The Crafty Traveler

It’s time for another edition of yes I really did take way too much time taking photos of these beers while drinking them. As a way to break up my destination advice, I will be sharing many of the shots I have been posting for years over on my Instagram page, with a bit more context on the side. And if you need a refresh as to why I was hit with this hobby in the first place, here’s some light reading for you.

To kick off this drop, it only makes sense to post a pour from my favorite brewery in the world, Hill Farmstead. A perfect compliment to my recent Vermont post, this beer comes from their Self Reliance series. This series is what happens when an IPA and a Saison have a baby. These beers showcase the interplay between Hill’s house yeast and various hop varieties, in this case Motueka hops from New Zealand. After aging in oak, the final product highlights what time, hops, and culture can create. A bright, lemony, slightly tart yet refreshing beer is the result, a beer that nobody else out there is creating.

For the past couple years, one of my favorite local breweries called Burial (which started in Asheville but now has a Charlotte taproom where I live, more on that later), has been producing one of my favorite warm weather beers called “One Of Us Will Have To Bury The Other” (and if you think that name is wild, just google Burial beer names). This particular beer is a collaboration with Other Half Brewing out of Brooklyn, and is their version of the popular Mexican-Style Lager. The big difference between this and a Modelo, the number one selling beer in the US, is they age this in a foudre (think giant wooden container) which mellows things out while adding another layer of flavor. Give me this over a Corona any day.

If I am sharing 4 beer photos, odds are one of them is going to be a stunner of a saison. This mixed-culture beauty comes from one of my favs, Sante Adairius Rustic Ales (as a reminder, mixed culture meaning a combination of traditional brewing yeast with some type of wild bacteria, resulting in more of a sour beer than a traditional beer). Queen of the Season keeps it simple relying on nothing but time in oak, creating a beer with balanced acidity alongside earthy funk. Sante Adairius simply doesn’t miss.

I am currently sharing these pics from a pollen covered patio, so it only makes sense to search for a Spring inspired shot for this set. The Blossom to the rescue. De Garde Brewing is located in Tillamook, Oregon and emphasizes a wild and natural approach to their beers through the use of spontaneous fermentation. All of their beers, including this one, undergo fermentation in open-air coolships (think beer bath tub), capturing wild yeast and bacteria native to the coastal environment, allowing the beer to develop its flavors that are not only complex but also reflective of their surroundings. Subtle honey notes from the peach blossoms creates a perfect beer to drink alongside allergies.

Many more photo breaks in your future, but if you ever need more than 4 at a time, one last reminder that all of my photos are only one click away.