Huge Road Trip: Where should I stop?

[Braufessor]

If you are just looking to purchase hard to find beers, I think you would be hard pressed to beat this spot anywhere along your route - they have a TON of hard to find beers, lots of imports, belgians, etc.
Iowa City - within a mile or so of I-80. For buying beer, it is a must stop. here is a link to their "by style" inventory.
http://www.johnsgrocery.com/Departments/Beer/browse.cfm?method=style

 

[user 108580]

If you are just looking to purchase hard to find beers, I think you would be hard pressed to beat this spot anywhere along your route - they have a TON of hard to find beers, lots of imports, belgians, etc.
Iowa City - within a mile or so of I-80. For buying beer, it is a must stop. here is a link to their "by style" inventory.
http://www.johnsgrocery.com/Departments/Beer/browse.cfm?method=style

Wow, thanks! That's quite an impressive selection they have!

 

[Doog_Si_Reeb]

Going through Albuquerque, NM you have to go to La Cumbre and have a few and then go to Marble Brewing and get a Red Ale. Knock your socks off it's sooo good.
We just went through there on our way to ride motorcycles in Utah last month. We came back that way just to go to Marble for another Red Ale.

Ditto this exactly. La Cumbre's Elevated IPA has won multiple awards. The brewer there has been interviewed by multiple websites and magazines as one of the top hop heads. Get a 4 pack of cans while you're there.

Marble is amazing. Their Marble Red is one of the best craft beers I've ever had. Drink a couple at their brewery and buy a sixer for later.

 

[Darkness]

While in Chicago hit Bennies Liqure best in city has everything.
Nabraska brewing company, there Hop God, Ménage a Trois , Black Betty stout are all really good. Also in IL see if any stores have Brooklyn brewing, Terrapin from Athins GA,Sweat Water from GA, Dog Fish head will be in Chicago as well, 21st Amendment is great. Great Lakes brewing is good.

If you can get to Saint Louis, MO. Second Shift brewing, Perennial Brewing, Square One brew pub good food and beer also a distillery. Urban Chestnut Brewing great German and Belgian brews. Four Hands is one of My Fav's always great also all four of these are only 30 min from total driving.

There are some new brewery's in Arkansas that I have heard are good. Also in Arkansas look for Mothers Brewing from Springfield Mo, those are my local guys and do a really good Brown and IPA.

Side note drop into Denver cause there is to much beer to pass up if not just to hit Falling Rock Tap House. Odell's, New Belgian, Fort Collins, tommy knockers, Breckinridge, Avery, Left Hand, Flying Dog, Great Divide.

Have fun Drive Safe!!! Oh and bring me some Russia River sours for the love of all thnigs fermented!!!!!

 

[bergen69]

Looks as though you will be going through Iowa City...Johns Grocery on S. Gilbert has one of the beer selections in the country! Lots of really hard to get stuff...if your there during the week as for Doug. Also try Backpocket brewery in Coralville (about 15 minutes away) then have dinner at Reds Ale house in North Liberty (another 15 minutes). Their motto is no crap on tap, great selection, have most of the beers that are brewed in state. Try Toppling Goliath's 1492..,my beer of choice these days.

 

[JonM]

If you veer a little bit north and go through Wisconsin, we have some great breweries here - New Glarus, Ale Asylum, Sprecher, Lakefront, Tyranena, Milwaukee Brewing Co., Vintage Brewing,

 

[user 108580]

Thanks everyone! I have quite a list developing. I definitely plan on stopping at John's grocery, and probably bennies liquor. Probably have lunch one day at 3 Floyd's.

Keep the suggestions coming!

 

[chiteface]

Half Acre in Chicago. I believe they only sell to go beer out of there brewery and there is no brew pub. But what I have had from them has been great.

 

[chiteface]

Also one good beer store in that local should get you in touch with most of the great Michigan brews.

