Making a pilgrimage to your favorite brewery is a time-honored adventure for beer lovers, as is hunting around your local area for smaller breweries that you might not hear of otherwise. But with the explosion of craft brewing over the last decade, there are more breweries than ever to check out — including some outside the major areas which you might not think to explore.
A new report aims to capture the best places for beer lovers to visit that are off the beaten track. The research, by vacation rental company HomeToGo, looked at search data and beer industry data to select “beer cities,” then whittled those down to smaller locations with a population of less than 700,000 but at least five breweries. Ranking the locations was done by considering not only how many breweries were in the area, but also the cost of beer and the cost of vacation rental.
The idea is to produce a list that highlight some smaller destinations with great beer culture which are affordable to visit. “With National Beer Lovers Day right around the corner, we are thrilled to launch our annual Beer Lovers Index with a fresh perspective,” said Eleanor Moody, Travel Expert and Spokesperson at HomeToGo. “As the brewery scene across the U.S. continues to evolve, so do the tastes of travelers. In response to Americans’ heightened interest in hidden gem destinations, we’ve built this list of lesser known, yet quietly iconic, locales where beer lovers can indulge in unique, unforgettable flavors.”
The top pick from the data was Asheville, North Carolina, which boasts over 30 breweries offering a wide range of beer styles. There’s also Kalamazoo, Michigan, which is famed for its IPAs and is also an easily walkable city for visitors. Then Portland, Maine; Boise, Idaho; and Huntsville, Alabama also make the top spots. You can see the full list at the HomeToGo website.
