10 best unpretentious beers you can find when travelling
We asked five beer connoisseurs in the United States to recommend their top two choices for when you’re low on options
Discerning beer drinkers don’t always have the luxury of boutique craft shops or well-stocked food stores, particularly when travelling.
What, then, are consistently worthwhile – while also generously manufactured and distributed – selections that might be found amid otherwise lacklustre choices at a big, chain supermarket? – Or, if you’re lucky, at your local petrol station?
We asked some of America’s top craft brewers to select a couple of their favourite six-pack brews that are produced in large enough quantities and distributed widely enough to be considered a quotidian imbibe in their areas.
1. Firestone Walker Pivo Pils
Tim Adams of Maine’s Oxbow Beer, says: “Firestone Walker Pivo Pils is not only one of the best pilsners in the United States but also one of the most widely distributed, making it a top pick for those looking to get a Euro-hop blast in a pinch.”
A noteworthy endorsement, considering that Adams’s love of pilsners led him to throw a beer festival called Pils & Live via his brewery last year, hosting all the world’s best examples of the style.
“[n Pivo] look for pronounced grassy and floral hop notes supported by a crisp and refreshing pilsner malt base in this canned crusher.”
2. Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale
As for his favourite widely distributed seasonal beer release, that’s easily Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale.
“Celebration is a dank and resinous, ruby-red, old school, West Coast hop-bomb that welcomes the holiday season with fresh American hops and rich specialty malts,” Adams says.