The Crafty Traveler

Even though this blog’s paint is still dry, the Crafty Traveler has been around for a minute. You will start to notice themes as I put the proverbial pen to paper on this site, and the overarching theme will revolve around craft beer. This isn’t a coincidence. I have been entrenched in the craft beer game for over a decade now, and I want to share the reason for this.

Even though I wish it was the case, traveling the world while eating and drinking everything in sight is not my day job (although if someone is hiring for this, let’s chat). Perhaps I will get into my day job at a later time, but for now the most important thing to know about it is that I travel. A lot. This travel is often by myself. At first this didn’t bother me (as a proud introvert), but eventually a little bit of human interaction was welcome. I tried to find this by going out to eat, but never fully felt relaxed doing this by myself. I have pulled up to many a bar on my own, and still have my moments where this is welcome, but usually I end up scrolling my phone more than I’d like. The one place I found where I always felt welcomed, comfortable, and intrigued was breweries. I found my happy place.

Because of this, whenever I traveled it became a goal and priority of mine to seek out a local brewery (or three). Not only did my eyes get opened to the wide world of craft beer, but I found it a great way to learn about the place I was in. The staff is always up to tell you where to grab a bite, the local gems you won’t find on a website, and what makes their home unique. Culture through a pint; I was hooked.

This is why I have been to over 400 breweries and counting. This is why according to untappd, I’ve tried over 9,000 beers along that journey (which sounds like a lot when you say it loud). It is why I got deep into the beer trading and beertography worlds (more on that later). And it is why when I travel now, over a decade later, you will always find a brewery on my itinerary.

Behind all of the fancy beer photos and brewery spotlights I will share, just know that to me it is more than a pour. Many of my good friends I have now came through craft beer. We all have our passions; mine just happens to be a pint. That’s because, to me, behind every one of those pints is another place to explore.