New Brunswick

New Brunswick is certainly not Canada’s most exciting province, but there are some beautiful areas to explore!

Fundy National Park

This is a very cool little national park with forests, the bay, and a lot of waterfalls.

• Dickson Falls Trail: This is a quick trail at just half a mile long and takes about 20 minutes to complete. It leads to a pretty large waterfall along a brook and beautiful mossy forest setting.

• Matthews Head Trail: This moderate trail leads out to nice views of the bay. It is very quiet and a part of the much longer Fundy Coastal Trail. The Matthews head loop is 3 miles long with 772ft of elevation gain and takes about 1.5 hours to complete.

• Tipsy Tails: This restaurant sits just outside the park in Alma. It is set on the water with great views, delicious eats, and has reasonable prices.

• Holy Whale: A solid brewery in Alma just up the block!

Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park

This area is home to the highest tides in the world! At the park you can hike about a mile out to the rock formations which at low tide you can walk on the ocean floor, or at high tide you can kayak on top of! AKA—be mindful of timing when you visit and pull up the tide schedule!

Expect to get a bit muddy, but there is a hose to rinse off. Dog-friendly. Paid entrance. Paid shuttle available if you’re not able to do the hike. Very neat and unique!

Moncton

The town of Moncton is 35 minutes up the road from Hopewell Rocks and serves as a good base point. It has a cute downtown with frequent events.

• Tide & Boar: This brewery and gastropub is in the heart of downtown with a great patio space, a huge food menu, cocktails, and quite tasty beer!

• Holy Whale Brewery also has a location here (mentioned above in Fundy!)

New Jersey

New Jersey one of my least favorite states, full stop, but they have some pretty solid breweries! Here are the spots I would recommend bopping around to:

• Brick Farm Tavern: This farm-to-table restaurant has Troon Brewing on tap. Incredible beers, tasty food, great vibes. Located in Hopewell.

• Esker Hart Artisan Ales: A fantastic brewery in the heart of High Bridge. They have great beers and a wide variety of styles.

• Oakflower Brewing: A great brewery with a Lager and IPA focused tap list. Located in the tiny town of Millington!

• Autodidact Beer: This brewery has an IPA & Hop Saturated Ale focused tap list. It is a cute space which you would not guess from the strip mall setting. Located in Morris Plains.

• Twin Elephant Brewing Company: Solid brewery with a wide variety of styles. They are located in Chatham.

  • Pascarella Brothers Delicatessen is located right up the block! This is a classic New Jersey deli for sandwiches and perfect to pair with your beers.

• Conclave Brewing: This brewery is not quite up to par with the quality they previous were producing, but overall it is a solid spot. Located in a strip mall in Flemington.

Central California

Central California is often overlooked for the perfect weather of SoCal or the wineries and coast life in NorCal—but there are some great gems here too! I did a road trip loop exploring the middle section of California and here are all of my recommendations!

King’s Canyon National Park

This is a very small National Park about an hour from Fresno and nestled up against Sequoia National Park as well. There is just one road through the park so you can accomplish a lot of things in a short amount of time here. A day was the perfect visit for me personally! Recommendations:

• Kings Canyon Scenic Byway: A beautiful scenic drive through the canyon to the end of the park. There are beautiful views throughout, but the Junction View is particularly great. It takes about an hour to drive from the start near General Grant to the end of the road.

• General Grant Trail: This is a short and sweet trail at three-quarters of a mile and 15 minutes to complete to the third largest tree in the world by volume. You can also walk through a downed tree in the forest as well which is neat.

• Panoramic Point Trail: A short half mile trail to a beautiful panoramic viewpoint! I would recommend doing this trail earlier in the day because by late afternoon the lighting was not as ideal.

• Mist Falls Trail: A nice trail at 8 miles long with 1,100ft of elevation gain that takes about 3 hours to complete. The trailhead is at the end of the road and a launching pad for many backpackers and campers. It starts off flat and exposed and then dives into the forest. There is really only one section that is steep with stone steps, otherwise it is easy to moderate throughout. The trail leads to a large waterfall, but I would actually say the best view is in the middle of the stone steps looking out into the canyon.

• Roaring River Falls: A quick walk (7 minutes roundtrip) to a nice waterfall near the end of the road. This trail is paved so it is very accessible.

• Hume Lake: A very odd spot is how I would summarize Hume Lake. Part Christian Camp, part National Forest. A nice spot to relax and enjoy the lake/views post-hiking, but the views from the day use area are not super nice, but if you go over to the camp area and towards the dining hall you have a nice mountain backdrop.

Sequoia National Park

Sequoia is another relatively small park that is filled with very large and very old trees!

• Watchtower Trail: This trail is 8.3 miles long with 2,106ft of elevation gain and takes about 4 hours to complete. It is a pretty moderate trail throughout, with just one steep section towards the end. The views from the Watchtower are dramatic, and you can also see nearby Tokopah Falls from here as well! The trail then continues on to the beautiful Heather Lake, or you can add on more lakes beyond this as well!

  • If you are afraid of heights or if there is any risk of ice I would absolutely not recommend this trail, you walk along the edge of a cliff at times.

• General Sherman Tree Trail: A quick hike to the largest tree in the world! The trail is 1 mile long with 268ft of elevation gain and takes about a half hour. It’s relatively steep but since it’s so short it’s still accessible. This is a very busy trail so there is a park shuttle you can utilize if parking is too full.

  • You can also continue on to the Congress Trail for more large trees, but how many trees do you need to see in a day really?

• Moro Rock Trail: This short trail at a half mile long leads up stairs to a viewpoint. It is a popular spot for sunrise!

  • There is a tunnel log nearby you can drive through as well which is fun!

• Big Trees Trail: This is another option in the Giant Forest at 1.2 miles long, mostly flat, and takes about a half hour to complete. The trail runs along the road from the museum center at the start so it is a bit noisy, and overall was just another walk in the trees :)

• Gateway Restaurant: A great spot on the river just outside the park for lunch or dinner!

San Luis Obispo

SLO is a super cute little city with a lot to offer! I really enjoyed my time in this area.

• There Does Not Exist: This is a great brewery a bit outside of town with fantastic beers and a good variety to choose from.

• Brewery hop in the LoBro neighborhood! This area is full of breweries, cideries and beer bars to explore!

  • Ancient Owl Beer Garden and Bottle Shop: A cool beer bar and bottle shop with 24 taps. They have another spot in Atascadero as well!

  • Shrine Brewing: A small brewery with 10 taps and good vibes. Right next to Ancient Owl

  • Humdinger Brewing: Another brewery option with a small food menu and some arcade games. The main taproom is in nearby Arroyo Grande.

• Montana de Oro Bluff Trail: This nice, easy trail along the coast is very pretty. I got about 4 miles and 200ft of elevation in about 1.5 hours.

• Scout Coffee: This coffee shop has multiple locations in the area. I visited their spot in Morro Bay and it was an adorable space with delicious coffee and amazing pastries.

• Wayward Baking: This little bakery in nearby Los Osos is whipping up some amazing things! Definitely recommend popping in.

• Explore Morro Bay and visit Morro Rock!

• Central Coast Brewing: This brewery has a couple of locations in the area. The beer is pretty solid. The SLO taproom also has bar food in a warehouse type setting.

• I stayed at the Best Western Plus Royal Oak Hotel: This was a nice hotel with a fun pool area and a good breakfast.

• Silver Bar Cocktail Lounge at the Madonna Inn: This is a very touristy spot that is cute with all pink vibes, but I realized when I walked in it was not my vibe. Some of you will love it so I wanted to let you know about it!

Paso Robles

Paso is the heart of wine country in Central California! There are SO many wineries to choose from in this area (over 400!). The downtown itself is also cute with plenty to keep you occupied! Be sure to make reservations for your tastings in advance.

• Booker Vineyard: This is a beautiful winery with tasty pours. The setting is lovely!

• Firestone Walker Brewing Company: This famed brewery has a massive campus with a huge tap list, and great food. You can’t miss it while in the area!

  • Check out my blog here on what it is like to attend their annual festival!

• Explore Tin City: This area is full of wineries, breweries, cideries, distilleries, restaurants, and more!

  • BENOM Winery & Tasting Room: Great French wines and a very bespoke experience. Highly recommend!

  • Central Coast Creamery: An awesome little cheese shop that also has sandwiches!

  • Proof and Gather Baking Company: A great bakery that also has sandwiches and pizzas.

• Paso Market Walk: This is a cute little market with a few restaurant options. Common Grounds coffee shop is here and quite good.

  • Guisados to Go is also across the street with great breakfast burritos!

Pinnacles National Park

This is a very small national park with two distinct sides—east and west. Bear Gulch Day Use Area is home to a lot of the trailheads. The park is known for condors so keep your eyes on the sky!

• Moses Spring and Rim Trail Loop Trail: This trail is 2 miles long with 550ft of elevation gain and takes just under an hour to complete. It hits Bear Gulch Caves and the reservoir. It was a bit boring but there were a few fun landscapes.

• Originally I was going to do the Condor Gulch to Bear Gulch to High Peaks which is 5.6 miles long with 1,633ft of elevation gain but it was really really hot and it did not seem like a good choice.

Fresno

Fresno is not a city I loved or really felt the need to visit, but it is conveniently located as the gateway to Yosemite, Kings Canyon, and Sequoia National Parks. It’s a great spot to spend the night before entering a park early the next day.

• Tioga-Sequoia Beer Garden: A good brewery with a wide variety of beers and a very nice space. They have frequent events and are located right across from the baseball field downtown.

• MachineHead Brewing: A nice Sour-focused brewery with a good patio space.

• Crow & Wolf Brewing Co: A warehouse-style brewery right around the corner from MachineHead with a lovely patio. They have a wide variety of beer styles and are pretty impressive.

• Eureka!: This beer bar and kitchen has locations across the area and is not typically somewhere I would recommend since it has chain/strip-mall vibes but the food is actually quite good and they have great rotating taps, such as Bottle Logic Brewing.

• Out of the Barrel: A beer bar with several locations in California. Their tap list and to-go selection is good, but the strip-mall vibes are not my favorite.

• Burning Sun Brewing Co: An average brewery where the beers are pretty solid but the space is not.

May and June 2026

May and June brought an absurd amount of delicious beers for me. I visited Greenville, SC, Asheville, NC, and then spent two weeks adventuring around California, and then visited Wilmington, NC in late June. I participated in two bottle shares, and visited Burial and inconceivable number of times. Overall I tried 239 beers over the past two months—and this list will exclude my top beers from the Firestone Walker Invitational, because those can be found here.

In no particular order, here were the best beers I had over the last two months:

M 3rd 25th The Deafening Sound of Silence from Forgotten Road Ales in Graham, NC

Always love any time I can get my hands on anything Forgotten Road Ales! This is a barrel aged Imperial Stout blend of 31 months with 18 year bourbon barrel and 18 month cognac bourbon barrel with maple syrup, cacao nibs, cinnamon, and coffee.

Zwickel Pilsner and Fonio Wild from Whaley Farm Brewery in Old Fort, NC

Finally made it to Whaley Farm and absolutely loved it! Zwickel Pilsner is—you guessed it—a Pilsner. Fonio Wild is a Saison brewed with fonio, hopped with Vista and fermented with a blend of house Saison yeast and two strains of Brettanomyces.

Third Press, Fourth Press, Howling Wilderness, Life Is Round (Batch 6), and Double Barrel Almond Suite from Private Press Brewing in Santa Cruz, CA

Incredibly thankful to have gotten to taste so many incredible Private Press beers this month! They are absolutely crushing the game and very difficult to get your hands on. Third Press is a blend of barrel aged Stouts, Barleywines and Munichwine. Fourth Press is a blend of barrel aged Stouts and Barleywines. Howling Wilderness is a bourbon barrel Stout blend conditioned on pecans, mizunara, and bourbon barrel maple syrup. Life Is Round Batch 6 is an English Barleywine. Double Barrel Almond Suite is a collaboration with Side Project Brewing and an Imperial Stout brewed with almonds and lactose, aged in bourbon and cognac barrels.

Let’s Go Chase Some Waterfalls! + Plus It Up + Keen on Peacharine from North Park Beer Co in San Diego, CA

I absolutely love North Park and essentially booked a long layover in San Diego just so I could visit them! Let’s Go Chase Some Waterfalls! is a Triple IPA in collaboration with Brujos in Portland and Green Cheek in Orange. It is hopped with Citra, Strata, and Manilita. Plus It Up is a triple dry hopped Hazy Double IPA with Southern Cross, Nelson Sauvin, Waimea, Citra, Citra Cryo, and Rakau SubZero Hop Kief. Keen on Peacharine is a triple dry hopped Hazy Double IPA with Citra, Citra Cryo, Citra DynaBoost, Freestyle Rakau, Freestyle Nelson Sauvin, and Freestyle Peacharine.

