My Experience Flying with Allegiant Air

Allegiant Air gets a bad rap because they sell cheap base tickets and “get you” with all of the add-ons such as choosing a seat and carry-on bag fees. Personally, I actually found Allegiant to be a great option and would definitely fly them again.

Pros of flying Allegiant:

• The price! Allegiant tickets are quite cheap. When going from Charlotte to Tampa this spring my ticket on Allegiant was just over $100 roundtrip nonstop while other airlines were charging $450+ because it was spring break season.

• The smaller airports that most Allegiant flights fly in/out of are much easier to navigate. Parking tends to be more convenient and cheaper, lines are shorter, and there are less humans in general. At the Concord airport I parked ~25 feet from the main entrance of the airport, waited 15 minutes to check my bag, and got through security in 30 seconds.

• In my experience I arrived early on both legs of my trip—departing Concord we left 10 minutes before scheduled and landed 30 minutes early, then arriving back to Concord we were 15 minutes early. Can’t beat that!

• I found the seats to have a good amount of leg room. I am 5’10” so some planes have my knees basically in my tray table, but Allegiant had more space than your average seat.

• Cheap a la carte drink and snack options! They have high quality drinks and snacks at great prices. Why do I need a free water and peanuts when I can spend $5 and get something I actually want? The key for me was the La Colombe Draft Latte—so much better than a coffee on a plane (gross) and so much cheaper than a coffee in an airport.

• If you’re going to fly it a lot they have a credit card with some cool perks.

Cons of flying Allegiant:

• No inflight entertainment

• No plugs to charge your devices

• Thin seats

• Smaller airports have less amenities. If you arrive at the airport in need of coffee or food your options can be quite slim, BUT as I said above the planes have great food and drink options at low prices.

• You pay to check your bag whether it is a carry on or a checked bag. A lot of airlines have moved to this practice, so personally this was not a barrier for me.

• Limited routes. Allegiant is still a small airline so they don’t fly to very many cities. Most of their routes involve Florida and the Southeast.

The Bottom Line:

Would I fly Allegiant again? Absolutely. It was convenient, cheap and easy! My only wish is that they would add more routes so I could use it more often.

Read more about how I always score cheap flights here!

Exploring the YoCo Brew Trail

York County, South Carolina is Charlotte’s southern neighbor that is just a quick 25 minute drive from Uptown! York County includes the cities of Clover, Fort Mill, Lake Wylie, Rock Hill, Tega Cay, and York. The new YoCo Brew Trail has 13 stops that are super fun to explore, with lots of delicious beers, great food options, and relaxing patios. There are also several great walks and hikes in York County so you can pair your morning hike with an afternoon beer! Scroll down for all of my recommendations!

How To participate in the YoCo Brew Trail

1. Grab a passport at any participating stop on the YoCo Brew Trail!

2. Visit at least 10 listed YoCo Brew Trail locations and get a stamp at each location!

3. Visit the York County Visitor Center at 130 E. Main Street in Rock Hill, or visit the Anne Springs Close Greenway Gateway Canteen for your free swag! This year the swag is a fun pint glass! If you visit the Greenway Gateway Canteen you also get a fun bonus sticker.

4. Tag @visityorkcountysc and use the hashtag #YoCoBrewTrail

5. Drink responsibly! There are 13 spots on the YoCo Brew Trail which are a world of fun, but as always please drink responsibly.

Stops along the YoCo Brew Trail

1873 Brewing, Fort Mill

1873 has a small tap list and sandwiches and snacks on their food menu. They also have wine and non-alcoholic options. Their taproom has TVs for sports and a patio as well.

Amor Artis Brewing, Fort Mill

Located on the main strip of Fort Mill, Amor Artis is a local favorite. Their taproom is beautifully designed with plants everywhere, exposed brick, and large windows over looking Main Street. There is both a back patio and an upstairs rooftop bar. Amor Artis has a wide variety of beers but their Sours and West Coast IPAs are what have impressed me the most. They also have wine and non-alcoholic options.

Carolina Brew Supply, Rock Hill

Carolina Brew Supply started as a homebrew supply store and is now a brewery and winery. They also offer a food menu with shareables and sandwiches. They offer winemaking classes and have frequent events at their taproom.

Dust Off Brewing, Rock Hill

Dust Off is located in downtown Rock Hill with a beautiful mural on their side wall and outdoor seating. One of their owners is a veteran so their beers and overall theme are all related to the military. Their food menu offers shareables and sandwiches.

Lake Wylie Brewing, Fort Mill & Rock Hill

Lake Wylie Brewing has two locations—Fort Mill and Rock Hill. Fort Mill is their original location offering a full brewpub menu and large outdoor patio. Rock Hill also has a full food menu. Each location has similar tap lists and are both very family friendly.

Legal Remedy Brewing, Rock Hill and Legal Remedy Brewing Riverwalk

Legal Remedy is York County’s oldest brewery and opened their Old Town location in 2015. Their original taproom has a beautiful, large patio space and a full food menu. Their second taproom is near the Riverwalk and also has a large patio and full food menu, but tends to specialize more in cocktails.

Model A Brewing, Tega Cay

Model A is located in a strip mall in Tega Cay. They have a nice patio space, a full food menu, and frequent events such as live music. They are consistently changing up their tap list and have fun offerings like a dill pickle beer or your classics like Hazy IPAs.

Replay Brewing, Fort Mill

Replay is a game-focused brewery located in Kingsley Town Center. They have board games, video games, pinball and more, plus they are dog and kid friendly both inside and out. They always have a wide variety of beers on tap but their Sours and Lagers are what they do best. If you are hungry you can have neighboring Taco Molino delivered to your table.

Rock Hill Brewing, Rock Hill

Rock Hill Brewing has a small but varied tap list along with ciders, wine and non-alcoholic options. You can order Millstone Pizza directly to your table at the taproom if you are hungry. They have frequent live music and other events.

Slow Play Brewing, Rock Hill

Slow Play is one of the most popular breweries in York County, and for good reason. They have great beers, a beautiful patio space, and frequent events. Their tap list is always extensive, but their best beers are their IPAs and Sours. You must visit Slow Play while hungry as they have arguably the best food truck in the Charlotte area onsite—Cibi Cibi. They specialize in hot chicken sandwiches, burgers, and other handhelds.

Bonus Stop: Anne Springs Close Greenway Gateway Canteen, Fort Mill

Check out the Greenway Gateway Canteen for a drink before or after a lovely stroll in nature! If you complete your passport and have this bonus stop you will also receive a bonus sticker. They host a summer concert series on Thursdays in May and June and have frequent events. Entrance to the greenway is $12 or you can get a membership for reduced rates.