 

[schwartzy13]

Looks like you will be running very close to bourbonnais IL I would stop at brickstone restaurant and brewery they have there national award winning pale ale which beat three Floyd's this year they have good food also

 

[Xpertskir]

Thanks everyone! I have quite a list developing. I definitely plan on stopping at John's grocery, and probably bennies liquor. Probably have lunch one day at 3 Floyd's.

Keep the suggestions coming!

It's Binnys lol. Be careful taking spelling advice from a guy who spells liquor liqure

 

[MrNatural]

Not a beer stop but you should find a BBQ joint called Rendevous in Memphis. Excellent dry rub Memphis Q. Then you are right on Beale St for plenty of fun.

For a beer stop, hit the Flying Saucer. They have half a million different brews on tap!
http://www.beerknurd.com/stores/memphis/

Rendezvous is an institution and worth a visit just for the waiters. But for ribs, I prefer Corky's, as do most locals (and google reviewers).
http://www.corkysmemphis.com/

 

[chiteface]

Oh yeah...**** yeah Memphis is an awesome town. Definitely need to work in a night there.

 

[Atonk]

Most of the route in Arkansas looks like "dry county hell". I'm not sure about Oklahoma. There isn't much in southern Illinois, but if you go to St. Louis there is Schafly Brewing and that's great.

We drive every year through southern Illinois and across Arkansas, and there are mostly dry areas surrounded by nuthin'.

I love to travel, but most of the states you're traveling through aren't known for beer or breweries. If you go a wee bit north, you can hit Minneapolis (awesome for beer), and Milwaukee, Madison (New Glarus), Wisconsin.

+1 New Glarus is not far over the state line and is like the Willy Wonka factory of beer. Then you could cut over to Milwaukee before dipping down to Three Floyds.

 

[Autry_Akins]

If travelling that close to Mississippi, keep an eye out for Lazy Magnolia's Timber Beast Rye IPA; it is awesome and probably available at The Flying Saucer in Memphis. Also I suggest trying Diamond Bear Two Term IPA from Arkansas. Neither are cellar beers, but hey who doesn't need a good 9% IPA for the highway?

 

[BobTheFourth]

I think it'd be well worth your while to bend your northern route south a bit to hit Denver.

 

[user 108580]

UPDATE!

Decided to update this thread since we have our official route selected. Wanted to get some late suggestions to see if I've missed anything. THE ROUTE CAN NOT CHANGE so your suggestions need to be for beers I will find in that area. And again, I'm not looking for breweries to stop at but am looking for suggestions of beer I should find/buy at liquor stores along the way. Here is the updated route:

[/URL]

We start in my home town (Petaluma) which is located by San Francisco. We then stop at Declo, ID to stay with some friends. Then a short stay in Jackson, WY before staying at Yellowstone for a few nights, then stopping to see Mt. Rushmore. Our next and longest stop is in Crown Point IN. Crown Point is very close to Munster and I'm gonna try and stop at Three Floyds. We then travel to Memphis, TN. I plan on stopping at Binny's Liquor in Champaign, IL to look for brews. I also want to try and stop at Johns Grocery before leaving the Crown Point/Chicago Area. We stay in Memphis for a few days before the long trek to the Grand Canyon. After that it's back home.

Here are items I already know I will be looking for:

New Glarus
Three Floyds
La Cumbre
Marble
Great Lakes
Founders
Ale Asylum
Pipeworks
Two Brothers
Schlafly
Nebraska Brewing

So, looking for more suggestions and must get brews if I can find them! Thanks for any and all help!

 

[HawksBrewer]

New Glarus
Three Floyds
La Cumbre
Marble
Great Lakes
Founders
Ale Asylum
Pipeworks
Two Brothers
Schlafly
Nebraska Brewing

So, looking for more suggestions and must get brews if I can find them! Thanks for any and all help!

