Where should I go for beer?

[coolharry]

So the family is gonna try something new this year and instead of gifts for Christmas, were going to take a trip somewhere. My choice will obviously be beer related. My first thought was San Fransisco to try some pliney and take a day trip up to Sierra Nevada (my dads fav). But I got to thinking and figured the collective knowledge here might be able to suggest some other hot spots.
So if you could travel anywhere in the lower 48 for some great beer, where would you go?

 

[mrgrimm101]

I've lived in Michigan my whole life and there are lots of great breweries here. Founders in Grand Rapids, Bell's in Kalamazoo, and Dark Horse in Marshall are my top 3. A couple others are Arcadia Ales in Battle Creek, and if you're feeling up for a drive up north, Short's in Bellaire is great as well. Oddside Ales in Grand Haven and Greenbush in Saginaw are doing great things as well.

Grand Rapids has many other great breweries as well..Brewery Vivant is an amazing Belgo-American style brewery that operates in an old church. Perrin has some great beers that they don't bottle, you can only get them at the brewery or on tap locally.

I've done a tour going from Bell's in Kalamazoo, to Arcadia in Battle Creek, then Dark Horse in Marshall, and they are all in a straight shot to each other on the highway. You could do start in Grand Rapids and do the same route, it would just take slightly longer.

It's a bit of a drive going from city to city, but if you're looking for great beer and some awesome scenery, come to Michigan.

 

[mrgrimm101]

Aside from that, Chicago is an amazing beer city as well. I've made the drive out there several times and always stop at Three Floyds, which is in Munster, Indiana. It's about 45 min from the city, but worth the drive. They are the brewery that got me into craft beer...specifially their Alpha King pale ale.

Half Acre and Pipeworks are 2 more fantastic breweries in Chicago. If you go, stop at the Binny's in Lincoln Park and visit the taproom. Prepare to be amazed.

 

[Fuzzymittenbrewing]

Ditto for West Michigan, for the concentration of world class breweries in one area it can't be beat. I live here and am still uncovering gems. But only downfall is the winter weather and snow if you are not used to driving in it.

 

[Teromous]

Colorado is pretty awesome. There are tons of breweries and brewpubs everywhere you go. If you drive into some random town you'll probably see a brewpub. In Denver many are in close enough proximation that you can walk from one to another without needing to drive (Denver area traffic is terrible). You'll probably find yourself making a "cut list" of places you don't have time to visit, and you'll probably leave there thinking "oh yeah I forgot about that place, I should have checked them out too!" There's also a lot of great outdoor places to visit (mountains, parks, etc) for the family.

 

[zach976]

So the family is gonna try something new this year and instead of gifts for Christmas, were going to take a trip somewhere. My choice will obviously be beer related. My first thought was San Fransisco to try some pliney and take a day trip up to Sierra Nevada (my dads fav). But I got to thinking and figured the collective knowledge here might be able to suggest some other hot spots.
So if you could travel anywhere in the lower 48 for some great beer, where would you go?

My wife and I did the San Francisco trip back in June. It was awesome. We did 21st Amendment, Speakeasy, southern pacific, Lagunitas and Russian River. Russian River was amazing.


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[mrgrimm101]

If you do SF, make sure you go to Lagunitas. Anchor would be a really cool place to visit as well.

 

[zach976]

So the family is gonna try something new this year and instead of gifts for Christmas, were going to take a trip somewhere. My choice will obviously be beer related. My first thought was San Fransisco to try some pliney and take a day trip up to Sierra Nevada (my dads fav). But I got to thinking and figured the collective knowledge here might be able to suggest some other hot spots.
So if you could travel anywhere in the lower 48 for some great beer, where would you go?

My wife and I did the San Francisco trip back in June. It was awesome. We did 21st Amendment, Speakeasy, southern pacific, Lagunitas and Russian River. Russian River was amazing.


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[EthanH]

Weather not being a consideration (which, if you're actually travelling around Christmastime, the weather will probably be ****), Portland, OR. There are tons of great breweries and brewpubs in the Portland/Mt. Hood area and also tons of other stuff to do. You may come back w/ a fixed gear bike and a handlebar mustache, though.

Second choice might just be Montréal. Great city (though also not great weather in winter) and the craft beer scene has exploded there in the last 5-10 years. You may come back speaking French, though.

Third choice (which might be second choice if I didn't live here), Austin, TX. We've got a great craft beer industry in town and just outside of town (Real Ale, Jester King, etc). AND the weather here is usually pretty nice in the winter. You might like it so much you might just not come back.

 

[zach976]

Not sure why mine posted twice. Anchor would be cool but I know you have to register online because their tours book months in advance.


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[duffy5018]

I 3rd Michigan. Great beer scene there (mostly west of Lansing).

 

[coolharry]

I'm loving the suggestions so far!
Were from Wisconsin and have family in Indy, so Illinois and Indy we got covered. I've wanted to get over to Bells for a long time and looked into the car ferry across lake Michigan, but man is it pricey!
Weather shouldn't be an issue, its for Christmas but we would take the trip when weather was good depending on the area.
San Fran is looking better now, but so is Denver and every other place! I guess no matter where we end up well have an awesome time.

 

[mrgrimm101]

I 3rd Michigan. Great beer scene there (mostly west of Lansing).

Yea I live in Lansing and there isn't anything here. Detroit has some good places such as Atwater. Arbor Brewing in Ann Arbor is good too. If you go to Detroit, stop off at Detroit City Distillery and get some bourbon; my older brother went to high school with the guys who own DCD.

 

[fimpster]

Portland, OR is my favorite beer city. San Diego, CA has a very good craft beer scene too.

I've never been to Asheville, NC, but I've read lots off good things about the craft scene there. New Belgium thinks so, too.

 

[mrgrimm101]

I've wanted to get over to Bells for a long time and looked into the car ferry across lake Michigan, but man is it pricey!

If you make it up to Kalamazoo to go to Bell's, you have to go to Founders in Grand Rapids and/or Darkhorse in Marshall. Totally worth it.

 

[Derrminator]

Also agree with the Portland, OR suggestions. They used to claim more breweries than any city in the world. Not sure if that's still true.

 

[mhurst111]

Denver Brewery Map - I'm just saying
https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=206617958766015169509.0004c79ea5cdfd0bc2685&msa=0&dg=feature

And that doesn't even include the Boulder / Longmont area (all of 30 minute drive from downtown Denver) which has Avery, Odell, Left Hand & Oskar Blues

 

[pdxal]

Also agree with the Portland, OR suggestions. They used to claim more breweries than any city in the world. Not sure if that's still true.

Still true, more than 50 breweries within the city limits and 70+ if you count the suburbs.
Portland, Oregon, San Diego, Denver, San Francisco and surrounding area, SW Michigan would probably be my top 5 list.

 

[mdh384]

I moved from IL to San Diego and the craft brewing scene here is ridiculous. Stone, Ballast Point, Green Flash, Coronado Brewing Co, and Mother Earth Brewing are my personal favorites... and there are another 5-10 craft breweries, then countless brew pubs all within a 50 miles radius. San Diego county is considered by some to be the craft brew capital of the country. I haven't been to Portland so I can't compare.

The beaches are gorgeous, sunset cliffs is incredible and there is great food here so the spouse will be happy... plus seaworld/lego land/san diego zoo/the midway museum for the kids. SD is also warmish in the winter, which will be a nice break from the cheddar head infested frozen tundra...