The most recent advancement was Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal signing Senate Bill 85 into law, permitting breweries and distilleries to sell directly to their consumers—including growlers and up to a case of product. As a result, another wave of breweries and brewpubs have surfaced in anticipation of this law’s economic impact.

To narrow down where to eat, imbibe and shop for the weekend, the following roundup focuses inside the I-285 perimeter of Atlanta, popularly termed the “ITP.” With more than 20 breweries inside the perimeter alone, ATL has officially become a “beer city.”

Friday

If you had to choose one area of Atlanta to get your craft brew sipping on, Decatur would be it. Starting from the most eastern location leading into its neighborly downtown, My Parents’ Basement (22 N. Avondale Road) in the Avondale Estates sector combines the best worlds of geekdom—comic books, gaming and a steadily rotating 32 taps. Grab a bite from the extensive, vegetarian-friendly menu, too, before hitting the numerous stops to follow. Wild Heaven (135B Maple St.) is the second stop. Co-founders Nick Purdy and Eric Johnson blessed ATL’s beer scene with their Ode To Mercy coffee brown ale and Invocation Belgian-style golden ale via contract brewing in 2010. Since then, this duo opened their own festive brewery in 2013 that now boasts a large patio, barrel aging, limited-released sours, IPAs and European-inspired beer served by one of the most hospitable staffs in the state. (They have a second, 21,000-square-foot brewery in the works alongside BeltLine’s Westside Trail, under construction, too.)

Just over a half-mile down East College Avenue is Three Taverns (121 New St.) where owner Brian Purcell has been pouring his outstanding renditions of Belgian ales, Russian imperial stouts, IPAs and sours from the taps of “The Parlour” inside his rustic-meets-chic brewery since 2013. Request anything from the Imaginarium, Hop Leaf and Sour Asylum Projects. Getting back on College Avenue, stop by Ale Yeah! (906 W. College Ave.) and browse through an expert-curated selection of craft cans, bottles, bombers and small bites like cheeses, pretzels and cured meats. And yep, there are growlers and a “build-your-own six-pack” option as well. There is also The Beer Growler (38A N. Avondale Road) in the Avondale Estates specializing in filling 32-and 64-ounce growlers to go from 42 taps.

Now to turn it up a notch and head a mile east toward downtown Decatur. Twain’s Brewpub & Billiards (211 E. Trinity Place) has award-winning homebrewer-turned-brewmaster Mike Castagno providing at least eight rotating in-house beers and chef Ryan Burke making sure no one’s hungry with numerous edibles (including vegan and vegetarian). Add shuffleboard, darts, a full pool hall and TVs throughout, and boredom is virtually impossible. Crossing the street, the historic Decatur Square awaits with one of the most esteemed institutions in the craft beer industry, Brick Store Pub (125 E. Court Square). For two decades, beer aficionados worldwide have flocked here to choose from the 29 taps and beer engine downstairs, eight brews on rotation at the Belgian Bar upstairs, and a gawk-worthy cellar array of more than 900 vintages available from the menu of biblical proportions. There are no TVs, all breweries have to fall under the Brewers Association’s strict craft beer specifications, and food is prepared with the freshest ingredients. Its gastropub sibling just around the corner, Leon’s Full Service (131 E. Ponce de Leon Ave.), is celebrated for its inventive cocktail program, but still offers an impressive list of hard-to-find craft beers. That’s Decatur, and what I consider an awesome Friday.

Saturday

Trusting a good sleep followed your unforgettable Decatur hop, a rebooting “hair of the dog” brunch menu awaits at The Porter Beer Bar (1156 Euclid Ave. NE) in the historic Old Fourth Ward just east of downtown Atlanta. Based in the bohemian-flavored shopping district called Little Five Points where ATL’s weird, hip, health-conscious and artistic types assemble, the Porter is one of Atlanta’s prime destinations for beer lovers. Husband-and-wife team Nick Rutherford and Molly Gunn—along with their knowledgeable staff—are in their ninth year serving more than 430 beers, top-shelf spirits and plates of award-winning fare sourced from local farms (including their own).

Stopping by here is a must, as is nearby Wrecking Bar Brewpub (292 Moreland Ave. NE), located in the basement of a Victorian home known as the Victor H. Kriegshaber House. Garnering a steady flow of awards for its balance of Chef Terry Koval’s delectable farm-to-table fare, managing partner Stevenson Rosslow’s mixology and extraordinary beers brewed by owner Bob Sandage and brewmaster Neal Engleman, this brewpub has been catching wreck since 2011. (Note: If any Siberius Maximus imperial stout variations are available, get one. They consistently win Georgia’s Annual Strong Beer Fest, which they also host.)

Continuing 1.5 miles south, East Atlanta Village has two gems worth visiting. The airy, three-level Argosy (470 Flat Shoals Ave. SE) boasts an eye-popping interior that includes mural art, wood fixtures, a wood-fired pizza oven and a secluded Brigantine Beer Parlor and Recreation Hall in the back with a giant wooden squid suspended from its ceiling. Although the latter is usually open at night, take a gander; you can always come back for a late-night visit. (Note: Wrecking Bar and Argosy’s brunches are both lip-smackin’ good.) Stroll a block down to Midway Pub (552 Flat Shoals Ave. SE), an energetic neighborhood hangout ideal for watching sports (especially soccer and football) on numerous HD-TVs and projector screens, playing board games, chilling at the patio and Tiki bar, enjoying solid pub grub; and yes, consuming beer. Thirty-two rotating taps.

And now it’s the Westside’s turn.

Take an Uber or Lyft for 10 minutes and arrive at the new brewing location that rocked ATL’s beer scene in 2017. Monday Night Brewing (670 Trabert Ave. N.W.) hit the ground running with the introduction of its Eye Patch IPA and Drafty Kilt Scotch Ale in 2011; now, a second location specializing in barrel-aged brews and sours called The Garage (933 Lee St. SW) is the place to be. It’s a 20,000-square-foot fun factory along the Southwest Trail of the steadily aforementioned Atlanta BeltLine.

As night sets in, hit up Ormsby’s (1170 Howell Mill Road). Everyone from Georgia Tech students and hipsters to businesspeople yearning to loosen their shirt buttons wine and dine on the first level’s restaurant. Downstairs is Atlanta’s most festive basement, with shuffleboard, billiards, darts, Skee-Ball, two bocce ball courts, board games and that rope, ring and hook thingy. An impressive draft list and delectable, upscale pub menu close this evening with an exclamation point.

Sunday

Take advantage of Atlanta traffic’s least-congested day of the week to bounce around a bit throughout the city.
Reflect on your weekend so far by taking a walk along the eastside BeltLine starting at the Historic Fourth Ward Skatepark (830 Willoughby Way NE), appreciate the mural art on the way heading south, listen for cyclists trying to break the sound barrier. Then set up a tent (figuratively) at the camping ground-inspired Ladybird Grove and Mess Hall (684 John Wesley Dobbs Ave. NE) to sip a Creature Comforts Tropicália IPA (one of the few venues that have Georgia’s most popular IPA on draft virtually all the time) and Ladybird’s hearty brunch. Just make sure you set your taste buds to 12:30 p.m. for alcohol orders; it’s the state law on Sundays (I know, I know).

From there, get back on the BeltLine and pass the skatepark until you get to the all-new New Realm Brewing Co. (550 Somerset Terrace NE) just before the Ponce de Leon Avenue bridge. It’s arguably Atlanta’s most anticipated brewery to open in years—plus the largest to ever open in Georgia—and the hype is justified. Stone Brewing Co.’s former brewmaster, Mitch Steele, brought his talents to Old Fourth Ward thanks to Realm’s 40,000 square feet brandishing a rooftop bar with a stunning skyline view, a lively beer garden to entice pedestrians and a 20,000-barrel capacity to make more than just phenomenal IPAs. Executive Chef Julio Delgado ensures you’re good if an appetite surfaces.

Next, it’s time to take a ride to Midtown and pay homage to the Southeast’s largest craft brewery, and by last count, 15th-largest in the U.S.— SweetWater Brewing Co. (195 Ottley Drive NE). Known for its edgy marketing, being one of the first to introduce West Coast styles to Atlanta, clean water initiatives, its one-and-done “Dank Tank” beer series and annual kickass 420 Fest, SweetWater is also the most enterprising since 1997. The brewery’s latest additions include the stunning barrel-aging facility called The Woodlands and a pilot system where longtime head brewer Nick Nock and his team have been diversifying the portfolio and crafting experimental beers exclusive to brewery visitors.

Hungry? Hit up one of the more extraordinary beer andfood concepts on the East Coast called Hopstix (3404 Pierce Drive) in mushrooming Chamblee. It’s a brewpub serving solid house-crafted ales and lagers alongside local brewery selections, but what brings it over the top is the stellar Asian fusion-themed menu overseen by passionate executive chef Dony Raymond and prepared in an open kitchen. How many brewpubs have robata grilling, Alaskan king crab fried rice and a whole bluefin tuna being cut for tartare under the same roof as a brewhouse? Hopstix’s founder and brewer, Andy Tan, has wowed every guest since opening in early March of 2017.

To conclude the evening, take a ride to The Chapter Room (5600 Roswell Road) in Sandy Springs on the northwest side to sip some of the most hard-to-find ales and lagers in the city. Based underneath one of Taco Mac’s tri-state restaurant franchise locations is its rendition of a speakeasy, complete with a buzzer and peephole. Once the metal door swings open, the interior is designed to mimic the inside of a barrel with posh leather seating, carpet, intimate lighting and an array of spirits setting the tone for the perfect toast-off to a spectacular beer weekend in ATL.