Also look for Revolution while you're in Chicago. Their Anti-Hero IPA is outstanding IMO. Pipeworks makes some incredible beers... and some mediocre ones. One to make sure to grab is Blood of the Unicorn. I would skip Two Brothers altogether, but that's just me. Otherwise it looks like you'll have one hell of a trip. Enjoy!

 

[user 108580]

Bump. Anymore suggestions before I let this thread slip into the deepest, darkest unknowns of the HBT forum?

 

[hogwash]

Snake River and Big Sky make some pretty good beers, especially their IPAs, that you should be able to easily find in Jackson, WY. Snake River is in Jackson and a great place to have dinner, if possible. Their Pako's IPA won a gold, I think, at a recent GABF.

 

[Spartan1979]

I know you said you don't want to change your route but taking 55 instead of 57 between Chicago and Memphis wouldn't take you much out of your way and would take you through St. Louis. St. Louis has a lot going on right now. You could pick up some Perennial, 4 Hands, Second Shift, Urban Chestnut, etc.

 

[lowlife]

Contrary to earlier statements,I have no problem finding three floyds in the chicago area. I live in NW suburbs. They have 3 floyds at some convenience stores. I find it at Binnys downtown also (im sure its a lot more places). Some of the binnys places hide it (I swear) and they put it behind the counter. You might have to ask for it.

 

[Piratwolf]

Keep an eye out for Boulevard beers when you get out to the Iowa area--may be available in that area. Their Double Wide IPA, Long Strange Tripel, and Tank 7 Saison are some of my favorite commercial beers!

 

[lowlife]

Keep an eye out for Boulevard beers when you get out to the Iowa area--may be available in that area. Their Double Wide IPA, Long Strange Tripel, and Tank 7 Saison are some of my favorite commercial beers!

Thats here too =)

 

[user 108580]

Contrary to earlier statements,I have no problem finding three floyds in the chicago area. I live in NW suburbs. They have 3 floyds at some convenience stores. I find it at Binnys downtown also (im sure its a lot more places). Some of the binnys places hide it (I swear) and they put it behind the counter. You might have to ask for it.

I'll be sure to ask when I hit up Binnys, thanks for the heads up!

 

[user 108580]

Keep an eye out for Boulevard beers when you get out to the Iowa area--may be available in that area. Their Double Wide IPA, Long Strange Tripel, and Tank 7 Saison are some of my favorite commercial beers!

Believe it or not I can actually get Boulevard in Ca. I'll have to pick some up locally and see how it compares.

 

[Dave1096]

So I'm headed on a pretty big Roadtrip in a few months for a family reunion. Wondering where I should stop or what I should try to find along the way?

Here's a picture of the route we're probably gonna take:

View attachment 85234

I can't stray off of the path too far. I don't really need to stop at the breweries themselves, just want to know what's good and what I should hunt for.

I'm mostly interested in cellarable beers.

Thanks!

You could stop by Firestone Walker in Paso Robles if you take the 101 through CA instead of the 5.

 

[user 108580]

You could stop by Firestone Walker in Paso Robles if you take the 101 through CA instead of the 5.

I love Firestone! I've been to the brewery before but maybe we could swing by again....

 

[BrewinHooligan]

Mother Road Brewery in Flagstaff is putting out some really good brews for a new brewery and they are active homebrewers too. They have the only Black IPA I have ever enjoyed. If you take a corny to the brewery they will fill that for you (for a fee of course). Also while in AZ, Four Peaks puts out really good beer and does not distribute outside of the state, their Kiltlifter Scottish Ale is really good and I really like their IPA called Hop Knot too.

 

[UncleKrusty]

While you're in Chicago, I hear Half Acre brewing has a pretty nice tasting room. Their pale ale is supposed to be pretty awesome too. Also, I've had a few bombers from Spiteful Brewing and they are definitely worth checking out. Binnys beverage depot has an awesome selection (you can mix and match), I'm sure you'll find a ton of good stuff.