Welcome to post number 1,500. In this post I will discuss an article I found today at Gadling I’ve deemed “The List”.
Y’see, the editors at Gadling have cobbled together a list of the top 24 cities for drinking beer. They obviously put a lot of time and thought into the cities mentioned, and have good defenses for the selected villes.
Referring just to The list, I’ve been to and had a beer in:
- Portland, OR
- San Francisco, CA
- München, Germany
- Boston, MA
- Montreal, Quebec
- San Diego, CA
- Seattle, WA
- New Orleans, LA
- Burlington, VT
- Northampton, MA
- Baltimore, MD
11 of 24. It’s better than I thought I’d do, for sure.
And I can vouch for the beer culture in places like München (duh, home of Oktoberfest), Boston, Seattle (home of the sublime Mac & Jack’s, whose ale is one of the best beers I’ve ever had) and Northampton (a small city for which I have a great fondness: great music, great people, great beer).
But there are questions. As Geoff mentioned to me today, London isn’t on the list, and it’s definitely a great city for drinking beer. Same goes for Oxford (pints and punts on the Thames = priceless). Any country that places a high value on a proper ale, hand pumped and poured at a proper temperature should have some representation on this list.
But my initial reaction to this article was “I really want to travel to the cities I’ve missed – and revisit the places I’ve been before.” Once there’s a little flexible income saved, perhaps a road trip or two is in order – we’ll see.
And it needn’t be limited to locations on The List. I’d love to try a brew in Moscow, or sip suds in Sydney. Even trips to Tröegs Brewing or Bell’s would be fun. As my cycling friend Dereck says, “the real trick is not knowing the towns to drink in, it’s to know the town after you’ve been drinking in it!”
Makes sense to me!
However, right now, a nice, hot cuppa tea awaits.
So, how about you, dear readers: how do you see the list? Where have you had a beer, and where do you want to go to try one? And if beer isn’t your drink of choice (and for me, coffee is still the toppermost of the poppermost), what is? Comment away!
Jenn
3 March 2010 — 10:44
I often wish that I liked beer – it’s everywhere, there are so many interesting (sounding!) types, and since 99% of the population likes it, it’s a nice bonding type thing. But I can’t develop a taste for it – the first swallow is always just too gross for me to continue!
I don’t know if I really have a drink – I love coffee, I love tea, I love rum, I love vodka! But I’m currently a horrible lightweight so a shot of the latters knocks me to the floor 😉 Though there is a Russian restaurant sorta nearby that has like 100 flavours of vodka, and I would like to go there at some point – preferably w/ a group so I can steal sips 😉
Geofftech
4 March 2010 — 20:18
and then to be honest .. London isn’t even the best place in England to drink beer. you must head north! where the ale is deep and dark and they serve it to you direct from a wooden cask and that rustic ale smell permiates into your clothes and gets stuck there for a couple of hours. marvellous.
but yes. fly to England, land in London. and then head north a bit. i’ll meet you at the airport.