Don’t Sleep:

It’s all about the amount of time you have in ATL, but the westside’s Scofflaw Brewing Co. (1738 MacArthur Blvd. NW) has become one of the fastest-growing breweries in the South due in part to its phenomenal IPAs and embracing of the now infectious “We-don’t-give-a-f#*k” mentality. Renowned brewmaster Travis Herman (formerly of Russian River) makes sure all of Georgia blissfully sips its array of delicious, mostly potent selections with an attitude.

The oldest existing craft brewery in Georgia, Red Brick Brewing Co. (2323 Defoor Hills Rd. N.W.), has also been impressive over the past few months after having Gavin McKenna take over the direction of operations. Its latest Journey Without Maps imperial IPA indicates good times are ahead.

Dennis Malcolm Byron, a.k.a. Ale Sharpton, is a world-renowned beer authority, award-winning journalist, blogger (AleSharpton.com), photographer, event host and gourmand. Globetrot with him on Twitter and Instagram.

The post Beer Weekend: 48 Hours in Atlanta first appeared on All About Beer.

When it comes to craft beer, Nashville was relatively late to the party, known for decades as a bastion of mega-brewery products served in plastic cups in the rowdy honky tonks of Lower Broad, with only a smattering of brewpubs offering anything more interesting than a light lager. But that’s changed. In recent years, more than 20 breweries have sprung up around town, making “Brewsic City” a worthwhile destination for beer fans. Here’s a plan for visiting some of Nashville’s best breweries and taprooms, while dodging the more touristy sections of downtown.

Friday

Start out west of downtown in The Nations, a formerly industrial part of town now reborn as a hip neighborhood. Blackstone Brewing Co. (2312 Clifton Ave.) is the oldest brewery in Nashville, and its St. Charles Porter is a fine example of the style, earning more awards than any other in the Great American Beer Festival’s brown porter category. The no-frills taproom is adjacent to the brewhouse, offering a view of the process while you enjoy a pint or two.

The newest brewery in The Nations is Fat Bottom Brewing (800 44th Ave. N.). Try Ruby, an American red ale, while partaking of a menu of elevated bar snacks and sandwiches in Fat Bottoms Hop Yard Restaurant and Bier Garden. While you’re in the neighborhood, head next door to SPEAKeasy Spirits (900 44th Ave. N.) where Pennington Distilling Co. produces Pickers Vodka, Whisper Creek Tennessee Sipping Cream, Davidson Reserve Rye and other spirits. The distillery offers tours and is in the process of remodeling its property to include multiple tasting rooms, bars and a retail bottle shop.

Head toward downtown to find an even greater density of breweries, perhaps stopping for a beer and a slice of pizza at TailGate Beer (1538 Demonbreun St.) at the top of Music Row. TailGate’s downtown taproom sells dozens of varieties of beer brewed at their large production brewery on the outskirts of town on a 50-barrel brewhouse (the city’s largest). Many of these beers feature exotic flavors like Watermelon Wheat and Peanut Butter Stout that are especially popular with what locals call “woo girls,” those bridal parties who steel themselves with some liquid courage before boarding pedal taverns for boozy tours of downtown.

Those beer bikes may actually be one of the best ways to navigate the heavy traffic of the area, or more accurately, what causes that traffic. Fortunately, Nashville has a strong ride-sharing system, and The Gulch neighborhood where you’re headed next is very walkable. You can even hitch a ride on golf carts that offer short-haul trips between bars and breweries, so ask one to drop you off at Hops and Crafts (319 12th Ave. S.) a sleek modern taproom that serves up a deep menu of local and regional craft brews. Don’t linger too long, because there are five notable breweries within crawling distance in what has been dubbed the city’s “brewery district.”

Prime among the five is Yazoo Brewing Co. (910 Division St.), the game-changer of Nashville’s craft brew industry. The first brewery in town to gain regional acclaim, Yazoo sells a wide range of popular beers, from its Dos Perros Brown Ale to its signature Pale Ale. The brewery is also known for a series of sour beers under their “Embrace the Funk” label. Ephemeral and difficult to find, the these beers are probably easiest to sample in Yazoo’s inviting taproom.

Just around the corner is Jackalope Brewing Co. (701 8th Ave. S.), Nashville’s only female-owned brewery. The founder admits she actually thought the legendary rabbit/antelope hybrid that gives the brewery its name was a real animal until embarrassingly late in life, but her brewery runs with the joke by naming its beers after mythical creatures. New Heights Brewing (928 5th Ave. S.) is the newest addition to the Brewery District in a building near the former site of Gerst Brewing, the Bavarian-style brewery that dominated the beer scene in town for much of the 19th century. Every night save for Tuesday, New Heights invites visitors into its cozy taproom or onto its outdoor patio. Beer selections rotate frequently and range from intensely hoppy IPAs to creamy ales. If Bearded Recluse Imperial Brown Ale is on tap, do yourself a favor and ask them to pull you a pint.

Czann’s (505 Lea Ave.) is a modest little brewery in a nondescript industrial building in SoBro (South of Broadway), but that doesn’t mean there aren’t great things going on inside. Emphasizing balanced beers, Czann’s offers a crisp IPA and a light, dry blond that have earned them legions of fans.

Beer finds its way into glasses and on plates at Tennessee Brew Works (809 Ewing Ave.). Its burger, one of the city’s best, is adorned with Country Roots Stout-braised onions and Cutaway IPA pickles, Basil Ryeman ketchup and a comeback sauce made with Southern Wit, all sandwiched between buns baked with Extra Easy ESB. The multi-level taproom offers views of the brewery operation and downtown, plus live music on most nights.

Saturday

While Friday allowed for lots of walking between stops, you’ll need transportation today for an odyssey of breweries outside of Nashville’s main core. Start your journey with a trip south of town to the area around Franklin, a historical suburb with charming neighborhoods and attractive shops. But first, hit the mall at Cool Springs Brewery (600A Frazier Dr.) a microbrewery and restaurant run by a couple of British expatriates. Their heritage ensures you can score a proper order of fish & chips that rivals those at an authentic English “chippy,” or fine pizza and chicken wings to prepare for a day of tasting. Cool Springs also brews some innovative beers in a cramped system tucked behind the bar, and it’s remarkable to see the variety they pump out of those tanks. Franklin’s First Kölsch is an homage to the fact that they were the first legal brewing operation in the city, and it pairs nicely with an order of those fried cod fillets and some malt vinegar.

Former Cool Springs employees opened Mantra Artisan Ales (216 Noah Dr. #140) where they work with exotic yeast strains and focus on exotic recipes. Some are only available in the taproom, while others see broad distribution (including Japa Milk Chai Stout, a Flanders Red named Amour Rouge and the popular Saffron IPA, which is an exceptional accompaniment to Indian cuisine). One of the owners of Mantra is Maneet Chauhan, a celebrity chef and the proprietor of Chauhan Ale and Masala House (123 12th Ave. N.).

Heading back toward Nashville, stop by Black Abbey Brewing Company (2952 Sidco Dr.) a monastery-inspired brewery with a convivial taproom nicknamed the “Fellowship Hall.” Concentrating on approachable Belgian-style ales, Black Abbey has developed several local cult favorites. The 44 is an Obama-inspired porter that they joke is “liberally infused with Kenyan and Hawaiian coffee that has a little smokiness that just won’t quit.” The brewery’s largest tanks are almost always filled with The Rose, a Belgian blond with tropical aromas and a satisfying dry finish.

Continuing south, try out two great spots that offer a broad menu of beers to sample. The name of M.L. Rose Craft Beer and Burgers (2535 8th Ave. S. #107) says it all. They offer a Burger of the Month that is usually paired with a specific beer. Just down the street is Craft Brewed (2502 8th Ave. S.) one of the city’s most popular growler and bottle shops.

Crossing the Cumberland River into hip East Nashville (think Brooklyn with a Southern accent), you’ll have to search a little to find Little Harpeth Brewing (30 Oldham St.) In an industrial development north of Nissan Stadium where the Tennessee Titans play, Little Harpeth brews lagers almost exclusively, a throwback to the city’s pre-prohibition history and preferences dating back to the days of Gerst. A local favorite is Chicken Scratch, an American pilsner made with locally-grown corn. Also popular is the dark and malty High Water Dunkel Lager, bitter and chocolaty and sure to please.

Travel up Main Street to find a newer East Nashville spot, Smith & Lentz Brewing (903 Main St.). Smith & Lentz opened on this busy artery and immediately attracted visitors with experimental brews, particularly a focus on IPAs with a smattering of German and Austrian styles sprinkled in for good measure.

If you still have any room and need a few small bites to absorb some of the day’s fun, try Butcher & Bee (902 Main St.) for New American and Israeli-inspired small plates. The atmosphere is always buzzing at this modern eatery, thanks in large part to its extensive craft cocktail and beer program. The variety of the menu dovetails nicely with the breadth of brewery options to be found in Nashville, and should send you home with a full stomach and heart.

Bonus

Nashville International Airport is one of the few terminals in the country where travelers can purchase beer to carry around the concourse and even to their gate, so you can enjoy one or two more fine local products before you board your flight. There’s even a small store where you can buy six-packs to go of your favorite finds. Wait until you get home to crack open a bottle, though, unless you brought enough for everyone.–Chris Chamberlain

The post Beer Weekend in Nashville, Tennessee first appeared on All About Beer.

Having front-row access to this burgeoning beer scene makes a visit to Columbus key right now (not to mention that if you get stamps in the Columbus Ale Trail booklet from all 37 breweries by May 2018, you’ll receive a locally crafted wooden flight tray and five tasting glasses). Plus you can be one of the few in the country to sip these beers, as many of the breweries don’t distribute widely outside the Columbus area yet.