Morning Hikes, Afternoon Beers

The best way to experience the YoCo Brew Trail is by pairing it with some of the great hikes and walks in York County! Some of my favorites include:

• Anne Springs Close Greenway: There are several trails in this expansive area. My favorite is the Lake Haigler Loop. It is an easy, 3.5 loop that is mostly flat. The fall is a great time to soak in the colors of the greenway. Be sure to check out the swinging bridge and the Greenway Gateway Canteen for a snack or drink! Admission to the Greenway is $12 or you can get a membership for reduced rates.

• Piedmont Medical Center Trail: This is a 4.6 out and back trail, so you can do as much or as little as you’d like. It is paved the entire way and runs along the Catawba River. The Riverwalk where the trail starts and ends is home to several spots you can visit before or after as well—The Pump House, Legal Remedy Riverwalk, and Grapevine are solid options.

• Baxter Village Trail: This is a nice and easy 9 mile trail network right along the Catawba River. It is mostly shaded by tree cover as well which is a nice protection from the sun. The entrance to the trail is the Baxter subdivision neighborhood, but don’t fret, it is actually incredible peaceful and you’ll quickly forget that you parked next to someone’s house.

• Another option to get outside is to visit the Glencarin Garden! You can see azaleas, dogwoods, wisteria, crape myrtles, camellias, annuals, hardwood trees and more. The peak bloom period is typically the last week of March through mid-April, but it is always a beautiful place to visit. Admission is free.

Lake Wylie Brewing at Common Market

Bottle Shops in York County:

Common Market: Rock Hill

Grapevine: Fort Mill, Riverwalk, York

Main Street Bottle Shop: Rock Hill

The Vault: Clover

Tipsy Bottle: Fort Mill

Coming soon to the YoCo Brew Trail:

Off the Tracks Brewing: Rock Hill

The Print Shop by Amor Artis: Fort Mill

Middle James Brewing: Rock Hill

April 2022

April was a crazy month of travel and beers—so crazy in fact that I didn’t write a March top beers round up because I was on the road at the end of March and first couple of weeks of April, sorry friends! This past month I visited Wilmington NC, Charleston SC, Savannah GA, Miami FL and Seabrook Island SC. I also attended two beer festivals in April—Cape Fear Craft & Cuisine in Wilmington and Wakefest from J. Wakefield Brewing in Miami. That all adds up to a lot of beers, so the ones that made the cut here are truly the best of the best!

In no particular order, here were my top beers in April 2022:

MawMaw’s Humbleberry Pie collaboration brew from Two Tides Brewing in Savannah, GA and Inner Voice Brewing in Decatur, GA

MawMaw’s Humbleberry Pie is a Fruited Sour with raspberry, blueberry, strawberry, vanilla, cinnamon and graham cracker. It is packed with flavor and extremely easy to drink, but still comes in at 7% ABV.

Apple Brandy Barrel Aged Stepping on Toes collaboration brew from Westbrook Brewing in Charleston, SC, The Eighth State Brewing Company in Greenville, SC, Evil Twin Brewing in New York, NY and Edmund’s Oast Brewing in Charleston, SC

This is an Imperial Stout aged in Laird’s applejack apple brandy barrels for over two years then infused with toasted coconut, banana, macadamia nuts and vanilla beans. This beer is basically everything I love infused into one brew—apple brandy barrel aged, coconut, banana, and vanilla! This was an exceptional brew. I had the original Stepping on Toes last year and this one completely blows the other out of the water. Highly recommend if you can get your hands on it!

Simple Thoughts from Tripping Animals Brewing in Doral, FL

Simple Thoughts is an Imperial Stout aged for 15 months in bourbon maple barrels and conditioned with wild Thai banana, coconut, cacao nibs, peanut butter and Madagascar vanilla beans. Peanut butter Stouts can be a miss for me, but I was thoroughly impressed with this brew at Tripping Animals. Everything I had there was fantastic!

Around The Sun 2 from Edge City Brewery in Charlotte, NC

Around The Sun 2 is a Sour IPA hopped with Citra and conditioned on mangos, tangerines, kiwis and Cloister honey. Edge City released this beer for their 2nd Anniversary in April, and the first version of Around The Sun was released last year for their 1st Anniversary. This beer is the perfect balance of tartness, fruitiness, and smoothness. I had this beer 3 times in 24 hours, so I can definitely say I fully endorse it.

Citra Cutting Tiles from Trillium Brewing in Boston, MA

Cutting Tiles is Trillium’s single hop Double IPA series with raw wildflower honey. This Citra version of Cutting Tiles was fantastic! Anything Citra is usually going to go over well, but the addition of the honey sweetened things up a bit and smoothed out the beer. Another win from the folks at Trillium!

Napping Under the Echo Tree from Lua Brewing in Des Moines, IA

Napping Under the Echo Tree is a Fruited Sour with dragon fruit, passionfruit, mango and guava. This was my first time trying anything from Lua and I absolutely loved it! I will definitely be hunting for them on my Midwest road trip this summer!

The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism Chapters 1, 2 & 3 from Root and Branch Brewing in Copiague, NY

I did a side by side of all three chapters of The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism and thoroughly enjoyed each one! Chapter 1: Ignorance is Strength is a Double IPA, Chapter 2: Freedom Is Slavery is a Triple IPA and Chapter 3: War Is Peace is a Double IPA. Each Chapter was pretty similar, but overall Chapter II was my favorite!

CHECK BACK NEXT MONTH TO SEE MY TOP BEERS OF MAY 2022!
CHEERS—ALEXIS

Dunedin, FL

Dunedin is a cute city in the Tampa Bay area of Florida with several breweries and overall beachy vibes.

Dunedin Tips:

• I highly recommend flying in/out of the St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport (PIE) if the timing/routes make sense for you. This is a small airport that is easy to navigate and the routes were cheaper than Tampa in my experience.

• While in the area be sure to check out the cute, artsy city of St. Pete as well! Check out my recommendations and tips here. Check out my Tampa recommendations here.

• Dunedin itself doesn’t have a beach, but it is still a great destination in the Tampa Bay area to visit and stay. You can easily make day trips to the surrounding beaches.

  • Clearwater Beach is a popular destination that is about 20 minutes south of Dunedin. The water here is extremely clear and beautiful but it does get quite crowded, especially near the public beach at Pier 60.

    • Badfins is a fun, beachy restaurant in Clearwater Beach with delicious food and a solid beer selection. I would caution to ask about the price of a pint of beer before you order because they have some outrageously expensive selections.

7venth Sun Brewing

Dunedin Breweries:

• 7venth Sun Brewing Company: A good brewery located on the main road of downtown with a wide variety of beers. Their Sours are what I would recommend the most. They have a side patio space and offer fun flight trees.

• Cueni Brewing Co.: A solid brewery with a nice patio space and chill vibes. They offer massive flights in the shape of Florida if you’re sharing with someone!

