It all began while enjoying beers on the deck one summer evening. The Great American Beer Festival was approaching, and we needed to make plans. Then it occurred to us: “Hey, why don’t we drive this year?” And so we did. We loaded up our Mazda Miata, put her top down and put on our... View Article
When we were growing up in New Jersey, our families never thought of vacationing in Philadelphia: on weekends, we went to the Shore. Those were the days before “weekend escapes.” And long before we became beer travelers.
Recently, a group of Ontario brewers put themselves on the map by creating an Ale Trail. It wasn’t a physical trail, but a one-weekend-a-month open house. For a couple of dollars, one bought a “passport” good for entry into the breweries, a few samples, and conversation with other beer lovers. Hospitable staff were on hand,... View Article
Over the years, people have asked us where we “drink locally.” For us, “local” means Ann Arbor, the University of Michigan town where we’ve worked and played for years. The city’s population is only 114,110—Michigan Stadium could hold them all—but it offers something for every taste. Where else can you watch the Royal Shakespeare Company,... View Article
Ten years ago, I found a rock-bottom airfare from Detroit to Frankfurt. And with it, an excuse for an impromptu vacation.
Take one state capital, add 30,000 or so college students, stir in a rich football tradition and—voila!—you’ve got a can’t-miss recipe for good times. Take Austin, for instance. It’s the home of the University of Texas, ranked by Princeton Review as one of America’s top 10 party schools. It won’t take you long to find... View Article
In 1979, the year All About Beer Magazine debuted, I was working as a researcher at the University of Michigan. For a budding beer traveler, it was the perfect job: It offered plenty of vacation time; and my assignments took me to out-of-the-way towns like Altoona, Beloit and Sauk Centre, where the evening’s entertainment consisted... View Article
If you’re a beer traveler, Portland, OR, ranks high on your must-see list. But have you been to Portland, ME, America’s other beer Mecca? This port city on Casco Bay turns out a dazzling range of craft-brewed beer.
Can’t make it to this year’s Oktoberfest? Fear not. The other 349 days on Munich’s calendar are filled with events at which you can enjoy Bavarian food, beer and culture. According to Larry Hawthorne, the author of The Beer Drinker’s Guide to Munich, “every day is Oktoberfest somewhere.”