Parliament + Smoke & Stories + Aoraki with Mango from Fidens Brewing in Albany, NY

More juicy goodness from Fidens, who is surprised? Parliament is a double dry hopped Double IPA with Citra, Citra Liquid Lupulin, Nelson Cryo and Riwaka Cryo hops in collaboration with Troon Brewing and Wild Bird Research Group Inc. Smoke & Stories is a quadruple dry hopped Double IPA brewed with Citra, Nelson, Superdelic Cryo, Egger's Special, Motueka and Motueka Hop Kief hops. Aoraki with Mango is a Triple IPA with mango, and brewed with Nelson, Nelson Cryo, Motueka and Motueka Hop Kief hops.

Protections Spells (2025 Blend) from Floodland Brewing in Seattle, WA

Has Floodland ever missed? I don’t think so. This is a blend of Saison aged in oak and refermented on pluots.

That Time When I Left All Of Myself In A Bed Stuy Juice Bar + The Dynasty + The Fabrication of a Most Diabolical Empire + 13th Passing + Be As You Were And Always Could Be + 13th Floor + 13th Row from Burial Beer in Asheville, NC

It was Burial’s 13th anniversary in June so yes there are 7 beers from them that absolutely blew me away over the past two months! That Time is an Imperial IPA collaboration with Other Half Brewing with oats + Mosaic Incognito, Motueka, then double dry-hopped with Necatron, Mosaic Cryo, Hallertau Blanc, Motueka, and Eclipse Liquid Lupulin. The Dynasty is a Quadruple IPA in collaboration with Fidens Brewing with oats + Citra Incognito, Riwaka, then triple dry-hopped with Galaxy, Riwaka, Loza Farms Comet, Rakau, Citra Hyperboost, and Riwaka Amplifire. The Fabrication is an Imperial IPA in collaboration with Xul Beer Co with oats + double dry-hopped with Coleman Farms' Citra, Galaxy, Nectaron, Rakau, Citra Cryo and Hyperboost. 13th Passing is a bourbon barrel aged Barleywine with whole vanilla beans from 13 different “distant lands” in collaboration with Horus Aged Ales. Be As You Were is a Double IPA with Mosaic, Galaxy, Nectaron, Dolcita, Nelson, Rakau, Strata, Krush, El Dorado, Vic Secret, Motueka, Simcoe, Comet, Incognito, Cryo, and Liquid Lupulin. 13th Floor is a bourbon barrel aged Imperial Stout blended with bourbon barrel aged Barleywine. 13th Row is a bourbon barrel aged Imperial Stout with coffee, pecan, cashew, cherry, maple, dulce de leche, coconut, blueberry, cocoa nibs, vanilla, smoked sea salt, strawberry, and Thai banana.

Stef, Way Bright, and Four Meters from Lesser-Known Beer Co in Winston-Salem, NC

Lesser-Known can do no wrong in my eyes and makes this list every time I have the opportunity to get my hands on their beers! Stef is a Zwickelbeer. Way Bright is an Unfiltered Pale Ale. Four Meters is a Helles Lager.

Analog Clock, Down Slope, Beauty Sleep, If Memory Serves, Veiled Alchemy, and Equator’s Edge from Sante Adairius Rustic Ales in Capitola, CA

May brought visits to two SARA taprooms in Capitola and Santa Cruz, and then I came home to North Carolina and Wooden Nickel Pub in Hillsborough had a SARA tap takeover #blessed. Saison for days!! Analog Clock is a barrel aged Saison blend. Down Slope is a barrel-aged Saison with Pinot Noir grapes. Beauty Sleep is an oak aged Saison with raspberries. If Memory Serves was fermented in two separate stainless vessels with two distinct strains of Brettanoymces. Veiled Alchemy is a Vermouth barrel-aged Saison blend. Equator’s Edge is a barrel-aged Saison with pineapple and guava.

Hella Local Michelada from Tioga-Sequoia Brewing in Fresno, CA

Hella Local Michelada is a Blonde Ale infused with Pro-Mix 559. I don’t even normally like micheladas (though I love bloody marys!) but this was absurdly good.

Phoenix Nox from Pure Project Brewing in San Diego, CA

When I saw a collaboration with Horus Aged Ales on the Pure Project menu while in San Diego I knew it was going to be amazing. This is an Imperial Stout aged for up to 26 months in a decadent blend of Buffalo Trace, Heaven Hill, and Cutwater bourbon barrels. Then Geisha coffee from Costa Rica, Filipino coconut, Tahitian vanilla, and maple sugar from New Hampshire were added.

Woodstock Double IPA: Peacharine, Paradisi, Citra and Simcoe + Platinum Fern + 14th Anniversary from Tree House Brewing Company in Charlton, MA

Tree House cans don’t always overly impress me, but the last two months featured three absolute bangers for me! Woodstock is a Double IPA with Citra, Simcoe, Paradisi, and Peacharine hops. Platinum Fern is a Triple IPA with Nelson, Peacharine and Motueka hops. 14th Anniversary is a Double IPA.

Tempo from Weaver Hollow Brewery in Andes, NY

Tempo is a Saison from Weaver Hollow, and always a superb beer. Unfortunately it appears Weaver Hollow may not be operating any more? It is not clear. This was my last bottle from them so I certainly hope that is not true!

Quy Is The Answer (2026) from The Answer Brewpub in Richmond, VA

Ah an Imperial Stout from The Answer—always a gift. This is a California Apple Brandy barrel aged Imperial Milk Stout with Vietnamese Weasel (Chon) coffee, Saigon cinnamon, Madagascar vanilla, in-house bourbon barrel aged Vermont maple syrup and Quy's special chili blend. Sheesh!

Oude Gueze Cuvee Armand & Gaston Season 16|17 Blend 1 from 3 Fonteinen in Lot, Belgium

10 year old Lambic? Count me in! This is a blend of Lambics aged on 4 different barrels, originating from wort of 8 different brews.

Redux Blend 1 from Side Project Brewing in Saint Louis, MO

Couldn’t wrap up a top beers blog without a Side Project bottle of course! Redux is an Imperial Stout finished with maple syrup, coconut flakes, and ground cinnamon.

Check Back next month for my top beers of July!
CHeers —Alexis

2026 Firestone Walker Invitational

As a beer nerd, attending the Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Fest has been on my bucket list for a while, and finally this year the stars aligned for me to be in central California at the time of the event! This was the 13th year of FWIBF and it absolutely lived up to the hype.

The day was full of incredible beer, delicious food, fun live music, and relaxing vibes, all for a good cause! Proceeds from the festival benefit Paso Robles Pioneer Day, a local nonprofit dedicated to preserving the unique history and culture of Paso Robles.

The event is incredibly well organized with an app for attendees to download ahead of time with the participating breweries, tap lists, food menus, live music schedule, frequently asked questions, and the ever so important map! On the app attendees were also able to vote for the People’s Choice Award winner which was presented to Everywhere Beer Co. in Orange, CA this year. I was able to visit their taproom in their first year open and was very impressed.

Paso Robles Event Center is the home of the fest and there is plenty of shade, misters, and seating areas to keep folks comfortable. Plus, breweries and sponsors got creative with their offerings to keep things cool and fun as well. Cocktails at beer fest? Beer slushees? Jello shots? Yes yes and yes please!

Overall FWIBF did not just feel like another run of the mill beer fest—there is intentionality and unique touches that set this event apart.

On top of the festival itself, Firestone Walker makes a weekend out of the event. On Friday they organize a block party the day before the fest that is open to the general public with live music, barbeque, FW beers, and guest taps. Then on Sunday the weekend rounds out with Brews and Brekky at the taproom with guest beers and a special brunch menu. The Papas Con Chorizo Pizza I had at brunch alongside a pour of Anna from Hill Farmstead was perfection!

My Top Beers

The 2026 fest featured over 70 breweries from around the world, and what makes this fest even more special is that the brewers/owners themselves are present pouring the beers for attendees, not just volunteers or bartenders. You’ve got the experts onsite sharing their passion and knowledge which was amazing! Here were my top pours:

Blessed Purr collaboration brew from Horus Aged Ales in Oceanside, CA and Anchorage Brewing in Anchorage, AK

Blessed Purr is a bourbon barrel aged blend of double oaked and triple oaked Imperial Stouts with Democratic Republic of Congo vanilla beans, Madagascar vanilla beans, raw coconut, and toasted coconut added. Yes I did in fact start a beer festival with a 21.66% ABV Imperial Stout. Yes it was my absolute favorite beer of the day! This is an insanely great beer from two of the absolute best Stout producers in the country.

Soft Kitty, Warm Kitty, Little Ball of Fur, Happy Kitty, Sleepy Kitty, Purr Purr Purr from Horus Aged Ales in Oceanside, CA

This crazy beer is an Imperial Stout aged in Pappy Van Winkle 20 year bourbon barrels, then William Larue Weller bourbon barrels, and finished in Blanton's bourbon barrels with Democratic Republic of Congo vanilla beans added. I just continue to be amazed by the insanely good beers Kyle is creating!

Samuel from Hill Farmstead Brewery in Greensboro Bend, VT

Samuel is a Farmhouse Ale with buckwheat, spelt, and Vermont wildflower honey aged in wine barrels and then bottle conditioned. Although I’ve had Samuel many times, it’s not a beer you pass up when it is available! Always an absolute gem.

Smoke & Stories from Fidens Brewing in Albany, NY

Smoke & Stories is a quadruple dry-hopped Double IPA brewed with Citra, Nelson, Superdelic Cryo, Egger's Special, Motueka and Motueka Hop Kief hops. This was a classic Fidens banger—silky smooth, packed with flavor.

Just One Thing…Nelson! from Green Cheek Beer Company in Orange, CA

This is an all-Nelson double dry hopped Imperial IPA with hand selected 2022 Nelson Sauvin. I love an all Nelson IPA so this was a delight! Green Cheek had a fun set up at the fest as well that was absolutely poppin’. I also loved that they had some of their hop partners pouring cans for folks in the line so you were able to try more than one of their beers while just waiting once. They also had slushees and sliders!

Hana Select Lager from Bierstadt Lagerhaus in Denver, CO

Hana Select Lager is a Czech Pale Lager brewed for International Women’s Month with 19th century Hana Valley malt and Czech Saaz hops. Bierstadt obviously crushes the Lager game but this was even better than their standard Helles or Slow Pour Pils in my opinion. A little bit unique, a lot bit great.

Delia from Birrificio Italiano in Limido Comasco, Lombardia Italy

Delia is a bottom-fermented Italian Pilsner with floor-malted barley and German hops. An Italian Pilsner straight out of Italy unsurprisingly slapped. The foam and slight bitterness were exactly right. Pleasantly surprised!

Dark Watchers collaboration brew from Alvarado Street Brewery in Monterey, CA and Brujos Brewing in Portland, OR

Dark Watchers is a Hazy Triple IPA. Alvarado Street had a fun set-up at the fest pouring out of a car they had to get there on a trailer. Definitely a banger!

Poetica 3 from Hill Farmstead Brewery in Greensboro Bend, VT

Poetica 3 is a Czech-inspired Pilsner brewed with a single decoction mash process, Czech Saaz hops, fermented with Czech and German lager yeast in a French oak puncheon. I was lucky enough to have a pour of this tasty beer at their taproom at the end of 2025, so when I saw it on tap at the fest I knew it would be a perfect, refreshing beer.

Achromatic Vibes (2025) collaboration brew from Side Project Brewing in St. Louis, MO and WeldWerks Brewing in Greeley, CO

Achromatic Vibes 2025 is a non-barrel aged Imperial Stout finished on raw and toasted coconut chips and a blend of vanilla beans. This was a solid offering from two great breweries. A coconut Stout will always be one of my favorites!

15 Years Cuvée from Oxbow Brewing Company in Newcastle, ME

15 Years Cuvée is a barrel-aged Farmhouse Ale blended to celebrate Oxbow's 15th anniversary. The blend incorporates threads of barrel-aged batches of all five of their original farmhouse ales: Arboreal, FPA, Noel, Oxtoberfest & Space Cowboy. Oxbow is always great in my eyes, and I can’t wait to visit some of their spaces when I am up in Maine next month! Their Portland taproom with Duckfat fries is chef’s kiss.