• HOB Brewing Co.: House of Beer has two locations right across the street from each other. Both offer massive tap lists with average beer. HOB has a large outdoor space and House of Beer is the original, grungier beer bar.

• Dunedin Brewing: An average brewery with a nice patio space and a small food menu. 

• Soggy Bottom Brewery: Arguably a dive bar and not a brewery. They had zero of their own beers on tap when I visited and divey vibes.

Brunch at Hew Parlor & Chophouse

top dunedin recommendations

• Stay at Fenway Hotel: This gorgeous hotel screams luxury at every corner. It is right across the street from the bay and just a few minutes walk from downtown. The building used to be an old radio station and so the hotel has leaned into that theme with smooth jazz playing everywhere and frequent live music. There are beautiful ocean views from the hotel rooms and rooftop bar and a relaxing pool area.

  • Hi-Fi Rooftop Bar: A fantastic spot to watch the sunset over the ocean! This rooftop bar offers killer views, delicious cocktails, and a small food menu. It is a popular spot so if you plan to visit for sunset be sure to arrive early. Located on top of Fenway Hotel.

  • Hew Parlor and Chophouse: The restaurant inside Fenway Hotel with delicious food! You can choose to sit inside or out on the front patio with lovely views. This is much better than your typical hotel restaurant and I highly recommend the brunch in particular! 

  • Edgewater Trail is runs in front of the hotel and spans 3.3 miles along the bay 

• Pineallas Trail: A biking/jogging/walking trail that runs through town. The trail spans 50 miles, from St. Petersburg to Tarpon Springs.

• Wander downtown Dunedin: It is a cute area full of shops, restaurants and bars

• Edgewater Park: A small park located on the marina with a playground and picnic tables

• Cork and Beans: Coffee shop and wine bar in the heart of downtown with a nice patio space  

February 2022

February brought a slue of fantastic beers! I also took trips to Greenville, SC and up to Michigan, so that led to some great beers as well. Fingers crossed we are moving towards warmer weather and more patio beers in the coming weeks!

In no particular order, here were my top beers in February 2022:

Tulip from Fidens Brewing in Colonie, NY

Tulip is a Double IPA brewed with Citra and Simcoe hops. Fidens has really fine-tuned what a Double IPA should be and Tulip is a prime example of this. Smooth, juicy, flavorful, and delicious.

Never Gonnagetit³ from The Veil Brewing in Richmond, VA

This is the triple fruited version the Veil’s mixed berry gose with raspberry, boysenberry, and blackberry. Anything mixed berry is always going to be a win from my perspective and this was delicious. Shout out to Salud Beer Shop for hosting a Veil tap takeover so we can have their RVA goodness in CLT.

Ana from Fair Isle Brewing in Seattle, WA

Ana is a tropical Saison refermented on Ananasnaya Kiwi fruit from Red Cedar Farm in Poulsbo, WA. In my opinion, Saisons are always best enjoyed on a beautiful day sitting outside (preferably also with a cheese board). I have been hyping Fair Isle up since I visited their taproom in July and Ana reminded me of just how good their beers are. If you haven’t jumped on this train yet I highly recommend it!

I Once Left My Mind In A Bed-Stuy Juice Bar Collab from Burial Beer Co. in Asheville, NC and Other Half Brewing in New York, NY

This killer collaboration is mashed with oats and candi sugar, whirlpooled with Incognito hops, and triple dry-hopped with Mosaic, El Dorado, Blanc, Motueka and Riwaka hops. It is another banger from the folks at Burial and Other Half, which should come as no surprise.

All Is Not Lost from Petty Thieves Brewing in Charlotte, NC

All Is Not Lost is a Saison brewed with ceylon tea and lemon peel before being refermented on Asian pear puree. Petty Thieves always has a wide array of beers to choose from but I’ve found their Saisons to be my favorites. All Is Not Lost was superb—the pear flavor was not too overpowering but the perfect balance of fruity and refreshing.

Stress Dream collab from The Eighth State Brewing Company in Greenville, SC and Fidens Brewing in Colonie, NY

Pictured left, Stress Dream is an Imperial Stout with Monteblanco Passion Fruit Washed Coffee Beans from @methodicalcoffee , Toasted Coconut, Strawberry, Papua New Guinea Vanilla, Peruvian Cocoa Nibs, and Caramel. When two of the best in the game team up your expectations are pretty high, but Eighth State & Fidens did not disappoint. I am excited to open the bottle of this that I got soon too!

Crunchtime from HopFly Brewing in Charlotte, NC

Crunchtime is an American Lager from one of Charlotte’s newest breweries, HopFly Brewing. They opened in March 2020 in Rocky Mount, NC and just expanded to CLT last week. If you haven’t already checked out their new space in South End get on it! They do each style of beer well, but I found Crunchtime to be well-rounded and refreshing—perfect for their rooftop patio space.

Dots on the Wall from Birds Fly South Ale Project in Greenville, SC

Dots on the Wall is a Farmhouse Style Table Beer. Did you ever think a Table Beer would make a top beers list? I certainly didn’t, but Dots on the Wall has flipped that idea on its head. This was a fantastic, easy-drinking beer that still had plenty of flavor.

Hopnosis from Firestone Walker in Paso Robles, CA

Hopnosis is a West Coast IPA with Mosaic Cryo hops. This was a superb West Coast IPA from the folks at Firestone Walker who have been honing in on this style of beer for over 15 years. Learn more about Hopnosis in my PorchDrinking Beer Feature linked here!

Curtains Closed from High Branch Brewing in Concord, NC

Curtains Closed is a Hazy Double IPA with oats and Sabro, Citra, Azacca, and Centennial hops. High Branch is best known for their IPAs and Curtains Closed was perhaps the best one that I have had from them.

Ghost Big Sherb from HOMES Brewing in Ann Arbor, MI

Ghost Big Sherb is a Smoothie Sour with milk sugar and double fruited with blackberry, black currant, and plum, then aged on vanilla bean. HOMES always makes delicious beers, particularly their Sours. It was fruity without being overly sweet or thick, and I thoroughly enjoyed every sip.

