World's 10 best beer cities
Check out these top-of-the-hops beer destinations, as ranked by SmarterTravel.com.
SmarterTravel.com ranks the world's top-of-the-hops beer destinations.
SmarterTravel.com ranks the world's top-of-the-hops beer destinations.
Prague, Czech Republic
Taste the Czechs' most famous export at the Pilsner Urquell Brewery and be sure to visit during Prague's 17-day Czech Beer Festival for traditional fare, live music and costumed servers more than 70 brands of domestic beer.
Brussels, Belgium
While the monk-made Trappist ales are brewed in countryside monasteries, the city of Brussels is considered the capital of Belgian beer culture. Visit Cantillon Brewery during the day and the lively Delirium Cafe at night with its record-shattering 2,000 beers from 60 countries.
Portland, Ore.
With an almost endless list of local producers, Portland's craft-beer scene has been hopping with creativity since the 1980s. Festivals include Feast Portland, the Oregon Brewers Festival and the Portland International Beer Festival
Boston
Take a $2 tour of the Samuel Adams brewery or try a tasting at the smaller Harpoon Brewery. There's also keg bowling and Boston's annual Harpoon Octoberfest, a festival celebrating beer, music and New England fall foliage.
Dublin, Ireland
Don't miss Ireland's top tourist attraction, the Guinness Storehouse, and check out The Porterhouse in Temple Bar, a cheeky brewpub that serves its own gold-medal-winning stout, Plain Porter, alongside traditional pub grub.
Milwaukee, Wis.
You can still visit the MillerCoors brewery, which features a free walking tour, but don't miss the city's Sprecher and Lakefront microbreweries. Palm Tavern in the hip Bay View neighborhood has been named one of America's best bars for its 250-some artisan beers.
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Amsterdam has a history soaked in the production and export of beer -- most popularly, the city's own Heineken and Amstel brands, and Grolsch, with roots in nearby Groenlo. For something less touristy, try the Brouwerij 't IJ brewery, which offers unfiltered, top-fermented libations.
Denver
The Denver Beer Triangle -- an area from Denver to Ft. Collins to Boulder -- is nicknamed the "Napa Valley of Beer" for its eclectic assortment of microbreweries and beer celebrations. Nearby Golden, meanwhile, is home to Coors, the biggest brewery in the world.
Montreal, Canada
In early summer, Mondial de la Biere presents hundreds of international and Canadian brews, alongside events, seminars and pairing workshops for the intellectual beer buff. Stop off at the quirky Le Cheval Blanc, one of the city's first brewpubs.
Munich, Germany
You can't mention beer without mentioning Munich and its 16-day Oktoberfest. A whopping 7 million liters are served annually in a multitude of tents. If you can't make Munich in the fall, check out the popular Paulaner and Erdinger tours and Augustiner-Keller Biergarten, one of Munich's oldest beergardens.