My Top Bites

FWIBF also partners with area restaurants and there were 20 different food vendors providing delicious bites to pair with the brews. My favorites were:

Benny’s Pizza Palace and Social Club in San Luis Obispo: Detroit-style Pizza

Pizza and beer? Say less. This sample of pizza was absolutely delicious! As a Michigander I always love a Detroit-style pie, and this one was a great rendition.

Street Side Ale House in Paso Robles and Atascadero: Street Mac

This rotini pasta with house-made pepper jack cream, pepperoncini, bacon, toasted rosemary, and parmesan definitely had a kick, but was packed with delicious flavor! It was a great grab while waiting in the Green Cheek line!

Della’s Wood-Fired Pizza in Paso Robles: Mortadella Sandwich with whipped ricotta and pistachio pesto

The bread on this sandwich was particularly great! Perfect snag to get some substance between pours.

I am bummed I missed the Watermelon & Citrus Shrimp Ceviche from Union & Vine in Atascadero as well!

Cheers to such an amazing fest and weekend of events! The next festival I am attending is Hill Farmstead’s Festival of Farmhouse Ales next month and I can’t wait!

Check back to see my top beers! Cheers —Alexis

March and April 2026

March and April included visits to Asheville, Durham for the Rare and Vintage Beer Tasting, Atlanta for the Little Beer Festival, a quick stop in Greenville, a fun weekend at Wild Hartsville, a couple of bottle shares, and a lot of time in Charlotte supporting local! I visited STIR, Plot Twist, STK, Frenchy’s, Yume, Petty Thieves, Burial x 4, Que Onda, Margeux’s, Kit’s, Edge City, Vaulted Oak, The Craic, HopFly, ESO, Fonta Flora, State of Confusion, Printshop, Salud, and Keepsake over the past two months.

During all of this I tried 181 beers in March and April, and in no particular order, here were the best:

Fairy Ring + Excelsior + Colossal Something from Fidens Brewing in Albany, NY

Three Hazy powerhouses from the fine folks at Fidens! Fairy Ring is an Imperial IPA, Excelsior is a Double IPA triple dry-hopped with Nelson, Peacharine, Riwaka, Nectaron, Motueka Hop Kief, and Rakau Hop Kief. Colossal Something is a Quadruple Dry-Hopped Quadruple IPA brewed with Citra, Waimea, Superdelic, Nelson, Rakau and Riwaka hops.

Luxe from Two Tides Brewing in Savannah, GA

Two Tides came into town for Burial’s Primavera Celebration and graced us with this delicious Imperial Stout during the off-topic panel conversation. It was aged 32 months in 12 year Willet Family Estate PurpleTop bourbon barrels and has roasted pecans, caramel, chocolate and sea salt. Banger!

The Real of Absolute Nothingness from Burial Beer in Asheville, NC + The Fabrication of a Most Diabolical Empire collaboration brew with Xul Brewing in Knoxville, TN

The Realm of Absolute Nothingness is an Imperial Stout aged on select French Broad Chocolate cocoa nibs, Madagascar vanilla beans, and macaroon coconut. The Fabrication of a Most Diabolical Empire is an Imperial IPA mashed with oats and wheat, double dry-hopped with Coleman Farms' Citra, Galaxy, Nectaron, and Rakau, and finished with Citra Cryo & Hyperboost. This Xul collab was also thanks to their Primavera celebration and one of my favorite IPAs I have had in a hot minute.

No Sleep + A Deal With The Devil Triple Oaked Batch 11 from Anchorage Brewing in Anchorage, AK

Anchorage! Always blessed when a month includes a pour of their insanely great beers! No Sleep is a blend of several vintages of double oaked Barleywine and Imperial Stouts aged in a variety of bourbon barrels then fnished in Klatch coffee, Vermont maple syrup and Madagascar vanilla beans. This version of A Deal With The Devil is a triple oaked Barleywine aged 25 months in a mix of Willett, Woodford reserve double oaked bourbon barrels, and cognac barrels.

EBK Until They Kill Me Ghost Edition + Ghost Dead and Gone from Adroit Theory in Purcellville, VA

Adroit Theory is quietly crushing it up in the DC metro area. I loved my visit there a couple of summers ago, and was thrilled to see them on the list at Wild Hartsville. They had several great beers that day, but my two favorites were EBK Until They Kill Me Ghost Edition, a special version of their flagship IPA that is double dry-hopped with Citra, Riwaka, Nelson Sauvin, and Motueka hops and Ghost Dead and Gone, a Triple IPA double dry-hopped with Citra and Mosaic.

GSO Barrel Select 2025 + Ammo Can: Nahvi Bravo from Forgotten Road Ales in Graham, NC

I had the pleasure of attending two festivals in a month that Ben from Forgotten Road was pouring at, so of course there were some stellar Stouts. My two favorites were GSO Barrel Select 2025 which is an Imperial Stout aged in Cognac barrels that aged 14 year bourbon. This was a special release for their Greensboro Taproom's 3rd anniversary. I still need to make it to this taproom! I also loved Ammo Can: Nahvi Bravo, an Imperial Stout aged for 15 months in a 8 year 1792 Sweet Wheat Bourbon Barrel with banana, vanilla and cinnamon.

Coconut Crab from The Answer in Richmond, VA

Coconut Crab is an Imperial Stout with toasted coconut that was one of the VIP pours at Wild Hartsville. So, so good.

Schwemme from Schilling Beer Co. in Littleton, NH

Schwemme was my favorite pour at Little Beer! It is a low ABV sessionable take on the pale German lager tradition. Thankfully I just snagged a can of this locally so I can enjoy it again!

Fusion Chamber: Coconut 2026 from Little Cottage Brewery in Avondale Estates, GA

I was really excited to finally visit Little Cottage and loved this Imperial Stout with coconut. Have you heard I like coconut Stouts? lollllll

For LC from Side Project Brewing in St. Louis, MO + For MD Blend 2 collaboration brew with WeldWerks Brewing Co. in Greeley, CO

Dark beers from Side Project would easily be on my marry list of FMK. LOVE them so much and so thankful that my friend now visits there for work and can get the hook up. For LC is a Double Barrel-aged Imperial Stout with Mexican vanilla beans, cocoa nibs, cinnamon sticks and ancho chilis aged in Blanton's and Weller 12 barrels, then blended and aged a second time on Willett Rye and Artifact Honey Bourbon Barrels, with more vanilla added. MD Blend 2 blends the techniques of each brewery’s most recognizable Stout: Medianoche and Derivation. It is an Imperial Stout aged in 15-year-old Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond bourbon barrels and seven-year-old Weller bourbon barrels with Madagascar vanilla beans and dark, robust maple syrup added.

Yodel: Rakau from Freak Folk Bier in Waterbury, VT + Jasper collaboration brew with Fidens

Freak Folk never misses! Yodel: Rakau is the seventh installment in their Yodel single hop series. Jasper is a fun take on this Fidens classic brewed with Citra hops. Can’t wait to get back up there in July!

From The Pinnacle + Populus from Brujos Brewing in Portland, OR + Green Warlocks collaboration brew with Other Half Brewing in Brooklyn, NY

From the Pinnacle is a triple dry-hopped Triple Hazy IPA. Populus is a double dry hopped Hazy IPA with Nelson, Citra and Mosaic. Green Warlocks is an Imperial IPA brewed by OH. This is the most Brujos I have had in while and it was a good reminder of how fantastic they are!

Undertone: French Butter Pear from Casey Brewing and Blending in Glenwood Springs, CO

Love a good excuse to open a Casey bottle! This is an oat Farmhouse Ale aged with organic French Butter Pears. I will continue to die on the hill that pear Farmhouse Ales are underrated.

Works of Love: Keeping Together collaboration brew from Hill Farmstead Brewery in Greensboro Bend, VT and Keeping Together Beer in Santa Fe, NM

I am very excited to visit Averie’s new taproom (hopefully in 2027!) and really enjoyed this collab she did with Hill. This is a Farmhouse Ale with Vermont wildflower honey that was open-fermented in a wooden foudre and bottle aged.

Barrel Aged Sky Summoner collaboration brew from The Veil Brewing in Richmond, VA and Horus Aged Ales in Oceanside, CA

I need a visit to Richmond to restock my Veil bottle supply soon! This was a great pour at Rare and Vintage that is the barrel aged version of this collab that was a blend of each brewery’s house Stout conditioned on Wild Thai banana, toasted coconut, and whole vanilla beans from Uganda, Tahiti, and The Congo. It was then aged on Blis Maple Bourbon, Laird’s Apple Brandy, and Willett Family Reserve barrels for 16 months. It is not an overly sweet Stout like it might read, the barrels balance everything out nicely and create a fantastic brew.

Hypnagogic collaboration brew from Phase Three Brewing in Lake Zurich, IL + Mortalis Brewing in Avon, NY

This Imperial Stout was aged for over two years in Heaven Hill and Henry McKenna barrels then conditioned on raw and toasted coconut, wild Thai bananas, and Saigon cinnamon. I am always delighted to try anything from Phase Three and this was stellar!

The Surrealist Society 2025 No. 11 from Dssolvr in Asheville, NC

Barrel aged Imperial Stout aged for two years in Elijah Craig bourbon barrels, then aged secondary on toasted pecans, cinnamon, cooperative coffee dark roast, and maple syrup. This was my first pour at Rare and Vintage and the perfect breakfast-style Stout to start the day! Would love to try some others from this series!

Loggin’ collaboration brew from Cellarest Brewing in Asheville, NC and Whaley Farm Brewery in Old Fort, NC

Loggin’ is a Czech Pilsner aged in oak puncheons. I had this both on tap at the brewery and at home in a can and loved it both times. Perfectly crushable yet still full of flavor!

Check back next month for my top beers of may!
Cheers—Alexis

Denver, Colorado

Denver is an amazing city full of fantastic breweries, delicious eats, amazing hotels, and unique things to do!

Denver Tips: 

• Be aware of the altitude! It's real! Stay hydrated and take things slow to avoid feeling sick, especially when you first arrive

• If you are leaving the city back-ups on I-70 can be insane—so be sure to allow for extra time. My recommendations for Rocky Mountain National Park, Aspen, Glenwood Springs, Frisco, Boulder, Colorado Springs, and Greeley can be found at the link below:

Denver Top Recommendations:

• Cohesion Brewing Company: A great brewery focused on Lagers. They have a cozy taproom in an industrial area north of RiNo. They have 5 taps and some guest beers, usually one of which is from Primitive and worth trying!

• Cerebral Brewing: This is a great brewery with 3 locations around Denver: Congress Park, Aurora Arts, and West Highland. Their Stouts and IPAs are what they do best in my opinion.

• Finn’s Manor: A great beer and cocktail bar in the heart of RiNo. They have a great tap list, chill vibes, and a killer patio space.

• New Image Brewing: New Image has two taprooms in the Denver suburbs: Arvada and Wheat Ridge. This is a top-notch brewery that I highly recommend. At Wheat Ridge their onsite food truck Social Dough Pizza is ridiculously good as well!

• The River North (RiNo) neighborhood is full of art and breweries, what more do you need? 

  • Bierstadt Lagerhaus: This is the Mecca of Lager beers. Get a Slow Pour Pils and Giant Ass Pretzel and don’t look back

  • Our Mutual Friend Brewing: Lots of fantastic IPAs in particular. They also have rotating food trucks and an outside patio

  • Ratio Beerworks: Fantastic outdoor space with cornhole and a patio. They have a wide variety of beers and it’s an overall fun & funky spot

  • Odell Brewing: Another solid option in the RiNo neighborhood with a variety of beers

  • Central Market is a great food hall in the heart of the RiNo neighborhood

• Stay at The Maven Hotel: This incredible hotel is located at the Dairy Block in downtown Denver right across from Coors Field. The rooms and balcony views are fantastic, and the unique setup of this area takes things to the next level! There are a ton of shops, restaurants and bars all housed within this block. My favorites:

  • Westbound & Down: A great brewery right behind the hotel

  • Kachina Restaurant: Delicious Mexican eats in the hotel lobby

  • Seven Grand: A cool whiskey bar that partners with the hotel for a very informative tasting 

  • Huckleberry Roasters: A cute coffee shop in the lobby—they also have a couple other locations around town as well.

  • The Dairy Block Food Hall has a ton of options right in the lobby as well!

• Milieu Fermentation: A great brewery with a large tap list in Aurora. Definitely recommend!

• Rosenberg Bagels: Incredible spot for bagels, highly recommend!

• Voodoo Donuts: Creative and crazy donuts that are incredibly delicious!

