7 Great Spots For Beer Fans And Wine Lovers
From Asheville to Boise, Portland to Willamette Valley, and plenty of places in between, America has some of the finest experiences to offer for the wine and beer lovers. If you are a true wine connoisseur or an ardent beer fan, then there are several great spots in the nation that will make you want to keep coming back for more.
So, have you been planning a wine tasting trip or maybe a beer vacation anytime soon? You might be wondering which places to head to for getting the most bang for the buck.
We’ve got your back with this list of top seven spots in America for all you beer fans and wine lovers out there. So, get yourself a glass of wine or a mug of beer, get comfy, and start reading!
- Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville is almost like the Colorado of the east due to its mountainous footprint, rugged lifestyle, and expansive beauty. And, all these are also the reasons why it has become a refuge for craft beer. The outdoorsy town of Asheville might seem like an unlikely place for being a beer mecca, but here you will find an amazing trail of taprooms and beer gardens for you to explore.
In fact, it is the home to the eastern outposts of New Belgium and the Sierra Nevada, which are the two most renowned craft brewers in the USA. Head over to the tasting room of New Belgium to enjoy the riverfront beer gardens, food trucks, and storytellers.
- Portland, Maine
Portland is the epicenter of the craft beer boom that you see in modern times as it’s the home to some of the first microbreweries of the USA. There are over a hundred breweries in the metro area and seventeen in the city. As a matter of fact, you will get clusters of taprooms and brewpubs within a stone’s throw from one another in almost every neighborhood.
If you want to head to the most notable beer stop in the city, then you should check out the brew culture and breweries near Munjoy Hill. It is a quaint hamlet overlooking Portland Harbor that is dotted with cafes and beer joints.
- Bend, Oregon
Bend looks like something straight out of a picture-postcard, with the flowing Deschutes River and towering Cascade Mountains enhancing its beauty. The town is hardly a three-hour drive from Portland and boasts of having over two dozen breweries. The famous breweries located here are a few decades old and date back to a time before the recent craft beer boom. So, like Deschutes Brewery was opened back in 1988, Bend Brewing Company in 1995, and Cascade Lakes Brewery in 1994.
However, beer in Bend is not solely about the quantity but more about the originality and quality because the place has a reputation for innovative brewing methods that always end up working well.
- Napa Valley, California
Of course, any discussion about wine locations in the country is incomplete without the mention of Napa Valley in California, which is like the hub of wine production in America. Being the largest producer of wine in the US, California produces more than 84% of the country’s production. There are over four hundred wineries in Napa Valley alone, out of the four thousand and more situated all over the state.
Each winery here comes with its unique setting, style, and history, and there is something for all tastes. So, while taking in the beauty of Napa Valley, don’t forget to go for unforgettable wine cellar tours and wine tasting.
- Walla Walla, Washington
Washington has the distinction of holding the second spot in terms of the largest wine producers in the country, and at the heart of the industry lies Walla Walla. You might have heard about or seen pictures of its expansive wheat fields, historic Main Street, and farm-to-table cafes, but did you know that the place also has over a hundred wineries?
Play rounds of golf and take long walks along the picturesque Bennington Lake, while sipping on your choice of wine. From Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, dusse, to Syrah and more, you have a lot to choose from. In fact, did you know that Alaska Airlines flying from here lets each passenger take a case of wine completely for free?
- Willamette Valley, Oregon
Willamette Valley has nearly three hundred wineries, and some of the finest variants of wine you will find here include Riesling, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Noir. The place is a short drive away from Portland, so you can just head over here after you’re done tasting beer there, and thus, have a wholesome beer and wine experience.
Wineries dot the valley, and most of these are family-owned. Here, you might get a chance to talk to the actual winemakers before getting a few prized bottles packed for home. This personal touch even extends to the tasting rooms and vineyard tours that some of these wineries have.
- Boise, Idaho
The credit for the booming wine business is Boise goes a lot to its fantastic weather, volcanic soil, and its ambitious female winemakers. The soil has the perfect drainage for producing some like vinifera, especially hardy reds like Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon and cool whites like Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, and Riesling. In terms of weather, the semi-arid climate and distinctiveness of the four seasons also work wonders for wine production.
About half of the wineries in Idaho is located in Boise, and the enthusiasm of its entrepreneurs have already taken the production to new heights. The wine lovers are surely taking note of the growth of the industry here.
So, which of these seven spots do you want to check out first? Let us know about that, and also include your favorite wine and beer spots in your city. Make sure you cover all these amazing places in the country for an unforgettable trip full of the finest beer and wines that you have ever tasted. Start planning your itinerary now because experience of a lifetime awaits you.