Anniversary Weekend Beerventures

Last weekend my wife and I celebrated our 5^th wedding anniversary.  Since we both possess an affinity for beer, the weekend was destined to feature its fair share of fancy and delicious brews.  The plan was to head west into the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains to stay at a friend’s cabin, take in the fall colors, and flat out relax.  Our road was going to take us through one of the pockets of breweries around the Charlottesville area, so we decided to stop for lunch at Blue Mountain Brewery.  With a huge patio, lovely view, and respectable food and beer offerings, this was a great start to the weekend.

Good Hops Brewing Company Visit

Hidden down at Carolina Beach off the main strip is a little gem I discovered just recently. They have only been open a few months, but I can't believe it's taken me until now to hit them up. A pint night offered just the opportunity I needed! 8 half pours for 10 bucks? That's the kind of deals the craft beer nerds love to see. Maximum tasting for minimum dollars.

Gameday Visit: Raleigh Brewing Company

NC State Football. It brings out the best in us - it brings out the worst in us. This particular gameday brought about a fun adventure to Raleigh Brewing Company. After a robust tailgate of BBQ chicken and some hombrew we walked over to RBC. After making this walk I was struck again by just how much I wish this place had been open when I was at NC State. Both Down the Hall and myself lived less than a quarter mile from RBC. Yes - that's stumbling distance for the reasonably athletic people out there!

Brewery Visit: The Unknown Brewing Company

Whenever I travel, be it for business or pleasure, I always experience an inextricable desire to find and visit new breweries wherever I might be.  This is part of what makes me a beer nerd I suppose, but I also find that visiting a city’s breweries is a quick and easy way to experience the culture of the city as a whole.  Granted, different breweries might embody different parts of the city’s identity, but it is still always a fun and revealing endeavor to experience a slice or two of that pie. 

Brewery Visit: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company

Thinking back to before I knew anything about craft beer, if someone were to ask me at that time to name a “craft beer”, I would have to say Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.  Chances are your experience is similar.  Whether you started your beer drinking career on the good stuff or pounded Beast Light throughout college, you've probably seen that green label sitting next to light beer city, even at that lovable dive bar down the street.

Brewery Visit: Howard Brewing Company

Nestled in the foothills of North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains lies the city of Lenoir.  City really only describes the governmental structure of this little town of about 18,000 people, but what it lacks in size, it certainly makes up for in charm.  Once a prominent player in the furniture industry, consolidation efforts by furniture companies shut many of the area facilities down and robbed Lenoir of one of its major employers.  Driving around town, its industrial past is still quite evident in the shape of abandoned factories and unused shipping facilities. 

Brewery Visit: Aviator Brewing Company

After sweating out a Wolfpack victory (in every sense of the word) on opening day at Carter-Finley stadium, it was time to cash in on last year’s Christmas gift.  My mother-in-law had gotten me a Groupon for a tour and a bunch of SWAG at Aviator Brewing Company in Fuquay Varina, NC.  In addition to the joys of visiting a brewery and getting a bunch of free stuff, Aviator was one of the stops on 2012’s Beerventure and I was excited to see how they had changed since last I visited. 

Brewery Visit: Northern California

Okay fine, Northern California isn’t a single brewery.  I’m on vacation out on the ol’ left coast, and I’ve been able to drag my family to quite a few breweries along the way.  I’ll be out here through the end of the week, but since the first week was riddled with beer sampling in the Bay Area, I thought I’d write a brief update.

Brewery Visit: Strangeways Brewing

What’s better than an impromptu trip to an uncharted brewery? Not much, says I. On a Saturday with rain clouds looming, I sent a text to a few friends, merely asking “brewery in Richmond?” I ended up with a few takers and the journey was on! Four of us piled in the car and headed down 95 south. Well, after sitting in traffic for 20 minutes before even getting to the interstate. But after that, spirits were high and the drive flew past. Shout-out to my friend Alex for being the ultimate facilitator for this adventure and driving us down to Richmond-town.

Small Batch Beer Company

What is one thing that makes attending a wedding even better? How about checking out a new brewery the same day! I am often times at fault for trying to cram too much into a single day, but this little visit with all of Mrs. Hacksaw's family was perfect. Small Batch Beer Company in downtown Winston Salem is about as small a batch as you can get to be a brewery. Take a look at the brewing system these guys use!

Brewery Visit: Three Brothers Brewing Company

Is it just me, or were beer and hiking made for each other?  There’s nothing quite like that first beer after a long day on the trail, and the brews from Three Brothers Brewing Company in Harrisonburg, VA were no exception.

My wife and I decided to get out of the 95 corridor for the day and head to the mountains.  Afterward, we were only 20 minutes from Three Brothers Brewing Company in Harrisonburg, so to Harrisonburg we went.  When we arrived, we ordered flights and were treated to an intense game of Jumbo Jenga on the outdoor patio.