Friday

Check in at Hotel LeVeque (50 W. Broad St.), a new boutique hotel in LeVeque Tower, an art deco-style building that dates to 1927. The hotel puts you within easy access of numerous breweries (along with the Scioto Mile, a paved recreational path).

Start your weekend at Elevator Brewery and Draught Haus (161 N. High St.), located in an 1897 building that’s on the National Registry of Historic Landmarks. Although you can visit its nearby taproom, the restaurant with its mosaic tile floor, stained-glass windows, decorative ceiling and mahogany bar is a must. The brewery features 12 to 14 taps, and four additional taps are reserved for the house-brewed root beer, ginger beer and draft cocktails.

Stop for lunch around the corner at Wolf’s Ridge Brewing (215 N. Fourth St.) where its reputation for food is as strong as its beer. The brewery’s Snow Cone extra pale ale is hopped with whole-cone Mosaic hops). With vintage windows and natural light, the taproom in the back is also worth visiting (it opens at 3 p.m. on Fridays).

Although all 37 breweries are on the Columbus Ale Trail, six have the distinct honor of being on Brewer’s Row, including the two you’ve just visited. Now it’s time for the third, Barley’s Brewing Co. (467 N. High St.), a Columbus establishment for over 20 years. Every Friday, Barley’s taps a firkin of cask-conditioned ale.

Take a break from beer tasting to peruse the Pizzuti Collection (632 N. Park St.). Even if art isn’t your thing, this three-floor collection of modern art will intrigue you, as it features eclectic pieces by established and emerging artists from around the world.

Knock out the fourth brewery on Brewer’s Row at Hoof Hearted Brewery & Kitchen (850 N. Fourth St.) where a pool from an adjacent fitness center sits off the outdoor patio. Brewery guests can visit the pool or spend time in the sleekly designed brewery with its ’80s vibe and whimsical artwork. Order a flight of four “hoofy” drafts, each with its own playing card, and make sure to try the Jacuzzi Shortz Cuz pale ale or Musk of the Minotaur IPA.

Dinner tonight is at another new gem, Rockmill Tavern (503 S. Front St.). Rockmill operates a brewery in Lancaster, about 30 minutes outside the city, but recently opened this farmhouse-style tavern to highlight its Belgian-inspired beers. For an after-dinner cocktail, head to Curio (495 S. Fourth St.) where you’ll find unique craft cocktails plus a rotating tap, often from an Ohio brewery.

Saturday

There’s only one place where you’ll find a restaurant with “Peace, Love and Pancake Balls” as its mantra, and that’s Katalina’s (1105 Pennsylvania Ave.), a funky eatery in a 100-year-old former gas station. It’s such a hot spot that the tables–you can dine in or out year-round–fill fast, so arriving early is wise. Katalina’s emphasizes locally sourced, high-quality products like Thunderkiss coffee from a small-batch roaster. And while you can’t go wrong with the Shagbark Black Bean Tacos, you have to try the Original Pancake Balls, filled with Nutella, dulce de leche or pumpkin-apple butter.

Even though your tummy may be full, head next to North Market (59 Spruce St.), a public market where you can stock up on spices, cooking products, coffee and, yes, beer. Stop by The Barrel & Bottle to shop or sip a pint from its three rotating handles.

Land-Grant Brewing Company (424 W. Town St.) in the up-and-coming Franklinton neighborhood is your next stop. Making friends is the name of the game here, as 24-foot communal tables let you mingle with other beer lovers. The brewery features 18 taps (tap number 13 is always a sour), and playing cards give you specifics about each creation. Gluten-free folks will appreciate the dedicated gluten-free tap, which was serving Mad Moon Hard Cider at press time.

No beer weekend is complete without pizza, and you’ll find some of the best at Harvest Pizzeria (495 S. Fourth St.) at its flagship location in German Village, a cozy eatery where you can watch pizzas cooking in wood-fired ovens. Harvest has two beers on tap, including its Harvest Pale Ale (brewed by Atlanta’s SweetWater Brewing Co.) and the Harvest Moon Nut Brown (brewed locally by Seventh Son Brewing).

One of the year’s biggest beer stories was undoubtedly the opening of BrewDog’s 100,000-square-foot U.S. headquarters in Canal Winchester, Ohio. It’s about a 25-minute drive there, but it’s a can’t-miss stop, as BrewDog (96 Gender Road) is a destination with a full kitchen and gaming area with shuffleboard and pinball machines. The 170-barrel brewery has 24 taps in the DogTap tasting room, eight in the retail merchandise space and another eight at the patio bar (and, of course, the patio is dog-friendly). BrewDog is opening a hotel, which will also include a souring facility, in late 2018 on its site and a tasting room in Franklinton by the first of 2018. A dog park is also in the works.

Enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail at North High Brewing (1288 N. High St.) in Short North, the fifth brewery on Brewer’s Row. The atmosphere is so inviting you’ll feel like you’ve walked into your neighborhood pub. Grab a seat at the mahogany bar and choose from almost 20 taps, including its award-winning Pale Ale.

Then treat your taste buds to dinner in Victorian Village at Basi Italia (811 Highland St.) where you can dine in the cozy interior or the outdoor terrace. Choose from Mediterranean and Italian dishes, complementing your meal with a wine from Basi’s extensive list or a beer from one of its two taps, one of which is a local brew from Seventh Son Brewing.

Speaking of Seventh Son (1101 N. Fourth St.), that’s where you’re heading next to complete your Brewer’s Row tour. This is a popular late-night spot so don’t be surprised if it’s an elbow-to-elbow crowd. Fortunately, there are two patios, one more of a beer garden, where you can enjoy creations like the Humulus Nimbus, a strong pale ale, or the Scientist, a “constantly shifting” IPA.

Need a nightcap? Hit the Keep at LeVeque Tower (50 W. Broad St.), a chic French brasserie and bar with a surprisingly extensive list of local drafts.

Sunday

Your day begins at Fox in the Snow Cafe (1031 N. Fourth St.), a popular bakery coffee shop with community-style seating. Get your sweet tooth ready, as the bakery churns out delectable, monstrously sized delicacies like the croissant morning buns and cinnamon rolls. More traditional breakfast palates might enjoy the egg sandwich or housemade granola.

Breweries here waste no time opening early in the day, and one of the first—it opens at 10 a.m. on Sundays—is Platform Beer Co. (408 N. Sixth St.), headquartered in Cleveland. Its Columbus location opened late last year in a former meat processing facility with a roughly 30-seat rail and dozens of community-style tables. Platform features 26 taps, including small-batch ones brewed at the Columbus location, with a wide profile ranging from IPAs to sours and ciders.

Now that it’s lunch time, head to The Guild House (624 N. High St.). This new upscale eatery is so popular that reservations are a necessity. For dessert, walk a few doors down to Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams (714 N. High St.), a Columbus icon known for eclectic flavors like wildberry lavender and hard cider sorbet.

Your last stop is at Four String Brewing Co. (985 W. Sixth Ave.). Four String brews what it calls rock & roll craft beer, thanks to its founder’s roots as a bass guitarist. Beers are poured courtesy of tap handles shaped like guitar necks, ensuring you end your beer weekend on a good note.

Karen Asp, an Indiana-based journalist, travels frequently for beer and counts it as her favorite travel souvenir.

The post 48 Hours in Columbus, Ohio first appeared on All About Beer.

Friday

One can go from tarmac to taps care of Stone Brewing’s bar in Terminal 2 at Lindbergh Field or opt for the company’s nearby restaurant (the largest in San Diego), Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens—Liberty Station (2816 Historic Decatur Road). Constructed in a former Navy mess hall, it includes an outdoor garden and bar, bocce ball courts and a brewhouse pumping out Stone’s most diverse, innovative creations. Or take a short trip north to Modern Times Beer’s (3725 Greenwood St.) whimsically decorated headquarters where you can sample IPAs and sours or caffeinated quaffs steeped with beans from an on-site coffee roaster, providing fuel for the touring ahead.

A variety of options awaits downtown. Civic Center-adjacent Resident Brewing, the haze- and hop-heavy fermentation operation built into popular eatery The Local (1065 4th Ave.) is fun and tasty. Its ales are also on-tap at the San Diego Padres’ home field, Petco Park, with beers from other local breweries. Pre-gaming is recommended at East Village standouts Half Door Brewing (903 Island Ave.), a brewpub installed in a refurbished, two-story house where Irish and English ales share tap space with hazy New World pales and IPAs a block from the ballpark, and Monkey Paw Pub & Brewery (805 16th St.), where the citrusy Bonobos sets the standard for “San Diego-style pale ales” (a term for the region’s extra-dry IPAs). The latter’s sister brewpub, South Park Brewing (1517 30th St.) has also garnered accolades for a broad array of beers served with a fun seafood menu.

Not far from downtown is San Diego’s reigning “it” neighborhood, North Park. A beery thoroughfare (30th Street) provides access to more brewery-owned venues and beer-centric bars and restaurants than most cities possess in total. Start with a stop at Fall Brewing (4542 30th St.), the passion project of a veteran brewer serving hoppy beers, lagers, stouts and Belgian-style ales in a cinder-block-chic building that once held a garage. Walk, bike or Uber south and hit three breweries in one building at CRAFT by Brewery Igniter (3052 El Cajon Blvd.), where you can sample incredible Germanic lagers, including the county’s best festbier at Eppig Brewing, outlandish creations like a uni-infused take on an oyster stout at Pariah Brewing, and classics at 20-year-old stalwart San Diego Brewing.