Check back next month to see my top beers of March 2022! Cheers—Alexis

January 2022

January brought a plethora of fantastic beers—from bottle shares, to a Charleston trip, to a Southern California trip visiting some of the top breweries in the country, there was no shortage of delicious brews. In no particular order, here are the best beers I had in January 2022:

Everything at Monkish Brewing in Torrance and Anaheim, CA

Is this cheating? Yes. Too bad. Everything Monkish brews is incredibly delicious and I was so thrilled to have the opportunity to visit both of their taprooms on my SoCal trip! I had the following beers and I would recommend them all:

• Conscience Be Free: Double Dry Hopped Double IPA with Galaxy, Nelson Sauvin, and Simcoe

• Foggier Window: Double Dry Hopped Double IPA with Citra, Nelson Sauvin, and Galaxy

• Sticky Traffic: Double Dry Hopped Double IPA with Nelson Sauvin, Citra, Mosaic, and Galaxy

• Biggie Biggie Biggie: Triple IPA with Galaxy and El Dorado

• One Tree: Triple IPA with Strata and Idaho 7

• M 9.5: Saison aged in oak barrels for 18 months and conditioned on spent Blenheim apricots

Nelson!!! (It’s What We Like Here!) at Green Cheek Beer Co. in Costa Mesa, CA

Nelson!!! (It’s What We Like Here!) is a West Coast IPA with hand selected—you guessed it—Nelson Sauvin hops from Freestyle Farm in New Zealand. I generally always choose a Hazy IPA over a West Coast IPA but I decided to branch out while on the West Coast because that’s where they are done best. This was easily the best West Coast IPA I’ve ever had. Shout out to Green Cheek for truly crushing the game.

Luxurious Luxury Volume 10 Collab from The Veil Brewing in Richmond, VA and Evil Twin BRewing in New York, NY

Luxurious Luxury Volume 10 is a Pastry Sour with blackberry, pear, marshmallow and vanilla salt. This latest installment in The Veil and Evil Twin’s collaboration series was absolutely epic. The flavors were exploding and I thoroughly enjoyed every sip.

Double Lightning at Resident Culture Brewing Company in Charlotte, NC

Double Lightning is a Hazy Double IPA with Citra, Mosaic and Galaxy hops. This is the double version of their Flagship Beer, Lightning Drops. I was incredibly impressed with the quality of Double Lightning and look forward to hopefully seeing more of it released.

Study Break, Intrepid Orchid (2022), and Memory Systems at Bottle Logic Brewing in Anaheim, CA

Bottle Logic crushes the Stout game so I of course ordered each one they had on the menu when I visited and they were all delicious!

• Study Break: Imperial Stout with lactose, caramel malts, cacao nibs and peanuts

• Intrepid Orchid 2022: Bourbon Barrel-Aged English Style Vanilla Barleywine with Madagascar vanilla

• Memory Systems 2022: Bourbon Barrel Aged Cinnamon Bun Stout—Imperial Stout aged in a braid of Old Fitzgerald, Heaven Hill, and Elijah Craig barrels and conditioned with a four-day marshmallow steep and a recirculation through Madagascar vanilla beans, Vietnamese cinnamon, and cassia bark

Tomorrow Today from Sante Adairius Rustic Ales in Capitola, CA and La Ruche from Side Project Brewing in St. Louis, MO

Tomorrow Today is a West Coast IPA with Simcoe, Citra, and Mosaic hops. Sante Adairius has long been on my list of breweries I’d love to try so I was absolutely stoked to get to taste some of the draft beer while in SoCal.

La Ruche is a Saison fermented using a blend of local microflora and a traditional Saison yeast. Orange Blossom honey was added for refermentation in a Missouri Oak Foedre and then it was aged to maturity before being naturally conditioned in the bottle. Side Project is always a top-notch brewery and this beer was exceptional.

I enjoyed both of these at Windsor Homebrew Supply in Anaheim. They have a killer tap list and bottle/can selection alongside their homebrew supplies.

Eternal Forever at Pure Brewing in San Diego, CA

Eternal Forever is a blend of Single and Double Bourbon Barrel-Aged Stouts with Cacao & Wild Thai Banana. Pure released this in celebration of their 6th Anniversary and I luckily was in town for the release. I actually had this beer twice while I was in San Diego, at Pure Balboa Park and at Pure Carlsbad, because it was just so good. The banana flavor was epic.

Fros’e Sour Blackberry Puff at Kings Brewing Company in Rancho Cucamonga, CA

Pictured left, this is a Fros'e with blackberry, blueberry, cherry, grape, double vanilla & double marshmallow. Kings is best known for their thiccc Fruited Sours and this brew was the best of the three I had on tap. The fruit combination was fantastic!

Rosé de Gambrinus from Cantillon in Brussels, Belgium

This is a blend of Lambics and raspberries from the famed Cantillon in Belgium. Every brew they create is great and this was a light, fruity, and tart sipper.

Pliny The Elder from Russian River Brewing Company in Russian River, CA

Pliny the Elder is a Double West Coast IPA with Amarillo, Centennial, CTZ, and Simcoe hops. This is probably the best known West Coast IPA in the country and deemed a classic. I’ve had Pliny several times before but I couldn’t pass up the chance to have it on draft on the West Coast at Mostra Coffee’s 4s location. It is always delightful—clean, crisp, and delicious.

Check back next month to see what my top beers of February will be! CHeers —ALexis

My Top Beers in 2021

2021 was a wild ride:

• I visited 191 new-to me breweries and somewhere around 275 breweries total

• I had roughly 1300 unique beers

• Other Half Brewing in New York remains my top brewery for the third year in a row with 5 beers on this list

• I finally leaned into the Pilsner game and have deepened my respect and love for a well-made Lager

In no particular order, here are the best beers I had in 2021:

ELEANOR FROM FAIR ISLE BREWING IN SEATTLE, WA

Eleanor is a Farmhouse Ale refermented on elderberries with Hallertau Mittelfruh hops. It has a berry body with notes of cinnamon, clove, and earthy flavors. Fair Isle was my absolute favorite stop in Seattle! They specialize in creating mixed-culture Saisons and they absolutely crush it.

Pear Sauvie FROM THE ALE APOTHECARY IN BEND, OR

Ale Apothecary is a super unique little spot in Bend where all of their beers are 100% barrel aged, wild fermented, and naturally carbonated. I had every beer available when I visited and they were all delicious, but in choosing my absolute top beer that would have to be Pear Sauvie. It is brewed with @meccagrade barley and rye malts, @sauvieislandhops Crystal hops, and pear juice.

BANANA VANILLA ALMOND APPLE BRANDY CIRCLE OF WOLVES FROM THE VEIL BREWING CO. IN RICHMOND, VA

Banana Vanilla Almond Apple Brandy Circle of Wolves is an English Barleywine aged in @lairdsapplejack Apple Brandy barrels for 20 months then conditioned on bananas, Madagascar vanilla, and Marcona almonds. The banana hits heavy but in a delicious way and the apple brandy kicks in on the back. Perhaps the best beer I had all year.

LAX2JFK: IN THE CLOUDS COLLABORATION BREW FROM MONKISH BREWING IN TORRANCE, CA, OTHER HALF BREWING IN NEW YORK, NY, AND TRILLIUM BREWING IN BOSTON, MA

LAX2JFK: In The Clouds is an Imperial Oat Cream IPA with Citra, Mosaic, Motueka, Simcoe, Citra Cryo, and Simcoe Cryo hops. This brew has incredible mouthfeel and is loaded with flavor thanks to that stacked hop profile. Funny enough, the original Other Half/Monkish version of this collaboration made it on my top beers of 2020 list! Hopefully they keep the train rolling and we can see another release in 2022!

