Beer
Beer travel. Who doesn’t love a cold one when on the road? And some of the best places to drink beer are fantastic places to visit anyway.
I felt a bit sorry for beer – travel and wine has been the subject of so many articles, from Livermore Valley to Rioja to the interview with my wonderful penpal Nat. So let’s check out a few great places that not only serve up good ale and lager but are also the perfect backdrop for enjoying them. Beer travel:
Nothing better than fresh from the tap!
Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic
There are so many places in the Czech Republic that are a beer travel lovers heaven, it is hard to choose. My pick for one of the best places to drink beer in the Czech Republic is Cesky Krumlov because it is such a charmer. With medieval-styled restaurants and a historicl town centre straight out of a fairytale, it’s the perfect place to enjoy several of the local brews, such as the cheap and delicious Eggenberg. Try the yeast beer – it is amazing.
Dublin, Ireland
They say that a Guinness tastes different (better?) in Ireland than anywhere else in the world, and is a good enough beer travel reason to head for the Irish isles. Unfortunately I’m not a fan – I think it still tastes like chalk no matter where I go. However, it has a respectable fan following, and the storehouse tour in Dublin includes a free print in the Gravity Bar, which has one of the best views of the city, making it one of the best places to drink beer in Ireland.
Bruges & Ghent, Belgium
Everyone knows I’m a huge fan of Belgium and it’s partly due to the beer travel aspects! The Leffe cafes are so charming and lovely. The only problem is these beers are potent and the glasses large. I love a cold glass of Karmeliet if you can find it. I couldn’t choose between Bruges or Ghent, so you’ll have to try them both. If you only have time for one stop, pop into the Waterhuise aan de Bierkant, a terrific canalside haunt and one of the best places to drink beer in the country for some potent Belgian concoctions.
Greymouth, New Zealand
Greymouth is – as the name implies – somewhat of a grey place, especially for beer travel. It is a relic leftover frmo the industrial days. I’d still recommend a stay – you can pick up several interesting adventure tours, such as the Dragons Cave Rafting that is one hell of an adrenaline rush. The reason I’ve chosen Greymouth, though, as it is the home to one of my favourite beers in the world – Monteiths. I wish they still had the Irish Red – Monteiths, are you listening? – but as for the summer and winter ales, there is nothing better and their beer hall is one of the best places to drink beer and sample their wares.
Cologne, Germany
The massive tower of the Dom makes for a good first impression, but Cologne certainly delivers on the deal. With great museums, fantastic shopping, and some of the nicest Germans you’ll ever meet, it is a must-see German city for beer travel and sightseeing. (It is at the top of my mum’s favourites too – does that help?) It is fun sipping glasses of the local brew, Kolsch, served in tiny .2 litre glasses. Why? It’s tradition. It won’t get warm before you finish it. Drink up. And the city is full of tiny little pubs that are the best places to drink beer, Kolsch or otherwise, so just wander and see where your feet take you.
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Everyone knows about the massive temples of Ankgor Wat, but did you know about the national beer of Cambodia, Angkor. It’s light and crisp, very refreshing after climbing up stone staircases in the heat of the day – even if you aren’t a beer travel lover, something cold and refreshing is hard to deny! It also has the most adorable label, which of course includes a miniature logo of the namesake temple. You’ll find it anywhere in Cambodia, but why not bask in the glow of the nightlife scene in Siem Reap, a relaxed party paradise and one of the best places to drink beer in Cambodia.
Boulder, Colorado
Colorado produces the most beer per capita than any other state in the US. You’ll find breweries all over the place, but Boulder is my pick for a fun university town that has both big brands on draught and is home to local brews such as Boulder Beer and other beer travel favourites. The city has great access to the outdoors and neighbouring Rocky Mountains; go check it out and experience the unique vibe here that words really can’t describe. (If you’re wondering what I mean, check out Keep Boulder Weird. I think you’ll get my drift and realise that this really is one of the best places to drink beer in the world.)
Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Amsterdam probably isn’t a surprise to you on this beer travel list, but I’d be remiss not to include it. The city has a fantastic number of Belgian beer pubs (Gollem and De Zotte being two good ones) but there are tons of great Dutch beers as well. Heineken and the Heineken Experience are certainly the most well know, but you can head to places like the Arendsnest (translates at the Eagle’s Nest) and sample choice concotions from all over the country. Amsterdam as one of the best places to drink beer? Hell yeah.
What’s your favourite beer that also has a fantastic beer travel location to accompany?
Photo courtesy of cytoon
Andy Hayes is the managing editor of Sharing Travel Experiences. Featured in Newsweek, the Wall Street Journal, National Geographic Traveler, and other major publications, he travels for up to seven weeks at a time and spends the other seven right here with you. Follow him on Twitter, @andrewghayes.
Looking for some of your own hops-inspired travel adventures?