• Knotted Root Brewing Company: A solid brewery with locations in Nederland and Denver. Their beers used to be extremely good and have become a little more average with time and expansion, but it is still worth checking out. Pro-tip if you are heading to the Brainard Lake Recreation Area for a hike or to hang at the lake the Nederland taproom is right down the road.

• Check out Red Rocks Park & Amphitheater: The amphitheater is touristy but worth checking out! They do concerts, yoga, and numerous activities in this space. Catching a concert here is amazing!

  • I would definitely recommend hiking in the park if you’re not visiting for a concert. I did a 4.3 mile trail that had diverse landscape and wasn’t too challenging.

  • Fairfield Inn Lakewood is a perfectly average hotel stay near Red Rocks

• Novel Strand Brewing Company: A solid brewery and coffee shop in South Denver. Great neighborhood-y vibes.

• Denver Biscuit Company: A phenomenal, albeit touristy, spot for breakfast! The biscuits are massive, flaky, soft, and amazing.

• Monolith Brewing: A solid brewery in a beautiful space with games, snacks, and a brewery dog!

• Middle State Coffee: This coffee shop has several locations in the Denver area and is great! The Highlands neighborhood spot is cute.

• Wanderment Brewing: A solid brewery with a good variety of styles. Their focus is on Saisons which I found to be tasty, but did not love their IPA.

• Explore the Littleton neighborhood: This is a cute little downtown area perfect for bopping around. My two favorite spots:

  • Jake’s Brew Bar: An awesome beer bar and beer garden with a stellar beer list. Highly recommend!

  • Cencalli Taqueria: A tasty spot for Mexican eats.

Balcony view from The Maven Hotel

Great Hikes Near Denver:

• Mount Flora Trail: This trail is 6.3 miles long with 1,788ft of elevation gain and takes about 3.5 hours to complete. There are nice views throughout the trail, and you can also add on different segments to make the trail longer if you’d like. It is a 13er with a very exposed trail so expect quite a bit of wind at times. Mount Flora is in the Arapaho National Forest and just one hour from Denver so it is a popular trail.

• Lake Isabelle via Pawnee Pass Trail: This trail is 6.6 miles long with 672ft of elevation gain and takes a little over two hours to complete. It is pretty with three lakes: Brainard, Long, and Isabelle with mountain views throughout. The trail is mostly flat aside from one section at the end. You will need to reserve parking ahead of time for the Brainard Lake Recreation Area.

• Herman Gulch Trail: This trail is 6.5 miles long with 1,755ft of elevation gain and takes about 3.5 hours to complete. It leads out to a chill lake and is a nice trail overall. It is in the Arapaho National Forest just an hour from Denver and right off I-70 so it is very popular.

See the rest of my Colorado recommendations here—there are great hikes all over the state!

Mount Flora Summit

Other Denver Ideas:

• Crooked Stave: Their Denver taproom is small but they still have a variety of beers to choose from and a huge bottle selection.

• Check out the famous giant blue bear at the Convention Center!

• Bardo Coffeehouse: A great coffee spot option with three locations across the area.

• Hyatt Regency Aurora Denver Conference Center: This is quite a nice stay close to several breweries in Aurora and not far from the airport.

• Spangalang Brewery: A microbrewery in the Five Points neighborhood with yummy beers and a patio.

• Wynkoop Brewing: More of a brewpub, Wynkoop is a hot spot for lunch during the work week, being located right downtown. 

• Check out a bottle shop! Argonaut Wine & Liquor is a great option.

• Illegal Pete’s: A great spot for burritos, nachos, and tacos!

• Reverence Brewing: An average brewery with quintessential “neighborhood brewery” vibes.

• Skip: The Hampton Inn Downtown. The rooms were incredibly hot, the elevators broken, and overall it was not impressive.

• Skip: Great Divide Brewing: Mediocre brewery with rude staff would not recommend.

Grand Teton National Park

The Tetons are one of the most beautiful areas I have ever been to! I absolutely loved my trip exploring this part of the country and I highly, highly recommend it!

General things to know:

• Grand Teton National Park is quite small, and the town of Jackson, Wyoming sits right at the park entrance.

• There are a lot of restaurants and lodging options inside the park, which is not always the case and a nice perk here.

• Combine your Teton adventures with a trip to Yellowstone—the park signs are literally only 10 minutes apart! + if you are debating between the two, Tetons > Yellowstone.

Grand Teton National Park Recommendations:

• Catch sunrise at Schwabacher Landing: This is a stunning sight if you’re lucky on a clear day. Expect a crowd, but it is amazing.

  • Oxbow Bend is another popular sunrise spot that is very pretty!

• Cascade Canyon Trail & Solitude Lake Trail: This is a long trail at 14.3 miles with 2,362ft of elevation and takes about 6.5 hours to complete. Most folks do not head out to Solitude lake and just explore the Cascade Canyon area. Cascade Canyon is home to Hidden Falls, a nice large waterfall, and Inspiration Point, a nice overlook. You’ll see these spots on the trail either choice you make. Solitude Lake is beautiful and super clear. I was also lucky enough to encounter a lot of wildlife in this section of the trail with 5 different Moose and a baby bear on the trail. Even if you don’t want to hike, you should still stop by Jenny Lake to soak in the views!  

  • You’ll start by taking a shuttle across Jenny Lake (or add to your distance by hiking around the side of the lake). For the shuttle it is $20 cash, there are no reservations, and boats run every 10-15 minutes. If you’re lucky enough to get on the first boat of the day you’ll get half off the cost! Expect a wait for the boat on your way back across in the afternoon.

• Taggart & Bradley Lake Loop: This trail takes you out to two beautiful lakes and is 5.8 miles long with 767ft of elevation gain. Both have stunning reflections in the morning hours so I would definitely recommend doing this earlier rather than later. Additionally, the parking lot here fills up with folks lounging at Taggart all afternoon so the early bird certainly gets the worm here. Overall this trail took me about 2.5 hours to complete.

  • You can either shorten the trail by just visiting Taggart Lake, which is far more popular, or you can lengthen the trail by adding on Delta or Surprise + Amphitheater Lakes for more of a challenge—personally I was going to add on Delta Lake, but there was some nearby forest fires causing visibility to not be ideal so I did not want to risk hiking all the way up there for nothing!

• Dornans: This business wears a lot of hats: grocery store, chuckwagon, gas station, cabin rentals, market and deli, adventure rentals, and a Pizza & Pasta business. I would highly recommend checking out the Pizza and Pasta spot at the Spur Bar. Head over for lunch or dinner and go up to the top deck. The views here are fantastic! They have about 10 beer taps, cocktails, wine, and you can buy bottles of wine next door at their wine shop to bring over too. This spot definitely gets busy, but it’s awesome!

• Leigh Lake Trail and String Lake Trail: I chose to combine these two trails, but you could also just do one or the other, or you can also loop around the lakes! Both lakes have beautiful reflections in the morning hours, so I would recommend starting here one of your days in the park. Both trails are nice and easy with several beaches and viewpoints throughout. You don’t really even need to hike if you don’t want to, you could just lounge at a lake! Keep your eyes peeled for moose in this area.

  • There is plenty of parking at the Leigh Lake Trailhead, whereas the String Lake parking area is a lot smaller.

• Relax at Colter Bay Beach: This area itself is poppin’ but I was the only one on the scenic beach.

• Woodland, Phelps Lake, and Lake Creek Loop: This trail is inside the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve part of the park. it leads out to the beautiful Phelps Lake that has crystal clear water and even a place where you can cliff jump! The trail claims to be 3.2 miles long with 269ft of elevation gain but it felt like it was moderately uphill the whole way out to the lake. Or maybe my legs were just tired at this point haha. Overall it took me about an hour and 10 minutes to complete and is a nice, easy trail. This is a great spot to have a picnic or spend an afternoon. There is even a bathroom out by the lake for your convenience.

  • There is another route that takes you to Phelps Lake via the Valley Trail, but I’d really recommend this route so you are looking at the mountains.

• Explore the Jenny Lake Scenic Drive: The Jenny Lake Overlook here is quite pretty.

• Stop at Jackson Point Overlook: Really great views! Signal Mountain Summit is also located just above Jackson Point for a different angle of the area.

• Moose Wilson Road is a non-scenic drive that is popular for wildlife viewing—personally I saw a bear here.

Jackson, Wyoming Recommendations:

Jackson Hole is infamous and serves as the gateway to the Tetons. The downtown area is super cute, but also very touristy of course.

• Melvin The Dojo: Melvin Brewing’s OG location is just far enough away to be annoying, but thankfully they opened The Dojo on the town square. Their beers are tasty and the food looked amazing!

• Wander the Town Square: This is a beautiful little park and taking a picture with the antler arches is required. There are a TON of restaurants and shops that surround the square.

• Persephone Bakery: This spot had an INSANE line so instead I checked out their Picnic location and it was fantastic.

• Snake River Brewing: A solid brewery with a nice patio and beer garden. They have a full food menu as well.

• I also had planned to visit StillWest Brewing but they did not open when they were supposed to either day that I tried.

Victor, Idaho

I decided to stay at this Airbnb which is a super cute tiny house in Victor, Idaho. I chose this route because I was traveling with Mosaic and needed to have an Airbnb, not a hotel room, for the days I was doing long hikes that she was not allowed to join on, and the prices in Jackson were astronomical. After exploring the area I would also recommend trying to stay in Colter Bay or Signal Mountain, and either of those could also double for your lodging to visit Yellowstone as well since they are on the north side of the park.

Victor, ID recommendations:

• Grand Teton Brewing: A cool brewery with nice views, an onsite food truck and solid beers.

• Guidepost Brewing: Another solid spot with a full food menu and a nice patio space.

• Refuge Taphouse: A nice beer bar with 10 taps in downtown Victor.

Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park gets a lot of hype and, in many ways, defines what people think of as a national park. Personally it was not my favorite park, especially having just come from the very chill and stunningly beautiful Grand Teton National Park, but the unique landscapes and seeing a TON of wildlife—probably over 100 bison, a ton of deer and elk, and even a bear were awesome!

Things I did not love: soooooo many people allllll the time. Normally if I visit off-season, midweek, and start my day early I can avoid the majority of crowds in a national park. Yellowstone is crowded always it appears. This also means parking is horrible all the time. Expect to have to wait/do laps to find a spot every single time you move.

The park is huge and quite spread out so be sure to do some planning in advance, especially because in most of the park there will be no cell service.

Yellowstone Recommendations:

• West Thumb Geyser Trail: This area is full of geysers, springs, and cones and set with Yellowstone Lake in the background. It is one of the best areas of the park in my opinion!

• Head to Hayden Valley at sunrise or dusk to observe wildlife! Personally I saw a ton of bison, elk, and a bear!

• Upper Falls, Lower Falls and Crystal Falls Trail: This hike take you to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone along the south rim. You can do this trail from north to south or south to north, or you can hike across the river on the north rim trail, or you can also drive to most of the viewpoints along the way. The hike was 4.7 miles long with 459ft of elevation gain and takes about an hour and 40 minutes to complete. Upper Falls and Artist Point were my favorite views—the canyon is dramatic!

• Old Faithful: Of course while at Yellowstone you have to see Old Faithful erupt. Expect a ton of people, and use the National Park Service App to get the predicted eruption time. The eruption is cool but a bit underwhelming in my opinion. In this very built up area there is also a few other large geysers: Castle Geyser, Grand Geyser, Daisy Geyser, and Riverside Geyser that you can access via the Upper Geyser Basin and Old Faithful Observation Point Loop trail.

• Norris Geyser Basin Trail: This is a nice loop trail to a bunch of different stops. Steamboat Geyser is located here which is the world’s tallest active geyser, but it only erupts about once a year. The Emerald Spring was my favorite spot here.

• Mammoth Terraces Trail: The trail is 2.2 miles long with 321ft of elevation gain and takes about an hour to complete. The terraces are super unique! This hike is in the furthest north section of the park, so if you are headed in this direction or exploring Mammoth definitely check it out—otherwise it is not worth going so far out of the way for.

• Grand Prismatic Spring Trail: This area was so full of people that after trying two separate days and waiting over an hour without even making it to the parking area I gave up. Good luck.

West Yellowstone, Montana

I stayed at Yellowstone Holiday Resort in West Yellowstone, MT, 15 minutes from the West Yellowstone park entrance. The cabins are set on Hebgen Lake which was nice and relaxing with mountain views. The cabins themselves are very basic, but overall it checked all the boxes for me. They also have boat slips, boat rentals, and kayak rentals onsite.

• The Buffalo Bar: A cool bar/restaurant with a stellar patio in West Yellowstone. The food and drinks were great and service was too!