EUNOIA BATCH 6 FROM PHASE THREE BREWING COMPANY IN ZURICH, IL

Eunoia Batch 6 is a Barrel-aged Imperial Stout with Tugboat coffee, maple syrup and Ghana cocoa nibs. Phase Three is a Chicagoland powerhouse and Eunoia is arguably their best series. The coffee comes through strong but not in an overpowering fashion while the maple and chocolate even everything out.

NATIVE/WILD ESTATE HONEY FROM OXBOW BLENDING AND BOTTLING IN PORTLAND, ME

Native/Wild Estate Honey is a Spontaneously Fermented Barrel Aged Farmhouse Ale with Maine grains, aged hops, well water, and estate honey. Oxbow crushes the Farmhouse Ales and this one was top notch. The addition of honey sweetens up the barrel funk but not in an overpowering way.

Triple Thiccarus from Wax Wings Brewing Company in Kalamazoo, MI

Triple Thiccarus is the Triple IPA version of their loved single IPA, Thiccarus. I enjoyed this on tap at 8 Degrees Plato, a beer bar and bottle shop in Detroit, MI. Wax Wings has been putting out some stellar brews in Western Michigan for a few years but they are finally getting a little more distribution around the state thankfully. This brew was smooth, juicy, flavorful, and absolutely delightful.

SAINT LAMVINUS FROM CANTILLON BREWERY IN BRUSSELS, BELGIUM

Saint Lamvinus is a blend of Lambics aged 16 to 18 months and of Merlot grapes. I enjoyed this fantastic brew at Zwanze Day hosted by The Veil Brewing. This was my top Cantillon beer of the day and truly phenomenal.

ONE OF US WILL HAVE TO BURY THE OTHER COLLABORATION FROM BURIAL BEER CO. IN ASHEVILLE, NC AND OTHER HALF BREWING IN NEW YORK, NY

One Of Us Will Have To Bury The Other is a Foudre-Aged Mexican-Style Lager with pale pilsner with a touch of Vienna and Munich malt. I cannot begin to count the number of these beers that I absolutely crushed this year. Thankfully Burial released this locally twice this year and hopefully they will do so again next year!

NEED A HUG FROM FONTA FLORA BREWING IN MORGANTON, NC

Need A Hug is an Appalachian Wild Ale brewed with blueberries and elderberries. Fonta Flora makes some of the best Wild Ales and Lagers in the game and this one is at the top of the list for me. I absolutely loved how packed with flavor yet simultaneously light and refreshing it was!

DOUBLE SUNSET FROM OTHER HALF BREWING IN NEW YORK, NY

Other Half has made many versions of this Imperial Stout, this one is made with Coava Coffee Roasters Guatemalan Nayo Ovalle Coffee, vanilla and milk sugar. This was a deliciously thiccc Stout packed with flavor.

I MADE THIS MAP MYSELF COLLABORATION FROM BURIAL BEER CO. IN ASHEVILLE, NC AND OTHER HALF BREWING IN NEW YORK, NY

Burial and Other Half are two of the best breweries in the country, particularly for IPAs, so it is no surprise this Double IPA from them was epic. I Made This Map Myself is a Double IPA with oats, whirlpooled with Incognito and Cryo, triple dry-hopped with hand-selected Citra, Motueka, El Dorado, and Nelson hops, and finished with Citra Cryo hops.

SELF-RELIANCE: MOTUEKA FROM HILL FARMSTEAD BREWERY IN GREENSBORO BEND, VT

This batch of Hill Farmstead’s Farmhouse IPA, Self-Reliance, has hand-selected Motueka hops from Freestyle Farms, their agricultural partner in Upper Moutere, New Zealand. It was conditioned in oak puncheons for 3 months and then bottled since March 13, 2019. Hill Farmstead continues to put out bangers and I am hoping 2022 will finally bring a visit to their brewery and taproom for me!

SUMMER JAM: FROSE COLLABORATION FROM BARREL CULTURE BREWING AND BLENDING IN DURHAM, NC AND KINGS BREWING IN RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA

This collab is a tiki-drink inspired Fruited Sour Ale with pineapple, mango, coconut, and key lime. At 7% ABV, this is a powerful Sour from two fantastic breweries. It is thick, packed with flavor, and super easy to drink.

TRIPLE JUICY DIAMONDS COLLABORATION FROM OTHER HALF BREWING IN NEW YORK, NY AND WELDWERKS BREWING IN GREELEY, CO

You know it’s a juice bomb when two of the best in the game come together for a Triple IPA collaboration! This was brewed with Citra, El Dorado, Mosaic, and Galaxy hops. I didn’t get my hands on too many WeldWerks brews this year but as I reminisce on how good this beer was I am determined to change that for 2022!

What were your favorite beers of 2021? Let me know in the comments and cheers to 2022!

November 2021

November brought the least amount of beers I’ve drank in quite some time, so this month’s list is short and sweet! In no particular order, here are the top beers I had in November 2021:

Time is a Flat Circle collaboration brew from Heist Brewery in Charlotte, NC and Fidens Brewing Co. in Albany, NY

This is a Hazy Double IPA dry hopped with Rakau, Nelson Sauvin, and Motueka hops. A local collaboration with one of the hottest breweries in the country right now? Yes please! This is an absolute juice bomb and incredibly smooth.

Potato at New Origin Brewing Co in Asheville, NC

Potato is a New England IPA dry hopped with Idaho Gem and Citra hops. New Origin is Asheville’s newest brewery and they are already making waves. Their IPAs and Lagers were fantastic, I highly recommend checking them out next time you’re in AVL.

Like Whoa collaboration brew from Monkish Brewing in Torrance, CA, Other Half Brewing in New York, NY, and Trillium Brewing in Boston, MA

Like Whoa is an Imperial IPA with Citra, Galaxy, Motueka, Topaz, & Wai-iti hops. This is part of the Freaky Friday collaboration series and a true delight. That should come as no surprise given the three breweries involved!

LAX2JFK: In The Clouds collaboration brew from Monkish Brewing in Torrance, CA, Other Half Brewing in New York, NY, and Trillium Brewing in Boston, MA

LAX2JFK: In The Clouds is an Imperial Oat Cream IPA with Citra, Mosaic, Motueka, Simcoe, Citra Cryo, and Simcoe Cryo hops. This brew has incredible mouthfeel and is loaded with flavor thanks to that stacked hop profile. Yes this is the second beer on this month’s list that is a collaboration from Monkish, Other Half, and Trillium—this stacked team can do no wrong.

Deep Orbit Centaurus from Other Half Brewing in New York, NY

This is an Imperial Stout with vanilla, figs, almonds and cinnamon. Other Half’s Stouts are frequently overlooked and Deep Orbit is just another reminder that they can make more than Hazy IPAs. The adjunct combination is delightful and pairs nicely with the thick body of the base Stout.