What are you waiting for? Travel more with our special travel deals, such as:
Or, get hands-on travel help from Donna, our travel concierge.
May 24th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
i was given a tour of nijmegen in the netherlands once a good few years ago which included a couple of breweries. not even sure if nijmegen is really known for beer, but always stuck on my mind. some really velvety wheat beer
Dave Martinez’s last blog post..No thank you, put your money away, it’s free!
May 24th, 2009 at 2:38 pm
I rather liked Singha while exploring Thailand. Good beer, beautiful country!
Dave2’s last blog post..Matt+Kim
May 25th, 2009 at 8:22 am
I must admit I’m not a beer drinker, but you honed in on one of my favorite villages in Eastern Europe – Cesky Krumlov! Indeed the village is a complete charmer and by the way has 2 great antique shops that are on my must see list in addition to Krumlov Hrad. But my favorite thing about this village is actually the artist Miro Pozar – he’s a sensational sculptor and is a delight to meet and chat with! Reading your post today made me smile remembering my last trip to Cesky Krumlov… now, the only problem is I have to see when I can fit it in my agenda to go back. By the way, I wrote 2 different posts on the town on my site, if you click Czech Republic you’ll find the addresses for the shops mentioned and a few pics of Miros work.
Cheers,
Toma
The Antiques Diva’s last blog post..Amsterdam – Secret Sale Days
May 26th, 2009 at 12:25 am
I haven’t been to the Canadian Unibroue brewery yet, but I have been to Quebec, which is lovely. The Unibroue brand of beers is becoming more widely available in the U.S., and they have some yummy ones. My partner is the ‘real’ beer drinker of the family, and Unibroue is one of his faves, although I’ve had a few that I liked. We also concur w/ Belgium and Amsterdam as beer place choices, however we didn’t have time for Bruges or Ghent, only Brussels!
Lisa
May 26th, 2009 at 7:36 am
@ Toma – What a lovely reason to head back to Cesky Krumlov. Perhaps Miro could show off some of his photographs here?
@ Lisa – I was thinking about including Canada on this list, as I’ve had many an ice cold brew there. All I could think of was Molson, not exactly an epicurean delight (but tasty nonetheless). Unibroue is now officially on my to do list, thanks!
June 16th, 2009 at 9:48 am
Beer lovers should all go to Ireland or Netherlands at least once in their life! And oh, Germany of course!
David Stock’s last blog post..Investools Review
June 16th, 2009 at 5:17 pm
@David – it’s tough to choose, isn’t it?!
June 23rd, 2009 at 3:03 pm
[...] skiing – mostly when staying with friends near Boulder, Colorado (which incidentally is how I know Boulder is Weird) and it is a tremendous experience. So much fun, especially the drinks in the [...]
November 8th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
[...] – mostly when staying with friends near Boulder, Colorado (which incidentally is how I know Boulder is Weird) and it is a tremendous experience. So much fun, especially the drinks in the [...]
December 2nd, 2009 at 2:36 am
We have some great microbreweries here in Nova Scotia including the award winning Propeller Brewing Company and Garrison Brewing Company. Two more great things to add to your Nova Scotia travels!
December 5th, 2009 at 1:40 am
@Doug – Why is it called Propeller Brewing Company? Sounds tasy.
December 23rd, 2009 at 11:01 pm
[...] Of course, if you are looking for the best prices on French antiques then, believe it or not, it’s time to say “Au Revoir France – Bonjour Belgium”! One of the largest flea markets in Europe is held each Sunday in Tongeren, Belgium from 7am-12pm. This is must stop shopping!! While we’re at it, as far as I’m concerned a trip to Belgium isn’t complete without a visit to the Europe’s chicest weekend flea market at Brussels’ swank Place du Grand Sablon. However, if you’re looking for bargains, skip this oh-so-yummy-upscale-market and head to the Place du Jeu de Balle daily market whose ambiance is “grass roots” with vendors selling wares on blankets spread in a parking lot. In both neighborhoods a plethora of antique shops dot the district. Speaking of antiques districts, Antwerp’s old town is jammed-packed with antique shops, housing more than 200 dealers in the old city alone! My favorite shopping street is the Kloosterstraat with 70 bric-a-brac shops lining the streets. From here it’s an easy hop skip and jump to traverse this walkable city, hitting the Schuttershofstraat, Leopoldstraat and Sint-Salvatorskerkhof! And don’t forget all the great beer in Belgium. [...]
April 10th, 2010 at 9:32 pm
[...] are a lot of travel trends underfood – creativity travel, beer travel, serendipity travel just a few of them. But a much more serious and focus trend I’ve [...]
June 1st, 2010 at 5:02 pm
[...] those into beer travel, Plzen is a must-visit Czech Republic sightseeing stop. It is somewhat of an industrial city, so [...]