• Yellowstone Beer Co: A brewery option in West Yellowstone that also has a food menu. Their taproom is a bit of an odd space.

Nebraska

Nebraska! Frequently overlooked but surprisingly a gem. This was my 50th state visit (!) so it holds a special place in my heart.

Lincoln

I went to Lincoln solely to go to one brewery and I have no regrets. Boiler Brewing Company is located right in the heart of downtown and is making incredible beers! I highly recommend paying them a visit. I really enjoyed the IPAs and Stouts in particular.

Omaha 

Omaha is right on the Nebraska border with Iowa, making it an easy addition to a Midwest road trip. I really enjoyed Omaha and found it to be quite a cool city! Unfortunately the good breweries are a bit spread out so be sure to plan in advance.

• Bearded Brewer Artisan Ales: Although this brewery is located southwest of the city and in a strip mall, it is absolutely worth venturing out of the way for! Their beer is very good, and they also have a location in Longmont, Colorado as well.

• Know Good: A tasty spot for bagels and coffee!

• Corn Coast Brewing Company: Located in the La Vista area of Omaha. They have a large tap list and tasty beers. They also have a taproom in Lincoln.

• Stay at Magnolia Hotel Omaha: This hotel is in a nice historic building right downtown. They have a cute onsite restaurant with patio seating and overall it is a great stay!

• Lumen Beer: A solid little brewery downtown in the Little Bohemia neighborhood. Expect an IPA heavy menu and a small snack menu.

• Kros Strain Brewing: Kros Strain has two locations in Omaha: the La Vista area, right around the corner from Corn Coast, and downtown. Overall I was underwhelmed by their beer, but it’s still worth checking out.

• Explore the RiverFront area: Heartland of America Park and the Bob Kerry Pedestrian Bridge are nice parks on the river and really well done.  

North and South Dakota

The Dakotas are often overlooked, and honestly I can understand that. They are certainly nowhere near my favorite states, but there is some interesting landscapes, some incredibly nice people, and the bison everywhere are really cool!

Theodore Roosevelt National Park, ND:

This park is divided into three units—the North, the South, and Elkhorn Ranch which is just Teddy Roosevelt’s old ranch. The north and south are about an hour apart. It took me about 6 hours to visit both, but you could easily spend a day at each if you wanted. Keep your eyes peeled for bison, deer, prairie dogs, and pronghorn. Overall I preferred the North Unit by far—there were a ton of bison, no one around, and a really unique landscape.

• North Unit:

  • Explore the Scenic Drive, which is the only road through the park. It is 14 miles one way.

  • Oxbow Overlook: A beautiful spot for sunrise!

  • River Bend Overlook: A nice little platform with a view

  • Caprock Coulee Trail: This is the other trail I considered but could not complete since it is not dog-friendly, but I wanted to include it in case you are interested!

  • Stonehome Brewing: A solid brewery in Watford City, ND about 20 minutes north of the North Unit.

• South Unit: 

  • Painted Canyon: A nice overlook and rest area on the way into the South Unit.

  • Explore the scenic drive: The South Unit’s scenic drive is a 36 mile loop. Overall I found it to not be super scenic but still nice.

  • Wind Canyon Trail: A quick half mile trail that is mostly flat and has nice river views and some unique landscape. Located on the scenic drive. 

  • Medora is the town at South Unit that I found to be a cheesy little western town with not much going on.

Rapid City, SD: 

• Woodland Republic Brewing and Blending: A good brewery with a huge tap list right downtown. They have frequent food trucks as well.

• Dakota Point Brewing: A solid brewery with a large tap list. Chill vibes.

  • Lost Cabin Beer Co has a location right next door as well, but I went to their Black Hills location instead

• Wine Cellar Restaurant: A nice restaurant downtown run by the nicest team of folks! Super dog-friendly patio and tasty options.

• Zymurcacy Beer Company: Another brewery option further out of town with frequent food trucks.

The Black Hills of South Dakota:

I had high expectations for the Black Hills area but overall found the vibes to be that of Gatlinburg or Myrtle Beach—overly touristy and giving me the ick. There are some nice outdoorsy things here so don’t complete write it off, but just go in knowing the vibe.

• Lost Cabin Beer Co: A great brewery with a fun beer garden and frequent food trucks. Highly recommend!

• Cohort Craft Brewery: Another brewery option in the area with a really nice space. They have an onsite kitchen here as well.

• I stayed at Under Canvas which is owned by Hyatt so essentially it was like glamping on steroids. The tents are nice and clean but it was not super relaxing/in the woods vibes like you would expect. The firepits are also communal which is not ideal. Overall it is nice but for the price I would expect better vibes.

Custer State Park:

• Check out Sylvan Lake right near the entrance—particularly in the morning when the light provides a nice reflection and before it is overrun with people.

• Black Elk Peak Loop: This is the highest point in South Dakota and the highest point east of the Rockies! Overall it is a moderate trail at 7.2 miles long with 1,469ft of elevation gain and takes about 3 hours to complete. You can add on the Cathedral Spires or Little Devil’s Tower as well. It is pretty at the summit and you can see incredibly far away. Overall not epic but nice.

• Needles Highway: A unique scenic drive—the northern half of the road has much better views in my opinion. There are some very neat tunnels to drive through.

• Wildlife Loop Road: An 18 mile scenic loop road with bison, pronghorn, donkeys, and more. This is where they do the annual buffalo round-up as well.

• Iron Mountain Road: Another scenic drive option with a bunch of switchbacks and some more cool tunnels.

Wind Cave National Park:

You have to book a tour to enter the cave so be sure to plan ahead. Keep your eyes peeled for bison on the way in/out of the park! I would recommend the Natural Entrance Tour here.

Mount Rushmore National Memorial

Unimpressed, frankly. But might as well see it while you’re here.

Badlands National Park, SD:

This is a unique area with one road through the park and a few short hiking options. The landscape is otherworldly.

I would recommend trying to visit in the afternoon or early evening to avoid the fog that commonly sits in the area. Overall you only need about a half day to do everything here.

• Explore the Scenic Loop Road: there are numerous overlooks and occasional bison. I would recommend the Yellow Mounds Overlook, Panorama Point, and Big Badlands Overlook the most. I stopped at almost every overlook and the road only took me about 90 minutes to complete.

• Most of the hikes are at the same trailhead. I would definitely recommend The Window Trail which is just a quick .3 mile walk on a boardwalk to a neat view. I had also planned to do the Saddle Pass Trail but visibility was just too low.

Sioux Falls, SD:

Sioux Falls is a cute city right at the Minnesota and Iowa borders, so you can easily include this on a Midwest road trip!

• Monk’s Ale House: A cool beer bar with 50 taps and a great selection. They have a nice patio, a spacious interior, and a full food menu. Located right downtown.

• WoodGrain Brewing: A solid brewery with a large variety of beers. Located downtown, with another location further east.

• Falls Park: A nice park with a waterfall, definitely a must-visit!

• Altered Species Ales: Another brewery option that is located at the mall.

• TapHouse 41: A beer bar also located at the mall for some reason with a full food menu and cocktails as well. Overall a nice spot.

Georgia's Golden Isles

Georgia’s Golden Isles are made up of St. Simons Island, Sea Island, Little St. Simons Island, Jekyll Island, and mainland Brunswick. I spent a long weekend exploring St. Simons, Jekyll, and Brunswick and thoroughly enjoyed it! I would also note that this area is incredibly dog-friendly.

I stayed at this Airbnb in Brunswick that was central to everywhere I wanted to go—10 minutes to St Simons, 15 minutes to Jekyll, and 5 minutes to downtown Brunswick. This stay really exceeded my expectations! It is super affordable, dog-friendly, spacious, and full of thoughtful touches.

St Simons Island

SSI is a cute and casual little island that I found to be full of welcoming people with a relaxed atmosphere.

St Simons Recommendations:

• The Half Shell: A fantastic spot in the heart of downtown—so great in fact that I went twice during my time on the island! Their oysters are delicious, the patio is ideal, and everything was reasonably priced and delicious. Would highly recommend their Bloody Mary if you’re visiting during brunch.

• Dulce Dough Donuts & Bakery: Tasty spot for donuts and biscuits! Expect a line, but I was impressed and felt it was worth the wait.

• Be sure to visit the St Simons Island Pier for sunset! The views are fantastic.

• Hit the beach—obviously! There are several to choose from, keeping in mind they do all connect since it is one island beach:

  • East Beach: Currently going through a renovation but central on the island with bathrooms and lots of parking.

  • Gould’s Inlet: On the end of the island is this little inlet with smaller waves for swimming. The parking lot is quite small as a heads up.

  • Massengale Park: Spacious parking lot and bathrooms are present—what more do you need?

• Barrier Island Brewing: A solid brewery with a tasty food menu and a nice patio. Would definitely recommend!

• Downtown Market: There is often a market downtown with a ton of local vendors, be sure to meander through it to find some goodies!

• Mullet Bay Restaurant: A fun spot for patio vibes with cheap drinks during Happy Hour!

• Bubba Garcia's Mexican Cantina: A tasty spot for Mexican eats. They have a nice upper patio as well!

• Sandy Bottom Bagels: I did not make it to this spot because they’re closed on Sundays, but it looks legit so I wanted to make sure to include it for your convenience!

Jekyll Island

Jekyll Island is just a few miles away from St Simons but home to a different vibe completely. Here the primary modes of transportation are bikes and golf carts, and much of the island is untouched nature.

I found Jekyll to be the perfect spot for a day trip because I like to bounce around to restaurants and breweries/bars when traveling, but if you’re looking to disconnect and either stay at a resort or have quiet nights in, this would be a great spot for a longer stay.

Heads up to enter the island there is a $10 daily parking fee you can pay ahead of time online or at the gate upon entrance.

Jekyll Island Recommendations:

• Wander Driftwood Beach: This is such a unique stretch of beach with (shocker here) DRIFTWOOD! It is really quite neat to explore. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for bald eagles as well!

• Tortuga Jack’s: A nice spot for Mexican eats and drinks! Essentially a Tiki Bar, so don’t set your bar too high for food but the views are nice, the prices are low, and the vibes are great.

• Oceanview Beach Park: Another great beach option for actually beaching, versus walking on Driftwood. They have a ton of parking here and bathrooms.

• The Pantry: This little cafe is located inside the Island Club Resort and is a good spot to grab breakfast, lunch or coffee!

Brunswick:

Brunswick is not necessarily somewhere I’d highly recommend visiting, but if you’re in the area you might as well pop by to explore! Downtown is a bit rundown but still has some nice spots.

Brunswick Recommendations:

• Silver Bluff Brewing Company: The vibes here exceed the beer quality, but keep in mind I am a bit of a snob. They have a lovely outdoor space and frequent food trucks.

• Newcastle Wine Merchant: A cute little wine shop for onsite pours or to-go bottles.

• Indigo Coastal Shanty: A super chill restaurant with tasty eats and a nice patio space. They are also incredibly dog-friendly!

• Head to Mary Ross Waterfront Park for sunset!

• Skip—Driftwood Wine & Cocktails: I was thoroughly unimpressed unfortunately.

Have you explored georgia’s golden isles? What was your favorite spot? let me know in the comments! cheers —alexis

January and February 2026

The last two months were not super exciting or full of as many beers as usual, but there were still some great pours had!

In January Charlotte was hit with two huge winter storms meaning the Rare and Vintage Beer Tasting in Durham had to be rescheduled to March which was a huge bummer but I cannot wait for this fest next weekend! February’s highlights were attending this year’s Queen City Brewers Festival and a trip to Georgia’s Golden Isles (blog coming soon!) and Savannah!

Of the 124 beers I tried in the last two months, here were the best of the best, in no particular order:

The 2026 Axe Series from Fidens Brewing in Albany, NY

This is cheating, I know, to put several beers as one but this series from Fidens absolutely crushed it again. My favorites were:

• Sam’s Axe collaboration with Brujos Brewing Double IPA with Simcoe, Citra, Taiheke, Belson, and Nelson CGX hops.

• Alex’s Axe in collaboration with Troon Brewing Hoppy Ale with Nelson, Strata, Peacharine, and Galaxy hops.

• Lauren’s Axe collaboration with Tin Barn Brewing Double IPA with Strata and Galaxy hops.

• Kelsey’s Axe collaboration with North Park Beer Co. Double IPA with Citra, Nelson and Strata hops.

Smoosh: Strawberry + Nelson Bliss from Two Tides Brewing in Savannah, GA

Smoosh is a Fruited Sour modeled after a peanut butter and strawberry jelly sandwich. That is everything you want in a PB&J beer!

