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I just got back from an amazing trip in Michigan. From Thursday-Sunday, I drank at 23 different breweries. It was amazing, but it was also taxing. Now that I’m back, I feel like I have enough beer in my stomach to ferment my own special blend. Which begs the question: How many craft breweries can you realistically visit in one day without enduring a two-day hangover afterwards. For this ranking, I’m assuming that you will be having two drinks maximum at each spot, will take public transportation/Ubers to and from each location, and spend about an hour at each spot. Here is what I think is realistic:
The Beer Selection: This might be the most important factor of maintaining a prolonged drinking session. Everyone on this site is well aware of the problems that come after consuming 5+ IPAs, and while your favorite spot might have a new hazy IPA that tastes more like orange juice then an 8% ABV gut bomb, I strongly advise you to tread lightly with this beer style. I’d go for maybe 3-4 tops throughout the entire day. Same goes for any stouts or barrel-aged stuff. With ABVs around 8% minimum and a heavy grain bill, I’d go for tasters or 5oz pours instead of getting a traditional pint.
That said, most breweries worth their mettle are putting out some excellent Goses, Lagers and Sours that still pack an impressive flavor punch and are a bit more refreshing than their hop-laden counterparts. Special shoutout to Goses, which are enjoying a bit of a renaissance recently due to their insane drinkability – mostly attributed to the salty crispness that most offer.
Taproom Strategy: Having a set strategy for each taproom you visit is definitely helpful, as most will be packed to the brim on a quality Saturday. You should be able to find seating at your first couple visits early in the day, so I recommend grabbing a table and ordering something greasy to add to your presumed stomach base of last night’s leftovers. Euchre is a great game to play to pass the time when you’re waiting for food, along with a few visits to the communal water fountain which always seems to pour too slow.
Visiting breweries later in the day is generally a mixed bag as the tables are mostly filled, and you’re much more likely to see families holding an eyebrow-raising amount of real-estate for a family of four. If you can’t find a seat, obviously the patio or any pocket of space is ideal. If the outdoor aesthetic isn’t available, try to find a quick corner that keeps you from the lines and bumping elbows with the over-served dude next to you. If you end up being the over-served one, a heavy dose of water, bar popcorn, and a quick 10-minute lean on the bar should help bring you back to life. If not, it’s time to pack it in.
The Variables: Now comes the most interesting part of any successful brewery crawl. Things like bad weather, bad servers, bad indigestion, or friends who can’t hang, will contribute to a quick end for any brewery hopping journey. If you’re really invested in making the most of things, the key here is to be resilient. No one wants to hear complaints from the guy who says he has dinner reservations in an hour so can we cut this one short. If you’re committed, don’t let the variables deter you. That said, the biggest variable of all is hydration. If you’re not pounding water waiting for your Uber to go to the next destination, you’re doing it wrong.
My Guess: If it’s a bright sunny Saturday and you’re with a good crew of friends who are ready to get after it with no responsibilities afterwards, I estimate that you can realistically visit seven breweries in one day and not feel like complete death the following days. Most brewery bar crawls stop around five, but I think you could go a bit farther if you’re feeling the vibes. Unless you’re from Wisconsin, then all bets are off. Cheers!.
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@TaylorLaabs
@taylor1laabs
I think if I’m just trying to sample as many local beers while traveling I’d rather find a cool bar that has a lot of them on tap. Otherwise, I’d pick the best brewery and just chill. I think it would take too much work to brewery hop and wouldn’t allow you to relax and enjoy.
Every year I do a trip with my family called Links and Lager. It’s a weekend golf/beer trip. We travel to a different city and check out their courses and local beers. Usually it goes like this: morning 18, brewery for lunch, afternoon 18, brewery for dinner, maybe 2-3 breweries late night. It’s a really fun time, but I’m always dead tired afterwards and couldn’t imagine doing 7 breweries in a day.
Y’all hiring at your family?
asheville this weekend to try as many breweries as i possibly can. this article is making me rethink my strategy.
I was just there two weeks ago, and I highly recommend making sure you get to One World Brewing, it was my favorite out of all the ones I went to
As long as you get a ‘gram off on the New Belgium Bike Arc and a beer on the patio overlooking the river, you’re good to
Start at Wicked Weed for food. Green Man is a must because their new building is awesome. Hi-Wire and Bhramari Brewhouse are legit as well. Go to Asheville Brewing Company for pizza at some point. One World is a awesome because it’s off the beaten path, and Lexington Avenue Brewery is on the same street. End the day with a cocktail at Skybar, a bar built into a 3 level fire escape, and you’ll be good to go.
Source: I live in Charlotte and go to Asheville a few times a year.
Went there last year, only got through two breweries. If Green Man has their raspberry beer, definitely get a full pint.
If you are a fan of ginger beer, you have to check out Ginger’s Revenge! It isn’t in south slope though, you’d have to uber. Burial was my favorite. Catawba is next to a good BBQ place that you can bring into the brewery. If you aren’t a fan of sour beers, definitely skip funkatorium.
7 in one day? Seems a tad excessive. I’d rather post up at one or two and enjoy myself.
The travel time in between is for digestion
7 breweries at two drinks per stop is a great recipe for a blackout
Am I the only one who hates when multiple young families post up to drink all afternoon? The kids are either crawl all over the dirty concrete floor or run around screaming like banshees and crashing into tables. Hire a babysitter or stay the hell home and drink.
I can’t imagine how intoxicated I’d get after going to so many breweries. I don’t even want to think about the accompanying hangover I’d have as well.
Everything is fun in Pure Michigan
Where in Michigan did you visit?
My guess is GR. It’s a short and popular trip from the Chicago area and a ton of breweries to see. An extra 2 hours up to TC, but who knows.
My guess as well. Hit up Bell’s on the way and make the pilgrimage to Founders. Perrin is not to be overlooked either, as an aside.
Hell yeah, Perrin flys under the radar a lot but is one of my all time favorites. I’ll toss in New Holland as another solid option as well. They now have a taproom in GR so you don’t even have to make a side trip en route to the others.
Absolutely. Haven’t been yet, but Atwater has a location right there as well.
Grand Rapids, a bit of Kalamazoo, and then Traverse City. So many good options
Indeed. It’s a great beer state.
We try this quite often and never seem to make it past 5. Between flights and then getting a pint of the one beer you liked someone is always drunk or tired at the end.