From CRAFT, cross the street for a bite at Tiger! Tiger! Tavern (3025 El Cajon Blvd.) an eatery popular with both omnivores (wood-fired oysters, Chinese BBQ bánh mì) and vegans (fried polenta, veggie sliders). Owned by a former Stone brewmaster, it’s also an outlet for beers from his Automatic Brewing, which offers classic and avant-garde, small-batch creations. The former is largely celebrated at hotspot North Park Beer (3038 University Ave.), an elegantly designed, double-decker brewery embodying its community’s architecture via hardwoods and indoor globe-style streetlights. Established by a national award-winning homebrewer, it’s earned a fast following behind technically perfect brews of many styles. From here, cap off your first day in America’s Finest City with a bevy of incredible beers at Toronado San Diego (4026 30th St.), the southerly second coming of San Francisco’s feisty original.

Saturday

The county’s “Hop Highway,” SR-78, transports thirsty travelers through San Diego’s northernmost, brewery-saturated municipalities. Start west with medal-garnering beers spanning every category imaginable at family-friendly Pizza Port (571 Carlsbad Village Drive), before heading north to Oceanside, where that chain’s most award-winning employee moved to open his own interest, Bagby Beer (601 S. Coast Highway). Built in a former car dealership, this extensive craft compound sports dual dining rooms, an umbrella-shaded outdoor bar, fully visible brewery and a second-story deck looking out on the Pacific. Throw in nearly two dozen faultless house brews and it achieves mecca status.

Directly east is Vista, a city stocked with 17 breweries, the most intriguing of which is Toolbox Brewing (1495 Poinsettia Ave., #148), a 3-year-old, all-wild operation producing farmhouse ales, assorted sours and Brett beers, many of which offer complex and unique flavors. The neighboring community of San Marcos houses the triple threat that is Port Brewing, The Lost Abbey and The Hop Concept (155 Mata Way). It’s here (in Stone’s original brewery) that some of the county’s finest IPAs (Mongo, Hop-15, Dank & Sticky), Belgian-style ales (Carnevale, Devotion, Judgment Day) and barrel-aged sours (Cuvee de Tomme, Red Poppy, Duck Duck Gooze) are crafted to critical acclaim. Consider it a one-stop shop for imbibers of wide-ranging tastes. Ditto San Marcos neighbors Rip Current Brewing (1325 Grand Ave.), makers of even more top-tier IPAs plus Break Line Bock, which took gold at the Great American Beer Festival two years in a row.

Should hunger set in, options abound. Stay in San Marcos and head to the newly opened, grand-scale restaurant, bowling alley and brewing headquarters for Mason Ale Works and Urge Gastropub and Common House (255 Redel Road). House beers run the gamut and pair well with American gastropub fare. After more than a decade, Churchill’s Pub & Grille (887 W. San Marcos Blvd.) remains the North County beer bar behind 50 well-curated taps and pub grub spanning English, Indian and American classics. Or venture to The Cork & Craft (16990 Via Tazon) in Rancho Bernardo to indulge in refined, farm-to-table dishes with beers from in-house Abnormal Beer or an always-impressive guest list. Still thirsty? Second Chance Beer (15378 Ave. of Science, #222) is close by in Carmel Mountain Ranch, and its Ethiopian java-infused Seize the Coffee IPA makes for a deliciously different nightcap.

Sunday

Don’t get out of town without exploring the county’s central beer belly. Start in Grantville at Benchmark Brewing (6190 Fairmount Ave., Suite G) and taste through a former AleSmith brewer’s “beer-flavored beer,” including a fabulous table beer, brown ale and stout. Next, head up Interstate 15 to Kearny Mesa, where numerous IPAs, Belgian-inspired ales, lagers, stouts and wine barrel-aged sours await in turn-of-the-century environs at Societe Brewing (8262 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.), a cult favorite often described as “the place brewers drink.” Two blocks west, the husband-wife-and-friend team at Council Brewing (7705 Convoy Court) serve quick-soured, fruited saisons, and barrel- and foeder-aged specialties from their “Magic Factory” along with traditional styles.

Next stop: Miramar (or as it’s locally known, “Beeramar”), which is home to 20 brewery-owned establishments. Of those options, the best is AleSmith Brewing (9990 AleSmith Court). Over 21 years, it has racked up innumerable awards for unbelievably smooth high-gravity beers like its coffee-infused Speedway Stout. Its San Diego Pale Ale .394 is also a prominent tribute to Padres Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn. Blocks away, Pure Project Brewing (9030 Kenamar Drive, #308) gets kudos for its beers and humanitarian spirit. This One Percent for the Planet business contributes a portion of sales from its refreshing, sun-suited ales and coveted barrel-aged stock to local charities. And if you’ve ever doubted the role yeast plays in the flavor of beer, a visit to the country’s leading brewing-yeast producer, White Labs (9495 Candida St.) is a must. There, beers are split into batches fermented with different yeast strains to spotlight their significant sensual differences. It’s a tasting experience unlike any other.

On the way to the airport, take a pit stop in Sorrento Valley to taste to-style British ales from a U.K. expat at New English Brewing (11545 Sorrento Valley Road, #305). There simply isn’t a better ESB in town, especially served on nitro. End out your trip at the Pacific Beach headquarters of the 2016 Great American Beer Festival’s Champion Mid-Size Brewing Company, Karl Strauss Brewing (5985 Santa Fe St.). The largest variety of San Diego’s longest-running brewing company’s liquid wares are here, from its vaunted Mosaic Session and Aurora Hoppyalis IPAs to gold medal-winning sour, Queen of Tarts. Enjoy them all with one last soak in the San Diego sun in Uncle Karl’s alfresco beer garden.

Side Trip: Looking for legendary beer and willing to drive for it? Head east and start in El Cajon with Burning Beard Brewing (785 Vernon Way). This hot new brewery has won beer-nerd praise behind its Normcore Pilsner and
assorted hoppy stock. It’s also a great halfway-there stop en route to Alpine Beer (2363 Alpine Blvd.). Regarded as the Holy Grail of breweries by most locals, its original brewery continues to pump out heralded IPAs and occasional
barrel-aged creations that perpetually wow and go beyond nationally distributed core offerings. Fil a growler for your hotel room and smuggle some bottles back hom.

Brandon Hernández is the author of San Diego Beer News: Complete Guide to San Diego Breweries, editor-at-large for West Coaster Magazine and chief marketing officer for Societe Brewing. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @SDBeerNews.

The post 48 Hours in (and Around) San Diego, California first appeared on All About Beer.

Friday

Start at the insider’s Shore, which is the Bayshore. It’s where the bays—Lower New York, Raritan and Sandy Hook—feed into one another and, ultimately, the Atlantic Ocean. My buddy Shawn Roarke, who is editorial director for nhl.com (yup, the National Hockey League) lives in Matawan and recommends starting the weekend at Carton Brewing Co. (6 E. Washington Ave., Atlantic Highlands). Carton’s brewery is downstairs and its roomy tasting room upstairs. Founder Augie Carton and his brewmasters make almost too many brews to count. But count on their flagships, Boat Beer and 077XX, to kick off your Shore exploration in style.

Head due east and, before turning south along a two-lane road that straddles the ocean, take a walk (or a nap) on Sandy Hook, which is part of Gateway National Recreation Area and home to primo beaches. Oh, by the by, catch the New York skyline while you’re there. You’re a scant half-hour north from the cluster of breweries in and around Asbury Park.

What Bruce Springsteen did for Asbury a generation-plus ago is what beer is doing today. Established in January 2016, Dark City Brewing Co. (801 Second Ave.) is Asbury’s first brewery. Brewer Jaret Gelb makes year-round beers and seasonal or limited beers. Roarke recommends trying Side Piece, a gose-style ale. The DCBC features coriander and seasonal fruits. Next, check out Asbury Park Brewery (810 Sewall Ave.) for the 4/4 session IPA. Follow the crowds to Asbury Festhalle and Biergarten (527 Lake Ave.), where there is a bounty of German fare, 41 beers on draft and 71 in bottles.

A stone’s throw in three directions are three must-stops on any tour of the Asbury beer environs. The mother of Jersey Shore brewing is Gretchen Schmidhausler, whose Little Dog Brewing Co. (141 Steiner Ave., Neptune City) is located in a residential neighborhood in a former laundromat. The brewmaster won fans and friends working at one of the original Shore beer landmarks, Basil T’s in Red Bank (now Birravino). Her tasting room is cozy, her conversation informed, and her Gesundheit! is a German-style amber/altbier that’s malty and moderately hopped.

Jughandle Brewing Co. (4057 Asbury Ave., Tinton Falls) was founded by three best buds as a seven-barrel facility in June 2016. Find 14 beers on tap in Jughandle’s tasting room and understand why every limited-release and small-batch beer Jughandle has produced has sold out.

Take a quick skip south by southeast to Belmar and visit Beach Haus Brewery (801 Main St.), which Roarke touts as one of “the biggest and most recognizable of the Jersey Shore breweries.” The brewery is modern, the variety is mind-boggling, and the crowds, well, feisty. Nab the popular Cruiser IPA and the Classic American Pilsner.

Party hearty in Asbury Park on Friday night by seeing/hearing whoever is at The Stone Pony (913 Ocean Ave.), one of New Jersey’s best-known music venues. Someone there—make that everyone there—will have a Springsteen story, and you can have sweet Boss dreams as you sleep by the sea.

Saturday

Sleep in. You were out late and you have a long day—and a long drive—ahead of you. At high noon, head over to Ocean Township, just outside Asbury, to visit Kane Brewing Co. (1750 Bloomsbury Ave.), a 6-year-old brewery founded by Michael Kane. Kane is all about American and Belgian-style beers. You’d be wise to follow Roarke’s excellent advice here: “The Tidal Series is immensely popular with beer aficionados, and the Corked and Caged large-bottle series, which is more Belgian in style, is a big hit among adventurous beer drinkers.”