Nelson Bliss is a single IPA with 100% Freestyle Nelson Bliss hops. Just a pure delight.

Blend Session 2.a from Casey Brewing and Blending in Glenwood Springs, CO

Blend Session 2.a from Casey is a blend that is equal parts of a vintage Saison barrel with a barrel of an experimental oat Farmhouse Ale. This slaps, as most things Casey do. When paired with a Michigan State basketball win, what could be better?

Galactic Kingdom and Dill Murray from Wild Heart Brewing in Hartsville, SC

My first time trying any Wild Heart brews was at QCBF this year and I was thoroughly impressed! I am very excited to be attending their Wild Hartsville Beer Fest in April as well!

Dill Murray is their house Kettle Sour dosed with pickle juice—I mean come on, say less. This was made for me. Galactic Kingdom is a Hazy IPA with Rakau in the whirlpool, then double dry-hopped with Rakau, Galaxy, Galaxy Abstrax and Citra. A fantastic IPA, particularly for a single.

Noontide from HopFly Brewing Co. in Charlotte, NC

Noontide is a Czech Pale Lager that I regret not getting more of. Absolute crusher but still just enough going on to keep you interested.

There Is Never So Far From Here from Burial Beer Co. in Asheville, NC collab with Starpoint Brewing in Durham, NC

This Triple IPA was brewed for Burial’s Raleigh taproom’s 7th Anniversary. It is mashed with oats, whirlpooled with Nectaron and Citra Incognito, and double dry-hopped with Anchovy, Galaxy, Nectaron, and Citra Cryo. Big fan of this one!

Check back next month for my top beers of March! Cheers—Alexis

My Top Beers of 2025

In 2025 I tried 1,255 beers. The breweries I had the most beers from were Burial (92), Freak Folk (43) and Hill Farmstead (41). I visited 122 new breweries, bringing my total breweries visited up to 1,505. In no particular order, here were the best beers I had over the past year:

• Pliny the Younger 2025 Triple IPA from Russian River Brewing Company in Santa Rosa, CA

• Samuel Batch 1, 2, and 3 Saison + Poetica 3 Czech Pilsner + Works of Love: Anchorage Brewing 2016 Saison + Art Batch 6 Saison from Hill Farmstead Brewery in Greensboro Bend, VT

• Framboos 2014 Lambic + 3 Fonteinen x Hill Farmstead Resonance Blend 1 Lambic from Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen in Belgium

• Dat Phuc Imperial Stout + Don’t Be A Khack Imperial IPA from CLAG Brewing Company in Sandusky, OH

• Eunoia Batch 18: Coconut Imperial Stout + Pixel Point Hazy IPA from Phase Three Brewing Company in Lake Zurich, IL

• Triple Jasper Triple IPA + Triple Farmer Triple IPA from Fidens Brewing Company in Albany, NY

• Lunar Handshake Czech Dark Lager from Lesser-Known Beer Co in Winston-Salem, NC

• Abiding Cycles Saison + Eye of the Needle Saison from Sante Adairius Rustic Ales in Captiola, CA

• Yodel: Riwaka Imperial IPA + Signet: Gin Saison + Pronghorn Helles Lager + Cult of Billy: The Resurrection Imperial IPA + Torso Imperial IPA + Staglore Wild Ale from Freak Folk Bier in Waterbury, VT

• Bitty Zwickelbier from Burial Beer in Asheville, NC in collaboration with Lesser-Known Beer Co

• A Deal With The Devil Triple Oaked Batch 15 Barleywine + Some Kind Of Something Imperial Stout from Anchorage Brewing in Anchorage, AK

• TEN Imperial Stout from Pulpit Rock Brewing Company in Decorah, IA

• Saint Lamvinus 2010 from Brasserie Cantillon in Belgium

• Hand of Glory 2018 Barleywine from Holy Mountain Brewing in Seattle, WA

• The Blend Imperial Stout from Side Project Brewing in Saint Louis, MO in collaboration with Toppling Goliath Brewing

What were your top beers of the year? Let me know in the comments!

Kenya & Tanzania

An African safari is on many people’s bucket list, and I would highly recommend adding it to yours if it is not already! I had a 12 day trip to Kenya and Tanzania that was truly remarkable, and now I am here to help you plan your own adventure!

Safari Tips:

Logistics

The number one question I got asked before, during, and after my trip was “how did you plan all of this?!” For me, I followed the following route:

1) received a cheap flight alert to Nairobi, booked it

2) researched what parks I would like to visit in the area and created a rough itinerary

3) researched what companies worked in these areas, did solo safaris, and had good reviews

4) reached out to them asking for their proposals, compared the presented options, and then landed on Amazing Memories Safaris

The most overwhelming part of the process was was the sheer number of companies there are to choose from. There are literal hundreds to choose from which is crazy. They are mostly going to offer the same things, so don’t overthink it too much. Just make sure the reviews are quality and the pricing makes sense for you.

I would note that many folks choose to do a safari/beach combination with visiting Kenyan parks + Mombasa or Tanzanian parks + Zanzibar. Personally I am not a big beach person and I wanted to spend my time on the wild side, if you will. It was a lot of days in a Land Rover observing wildlife, so I can see the draw of switching things up for sure, but it is up to your own personal preferences.

Budget

Though a safari can be quite expensive, it doesn’t have to be. I could have saved money numerous ways:

• Staying in budget lodging options

• Joining a preset itinerary tour group

• Going with other people instead of solo

• Going to less parks

• Staying in one country

• Going for less days

• Not doing a hot air balloon safari

Some folks save money by doing a self-drive safari (only allowed in certain parks) and I would not recommend that. The guides are experts at what they are doing and they communicate with each other when there is something cool happening.

Lodging

When I booked with Amazing Memories they provided lodging options for each park that they recommended and frequently work with. I have notes on each of those below, but generally for each park you can choose between tent camps and lodges, and inside or outside of the park.

Tent Camps are smaller, more intimate stays that are super unique and can still be quite luxurious despite the phrase “tent camp”. The tents are made of fabric so there is better air flow than lodges that can get a bit stuffy. Lodges are generally far larger and more built up with a lot more guests.

I would highly recommend choosing lodging inside of the parks. This cuts down on travel time each day and you will get to experience wildlife and views from your accommodations. I saw zebras from my dinner table, cape buffalos from my balcony, hippos from my patio, and more.

Clothing

Don’t overthink your clothing too much. There is A LOT online about what to wear and what not to wear and folks encouraging you to buy a whole new green/tan wardrobe. This is not necessary. They say things like “avoid bright colors because the animals will see you”—the animals will see you. You’re pulling up in a diesel powered Land Rover that is not exactly quiet. Just wear comfortable clothing and lean towards more natural colors but it is not that important.

With that being said I would say:

• Avoid white clothes—they will be a different color thanks to the dust

• Avoid black/blue clothes—the tete flies target these colors

Kenya Safari Stops:

Mount Longonot National Park

Mount Logonot is a dormant stratovolcano in the Great Rift Valley. This park is a popular spot to hike just outside of Lake Naivasha. The AllTrails map has you going around the full crater, which is a lot. I went up to the top and that was plenty for me. My route was 4 miles long with 1,300ft of elevation gain and about 2.5 hours to complete. At times it is ridiculously, unbearably steep. Expect lots of dust, scenic view of Lake Naivasha, and a nice lush crater at the top. Not a must do in Kenya but a nice addition that is conveniently close to Lake Navaisha and Hell’s Gate.

Hell’s Gate National Park

This unique park is absolutely worth exploring. Rent a bike and acquire a guide at the base of the road, then spend a few hours biking through the park admiring the scenery and wildlife. The ride is about 10 miles through the park roundtrip and I also did a half hour hike in the Ol Njorowa Gorge at the end of the park. A guide is required to visit the gorge due to flash flooding risks, and I would just recommend a guide in general in case your bike brakes down, you run into wildlife, etc.

Throughout my ride I saw a spotted hyena, zebras, antelope, baboons, and giraffes. You are able to bike and walk here because there are mostly no predators—mostly being the key as you see I mentioned a hyena. I went in the late afternoon and when we were close to the exit the sun was setting so there was a TON of wildlife and it was amazing. Super cool experience and one of my trip highlights! Expect a bump, dusty ride that you’ll remember forever!

Lake Naivasha

This freshwater lake is home to hippos and Crescent Island Game Sanctuary. You can take a hippo boat ride on the lake—most hotels offer them, or there are a ton of businesses that do in the area. During the ride you can visit Crescent Island to see all of the wildlife and take an optional hike on the island.

I stayed at Lake Naivasha Crescent Camp which had lots of waterbucks and monkeys roaming the property and was located right on the lake with a nice view. The food is quite good and the tents are nice.

Maasai Mara National Reserve 

Maasai Mara is a famed park and with good reason—the density and diversity of wildlife here is absolutely stunning! I would highly, highly recommend spending some time exploring here.

I stayed at Fig Tree Camp and it was one of the best places I have ever stayed. The tents are super nice, the staff are the kindest people I have ever met, the food is insanely good, and every element felt luxurious. The property is gorgeous everywhere you look, and directly outside of my tent on the river were hippos and baboons. Such a cool place directly in the park!

Through the hotel I also did a hot air balloon safari with Adventures Aloft Kenya. I cannot express to you how amazing this was. The balloon launch is at sunrise and then you float through the sky admiring wildlife from above. We saw giraffes, ostriches, lions, elephants, cape buffalos, hippos, and a crocodile, along with the beautiful sunrise and landscape. After landing we had a gourmet breakfast in the middle of the park that was surreal. There were cocktails, champagne, made to order eggs and French toast, and a massive buffet set up. 12/10 recommend.

I also did a sundowner in Maasai Mara where you stay out in the park through sunset with some snacks and wine to enjoy the view. Definitely a cool experience that I would recommend for one night of your safari somewhere.

Amboseli National Park 

The main attraction of Amboseli is getting to see Mount Kilimanjaro, particularly with wildlife in front of the mountain. This is a much smaller park so I felt like 3 game drives here were plenty. It would also be very cool to do a sundowner in Amboseli so you can see the sunset with the mountain.

I stayed at Kilima Safari Camp which was nice but my least favorite spot I stayed after having such amazing experiences everywhere else. It also was the slow season so maybe they step up their game when they have more guests—it’s not that I would not recommend this property it just felt a little meh after the luxury of the previous nights. What Kilima does excel with is an awesome viewpoint for Mount Kilimanjaro above the restaurant. At sunrise and sunset are when you are most likely to see the mountain, and this is a great place to sit with a coffee or a cocktail to enjoy the view.

The pool here is nice, the food is tasty, and the bar is pretty. There were more bugs present here than anywhere else, and this is the definition of first world problems but the WiFi in the common areas was absolutely terrible—I couldn’t even check into my flight and that was with zero other people around using the WiFi so I can’t imagine when they are busy how slow it is. Perfectly nice place, but just a bit of a let down—especially because they are owned by the same company as Fig Tree Camp which was remarkable. We stopped at the Amboseli Lodge for a bathroom break one morning and it was incredibly nice so perhaps look into that as an option!

Nairobi

I wouldn’t recommend spending very much time in Nairobi, you’re here to see wildlife after all, but you most likely will need to fly in and out of this city, or at least in and maybe out of Tanzania if you choose. I would recommend:

• Stay at the Hilton Garden Inn Nairobi Airport: If you need to spend a night in Nairobi this was a very nice hotel near the airport with a complimentary airport shuttle as well.

• Visit the Giraffe Center: This sanctuary has several giraffes that were rescued that you can actually feed! It is a small spot that makes for a quick visit.

• Nairobi National Park: This urban park is still full of wildlife, even rhinos, and has the Nairobi skyline in the background. It is convenient if you are in town for a conference or something and just want to see what you can, but otherwise you don’t really need to visit. I just wanted to see a rhino up close because in Ngorogoro they were far away and that made it worth it for me!

  • You can also do a night game drive here which is unique!

• I also heard good things about the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, which is an elephant sanctuary, but their hours are much shorter so it did not work out for me to add this in.

• Crafty Chameleon Brewhouse & Restaurant: This is an amazing spot that is absolutely worth the detour. The brewery has solid beers, the cocktails are delicious, and they also have a full food menu. The vibe here is immaculate—essentially a lush garden atmosphere with plants and string lights and various seating options. Highly recommend!

Tanzania Safari Stops:

Serengeti National Park

The Serengeti is arguably the most famed park in Africa thanks to the Great Migration. Even though I did not visit during this popular time I still got to see wildebeest and zebras migrating which was very cool. Serengeti is a huge park, so you will spend more time here looking for animals than observing them some days, but it is worth it! I saw the most unique animal experiences here with stalking/hunting, babies, and so many beautiful scenes.

