Maui Brewing Co. 

This is the first in a series of articles on the best breweries that industry insiders and craft-beer enthusiasts have hit on vacation

This is a tough one. The first that comes to mind is Maui Brewing Co. because it’s right by the airport. After being on that long flight, it’s great to go right to the brewery and sip beer knowing you’re in Hawaii. Their beer is very good, and don’t sleep on their food.

I also went to Treehouse Brewing Company before they had multiple locations, and it’s worth going to experience the waiting in line, ordering on a small slip of paper, and being lucky enough to be there on a day when they were doing draft pours. I think they still have the best hazy beers in the country.

Finally, one that isn’t a far drive from Chicago is New Glarus in Wisconsin. Drinking a Moon Man or Spotted Cow directly from the source was on my craft-beer bucket list. You can also get your fill of R&D beers, which is a big plus.

— Mike Zoller, PorchDrinking.com

We go to Michigan quite a lot in the summer and Seedz Brewery is in Union Pier, right off the highway with a simple, small taproom and outdoor space. We had a really good kellerbier while we were there. They actually have a lot of good stuff.

— Samantha Lee, Hopewell Brewing

If I Brewed the World comedy night

If I Brewed the World in St. Petersburg, Florida. This place will try anything once (like a BBQ sauce beer), and the vibe is everything underground. A huge gathering spot for local bands of every genre — hip hop, punk, metal… you name it, they’ve had a show for it. They also have a buzzing comedy comedy scene there as well, which you really don’t see at breweries. They’re everything I love about the indie and underground music scene smashed into a brewery that feels more like a house party. An absolute must if you’re in the area. And if you’re going to spend a few days in the area, there are like six breweries within walking distance, and each of them is good-better-best quality.

— Romeo from the Instagram team of Romeo & Brewliet

The easy answer is Kauai Island Brewing Company in Hawaii. The beer was good, but the scenery was what made it. And the other one that sticks out is Juniata Brewing Company in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. We went to visit my in-laws for the first time in a few years, and knowing it’s there nearby just makes that visit so much better now.

— Sean West

Austin Street Brewery

The Maine craft-beer scene is so solid, specifically near Portland. If you go out that way, there is an industrial park with roughly five breweries. My favorite of the bunch was Austin Street Brewery. They have amazing sours on tap, and the merch stole my heart and my money.

— Brewliet from the Instagram team of Romeo & Brewliet

I really like some of the smaller beers in the Hudson Valley area of New York, especially Industrial Arts Brewing Company, which my friend introduced me to. Great marketing, very cool space, and the beer was great — lots of hazy IPAs.

— Cesar Marron, Sketchbook Brewing

My wife and I were in L.A. a couple years ago, and we made a stop at The Propagator, Firestone Walker’s Venice location, and it was a fabulous experience. … The ambiance and vibe were great, the service was on point, and the food was top notch.

My wife and I were in L.A. for a wedding a couple years ago, and we made a stop at The Propagator (aka Firestone Walker Brewing’s Venice location). It was a fabulous experience. They do a lot of R&D at that location, so there were a ton of limited, small-batch brews to choose from. The ambiance and vibe were great, the service was on point, and the food was top notch.

— Eric Farrell, Bottle Theory Taproom in Elmhurst

Beer Church

We were on vacation in the Indiana Dunes, and Beer Church Brewing in New Buffalo, Michigan was a lot of fun. They converted a church from the Civil War era. And I know it’s a distillery and not a brewery, but Journeyman, in Three Oaks, Michigan is a great time too. They do everything well, and it’s a beautiful venue.

— Tommy Riemer, The Beacon Tap

TALEA Beer Co. in Brooklyn is a very cool space, and they offer some funky, experimental beers that were awfully tasty. It is the most beautiful taproom I’ve ever seen and has a slightly more elegant feel, which is a nice change of pace.

I really like Green Man Brewery down in Asheville. They have a really good ESB there, and their barrel-aged program is solid too. I’ve been to Asheville a few times now, and it’s a must stop for me.

— Timothy Ficken, Midwest Coast Brewing

If I can only pick one, I’ll say TALEA Beer Co. in Brooklyn. This is a female-owned brewery in a very cool space, and they offer some funky, experimental beers that were awfully tasty. It is the most beautiful taproom I’ve ever seen and has a slightly more elegant feel, which is a nice change of pace from the usual taproom. And it doesn’t feel stuffy at all.

— Jessica Sedgwick, author of Beer Hiking Chicago and Beyond

I was lucky enough to experience Oktoberfest in Munich with 20 friends and family. Augustiner’s Lagerbier Hell fresh from the barrel was amazing. I highly recommend putting this on your bucket list if you haven’t attended. Such a fun time. Start exercising with some arm curls before you go, as they only serve it in liter mugs (eine mass).

— Kirk Kilker

I went to St. Louis and had a great time hitting all the usual suspects, but I was pleasantly surprised by Alpha Brewing Company. Good food, good beer, good atmosphere. It was also super cool from an artistic standpoint. They really had everything you could look for and fit right in among all the bigger names.

— Josh Sissman, Beer on the Wall in Park Ridge

Back in 2017, I helped one of my best friends move from California to Chicago. We took our time, roughly followed Route 66, and made the trip last most of a week. I got to try a ton of great beer on that trip, but the brewery scene in Albuquerque blew me away. Bow & Arrow Brewing Co. was my favorite of the bunch. The taproom is gorgeous, and the beers were all on point, from saisons to IPAs. They’re on my “must see” list for the next time I’m back in the Southwest.

— Phil Vasquez, Beermiscuous in Highwood, IL

Bow & Arrow Brewing