Brew Tour: 3 Great Craft Breweries to Visit in the United States
If you’re thinking about taking a road trip and want to quench your thirst in the process, perhaps touring America’s choice craft breweries is in your future. And because it’s unlikely you’ll find any of these beers in a typical grocery or convenient store in your area, it’s worth traveling to taste the best that the U.S. has to offer. Here are three craft breweries you should visit when traveling around the country.
Sixpoint Brewery: Brooklyn, N.Y.
Image via Flickr swanksalot
Shane Welch established this brewery in 2004, which has become one of the nation’s beloved places to enjoy a pint. Sixpoints has creatively crafted hundreds of beers since its opening, using locally grown ingredients in many of its choice brews. In addition to its year-round selection, which includes Sweet Action, Righteous Ale, Bengali Tiger, The Crisp, Resin, and Brownstone, the Brooklyn brewery also offers seasonal choices including Harbinger, Apollo, Autumnation, and Diesel.
Sixpoint is also known for hosting a variety of events. The most notable one, the annual Beer for Beasts tasting event, donates all of its proceeds to the Humane Society of NYC.
Fullsteam: Durham, N.C.
Image via Flickr James Willamor
Now that you’ve enjoyed some of the best beer the Northeast has to offer, continue your craft brewery tour by driving south to North Carolina. Rental cars are a great option for this long trip (just don’t drink that tasty brew you’ve purchased in The Big Apple while driving). When arriving in “First in Flight” state, you’ll want to drive directly to the Fullsteam brewery in Durham. If you’re longing for the southern experience, this is the place to go. Owner Sean Wilson’s mission is to create a distinct southern beer style that celebrates the culinary and agricultural heritage of the South. This brewery does it.
The brewery’s Apothecary series integrates heirloom grains, locally farmed goods, and botanicals into beers like the hickory-smoked Hogwash and creamy Summer Basil. In addition, the Forager series features beers – First Frost, Paw Paw, and Fruitcake – with ingredients harvested by the community. The Fullsteam also collaborates with local musicians, chefs, and other people to craft custom beverage that are unique.
Full Sail Brewery: Hood River, Ore.
Image via Flickr Sonnett
Being that there’s so many world-class breweries, it takes a lot to stand out. The Full Sail Brewery is a perfect last stop on your travels across the country because it’s more than just a tour stop – it’s a vacation stop. Staying here is less about taking a beer tour and more about enjoying it in the environment that inspired it.
With spectacular views of Mount Hood, where it gets its spring water and ideal location in an old Diamond Fruits cannery overlooking the Columbia River Gorge, you’ll never want to leave this paradise. Full Sail Brewery offers a range of pale ales and seasonal lagers you can enjoy while sitting out on its back deck overlooking the gorge, watching the sailboarders and kiteboarders whip through the breeze.
In addition, you can also spend your vacation touring the state’s largest beer maker, Deschutes Brewery, nearby.
If you’re planning a trip and love beer, there’s a great choice of craft breweries to visit across the country. These three are some of the best.