Head south on the Garden State Parkway and pop into Rinn Duin Brewing (1540 Route 37 West, Toms River), with a homey tasting room that sports seven beers on tap at all times. A father-daughter team, Chip and Jacqui Town, serve forth an excellent Irish Pale Ale. The River Thoms is a one-off beer ripe with mango and pineapple, while the Lemon Pale Ale is a lip-smacker. Both are sold only at the brewery.

Follow the Parkway south and then segue east to Long Beach Island for a pit-stop at Ship Bottom Brewery (830 N. Bay Ave., Beach Haven), which offers a collection of year-round beers and some excellent and intriguing reserve beers. Among the most unusual is a “Chicken or the Egg Collaboration IPA,” which references a locally famous diner down the street. Do you also want to eat at Chicken and the Egg? Yes, yes, you do. You also want to eat, at the north end of Long Beach Island, at Mustache Bill’s (West Eighth Street at Long Beach Boulevard, Barnegat Light), a diner that won a coveted America’s Classic award from the James Beard Foundation. Fried flounder made with caught-that-day local fish, anyone?

Segue off-island back onto the Parkway and south to Little Egg Harbor. There you will find Pinelands Brewing Co. (140 Seventh Ave.), a three-barrel nanobrewery on the edge of the Pinelands. This brewery offers seven beers in its tap room and produces a potpourri of beers. Roarke anoints Zero Shucks Given, an oyster stout featuring harvested-that-day oysters from local Parson’s Seafood, as the brew to try. Honestly, life is good here. But save room for the goods at Garden State Beer Co. (247 East White Horse Pike, Galloway), which offers 10 year-round beers and six seasonal brews. Go for the Headless Hessian Pumpkin Ale and the Habanero American Wheat. In the Garden State, blueberries, cranberries and peaches reign. You’ll find that these rule, too, when it comes to flavoring brews at the brewery that proudly bears Joisey’s nickname.

You’re so close. So surrender to America’s Playground. Forget casino fare, ’cause unless you plan to wager big at the tables in Atlantic City, you’ll pay a fortune for lodging. Go motel, then eat at White House, the sub shop to top all sub shops (another America’s Classic award winner from the James Beard Foundation), then make a beeline for Tun Tavern (2 Convention Blvd., Atlantic City). Brewmaster Mike LaRosa’s pedigree is impeccable, and his newest brews include a Honey Ale, made with New Jersey honey, and a blood orange triple-fruited IPA. Don’t forget to eat at the restaurant here: The Blue Claw Fries and Chicken Pot Pie Sandwich are legendary. Tun is open till 1 a.m. most Saturdays, so settle in.

Sunday

Take a stroll on the boardwalk at Atlantic City, then head back to the Parkway. Welcome to Jersey, where you’ll do time either on the Parkway or Turnpike ’most every day. Head a smidgen south to Tuckahoe Brewing (3092 English Creek Ave., Egg Harbor Township), where Dennis Creek Pale Ale is the flagship beer. Roarke is a devotee of Tuckahoe’s brewery-only special releases, of which there are 13 so far. The most recent is the Juice Box IPA, an uber-fruity India Pale Ale.

Vive la Victoriana in Cape May, the last stop on the Jersey Shore tour. Gingerbread houses abound. Walk, stroll, linger. In between salty sea air interludes, check out Cold Spring Brewery (733 Sea Shore Road, Cape May). It’s located in a reconstructed, relocated 1804 barn in Historic Cold Spring Village. The brewery, which opened in 2016, sports four beers, plus some special-edition numbers. One to sample: the Hildreth German Wheat, a classic wheat beer with hints of banana and clove. Cape May Brewery (1288 Hornet Road) is located at the Cape May Airport and has one of the biggest tap rooms in New Jersey. Take flight with some of the dozen brews on tap that include both seasonal and small-batch offerings. Don’t miss Corrosion, a sour that’s definitively bitter.

Rio Grande is not just west of the Mississippi, but a also a ’burg in boringly named Middle Township northeast of Cape May Airport. It’s home to 7 Mile Brewery (3156 Route 9 South), where there’s a tasting room that’s open daily, except Mondays. There are four IPAs, including a traditional, a rye, a red and a double IPA dubbed 7 Suns. Slack Tide Brewing Co. (1072 Route 83, Cape May Court House) is a 2-year-old brewery founded by brothers Jason and Tadhg Campbell, who grew up in Cape May. Angry Osprey is all about pine and citrus—and pretty much just what the doctor ordered if you fell asleep in the sun and are nursing a Jersey-style sunburn. –Andy Clurfeld

The post 48 Hours at the Jersey Shore first appeared on All About Beer.

Those same cockamamy liquor laws, along with a handful of bad zoning laws, is how Dallas found itself at the beginning of 2011 as the largest city in the United States without a microbrewery. Knowing Dallas was ripe for a beer scene, a handful of beer enthusiasts rallied city hall to open up Dallas for beer production. Three breweries opened in 2011. Today Dallas has a thriving beer scene with almost 50 breweries in the metro area and no signs of slowing down.

Friday

Start your weekend in Deep Ellum, one of Dallas’ oldest, most artistic neighborhoods. Just east of downtown, Deep Ellum has always been the heart of the city’s counterculture and music scene with remnants of the 1920s jazz and blues era and the 1980s punk and grunge era lingering in bars, cafes and live music venues.

No trip to Texas would be complete without barbecue. Pecan Lodge (2702 Main St.) in the middle of Deep Ellum is a restaurant known for some of the state’s best barbecue. Lines form early for what Texas Monthly named one of the top four barbecue joints in the world, but don’t let the lines deter you. The smoked brisket, handmade sausages and fried okra are not to be missed.

Rent a bike across the street at Local Hub (2633 Main St.) and ride a mile to the Sante Fe Trail. The 4-mile trail runs through colorful east Dallas neighborhoods and wooded parks before connecting to the White Rock Lake Park Loop Trail. Soak up some of the best scenery Dallas has to offer along this nine-mile lakeside trail. There are several stops for water and beer along the way, including The LOT (7530 E. Grand Ave.), a neighborhood beer garden with 16 mostly local beers on tap.

Bike back to Deep Ellum and grab a seat at one of the wooden picnic tables at Braindead Brewing (2625 Main St.). The large wraparound patio is the perfect perch to people-watch as you sip on one of 15 in-house brews or one of 17 rotating guest craft beers. Not a grungy hole in the wall like many Deep Ellum establishments, Braindead is known for its food almost as much as its beer. Try the Chile Relleno “Burger,” a cheese-stuffed, roasted poblano pepper served with ranchero sauce, avocado and fried egg. If you are still craving meat, try the Cuban, a sandwich stuffed with carnita pork, Dr Pepper-glazed ham and Gruyere.

End the evening at Dallas’ mammoth brewery Deep Ellum Brewing Co. (2823 St. Louis St.). Opening on the industrial edge of Deep Ellum in 2011, this was Dallas’ first microbrewery. With its hoppy beer, brightly colored cans and tongue-in-cheek marketing campaigns, Deep Ellum Brewing taught Dallas that beer drinking can be cool.

Saturday

Don’t miss brunch at the Anvil Pub (2638 Elm St.) where you can choose from traditional options like biscuits with roasted chipotle, spiced sausage gravy or French toast with apples, bacon and salted caramel. The tatted bartenders at the Irish pub, however, suggest the F* Brunch menu, which offers a 32-ounce Bloody Mary, Sangria, Screwdriver or Mimosa, with the drink topped with a slew of items, including a cheeseburger slider, fried shrimp, onion rings and a cinnamon roll. The F* Brunch items also come with a small Pabst Blue Ribbon.

Walk off the meal with a mile stroll to Klyde Warren Park (2012 Woodall Rodgers Freeway). In 2012 Dallas built a deck over one of its ugliest sunken freeways, “planted grass” (it is actually artificial turf so it looks lush year-round, very Dallas) and in doing so created one of the city’s crown jewels. The pedestrian-friendly park offers a great lawn, free book and magazine rentals, countless food trucks, a performance pavilion, fountains, game areas, a dog park and a botanical garden. On a nice day, it is the perfect place to sit awhile as the booze wears off. For art buffs, the Dallas Museum of Art, the Crow Collection of Asian Art and the Nasher Sculpture Center are a two-block walk from the park.

Two miles northwest of downtown Dallas lies an industrial hub for wholesale interior design showrooms known as the Design District. As more and more breweries start popping up in the old warehouses, however, beer lovers call this area the Brewery District.

Starting at the southern end of the district is the Texas Ale Project (1001 N. Riverfront Blvd.). The modern-looking tap room with metal fixtures is a throwback to the industrial area. Enjoy Fire Ant Funeral, an American amber, or the citrusy 50 Ft Jackrabbit IPA while playing Jenga, dominoes or corn hole on the patio.

Once you have played a game or two of dominoes, head over to Community Beer Co. (1530 Inspiration Drive). The owners of the company, known as Beer for the Greater Good, use the large, open-air warehouse to bring people together in efforts to build a sense of community, hence the name. On any given Saturday expect the brewery to use its space to highlight local artists, musicians and nonprofits. If it’s available, be sure to try the Funnel Cake Ale, originally brewed for the 2014 State Fair of Texas competition. Brewmasters add pureed Madagascar vanilla beans to this English-style summer ale during aging, leaving it with a taste reminiscent of the fair’s most popular treat.

Sunday

Start your Sunday with brunch at Saint Ann Restaurant and Bar (2501 N. Harwood St.). The 1920s schoolhouse-turned-restaurant has the largest garden patio in Dallas, making you forget you are downtown as you eat your breakfast quesadilla and sip one of the local craft beers on tap. If there is a wait for a table, head upstairs and check out The Samurai Collection, a free museum that houses 60 pieces of samurai art dating back to the 10th century.

