Unrelated but been meaning to ask you; have you eaten at the Brewer's Table at Surly? I have a training week in downtown Minny at the end of October. Worth the money and likely going alone?
Do you have a hotel downtown? Red Cow is has good food and a great beer list. There is one in North Loop (edge of Downtown)
Millennium at Nicollet Mall. I have at least 3 dinners as the firm usually does a group one one of the nights. I was thinking of Butcher and the Boar and the Bachelor Farmer. Red Cow was my fourth choice if I needed it. Guess I can sub it in unless you have any other suggestions. Probably don't want to venture beyond where the rail can take me or a very short Uber ride.
Definitely do Butcher and the Boar. Bachelor Farmer vs. Red Cow is a matter of what you're looking for. Bachelor Farmer is a fancier restaurant and has a James Beard winning chef (Best Chef Midwest). Red Cow is more of a trendy bar feel with really good burgers (my favorite is the 60/40 with 60% Black Angus and 40% Bacon in the grind) and a great beer list. Both are really good at what they do so it is a matter of if you want a really good multi-course meal in a trendy modern restaurant or a really good burger and craft beer in a trendy bar. Spoon and Stable is another to consider with Bachelor Farmer. It is the hotter of the two right now because it is a little newer. It was a James Beard nominee for best new restaurant.
Asheville has too much good beer. I'm gonna be drunk all week/weekend. Pleasantly surprised with New Belgium.
I mean, I only ordered their limited release stuff. The only thing on that list that I've ever even seen is La Folie. Transatlantic Kriek made my panties wet.
I'm not much help for the northern part of the state aside from knowing Oskar Blues is in Longmont. VTA has been helpful in the past with Denver, he could possibly help
Going to be in Denver next weekend, plan on hitting Avery, any others in the general area I shouldn't miss? Going to be with buddies, no kids, will have at least half the day Saturday and some time on Sunday before I fly out.
If I'm going to Denver I'm hitting weldwerks (a little outside of Denver), black project for sour beers, TRVE for heavy metal saisons, cerebral brewing for the hazy IPAs.
Boneyard has great hoppy beers, deschutes for great food and beer, crux fermentation, and last but not least Ale Apothecary... The most unique of the bunch, wild ales with regional ingredients.
If you'll be at Avery the trip to Longmont isn't too far (10-15 minute drive) and Oskar Blues has a neat taproom there.
Thanks for the recs everyone, I know I'm flying into Denver, not 100% sure where my buddy's house is but it must be between Denver and Boulder, I remember him saying Avery wasn't far from his place. Looking forward to checking out as many of these places as possible.
We should do like the travel thread and consolidate all the locations and recs for those locations in the OP.
I should admit, I'd be happy to add my uneducated opinions on some breweries in Charlotte, Charleston, Asheville, and any others I can help with.
Found out my buddy lives in Erie, so about a 30 minute drive to Denver and Boulder. About an hour to Fort Collins. Thanks for the recs!
Just braved the Other Half x Monkish x Trillium release today at Other Half. 5am arrival put us at ~500th in line. doesn't matter, got beers
It's hot af So I'm either going to see if they got the cans at court street later or just pretend that it probably wasn't even good and I didn't want to go anyways
Are they worth the money? They are always on sale around the area but the last 2 $20+ bottles I've purchased were just not that good.
First time I've tried a "hazy" "New England IPA. It's okay. I'm sure it's not up to par with Tree House, Trillium, etc...