Check back next month to see my top beers of december and my overall top beers of 2021! Cheers —Alexis

The Best Breweries in North Carolina

North Carolina is a mecca for beer lovers—Asheville has continually been rated Beer City USA, Charlotte has almost 50 breweries itself, and essentially every other city in the state has their own local brewery they support. But which ones are making the absolute best beer? In alphabetical order, here are the best breweries in North Carolina:

Burial Beer Co. in Asheville & Raleigh, NC

Burial first opened it’s doors in the summer of 2013 and since then has become one of the best breweries in the country and arguably the best in North Carolina. They now have 3 locations—their original brewery and taproom in the South Slope neighborhood of Asheville, their Forestry Camp brewery and taproom in the Biltmore area of Asheville, and their downtown Raleigh location. They also are getting close to opening their Charlotte taproom and they are in the works of opening another space in Asheville. Burial is best known for their juicy New England IPAs, but they also make incredible Stouts and Lagers.

Dssolvr in Asheville, NC

Dssolvr is located in the heart of downtown Asheville and opened in December 2019. They focus on doing both worlds of beer well—old school Lagers, West Coast IPAs, Wild Ales + new school Hazy IPAs, Fruited Sours, and Pastry Stouts + everything in between. Their Fruited Sours can get a little crazy but everything they put out is well crafted and delicious.

Fonta Flora Brewery in Morganton, Nebo, and Charlotte, NC

Fonta Flora is one of the OG’s of the NC brew scene, having opened in 2013. They now have three locations—their original brewery and taproom in downtown Morganton, their Whippoorwill Farm location in Nebo, and their Charlotte taproom in Optimist Hall. Their award winning Wild Ales are the standout, but their Lagers and Hazy IPAs are phenomenal as well.

New Anthem Beer Project in Wilmington, NC

New Anthem opened in 2016 and they now have two locations in Wilmington—their original brewery and taproom at 116 Dock Street in downtown and their larger taproom and brewery at 110 Greenfield Street. New Anthem is best known for their New England IPAs which is reflected by their IPA-heavy tap list and can production.

Newgrass Brewing Co. in Shelby, NC

Newgrass opened in August 2015 and they are located in the heart of downtown Shelby right off Highway 74. Newgrass is an ideal stop between Charlotte and Asheville for Pastry Stouts, Hazy IPAs, and Fruited Sours. They have leaned into the hype beer game and it has treated them well—you can now find Newgrass cans and taps throughout the Carolinas.

Resident Culture Brewing Company in Charlotte, NC

Resident Culture is located in the Plaza Midwood neighborhood of Charlotte and opened their doors in September 2017. They are also close to opening a second brewery and taproom in the Gold District of Charlotte. The motto at Resident Culture is “where your weird is welcome” and they mean that—walking into their taproom you find a different vibe than most breweries. Their tap list is constantly changing but no matter the style RC does it well. Whether it’s a Mushroom Stout, Sour Patch Kids Sour, Lime Lager, Juicy IPA, or a Crisp Pilsner, if Resident Culture has leaned into it, they won’t steer you wrong.

Honorable Mention: Casita brewing Company

Casita is located in Wilson, North Carolina, a small town an hour east of Raleigh. They opened their taproom in 2020 after contract brewing for years at Hill Farmstead Brewery in Vermont and Duck-Rabbit Brewery in NC. Casita has already produced some phenomenal beers and as they continue to get comfortable in their new home the future looks bright.

If you’re exploring North Carolina, here are my guides to Asheville, Boone, Charlotte, Raleigh, and Wilmington!
Cheers!—Alexis

The Best Breweries in Louisiana

I lived in Louisiana for about five years and spent my weekends exploring the brew scene across the state! In ranking order, here are the best breweries in Louisiana:

Parish Brewing in Broussard, LA

The G.O.A.T. of Louisiana beer, hands down. Ghost in the Machine has long been a favorite for IPA drinkers across the country and Double Dry Hopped Ghost has now gained a national reputation as well. Their quaint taproom in Broussard understates how good their beer is and how sought after it is becoming.

Courtyard Brewing in New Orleans, LA

Courtyard is one of my favorite breweries of all time! Their beers are spectacular—specifically their IPAs, but don’t sleep on their other styles as well. They have navigated more hurdles in their 7 years of operation than any small business I know, but they are still grinding and still brewing great beers. Check them out for delicious beers and chill vibes.

Parleaux Beer Lab in New Orleans, LA

Parleaux is located in the Bywater neighborhood of NOLA and has fantastic brews. Their outdoor space is delightful and the perfect spot to spend an afternoon. Their beers are constantly changing, so I would recommend sampling several in order to get a real picture of how well they execute each style.

Great Raft Brewing in Shreveport, LA

Grace and Grit from Great Raft was one of the first IPAs that I truly loved—it is an extremely well-balanced and approachable beer, especially for an 8% Double IPA. Their Belgian series is also something not to be missed. Great Raft has been a powerhouse in the Louisiana brew scene since they opened in 2013 specializing in getting the Western half of the state to “drink real beer” and have since expanded to Texas, Arkansas, and Mississippi.

Urban South Brewery in New Orleans, LA

Urban South is a fun spot in NOLA with a frequently changing tap list filled with great beers. They opened their New Orleans taproom in 2016 and just three years later opened their second taproom in Houston. Their specialty seasonal releases are what they do best which are mostly Hazy IPAs and Fruited Sours, but don’t sleep on the Lime Cucumber Gose that took home a gold medal at the 2020 Great American Beer Fest.

Have you explored the Louisiana brew scene? Let me know your favorite spots in the comments! Cheers —Alexis

October 2021

October is arguably the best month of the year—college football is in full swing, leaves are changing, and the month is full of beer fests! For us October meant two bottle shares, a massive fall beer side by side tasting, Barrel Culture Brewing & Blending’s Invitational in Durham, glamping in Lenoir, and an epic Michigan State football victory over Michigan. All of these obviously also meant delicious beers, so this month’s top beers list is a little longer—check out all of the best beers I had in October 2021 below, in no particular order:

Childish Games from Monkish Brewing in Torrance, CA

Childish Games is a Double Dry Hopped Double IPA with Enigma and Nelson Sauvin hops. Monkish has absolutely nailed the juicy IPA game and this brew is no exception—smooth, flavorful, and fantastic.

2020 Barrel Aged Cuppa Peanut Butter Coconut from Maplewood Brewing in Chicago, IL

This is an Imperial Stout blended from Cuppa aged in Buffalo Trace, Heaven Hill and Weller barrels for 12-18 months and conditioned on cacao nibs, vanilla, coffee, toasted coconut and peanut butter. I enjoyed this one at the Barrel Culture Invitational and it reaffirmed my belief in just how good Maplewood is!