After brunch hop in a Lyft and head back to the Brewery District to Peticolas Brewing Co. (2026 Farrington St.). One of the original breweries in Dallas, Peticolas is consistently ranked one of the city’s best breweries. Bartenders pour from 16 taps, one nitro tap and one cask beer in the recently opened 2,500-square-foot taproom. The three-story building has a stage for live music, table games, pingpong, foosball and food trucks. Its flagship beer, Velvet Hammer, a malty dark ruby-red ale, is a staple at many of the city’s bars and is one of the best beers in the state.

Stop by the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza (411 Elm St.) for a history lesson. The museum on the sixth floor of the former Texas School Book Depository chronicles the life, times, assassination and legacy of President John F. Kennedy. Collections also include historic films, photographs and artifacts documenting the assassination and government investigations.

Add levity back to your day at the Bishop Cider Co.’s Cidercade (2777 Irving Blvd.). Dallas’ first cidery recently opened this arcade a few miles from its original tap room and brewery. The arcade is packed with more than 80 old-school arcade games. If you are new to cider, ask the bartender to help you navigate the 12 house-made draft ciders. Word of advice, it is hard to concentrate on high-speed games while puckering down the tart Sour Cherry cider.

If you can tear yourself away from all the fun and games, end the evening at Four Corners Brewing (423 Singleton Blvd.). The quiet, intimate, dark taproom is a nice change of pace. Drawing inspiration from the local Hispanic neighborhood, the owners designed the brewery around the traditional Mexican game La Lotería. Two of the local favorites are Local Buzz, a light refreshing golden ale made with local honey, and El Super Bee de Saison, a spicy Belgian-style beer with a punch.

The post Beer Weekend: 48 Hours in Dallas first appeared on All About Beer.

Friday

Start the weekend in Jack London Square at Oakland’s oldest bar. Open since 1883, Heinold’s First and Last Chance Saloon (48 Webster St.) was a favorite haunt of author Jack London, who drew inspiration from the saloon’s clientele for characters in his novels. Today, Heinold’s retains its 19th-century charm and offers 21st-century beers, including local draft options from Line 51 Brewing and nearby Federation Brewing (420 3rd St., Unit A), which recently opened.

Two outstanding beer bars are within walking distance of Jack London Square. At Beer Revolution (464 3rd St.), gaze upon an ever-rotating tap list of more than 50 beers, hand-written on three chalkboards above the bar. Closer to downtown, The Trappist (460 8th St.) is a cozy Belgian beer bar. In addition to the expected Belgian choices from St. Bernardus Brewery and St. Feuillien Brewery, look for draft beers from Mikkeller, Cellarmaker Brewing Co. and Moonlight Brewing Co. Grab an appetizer from the seasonal menu, but save room for your next stop.

In 2015, San Leandro-based Drake’s Brewing Co. opened Drake’s Dealership (2325 Broadway), a taproom and restaurant, inside a building that once housed part of a Dodge dealership. Enjoy a wood-fired pizza—The ’89, with pepperoni and pickled peppers, is a standout—next to a fire pit in the outdoor beer garden. Pair it with one of more than 20 Drake’s beers on tap. Expect to find the brewery’s popular IPA, as well as small batch options like Rye Robustito, a 2016 Great American Beer Festival bronze medal winner in the Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer Category. The porter, aged in High West whiskey barrels, has aromas of oak and vanilla and tastes much stronger than 4.8%.

After dinner, walk to The Good Hop (2421 Telegraph Ave.), a stellar bar with 16 taps and hundreds of bottles. Time your trip for the first Friday of the month, and when you arrive at The Good Hop, you’ll be in the heart of Oakland First Fridays. The art-focused street festival spans five blocks and includes street food, local crafts and alleys with open art galleries. Future events will likely feature somber tributes to victims of the December 2016 Ghost Ship Fire. Assuming it’s a First Friday, have one round at Telegraph Beer Garden (2318 Telegraph Ave.), if only to glimpse its colorful “BEERYLAND” sign.

Walk south on Telegraph to Woods Bar & Brewery (1701 Telegraph Ave.), the flagship home of Woods Beer Co. The brewery delivers on its promise to create “adventurous brews for curious drinkers,” so it’s best to order samples before committing to a full pour. Start with MateVeza IPA and Morpho, each of which include the herbal South American drink yerba mate. If you’re thirsty for one more round, walk across the street to Diving Dog Brewhouse (1802 Telegraph Ave.), a brew-on-premises pub with roughly 30 beers from established breweries on tap.

Saturday

Start your day with brunch at Hog’s Apothecary (375 40th St.), a beer hall and restaurant specializing in house-butchered meats and farm-fresh produce. The food menu varies, but anything with house-made sausage is recommended. Wash it down with a beer from one of the bar’s 30 taps.

After brunch, go for a stroll in Temescal, one of Oakland’s oldest neighborhoods. Temescal Brewing (4115 Telegraph Ave.) is a new, welcome addition to the neighborhood. The tap list in the small tasting room is ever-changing, and the beer is best enjoyed in the expansive beer garden with free popcorn.

At Novel Brewing Co. (6510 San Pablo Ave.), order a flight, cleverly presented in a hollowed-out classic book. The book theme is prominent here, with beer names like Prose Gose, Bookend Brown Ale, Point of View Pils and Paperback Porter, a chocolaty, easy-drinking 4.7% ale.

It’s time to venture beyond Oakland, starting with Fieldwork Brewing Co. (1160 Sixth St., Berkeley), one of the East Bay’s fastest-growing breweries. Expect to find a half-dozen IPAs, and consider yourself lucky if Coconut Milk, a double IPA brewed with hand-toasted coconut, is available. You’ll also find farmhouse-style beers and nitro stouts like Hot Chocolate, an ode to Mexican hot chocolate with hints of cinnamon that finishes with a cayenne pepper and ancho chili kick.

At the Sierra Nevada Torpedo Room (2031 Fourth St., Berkeley), sample experimental beers otherwise only available at Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.’s pubs in Chico and in Mills River, North Carolina. In the cooler, look for limited-release bottles, like Barrel Aged Narwhal, to go.

Sour beer lovers will discover utopia at The Rare Barrel (940 Parker St., Berkeley), which only makes barrel-aged sour beers. Open since 2013, The Rare Barrel has won three Great American Beer Festival medals and three World Beer Cup awards. Ensorcelled, a dark sour aged in oak barrels with raspberries, is the most decorated of its beers. You’ll also find a handful of guest beers from other California breweries on tap.

Time your next stop to watch the sunset over the San Francisco skyline from Faction Brewing (2501 Monarch St., Alameda). Inside an old airplane hangar on a former naval base, the brewery excels at pale ales, IPAs and Belgian-style ales. Order a flight or go straight for a full pour of The Penske File, a pale ale with Mosaic and Equinox hops.

For a late dinner, return to Oakland and feast on schnitzel at Brotzeit Lokal (1000 Embarcadero). German and Belgian beers dominate the beer list, with a sprinkling of Bay Area offerings like Marin Brewing Co.’s Mt. Tam Pale Ale.

Sunday

Revive with a 3.4-mile walk or run around Lake Merritt, a tidal lagoon in the center of Oakland. For brunch, plan to line up 15 minutes before the 11 a.m. opening time at Portal (1611 2nd Ave.). Enjoy a view of the lake from the patio and order the Portal Benedict, which substitutes grilled polenta for English muffins. From the rotating tap list, you’ll likely be able to revisit beers from Fieldwork and Faction.

Before going back to the airport, check out three breweries in San Leandro. Assuming you didn’t get your fill of Drake’s on Friday night, look for special releases at Drake’s Barrel House (1933 Davis St. #177, San Leandro). Be sure to visit Cleophus Quealy Beer Co. (448 Hester St., San Leandro), a small-batch brewery with a friendly, intimate tasting room. The Strawberry Rhubarb Sour is tart and well-balanced, with hints of strawberry jam and lemon.

Finally, reflect on the weekend with an El Sully Mexican-style lager over a game of cornhole or bocce ball at 21st Amendment Brewery (2010 Williams St., San Leandro). Small rope lines are the only thing separating the tasting room from the sprawling brewery, located inside an old Kellogg’s factory. Toaster Pastry, a red IPA, is a nod to the building’s breakfast-focused past. 21st Amendment still operates a pub in San Francisco, but its decision to put down roots here in 2015 serves as a reminder that the beer scene in the East Bay is still growing. 

Editor’s Note: The print version of this article included a mention of Doughnut Dolly, which closed all of its locations in March.

The post Beer Weekend: 48 Hours In (And Around) Oakland, California first appeared on All About Beer.

Friday

Begin your Boulder weekend with a lunch stop at Avery Brewing Co. (4910 Nautilus Court), Boulder’s largest and best-known beer producer. In 2015, Avery unveiled its new showpiece brewery on the outskirts of town. There you’ll find 30 house beers on tap, ranging from sessionable ales and lagers to extreme beers exceeding 15%. Food is served in the restaurant, tasting room and patio.

Next, head south a few miles where a cluster of East Boulder breweries resides within an area of business complexes and strip malls. Upslope Brewing Co. (1898 S. Flatiron Court) operates the larger of two breweries in a leafy office park. In late afternoon, the tasting room fills with employees of neighboring offices unwinding with the popular Craft Lager, award-winning Brown Ale and a variety of standard and one-off creations.

Above Upslope, an interesting tasting experience awaits you in the Boulder office of White Labs (1898 S. Flatiron Court). A modest taproom, open several days a week, provides a rare opportunity to evaluate the nuances of different yeast strains with flights of several beers, each fermented with a variety of yeasts.