I stayed at Serena Serengeti Safari Lodge which was really nice. The property is gorgeous, and the rooms are cool little stone-built, traditionally thatched round buildings that have awesome balconies. The bar here is truly stunning and probably the nicest I have ever seen. The infinity pool is also beautiful, along with a ton of seating options to overlook the vast Serengeti. The food was not quite as good as some other spots but it seems like that was just because they were mass producing everything for a much larger crowd.

Ngorongoro Crater National Park

Ngorongoro is a very unique park in that you start at the top of the crater and drive down into the crater that is full of wildlife, lakes, and a forest. The animals here seemed more chill and less skiddish than other parks which was interesting. The dramatic background of the crater walls makes this a beautiful park.

There is also a great spot for a picnic lunch here on a lake, so I would definitely recommend one full day game drive here to enjoy everything, but you would not need more than one day. The most exciting part of Ngorongoro is that you are likely to see rhinos here, where as it is incredible rare to see them in most of the other parks in this area.

I stayed at Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge and it was gorgeous. The views from the balcony of the crater below are truly insane. The food was great here as well. I would not recommend a tent camp here as it gets quite chilly at the top of the crater where all of the lodging is, so definitely lean towards a lodge here for your stay. All of the lodging options for Ngorogoro are on top of the crater rim, there is nothing allowed inside the crater itself.

My Safari Itinerary (+ What I Would Do Differently)

• Day 1: Get picked up from Nairobi lodging (Hilton Garden Inn Nairobi Airport) and head to Mount Longonot National Park for the hike. Check into Lake Naivasha Crescent Camp to get cleaned up, have lunch, and relax. In the late afternoon head to Hell’s Gate National Park for the safari bike ride. Enjoy dinner back at Lake Naivasha Crescent Camp.

  • I asked to do the hike + hippo boat ride on Day 1 instead of all of the physical activity on day 1 and got pushback around the timing which makes sense, but it was definitely a long day so just keep that in mind!

  • If you are short on time/not interested in Mount Longonot/Hell’s Gate/Lake Naivasha you can skip the first 1.5 days of my itinerary and just go straight to Maasai Mara, though these spots are basically directly on the route.

• Day 2: Hippo boat road on Lake Naivasha, travel to Maasai Mara National Reserve, and enjoy an afternoon game drive. Check into Fig Tree Camp before dinner.

• Day 3: Start the day with a Hot Air Balloon Safari and breakfast, followed by a morning game drive. Relax at the hotel for lunch and some pool time. Head back into the park for an afternoon game drive and sundowner, before returning to the hotel for dinner.

  • I would switch the sundowner from Maasai Mara to Amboseli instead!

• Day 4: One last morning game drive through Maasai Mara en route to the Tanzania border. Cross the border and meet your new guide/driver for this section of the trip. Travel to Serengeti National Park and arrive in time for an afternoon game drive. Check into the Serena Serengeti Safari Lodge in time to enjoy the sunset from the patio and then dinner.

  • The travel between Maasai Mara and Serengeti is ridiculous. The parks literally touch each other but the Tanzanian government shut down the border crossing inside the parks because they want more tourism money from people having to stay in Tanzania, not just to do a day trip from Kenya/Maasai Mara. I don’t blame them at all for that, but driving 4 hours to the border, then 4 hours back in the same direction is crazy. I would definitely look into flying between these two if I were to do it again.

• Day 5: Full day game drive in Serengeti National Park, with a packed picnic lunch from the hotel. Arrive back at the lodge in the late afternoon/early evening for some pool time, another beautiful sunset, and dinner.

• Day 6: One last morning game drive in the Serengeti en route to Ngorogoro Crater National Park. Spend the full day exploring the park with a picnic lunch and then check into Serena Ngorogoro Safari Lodge. Enjoy sunset from the balcony and then dinner.

  • You could easily add in Lake Manyara National Park or Tarangire National Park after Ngorogoro if you’re looking to expand your time on the Tanzanian side.

• Day 7: Head from Ngorogoro back to the border. Cross over and meet your Kenyan guide, then head to Amboseli National Park for an afternoon game drive. Check into your lodging for dinner.

  • I stayed at Kilima Safari Camp and it was my least favorite spot that I stayed. Overall it was still nice and fine, but I would recommend looking into other options.

  • I would also add a sundowner on this day so you can watch the sunset in the park with the mountain!

• Day 8: Full day game drive in Amboseli National Park with a packed picnic lunch. Head back to your lodging in the late afternoon/early evening for some pool relaxation and dinner.

  • You could easily add in Tsavo National Park nearby as well if you are looking to see more on the Kenyan side.

• Day 9: Travel back to Nairobi—spend the afternoon at Nairobi National Park, The Giraffe Center, and/or Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. Grab dinner and beers at Crafty Chameleon, then head to the airport for your departure.

  • A lot of folks also fly into Nairobi, go to Maasai Mara, cross into Tanzania, and then fly out of Kilimanjaro International Airport versus crossing back into Kenya. I can see the appeal of one less border crossing and less travel time, but then you would miss Amboseli National Park, and probably pay more for an open-jaw ticket, so just consider your personal preferences before booking a flight!

Have you been on a kenya/tanzania safari? What was your favorite part?! Let me know in the comments!

A Long Weekend in Vermont

Vermont is always a good idea! While most folks choose to visit during the peak seasons of summer, fall leaf peeping, or winter skiing, I found the “stick season” between fall and winter to be perfectly charming. I saw some beautiful fall foliage and some early season snow flakes without any crowds.

This long weekend itinerary could be used any time of year, but in the winter you could encounter some road closures so just be sure to check things ahead of time. Additionally, check out my full Vermont Beer and Travel Guide here with even more suggestions, and check out this website to plan your trip today!

Day 1: Travel & Settle In

Welcome to Vermont! From the Burlington airport head to Stone Corral Brewing in the cute little town of Richmond, 20 minutes from the airport. They have a delicious food menu if you’re feeling hungry after your flight.

Continue your journey and check in at the Old Stagecoach Inn, located in the heart of Waterbury. The Inn is historic and charming, with apartment-style rooms and a nice large deck to relax on. Don’t forget to snag a homemade cookie at the front desk!

After you’ve settled in to your room, it’s time to hit the town! For your first night you’ve got to kick things off with a bang, so you absolutely need to walk over to Freak Folk Bier. This is easily one of my top breweries ever (out of 1,500 and counting!). They make absurdly good beer, no matter the style. On top of the great beer, their tap room is cozy and inviting, and the staff is incredibly kind.

After you’ve sampled through the menu at Freak Folk, walk over to Blackback Pub to end your night with a huge selection of amazing beers and some delicious eats. You really can’t go wrong with anything at Blackback!

Day 2: Brewery Hopping

Start your morning with an incredible breakfast at the Old Stagecoach Inn. From here, head north towards Morrisville. Along the way I would highly recommend a coffee stop at Movement Coffee in Stowe!

If you are a hiker, Elmore State Park is a great spot to kick off your day. If you are not, the beach at Lake Elmore is a great alternative spot to sit and enjoy your coffee with a view.

Today we’re bopping around Morrisville which has 4 breweries. You can do this via e-bike with Lamoille Valley Bike Tours as well!

1. Rock Art Brewery: A cool spot with 8 taps and a full blown art gallery!

2. Ten Bends Beer: Tasty beers, chill vibes, and arcade games

3. Lost Nation Brewing: A great patio, tasty eats, and solid beer list of their own brews + guest taps

4. Soulmate Brewing Company: Their hours are a little wonky so I did not make it here but they are right in town with the other 3 as well!

From Morrisville head back to Waterbury to explore for the evening, or if you are feeling ambitious head to the famed Hill Farmstead Brewery in Greensboro Bend. It’s about 35 minutes northwest of Morrisville, and absolutely worth a detour. Enjoy their relaxing space and incredible beers—particularly the bottle pours of Farmhouse Ales.

Bop around Waterbury for the evening! Check out Salt & Rind for tasty cocktails and oysters, The Tropic Brewing next door, and/or Prohibition Pig for meats and drinks. ProPig has two sides: restaurant and brewery, so choose your vibe.

Day 3: Nature & Nurture

Start your day with one last delicious breakfast at the Old Stagecoach Inn and sadly say goodbye to your cozy room. From here head up VT 108 to Smugglers Notch State Park.  Here the Bingham Falls Trail is a great choice to quickly get in some movement and nature. It takes just about 20 minutes to go down and back to the pretty waterfall.

From the park head to Sterling Mountain Farm. Here they offer winter sleigh rides and summer/fall carriage rides, but the “unleashed tour” is what I would most recommend. Owner Deb and her 3 golden retrievers, Sasha, Kelly, and Addy, will take you around their maple syrup farm to learn about their property and process. Deb is incredibly sweet and passionate about her work, and the pups are truly magical. End your time with a maple syrup tasting!

From the farm head into Jeffersonville for a tasty diner lunch at 158 Main. Just up the block is Red Leaf Gluten-Free Brewing set in a historic house with a nice outdoor space as well. They’ve also got an Airbnb upstairs so if you fall in love with Jeffersonville you can take a snooze here.

Also in the area are:

• Lot Six Brewing Co: with a full food menu, their beers on tap, cocktails, and wine

• Smugglers' Notch Distillery: which offers cocktails and spirit tastings

• Lucy and Howe Brewing Company: located inside the former Jericho General Store with coffee, beers, and a small food menu with eclectic vibes.

Spend your evening exploring The Essex Experience. This is a giant shopping center full of local Vermont businesses. Do some shopping and then check out:

• Black Flannel Brewing and Distillery: A great brewery, distillery, and restaurant with lots of patio seating and plenty of room inside as well. Their beers are top notch, the food is all delicious, and their team is super friendly.

• Bramble: A farm to table restaurant with a great food menu, creative cocktails, wine and beer

• Vermont Cider Lab: A cute little spot with cider, cider cocktails, and small food menu

Spend your night at the Essex Resort and Spa just up the road. The property is massive and beautiful! Inside they also have two onsite restaurants, The Junction and Lazy Goat Tavern.

Day 4: Island Hopping and/or uRBAN RAMBLING

Start your day with breakfast at the Lazy Goat Tavern inside the hotel. Then go get some goat food from the front desk and feed the property goats! So fun.

From the hotel grab a morning beverage at Uncommon Coffee in the Essex Experience. Highly recommend the maple latte! Once you are properly caffeinated head up the road to Indian Brook Park. This reservoir has a two mile loop trail around it and is the perfect way to get in some fresh air.

From the park head to 14th Star Brewing Company in St. Albans. This veteran-owned brewery has a massive tap list of delicious beers for you to fill your Vermont-shaped flight board with. Inside the brewery is Black Radish, serving up delicious eats. You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu but in particular Duck Duck Potatoes, Biergarten Pretzel Sticks, North Country Brussels were all just superbly good. The team at both 14th Star and Black Radish are also super kind which makes your experience even better!

Post-beer and food sampling if you are feeling ambitious it is time to explore the The Champlain Islands!

• On North Hero stop at Kraemer & Kin. This brewery is in a super cute converted house with nice lake views. They also have a pizza food truck onsite that has rave reviews if you are hungry!

• Knight Point State Park is just down the road with a nice 1 mile loop trail to stretch your legs

• On South Hero Two Heroes Brewery & Public House has a couple of beers, wine, canned cocktails, and a small food menu

• Sand Bar State Park is on the bridge right after the brewery with nice views

Post-islands or in place of the islands, spend some time exploring Burlington! In the Winooski neighborhood don’t miss:

• Howl Bier: This new beer bar is such a vibe. They are Lager-focused and have a robust tap list of New England area beers and European gems. The decor is beautiful and they also have a small food menu.

• Mule Bar is across the circle with 17 taps that tend to be Hill Farmstead heavy (score!). They have a “neighborhood bar” vibe with a full food menu as well.

• Four Quarters Brewing is also in this neighborhood with solid beers!

In downtown Burlington:

• Foam Brewers: An IPA-heavy brewery off the lake with a great patio space

• Farmhouse Tap & Grill: A farm-to-table restaurant with a solid beer list

• Vermont Pub & Brewery: This historic brewery is in the heart of downtown with a full food menu

That is a wrap! From here head back to The Essex Resort and Spa for the night, to the airport, or if you need a hotel right by the airport in Burlington the Best Western Plus Windjammer Inn & Conference Center is sufficient. Happy Vermont-ing!