Holding This Moment (Blue) collab brew from Fidens Brewing in Colonie, NY And Horus Aged Ales in OCeanside, CA

Holding This Moment is a Double IPA brewed with Motueka and Citra hops. Fidens is hot right now in the craft beer scene and Horus is always something to be chased after as well, so it’s no surprise this collaboration was incredibly delicious!

Dairelynerweisse: Raspberry, Blackberry, Pomegranate from Salud Cerveceria in Charlotte, NC

Dairelynerweisse is Salud’s Berliner Weisse series and this variant was made with blackberry, raspberry and pomegranate. You can always expect this series to be thicc, fruity, and packed full of flavor. My favorite is still the Mixed Berry version, but this one is excellent too!

Insert Hip Hop Reference Anywhere collab brew from Trillium Brewing in Boston, MA and Monkish Brewing in Torrance, CA

Insert Hip Hop Reference is a single-hop collaboration series from Trillium and this version features Mosaic hops in collaboration with the IPA powerhouse, Monkish Brewing. It is a 10% Triple IPA but is extremely easy to drink.

Watermelon Incipient from Speciation Artisan Ales in Grand Rapids, MI

Watermelon Incipient is a Foeder Aged Solera Sour with watermelon. Speciation always brings the funk! This one is tart, fruity, and light-bodied. I always recommend anything from Speciation that you can get your hands on!

Double Dry Hopped Ghost in the Machine from Parish Brewing in Broussard, LA

Yes I have talked about this beer before, and no I will not be stopping anytime soon. DDH Ghost is an Imperial IPA with Citra hops. I first had this beer when it initially released in 2020 and every time I have it I am continually blown away by how delicious it is. Luckily Parish brought this one to the Barrel Culture Invitational and it was the first keg to kick if that tells you anything about how fantastic it is!

Everything is Connected Collab Brew from The Eighth State Brewing Company in Greenville, SC and Tripping Animals Brewing Co. in Doral, FL

Everything is Connected is a Barleywine with roasted pecans, Cook's Island vanilla, Ugandan vanilla, Ecuadorian cocoa nibs, and graham crackers. Eighth State crushes the Imperial Stout and Barleywine game so it is no surprise that this brew was exceptional! Thicc, heavy on the vanilla, and boozy—everything I wanted out of it.

Get Puft from Liquid Roots Brewing Project in Lenoir, NC

Get Puft is a mango and marshmallow Sour Ale. This was super flavorful! It’s the first in the new sour series at Liquid Roots so I look forward to seeing what other flavors they develop. In the meantime I’ll take 64oz of this fruit bomb!

Flat Dayz collab brew from Other Half Brewing in New York, NY and Commonwealth Brewing in Virginia Beach, VA

Flat Dayz is a Double IPA with Citra in the whirlpool and dry hopped with Motueka, Waimea, Riwaka and Kohatu hops. Juicy, fruit-forward, and smooth. Another banger from Other Half with the help of Commonwealth.

Eunoia Batch 6 from Phase Three Brewing Company in Zurich, IL

Eunoia Batch 6 is a Barrel-aged Imperial Stout with Tugboat coffee, maple syrup and Ghana cocoa nibs. Phase Three is a Chicagoland powerhouse and Eunoia is arguably their best series. The coffee comes through strong but not in an overpowering fashion while the maple and chocolate even everything out. Highly recommend this brew!

City Brew Tour Charlotte Experience

City Brew Tour Charlotte just launched in the summer of 2021, providing all-inclusive tours of breweries in Charlotte! They let us join a tour to see what it is all about and share our experience with you!

Your ride for the day!

What is City Brew Tour Charlotte?

“You drink…we drive, guide, and educate.” —sound pretty good to me! City Brew Tour Charlotte is a way to experience multiple breweries with a designated driver and learn more about both the brewing process and the breweries themselves in Charlotte. You get to go behind the scenes at breweries, learn about the history of beer on your journey, and taste a variety of local beers.

City Brew Tour Charlotte has both public and private tours for events such as bachelor/bachelorette parties, birthdays, and corporate functions. The tour starts and ends in front of The Westin in Uptown, Charlotte.

Things to know:

• You need to wear closed toed shoes, as you’ll be going into the brewing space at breweries.

• The breweries change for each tour, so what we experienced may be different than what you experience! City Brew Tour Charlotte partners with several breweries in the city so it’s not the same set stops each time.

• The van has a cooler in the back, so if you purchase any beer to-go you can keep it cold for the rest of the tour.

• The beers are selected for you by the guide, but if you want to try something different you’re welcome to buy it separately.

Overall we enjoyed our experience and it would be great for people visiting Charlotte or new to the CLT beer scene. My one critique would be that we did feel quite rushed at stops 2 & 3, but overall I would recommend it!

The brewery dog at Armored Cow

Stop 1: Armored Cow Brewing

Armored Cow Brewing was the first stop on our brew tour! They opened in 2019 in the University City neighborhood in North Charlotte. They have multiple gluten-free beers which is pretty unique for a brewery! We tried four beers at Armored Cow and got to go into the brewhouse to see where the magic happens. We also got to meet their adorable brewery dog and learn about the first half of the brewing process.

Delicious Juicy IPAs at Resident Culture

Stop 2: Resident Culture Brewing Company

Resident Culture was the second stop for us on City Brew Tour Charlotte! Resident Culture is my favorite brewery in Charlotte so I was super excited it was included on the tour. They opened in 2017 and are located in the Plaza Midwood neighborhood of Charlotte. Resident Culture is known for their IPAs, but their Lagers and Stouts are not to be overlooked either! At Resident Culture we went behind the scenes to see and learn about the second half of the brewing process and tried three beers.

Lunch flight at Midwood Smokehouse with local brews

Stop 3: Lunch at Midwood Smokehouse

Our third stop on the brew tour was Midwood Smokehouse for lunch. We visited the location in Park Road Shopping Center, and their original location is in Plaza Midwood. City Brew Tour Charlotte orders ahead for everyone, so be sure to mention on your reservation if you have any dietary restrictions. The menu included their famous BBQ and a few side dishes. There is also a preset beer flight of local brews. Our flight included beers from The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery, Wooden Robot Brewery, NoDa Brewing Company, and Catawba Brewing Company.

Behind the scenes at Lower Left Brewing

Stop 4: Lower Left Brewing Co.

Our final stop of the tour was Lower Left Brewing Company. Lower Left opened in 2019 and they are located in the Lower Southend (LoSo) neighborhood of Charlotte. They always have a good variety of beers on tap and a nice patio. Here we sampled a few more beers and went behind the scenes to see their small brew space. From Lower Left we headed back to Uptown to be dropped off at City Brew Tour Charlotte’s hotel partner, The Westin.

