts can enjoy it in the brewery’s Mills River restaurant overlooking the French Broad River at the facility many fittingly refer to as Malt Disney World.
Jester King is nestled in the Hill Country outside of Austin, and during COVID, this 165-acre brewery, farm, and event hall opened up walking trails on its property that were previously inaccessible. Strolling the trails or simply enjoying the quietude of this part of the Lone Star State with a spontaneously fermented beer in hand is an experience not to be missed. To enjoy this rustic saison in the heart of Texas Hill Country is to understand the spirit that helped craft it.
While many brewers set up their tasting rooms in industrial plazas and off-the-beaten-path warehouses out of necessity, Stone Brewing went the extra mile to establish an upscale brewery-restaurant in a tranquil, aesthetically pleasing setting. To drink the groundbreaking Enjoy…