October and November 2025

October and November brought me to the middle of nowhere Illinois for work, across the state of Vermont for fun, and to Kenya and Tanzania for a safari! I also attended a small beer fest and had 3 bottle shares with friends. All in all I tried 191 different beers over the past two months, and here are the best of the best:

Poetica 3 + Works of Love: Anchorage Brewing (2016) + Art (Batch 6) + Vera Mae 2022 & 2023 + Anna Pear + Samuel (Batch 6) + Civil Disobedience #27 from Hill Farmstead Brewery in Greensboro Bend, VT

Yes, that is a wholeeee lot of Hill Farmstead beers, I know! I went to the brewery in Vermont where I had some incredible pours and I also shared some insane bottles with friends. Their Farmhouse Ales are very tough to beat.

Framboos (2014) from Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen in Belgium

This is a Lambic with Pajottenland raspberries from one of the top Lambic breweries in the world! At 11 years old it still slapped.

Cult of Billy: The Resurrection + Pronghorn + Torso + Little Death (Batch 2) + Staglore + Yodel: Manilita + Possessor + From Beyond + Primitive Rhythm + Thud + Mood Swinger + Sky Burial from Freak Folk Bier in Waterbury, VT

Essentially the entire Freak Folk menu, I know haha. They are just truly crushing it and so impressive—easily my favorite brewery of 2025. I enjoyed many cans and a couple of bottles from them but also got to spend a couple evenings at their taproom in Waterbury where I basically sampled through the menu. They truly can’t go wrong, no matter the style.

TEN from Pulpit Rock Brewing in Decorah, IA

Pulpit Rock continues to really impress me. This is their 10th anniversary Stout blend of 33 and 27 month barrel-aged Imperial Stout rested on Tanzanian vanilla, two types of toasted coconut, almonds, and hazelnuts. 10/10!

Saint Lamvinus (2010) from Brasserie Cantillion in Belgium

I always love Saint Lam, but especially a 15 year old bottle! This Lambic is made with merlot and cabernet-franc grapes and barrel aged to perfection.

Kellerbier from Brauerei Eichorn Dorfleins in Germany

I had this stellar pour at Howl Bier in Winooski, Vermont. They brought in some special kegs to celebrate their 1 year anniversary and this was a true banger. HIGHLY recommend this spot outside of Burlington for great beers, killer vibes, and tasty eats.

Hand of Glory (2018) from Holy Mountain Brewing in Seattle, WA

Hand of Glory is an English style Barleywine aged in Kentucky bourbon barrels for 8 months, then transferred into former Kentucky bourbon barrels that had recently held American Apple Brandy, where it continued to age for an additional 8 months. This was an insane Barleywine with so much flavor (even 7 years in!).

Skipped Stitches + Eye of the Needle from Sante Adairius Rustic Ales in Capitola, CA

SARA always knows how to put out a delicious Saison! Skipped Stitches Saison is aged in Venus gin barrels with black currant, and Eye of the Needle is also aged in Venus Spirits Gin barrels but with Passionfruit, Mango, and Guava. I wasn’t sure what to expect from those fruits in a Saison but I never should’ve doubted Sante Adairius.

Nowhere Left to Go + The Distorted Reflections Laced Inside Our Earthly Undoings + Portal Into Infinite Nonexistence from Burial Beer in Asheville, NC

Although October and November were somehow the least amount of Burial beers I have had in quite some time, there were still some gems. Nowhere Left To Go is a Quadruple IPA collaboration with Monkish Brewing. The Distorted Reflections Laced Inside Our Earthly Undoings is a Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout with vanilla beans in collaboration with Cellarmaker Brewing. Portal Into Infinite Nonexistence is an Imperial Stout with Tahitian and Madagascar Vanilla and Double Dipped in Cocoa Nibs.

Noine Noine + Characters (Collaboration with Troon) + Scorched from Fidens Brewing in Albany, NY

3 great Hazys from Fidens! These guys can’t go wrong when it comes to any type of IPA, but it’s always a good idea to keep trying more to test that theory (wink wink)

Team Scream from Resident Culture Brewing in Charlotte, NC

Team Scream was brewed for Resident Culture’s anniversary and is a Hazy Double IPA hopped with Nectaron, Peacharine, Citra, and Strata. The best IPA RC has produced in a while!

Seven Seas from BlackStack Brewing in St. Paul, MN

This Triple IPA was brewed for BlackStack’s anniversary with hand-selected Westwood Farms Citra & Crosby Estate Comet from Oregon, Hop Head Farms Chinook from Michigan, NZ Cascade, Cashmere, Centennial & Columbus Cryo hops. It’s been a while since I got my hands on anything from this gem in Minnesota and I am glad to see they’re still crushing it.

Can We Please Just Get This Over With from Nebuleus Beer in Portland, OR

Nebuleus with another banger! This is a blend of wine and gin barrel aged Saisons conditioned on Sitka spruce tips. This might sound a little crazy to some, but it was amazing!

Janacek from Black Flannel Brewing in Essex Junction, VT

This Czech Dark Lager was perfect on a chilly, rainy evening in Vermont. It was roasty, smooth, and perfectly poured—everything I am looking for in this style! I really enjoyed my visit to Black Flannel and would highly recommend adding it to your next VT trip!

Check back next month for my top beers of the full 2025 year!—Cheers, Alexis

Kansas City, MO

Kansas City: Not just football!

KC Tips:

• Snag some barbeque—you won’t see any recommendations below but it’s what the city is most known for!

• I spent two days here and it was plenty in my opinion—if you love BBQ, Jazz or are in town for a sporting event that might be different, but in general the city is conquerable in a couple of days.

Adventures & Ales Top Recommendations: 

• Alma Mader Brewing: A great spot with mainly Slow Pour Lagers and IPAs. They have a quaint, but nice space and a small patio space. Definitely recommend the Lagers here.

• BKS Artisanal Ales: A solid brewery with frequent food pop-ups and a nice patio space. Their Lager brewery, Pivo Project, occasionally has taps on as well.

• Meshuggah Bagels: A delicious spot for bagels with a couple of locations in town.

• Blip Roasters: A great spot for coffee in a cool venue.

• Oak & Steel: This beer bar has a good variety of beers on tap, a huge Lambic bottle list, and expansive whiskey collection. A little pricey.

• Missouri Riverfront Heritage Trail: This is a very nice greenway that runs along the river—there are lots of things off the greenway such as volleyball courts, etc. too.

• Strange Days Brewing Co.: A solid spot with tasty beers. You can also get food delivered from Burn Theory. A bit pricey.

Other KC Ideas:

• Kansas City Bier Co.: A traditional German brewery with German-style beers and eats. They have a nice beer garden space, but there are a LOT of rules about the beer garden that kind of take away from the vibes in my opinion.

• City Barrel Brewery + Kitchen: City Barrel has two locations—the kitchen location in East Crossroads is more burger focused, the Brookside/Waldo location is pizza focused. They also have cocktails and some guest taps.

• Discourse Brewing: A solid brewery right across the state border from KC in Kansas.

• Wander the Power and Light District: This area is essentially “downtown” in KC and full of restaurants, bars and shops.

• Torn Label Brewing Co.: Decent brews and Tacos Valentina is located inside.

• Vine Street Brewing Co.: Your standard brewery with average beers.

• Kansas City Taco Company: An average spot for Mexican eats. Did not live up to the Diners, Drive Ins and Dives hype, but it is pretty standard.

Des Moines, IA

Des Moines is a cute little midwestern city with an amazing beer scene!

DSM Tips:

• The city is pretty small, but it has a lot to offer! I would plan for at least 2 full days to enjoy yourself or a long weekend if possible!

• DSM is truly in the heart of Iowa. It is 2 hours from Omaha, Nebraska and 3 hours from Kansas City, Missouri, so you could easily spend a week or two doing a Midwest road trip in this area!

Adventures & Ales Top Recommendations: 

• Lua Brewing: A superb brewery making incredible beers. They have a full food menu with delicious eats, and cocktails as well. Their patio space is great and their team is incredibly nice!

• El Bait Shop: An insane beer bar with 260+ taps and great dive-bar vibes. They also have a food menu and a large patio space. Incredible spot!

• Big Grove Brewery: A great brewery with several locations across Iowa. Their DSM taproom has a fantastic patio space and robust food menu, along with cocktails as well. Located downtown right across from Lua!

  • Don’t miss their Neighborhood Beer that benefits the communities they are located in via microgrants!

• Paws & Pints: This off-leash dog park and bar is a super fun spot for dogs and their humans. I was really impressed with the care and attention they put into making everyone feel comfortable—with attendants watching over the dogs, a full restaurant onsite, TVs for watching sports, a gift shop, and more. Mosaic and I loved it!

• Surety Hotel by Marriott: A great stay in the heart of downtown. The hotel is incredibly nice with a luxurious bathroom and beautiful touches throughout. They are dog-friendly, and they also have an onsite bar/restaurant Mulberry Street Tavern.

• Pappajohn Sculpture Park: A unique park with a variety of sculptures and nice grassy area with skyline views.

other DEs Moines Things To Do:

• Confluence Brewing Company: This brewery has a massive tap list and a large garden located right off Gray’s Lake.

  • Gray’s Lake Park: A nice beach and walking trails on a small lake.

• Iowa Taproom: Another beer bar option full of brews from across Iowa.

• Royal Mile: A fun British-style pub with tasty cocktails, British beers, and a full food menu. A great spot for watching sports, and they have a side alley patio space that is popular as well.

• Daisy Chain Coffee: Solid spot for morning coffee, and they also have honey!

• Scenic Route Bakery: Cafe offering morning pastries and afternoon sandwiches.

August and September 2025

August and September were two months packed with travel and delicious beers for me. Prior to a big road trip I shared beers with friends 3 times and visited Boone and Winston-Salem. Then Mosaic and I headed out to: Nashville, St. Louis, Kansas City, Colorado Springs, Denver, Rocky Mountain National Park, Fort Collins, Greeley, Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Big Sky, Bozeman, Helena, Missoula, Glacier National Park, Teddy Roosevelt National Park, Rapid City, Black Hills, Badlands National Park, Sioux Falls, Lincoln, Omaha, Des Moines, Cincinnati, and Knoxville!

Throughout these journeys and shares I tried 313 beers over the past two months, and these were the best of the best. Normally I would spend time describing each beer, but frankly I am tired and there were too many good beers over the last 2 months, so this edition has a few less details but a lot more beers for you to seek out:

Samuel Batch 1, 2, and 3 + 15th Anniversary: Festbier from Hill Farmstead Brewery in Greensboro Bend, VT

Metaform (Strawberry) from HOMES Brewery in Ann Arbor, MI

Amidst A Metaphorical Psychobabble from Burial Beer in Asheville, NC

Buckley Select #8 from Transient Artisan Ales in Bridgman, MI

A Voice To Say from Sante Adairius Rustic Ales in Capitola, CA

Yodel: NZ Cascade + Yodel: Peacharine + Signet: 2024 + Zygote + Everything Is A Lie + History of Dogs: For Gus + Dethroner from Freak Folk Bier in Waterbury, VT

VSOJ 2024 + Lumberstruck 2025 from Revolution Brewing in Chicago, IL

names.mean.nothing.b2 + the world we’re in is broken from nebuleus in Portland, OR

Extra Cowboy Grass from Lesser-Known Beer Co in Winston-Salem, NC

Ong Ba Bi from CLAG Brewing Company in Sandusky, OH

Orca (Anniversary III) from Root + Branch Brewing in Copiague, NY

Quad Orchid from Fidens Brewing in Albany, NY

Cassis Du Fermier (Batch 4) + Sound Cycle Vol. 2 + Abricot Du Fermier (Blend 7) + Barrel Aged Coffee Shop Vibes (2020) from Side Project Brewing in Saint Louis, MO

Premiant from Alma Mader Brewing in Kansas City, MO

Coconut and Coffee Barrel Aged Cuvee from Fremont Brewing in Seattle, WA

Nelson Nelson Nelson + Partially Barrel-Aged Coconut Killa from Boiler Brewing Co. in Lincoln, NE

Unshaven collaboration from Bearded Brewer Artisan Ales in Omaha, NE and RaR Brewing in Cambridge, MD

Zen Scientist + Full Time Travis + Condor from Lua Brewing in Des Moines, IA

All Pixel Everything collaboration from Phase Three Brewing Company in Lake Zurich, IL and Other Half Brewing in New York, NY

Les Fleurs Du Mal from Xul Beer Company in Knoxville, TN

Triple Citra Daydream from Other Half Brewing in New York, NY

Check back next month for my top beers of October! Cheers —Alexis