Behind the scenes at Resident Culture

Want to check out City Brew Tour Charlotte? Book your Tour here!

September 2021

September brought the return of college football with lots of game beers and a trip to Richmond, Virginia for Zwanze Day 2021. Check out my top beers in September 2021 below:

Saint Lamvinus from Cantillon Brewery in Brussels, Belgium

Saint Lamvinus is a blend of Lambics aged 16 to 18 months and of Merlot grapes. We enjoyed this fantastic brew at Zwanze Day hosted by The Veil Brewing. This was my top Cantillon beer of the day and truly phenomenal.

The Sum of Its Parts from Triple Crossing Brewing in Richmond, VA

The Sum of Its Parts is a Mixed Culture Ale with petit manseng juice and dry hopped Nelson Sauvin hops. Triple Crossing is known for their juicy IPAs, but don’t sleep on their Wild Ales! It is best enjoyed on the Triple Crossing patio with pizza and pretzels!

Lake James Rind: Ashtray Style from Fonta Flora Brewery in Morganton, NC & Salud Beer Shop in Charlotte, NC

Lake James Rind is an adjunct Lager with heritage corn, lime zest, tajin, and watermelon. This is a classic summer sipper from Fonta Flora and always a delight, but to step up your game I suggest you have it ashtray style at Salud. In the NoDa neighborhood of Charlotte, Salud Beer Shop offers an even better version of Lake James Rind with lime, hot sauce, pepper, and tajin.

Zwanze 2021 Parasol from Cantillon Brewery in Brussels, Belgium

Zwanze 2021 Parasol is a special blend of Lambic and a citrus blend featuring mostly oranges. This was another delightful brew from Cantillon and it was awesome to get to experience Zwanze Day for the first time. This years release was refreshing and light with a hint of orange.

Zero Drunk Thirty 7th Breakfast Club and Condron Raspberry Blueberry Cheesecake from The Answer Brewpub in Richmond, VA

Zero Drunk Thirty 7th Breakfast Club is The Answer’s 7th Anniversary Barrel Blend Imperial Chocolate Stout. The barrels were Laird's Apple, Rye, and Rum. It is then brewed with Banana Flambé, Saigon cinnamon, Tahitian vanilla and Vermont maple. This was a delicious Imperial Stout that is thick with flavor and booziness. Another killer beer at the answer was one of their Jooses: Condron Raspberry Blueberry Cheesecake. This is a Fruited Sour with Raspberry Blueberry Cheesecake. All of the Joose series is great, but these two fruits and the cheesecake flavor made it a perfect indulgence.

Banana Vanilla Almond Apple Brandy Circle of Wolves from The Veil Brewing Co. in Richmond, VA

Banana Vanilla Almond Apple Brandy Circle of Wolves is an English Barleywine aged in @lairdsapplejack Apple Brandy barrels for 20 months then conditioned on bananas, Madagascar vanilla, and Marcona almonds. This was hands down the best beer I’ve had this month and will go down as one of my top beers of 2021. The banana hits heavy but in a delicious way and the apple brandy kicks in on the back. Highly recommend!

Check back next month to see my top beers from October!
—Cheers, Alexis

August 2021

Better late than never right? August involved travels to Maine, Wilmington NC, Athens OH, Columbus OH, Dayton OH, Metro-Detroit MI, Grand Rapids MI, and Lexington KY, so you know a LOT of good beer was drank! Check out my top beers in August below:

Everything at Maine Beer Company in Freeport, ME

Maine Beer Co. is a truly phenomenal place to visit—I highly recommend checking it out! Every beer we had was absolutely delicious and crafted to perfection. Pictured is Wolfe’s Neck, an American IPA brewed with local @blueoxmalthouse and Mosaic, El Dorado, and Sabro hops.

Self-Reliance Styrian and Strata from Hill Farmstead Brewing in Greensboro Bend, VT

Self-Reliance is a dry-hopped IPA brewed with a single hop each time. We got to try the Styrian and Strata hop versions side-by-side and loved them both!

One Of Us Will Have To Bury The Other collaboration from Burial Beer Co. in Asheville, NC and Other Half Brewing in New York, NY

One Of Us Will Have To Bury The Other is a Foudre-Aged Mexican-Style Lager with pale pilsner with a touch of Vienna and Munich malt. This was the ideal beer to end summer with. Refreshing, flavorful, and smooth.

Fundamental Observation from Bottle Logic Brewing in Anaheim, CA

Fundamental Observation is an Imperial Stout aged in in a blend of Heaven Hill, Elijah Craig, and Willett Bourbon barrels with Madagascar vanilla beans. This thick and delicious Stout hits heavy at 14% ABV, but you wouldn’t know it from how smoothly it drinks. Fundamental Observation is always a treat to enjoy!

I Made This Map Myself collaboration from Burial Beer Co. in Asheville, NC and Other Half Brewing in New York, NY

Burial and Other Half are two of the best breweries in the country, particularly for IPAs, so it is no surprise this Double IPA from them was epic. I Made This Map Myself is a Double IPA with oats, whirlpooled with Incognito and Cryo, triple dry-hopped with hand-selected Citra, Motueka, El Dorado, and Nelson hops, and finished with Citra Cryo hops.

Watercolors Synergy 5 from Skygazer Brewing Company in North Haven, CT

Watercolors Synergy 5 is a Berliner Weisse with blackberry, blueberry, raspberry, blue-raspberry cotton candy, marshmallow, and milk sugar. Skygazer always crushes their Watercolor series and this one really upped the standard. Cotton candy and all, it was a true winner.

Follow along on Instagram @adventures.and.ales

Strawberry Banana Hard Seltzer Smoothie from Smooj in Ann Arbor, MI

Is it a beer? No. Do I get to make the rules because it is my list? Yes. Smoooooooj is super hyped and super worth it. These are technically hard seltzers but they are really just a boozy fruit bomb in a can. We got to try some of the small batch Smooj flavors at HOMES Brewing in Ann Arbor where they operate and were super impressed with each one.

Hillbilly Hustle from Country Boy Brewing in Lexington, KY

Hillbilly Hustle is a blackberry and lemon Lager. Think of the most refreshing summer drink possible and this is it! This beer was made in honor of the release of their local friend’s book, Hillbilly Hustle. Check it out here! I had a great time getting to visit Country Boy and tour their Lexington brewery while in town.

Raspberry Vanilla Milkshake IPA from Lost Art Brewhouse in Walker, MI

Raspberry Vanilla Milkshake IPA is brewed with Madagascar vanilla beans, raspberries, and lactose. This beer was fluffy, fruity, and delicious. Lost Art is a newer brewery just outside of Grand Rapids but they are already putting out fantastic brews.

CHECK BACK NEXT MONTH TO SEE MY TOP BEERS OF September!
CHEERS —ALEXIS