06 Jan No bar? Get creative! The best non-brewery places to drink craft beer
Being loosely affiliated with the craft beer industry, I get a lot of mail and read a lot of news about craft beer. New breweries opening, trends in the beer world, buyouts, you name it – I read it. A lot of it is mostly fun stuff like beer reviews or information about releases; some of it is informative, like all the writing and opinions about AB InBev’s hostile takeover of the brewing industry; and some makes me think about my own craft beer experience.
It’s the latter that I really enjoy the most, because it makes me a better writer, reader, and consumer. It makes me actually think about beer in ways more broad than the technical aspect. So while that type of beer writing may not be the most IMPORTANT THING YOU READ EVER, you can get a lot out of it. That’s pretty cool!
I had one of these moments when I stumbled across an Eater piece about weird places around the country to consume craft beer. Some nice easy reading about places around the country trying to bring the craft beer experience to folks outside of a brewery, like having a taproom at your local grocery store, or a Cincinnati-based gas station where you can get growler fills while pumping gas. Informative stuff about people doing things a little different.
It got me thinking about my absolute favorite places to drink craft beer outside of a brewery/bar setting. Beer is portable, so it can go with you pretty much anywhere! Here’s where I like to take it:
My couch
Okay let’s get this one out of the way. There’s nothing better than relaxing in the confines of your home, sitting in your favorite spot on the couch with your feet propped up, watching a movie or game and drinking your favorite craft beer. You feel comfortable, you feel safe, and if you’re genetically gifted like me you can use your stomach like a table.
If you’re on the couch drinking, you’re probably going to be there a while, so choose something a little stronger, like Upland’s Coastbuster.
C/O CraftBeer.com
This is straight out of some Sierra Nevada Pale Ale commercial, but I swear it’s true. Imagine being out on a cool fall day, breathing in the crisp air of the woods, feet muddied up from the trails, and sipping on a beer you know came from that same Earth? I can taste it now. What an experience. Remember though: bring cans, not bottles. Lugging around glass in your pack can be risky, and with cans you can pack more! A great beer for the trail? Founder’s All Day Sessions IPA.
At a sporting event
Yes, you’ll pay more than you would buying a macro beer, and yes you’ll most likely get a smaller portion (such a load of crap), but sporting events are like community gatherings, where people of all different backgrounds can gather and share in their communal interest. And what better way to support your community than to buy beer made there in public. On your next trip to Banker’s Life, opt for a Sun King, or a Daredevil Lift Off IPA at Lucal Oil, and revel in the notion that what you’re drinking (and you by extension) is superior to that 220z cup of Bud Light the fan next to you is guzzling. Drinking at a sporting event can get hairy if you didn’t arrange post-game travel, so keep it light here and opt for Flat12’s Walkabout Pale Ale.
In secret
Look: we love beer. Maybe we love it a little too much sometimes. Maybe some family members or coworkers look down on us and our enthusiasm for God’s greatest gift, so at family gatherings or work parties we have to imbibe covertly. And the beer you know you’re not supposed to have is the best beer you’ll ever have. Just keep a cooler in your car and as the conversation starts to lean towards politics or money or why you’re still single and just when are you going to settle down and give them some grand kids for crying out loud, grab your cooler older cousins and some of grandad’s old mugs and head for the garage. Enjoy that sweet hoppy relief in peace, friend. You’ve earned it.
Here, you want to break out the good stuff. You need some high ABV to survive the family, but you also want to show your family you know your stuff, so anything from 18th Street, Burn ‘Em or a growler from Deviate will get the job done!
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