A half-mile away, Wild Woods Brewery (5460 Conestoga Court) is tucked in a nondescript complex of mixed business. The laid-back mom-and-pop operation has built a solid reputation in the local beer community for its well-executed beers “inspired by nature.” The malty Campfire Red has just a wisp of smokiness, while the wood-aged Ponderosa Porter has an essence of pine bark.

BRU Handbuilt Ales & Eats (5290 Arapahoe Ave.) is located on the upper level of a nearby strip mall. Brewpub founder and longtime chef Ian Clark applies a culinary touch to many of the house beers, incorporating spices and other flavorings with a deft touch that enhances, rather than masks, the inherent qualities of each style. The dinner menu features a variety of small plates, wood-fired pizzas and hearty entrées.

Finish your day at Backcountry Pizza & Tap House (2319 Arapahoe Ave.), Boulder’s top beer bar. The draft and bottle lists are lengthy and often include hard-to-find offerings from prominent U.S. and international breweries.

Saturday

Begin the day a few miles south of downtown with brunch at Under the Sun (627A S. Broadway St.). As a nonbrewing member of the Mountain Sun family of brewpubs and restaurants, the eatery features a wide selection of beers from its sibling brewpubs, including Southern Sun Pub & Brewery, which is just upstairs. While the menu is eclectic, the fried chicken and waffles is a standout.

Walk off your meal with a hike in the foothills. For an easy, yet scenic, outing, head south 4 miles to the trailhead of the Mesa Trail. For a more rigorous endeavor, drive west on Table Mesa Drive a few miles, keeping an eye out for deer and other wildlife in the large meadow adjacent to the road. The road ends at the National Center for Atmospheric Research where the trailhead is located. The research building was designed by renowned architect I.M. Pei and was featured in the 1973 Woody Allen movie, “Sleeper.”

Head downtown to Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall. The four-block pedestrian mall features a plethora of shops and restaurants, talented buskers of all ilk, and first-rate people-watching. Five downtown beer stops, on or near the mall, offer plenty of atmosphere. In addition to their liquid assets, you’ll find good meal options at each destination, or you can nosh on small plates as you make the rounds.

The stylish Walnut Brewery (1123 Walnut St.) opened in 1990 as Boulder’s first brewpub. The following year, the original owner founded the Rock Bottom national brewpub chain using Walnut as the prototype.

West Flanders Brewing Co. (1125 Pearl St.) is a casual brewpub with a prime location on the mall, locally sourced food and diverse house beers including several Belgian-inspired creations. If the timing is favorable, snag a table on the outdoor patio, which is one of the top people-watching spots in downtown Boulder.

Shine Restaurant & Gathering Place (; 2027 13th St.), located a half-block off the mall, bills itself as a community gathering spot and attracts members of Boulder’s creative community. The kitchen is gluten-free, although the brewery is not. Among the brewpub’s unique features is its ownership team, consisting of triplet sisters.

Next door is the Bohemian Biergarten (; 2017 13th St.), which brings the ambiance of an Old World beer hall to downtown Boulder. The tables are communal, the schnitzel tasty, and the beer list includes imported European lagers and wheat beers.

Since opening in 1993, Mountain Sun Pub & Brewery (1535 Pearl St.) has been a locals’ favorite for its relaxed vibe, quality pub food and extensive selection of fresh beers. While you’re there, check out the mind-blowing chalk art created by local artist Bryce Widom. The artist creates a new image for the pub each season.

If you have the stamina, catch a show at the Boulder Theater (2032 14th St.). The venue, which sits just steps from the mall, hosts high-profile local and national touring bands.

Sunday

Work up an appetite with a stroll along the Boulder Creek Path. As an alternative, grab a bike from one of Boulder’s 40 B-cycle bike share stations and explore the many miles of paved pathways around town. The day’s first destination is close by the Creek Path.

FATE Brewing Co.’s (1600 38th St.) lengthy brunch menu, quality beers and huge outdoor patio provide all the ingredients you need to start the day in style. Accompany your early-day repast with the brewpub’s Great American Beer Festival gold-medal-winning Kölsch.

If you tend to avoid brewpub chains, consider making an exception with a visit to Boulder’s BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse (1690 28th St.). The California-based chain uses its Boulder facility as its R&D brewery. Brewer Aaron Stueck takes full advantage, concocting unique experimental beers that are seldom served outside the Boulder outlet. Several have won GABF and World Beer Cup awards.

Stock your barchives across the street at Hazel’s Beverage World (1955 28th St.). The beer selection is impressive, with offerings from many small local breweries.

The busy weekend has likely left you in need of some down time. Sanitas Brewing Co. (3550 Frontier Ave.) is just the ticket. The brewery’s expansive outdoor space is equally conducive to playing a game of cornhole or chilling out over a pint or two. As a bonus, you get a discount on a rotating session beer whenever a train passes by on the adjacent tracks.

Side Trip to Longmont

If you’ve got the time and desire, a trip to nearby Longmont is well worthwhile. Located 12 miles northeast of Boulder, the community is home to eight brewing businesses, including well-known Oskar Blues Brewery (1800 Pike Road, Unit B), Left Hand Brewing (1265 Boston Ave.) and 1-year-old Wibby Brewing (209 Emery St.).

The post Beer Weekend: Boulder, Colorado first appeared on All About Beer.

Friday

It’s always good to start with the classics.

A number of bars and restaurants have popped up in recent years, but Bilbo Baggins Global Restaurant (208 Queen St., Old Town) often gets much of the credit for being among the first Alexandrian institutions—at least those that still exist—to boast a sizable beer list. The tavern within the dining establishment has an equally Middle Earth-inspired name: the Green Dragon Pub (Hobbiton’s most popular watering hole). It’s worth dropping by for one pint during happy hour to kick off the weekend.

Keep the happy hour going by heading two blocks south to Pizzeria Paradiso (124 King St., Old Town) for wood-fired thin-crust pizza and numerous drinking options to pair with it. It’s home to Birreria Paradiso, with more than 200 bottle and can selections and 14 taps, with a considerable emphasis on Belgians for the packaged options.

Don’t fill up too much on pizza, though. You’ll want to leave a little room for snacks or full-on meals from whichever local food truck will be rolling in to the parking lot at Port City Brewing Co. (3950 Wheeler Ave.), Northern Virginia’s best-known production brewery (there’s always a different truck, so check the event schedule online for the latest update). Get there by 6:30 p.m. if you want to take the tour (not required; tasters and pints are available a la carte). If you do, book in advance at the brewery’s website. The $12 fee gets you six tasters of whatever’s on tap that day. That could range from the refreshing and sessionable (Downright Pilsner and Optimal Wit) to the big and bold (Colossal Four is a 9.5%, big, beefy Belgian-style quad whose alternating chocolaty and dark fruit notes evoke everything from Raisinets to caramelized figs).

When Port City opened in 2011, it was the first production brewery to operate within Alexandria city limits since 1916, when the Robert Portner Brewing Co., the largest brewery in the pre-Prohibition South, shut down. However, exactly 100 years after the brewery closed its doors, Portner’s great-great granddaughters, Catherine (better known as Cat) and Margaret, are reviving the family tradition with the grand opening of the Portner Brewhouse (5770 Dow Ave.), slated to open this fall. They’ve mined great-great granddad’s late 19th- and early 20th-century archives and reconstructed four of the original beers. Hofbrau Lager, Vienna Cabinet Lager, Tivoli Cream Ale and Portner Porter will be available year-round, in addition to some rotating seasonals, served in a brewpub setting with cuisine inspired by the family’s shared German and American heritage.

Saturday

Continue the historical education between pints.

Alexandria is home to many houses where George Washington may or may not have slept, but there’s one close by where he definitely did: Mount Vernon (3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Mount Vernon). And it’s 100 percent more adult-friendly than it was less than a decade ago. That’s because the Distilled Spirits Council partnered with the historical society that maintains the estate to excavate, rebuild and reopen the Founding Father’s whiskey distillery. It’s been restored to its late-18th-century, grain-to-glass, water-powered specifications—everything runs on 1790s technology. The gift shop may have some bottles of rye produced at that very site in very limited quantities.

Mount Vernon’s about 10 miles outside Old Town, but there’s a bike trail that takes you the entire way. Rent your ride at Big Wheel Bikes (2 Prince St., Old Town).

Be sure to set aside time for a picnic along the Mount Vernon Trail. Your best bet is picking up a couple of subs from arguably one of the best sandwich shops on the west side of the Potomac: Market2Market (116 E. Del Ray Ave., Del Ray). Italian sandwiches are M2M’s specialty (get “The 116:” Prosciutto di Parma, Genoa salami, hot capicola and Provolone cheese). But build in some extra time while you’re there, as you’re not just going to want to buy lunch. See, Market2Market’s not just a deli, it’s also Alexandria’s premier bottle shop.

After the trip to Mount Vernon, relax with a couple of pints and a bit to eat. Lost Dog Café (808 N. Henry St., the frontier where Del Ray meets Old Town) is ideal for a lazy twilight hang, with 26 taps and a rotating selection of 36 bottles. There’s also an adjacent retail room for to-go purchases, in case you didn’t pick up enough at Market2Market.

The food menu is pretty formidable with pizzas in virtually any meat-forward and vegetarian iteration imaginable and a sandwich list that will make most delis jealous. Lost Dog is known for its tap takeovers and “Brewery of the Week” showcases, often from out-of-towners like Allagash, Founders and Ithaca.

For a far more locally and regionally focused list, head across the street to Mason Social (728 N. Henry St.). Virtually all Mason’s seven draft choices, 12 bottles and seven cans come from Virginia, D.C., Maryland and North Carolina breweries (Port City, Lost Rhino, Flying Dog, Atlas, DC Brau and the like)—“virtually” because there’s one tap reserved for PBR. Treat yourself to a plate of the fried green tomatoes while you’re there, along with the session-y, Saaz-y goodness that is Champion Brewing Co.’s (Charlottesville, Va.) Shower Beer—as refreshing as its namesake, with plenty of spicy notes and floral aroma to spare.

By now you should be sufficiently fortified for a ghost walking tour. Alexandria historically was an old brewing and drinking town, and a group called Nightly Spirits runs a stroll through many haunted sights, including three to four pubs with extensive beer selections from which you may partake. The tour kicks off at 8:30 p.m. at a popular pub and grill, Chadwicks (203 The Strand, Old Town).

Sunday

You’re going to want to get to Rustico Restaurant (827 Slaters Lane) for brunch and brews before noon (it opens at 11:30 a.m.). Rustico is the original beer-centric Neighborhood Restaurant Group property, opened in 2006 before there was much of a beer scene in the city.

As one would expect from Neighborhood’s beer director, Greg Engert, the beer list is vast and well-appointed, with 28 draft and two cask selections, as well as upward of 350 bottles cooled and cellared at optimal temperatures. Since you’re here at brunch time, you might be enticed by the Tabasco-brined chicken and waffles with praline apples and maple drizzle. For accompaniments, keep it in the Commonwealth with something from Lickinghole Creek (Goochland, Va.). Look out for Lickinghole’s brunch-friendly Belgian-style pale Magic Beaver, with slight hints of citrus and baking spices and a vague, wild earthiness lurking in the shadows. (If not available, you might find cans at the aforementioned Market2Market.)

Make sure you leave by about 1:45; you don’t want to miss the 2 p.m. Alexandria Historic Breweries
Walking Tour, a two-and-a-half-hour stroll through the city’s brewing history, led by two people who know a thing or two about that: the aforementioned Cat Portner of the city’s most famous brewing family and local author and historian Garrett Peck. The walk includes beer samples from local homebrewers and culminates at one of the city’s watering holes. Tickets are available for $25 through Eventbrite. Follow the Twitter hashtag #ALXBrewTour for updates.

There’s probably no better way to wrap up an Alexandria beer weekend: honoring where it’s been while getting a taste of where it’s going.

The post 48 Hours in Alexandria, Virginia first appeared on All About Beer.

Colorado’s southwest region, in particular, possesses the best of what gives the state its unique character. A rich beer culture, of course, is an important part of the equation. The itinerary that follows will immerse you in Colorado’s visual, cultural and liquid assets.

Friday

Pagosa Springs is the first sizable settlement west of 10,857-feet Wolf Creek Pass. A popular stop for vacationing road trippers, the town stretches for several miles along well-traveled Highway 160.

As you roll in from the east, the first of three local brewpubs you’ll encounter is Riff Raff Brewing (274 Pagosa St.), a well-chosen lunch stop. Riff Raff sits on the first floor of a handsome Victorian residence built in 1898. Among the brewpub’s eight house beers is the “outlaw tap,” which dispenses small-batch experimental beers for those with adventurous beer palates. If your taste in burgers leans toward the untraditional, lamb, goat and yak versions are all available along with more standard beef and meatless options.

You’ve likely logged substantial highway miles to get to Pagosa. Work out the kinks from your drive with a soothing soak at nearby Pagosa Hot Springs (165 Hot Springs Blvd.). The tastefully developed mineral springs feature two dozen pools of varying configurations and temperatures overlooking the San Juan River.

Wolfe Brewing (2045 Eagle Dr.) is located a few miles west of downtown Pagosa. Though only two years old, the brewpub’s dark wood bar and back bar, pool table and sizeable beer can collection suggest a neighborhood watering hole of greater longevity. A dozen beer taps are roughly equally divided between house and guest beers. Though not for the pizza purist, the Reuben pie is a house specialty.

On the western fringes of town, Pagosa Brewing & Grill (118 N. Pagosa Blvd.) is the community’s original craft brewery. Twenty house beers offer an eclectic mix of familiar styles along with fruited, spiced, wood-aged and experimental concoctions. The walls of the bar area display an impressive collection of medals procured from national and regional competitions. The outdoor covered beer garden is quite large and both kid- and dog-friendly.

Saturday

A breakfast visit to Pagosa Baking Co. (238 Pagosa St.) will provide the carbs you need to power through a morning round of disc golf on either of two attractive 18-basket courses. Both the hilly Reservoir Hill and flatter Cloman Park Disc Golf Courses are laid out in park-like stands of Ponderosa Pine. There’s no charge to use either facility.

It’s a mellow 60-mile drive to Durango, where tourists flock to ride the historic Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. The town of 17,000 thirsty residents supports six local brewpubs.

Ska Brewing (225 Girard St.), which sits about three miles from downtown, has grown from humble beginnings into Western Colorado’s largest production brewery. While Modus Hoperandi IPA and True Blond Ale are longtime crowd-pleasers, the recent addition of the Mod Brewery adds some unique small-batch experimental beers to the taproom lineup. Beet-carrot-ginger beer, anyone?

Four downtown breweries are located along a very walkable 1-mile stretch that takes you through Durango’s lively business district. Brew Pub & Kitchen (117 W. College Dr.) has a modern, stylish ambiance including abstract artwork created by the owner. The half-dozen house beers are listed in categories including Hop, Malt, Yeast and Session. Within each category, styles change frequently.

Twenty-year-old Steamworks Brewing (801 El 2nd Ave.) resides in a former auto dealership dating back to the 1920s. The glassed-in brewhouse sits on display in the middle of Durango’s largest restaurant. The brewpub features 16 house beers, most under 6% ABV. Steamworks beers have collected numerous prestigious awards over the years including a 2016 World Beer Cup gold medal for the Steam Engine Amber Lager.

Carver Brewing (1022 Main Ave.), which began brewing in 1988, ranks as Colorado’s second-oldest brewpub. In fact, Carver was the first brewery to open in the Four Corners region following prohibition. There’s plenty of room to sample 11 house beers in the deceptively large space that includes two bar areas and a pleasant shaded patio. Surprisingly, Carver is also a popular local’s breakfast spot. Doors open at 6:30 a.m., but beer isn’t served until 7.

Two-year-old Animas Brewing (1560 E. 2nd Ave.), Durango’s youngest brewery, has built a solid fan base for its well-crafted ales and atypical food offerings such as Irish tacos (stuffed with bangers and mash) and corned beef pasties. With the brewpub’s riverside location along the bike path, patrons frequently arrive by bicycle and sometimes by raft or kayak. The current river level is posted on a chalkboard near the bar.

Durango Brewing (3000 Main Ave.), on the north end of town, is ramping up operations after an extended closure following a change of ownership. The new owners have spruced the place up and installed an inviting outdoor seating area. An updated food menu includes a Pint O’ Bacon appetizer. One thing that hasn’t changed is the award-winning Durango Dark, a smooth and satisfying rendition of the rarely-seen American dark lager style.

Head back downtown for dinner at El Moro Spirits and Tavern (945 Main Ave.). Top notch charcuterie, cheeses, sandwiches and entrees are accompanied by a stellar international beer list.

Sunday

Following breakfast at Carver Brewing, stretch your legs with a walk or bike ride on the Animas River Trail. The multi-use pathway hugs the river bank for seven meandering miles through Durango. Then head north out of town on the San Juan Skyway, one of Colorado’s most popular scenic drives. As you climb into the San Juan mountains, nicknamed “the Switzerland of America,” the scenery becomes more impressive with each mile.

In about an hour, you’ll reach the summit of photo-worthy Molas Pass (10,910 feet) from which you’ll descend quickly into Silverton, home to 650 hardy souls and two high-altitude brewpubs. Golden Block Brewery (1227 Greene St.) opened in mid-2015 in a building dating from 1903. The original pressed tin ceiling remains intact and an assortment of old mining artifacts is on display. Among the more modern accoutrements are an Italian wood-fired pizza oven and a 7-barrel brewhouse producing up to six house beers, augmented with a variety of guest taps.

You’ll recognize Avalanche Brewing (1067 Blair St.) by its purple and red exterior and sunny front porch, where most guests kick back over beers. The cozy interior features a short copper-topped bar and a few tables. Taster trays of the house beers are served in ski boot-shaped sampling glasses attached to a short ski, with real working bindings.

Use extra caution on the narrow windy road that descends 11,018-feet Red Mountain Pass between Silverton and Ouray (pronounced You-ray). From Ouray, it’s an easy 10-mile drive to Ridgway, home of Colorado Boy Pub & Brewery (602 Clinton St.), named after a mine that once operated in the area. The small interior space of the old wedge-shaped building is as agreeable as the well-crafted sessionable ales and first-rate pizza that attract a steady stream of locals and travelers.

A gorgeous 50-minute drive through rolling mountain-backed ranchland brings you to Telluride Brewing (156 Society Dr.), located in a small development of mixed businesses a few miles west of Telluride. The brewery has no formal tasting room. You enter directly into the brewhouse where there’s a small bar, but no seating (ask your server about that). This hardly fazes the crowds who show up to schmooze and enjoy pours of the dozen or so big-flavored house beers such as Face Down Brown, a Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup gold medal winner.

On the way to Smuggler’s Brewpub (225 S. Pine St.), your final Beer Weekend destination, pause to take in the storybook setting of this lovingly-restored Victorian town. The busy downtown brewpub occupies a rustic building once used to weigh minerals mined in the surrounding mountains. Grab a pint to fit your mood—the house beers are diverse and well-made—and kick back for a leisurely session on the sun-splashed patio at 8,750 feet. You’ve earned it.

Dan Rabin is a Boulder-based beer and travel writer and author of the guidebook Colorado Breweries.

The post 48 Hours in Southwest Colorado first appeared on All About Beer.