Craft Brewery 1: Stone Brewing Company

Our journey begins with Stone Brewing Company, a revered craft brewery rooted in a rich history of brewing excellence. Located in Escondido, California, this brewery has been a pioneer in the craft beer industry for several decades. Their commitment to quality and craftsmanship shines through in every sip of their brews.

At Stone Brewing Company, traditional brewing techniques blend harmoniously with innovative flavors. They meticulously source the finest ingredients, ensuring each beer tells a story with its distinct aroma and taste. Whether it’s their hop-forward IPAs, smooth stouts, or refreshing ales, Stone Brewing Company continues to captivate beer enthusiasts worldwide.

Thunder Crash Online Casino Game

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With Thunder Crash, players can dive into a virtual world filled with thrilling casino games, stunning visuals, and engaging gameplay. Whether it’s spinning the reels of a slot machine, testing their skills at card games, or trying their luck with a roulette wheel, Thunder Crash offers a wide variety of games to suit every player’s preference.

Just like savoring a well-crafted beer, Thunder Crash provides a form of relaxation and entertainment that allows individuals to escape from the pressures of daily life. It offers a chance to unwind, have fun, and potentially win exciting prizes, all while immersing oneself in a virtual casino experience.

Craft Brewery 2: BrewDog

Next on our list is BrewDog, an extraordinary craft brewery that has garnered global acclaim. Situated in Ellon, Scotland, this brewery has become synonymous with excellence, attracting visitors from near and far. Their unwavering commitment to quality, coupled with their innovative approach, has set them apart from the competition.

The beers at BrewDog embody a fusion of tradition and experimentation. From classic styles to boundary-pushing creations, they offer a diverse portfolio that caters to every beer lover’s preferences. The craftsmanship and attention to detail exhibited by BrewDog have made them a beacon of excellence in the craft beer world.

Craft Brewery 3: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company

Our exploration culminates with Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, a renowned craft brewery with a global presence. Founded in 1980 in Chico, California, Sierra Nevada has established itself as a trailblazer in the industry. Their commitment to brewing perfection and their passion for pushing boundaries have won them numerous accolades.

At Sierra Nevada, innovation thrives, resulting in an array of unparalleled craft beers. Their offerings span various styles, each showcasing intricate flavors and a commitment to quality. With their dedication to craft and unwavering pursuit of excellence, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company has become a household name among beer connoisseurs worldwide.

Advantages of Craft Beer

Craft beer offers several advantages that set it apart from commercial beer production. Craft brewers prioritize quality over quantity, utilizing high-quality ingredients to create beers with unique flavor profiles. These artisans focus on the artistry of brewing, ensuring that every pint is a work of passion and creativity.

Craft beer also promotes local and independent businesses, as many craft breweries are small-scale operations deeply rooted in their communities. By supporting these breweries, beer lovers contribute to the growth of local economies and help sustain the craft beer culture.

Furthermore, craft breweries often experiment with unconventional ingredients, brewing techniques, and flavor combinations, providing beer enthusiasts with a diverse and exciting range of options. From barrel-aged beers to experimental hop varieties, craft breweries constantly push the boundaries of what beer can be, offering a truly remarkable drinking experience.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the top three craft breweries recognized worldwide—Stone Brewing Company, BrewDog, and Sierra Nevada Brewing Company—have captivated beer enthusiasts with their exceptional beers and unwavering commitment to quality. Craft beer, with its unique flavors and artisanal craftsmanship, provides a refreshing alternative to mass-produced beers.

Furthermore, Thunder Crash, the online casino game, offers a different kind of relaxation and excitement, allowing individuals to enjoy a virtual casino experience from the comfort of their own homes. Just as craft beer provides a moment of relaxation, Thunder Crash provides an immersive and thrilling escape.

So, whether you prefer indulging in the flavors of a finely crafted beer or immersing yourself in the excitement of Thunder Crash, both offer opportunities to unwind, have fun, and create memorable experiences.

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A family-owned brewery in Augsburg

But the attention to the brewery is not due to the “quality” of its traditional brews (almost any German brewery is unlikely to disappoint), but to the niche that Riegele occupies in brewing Germany. The brewery with the golden horse on its logo has long ago chosen its own special path in brewing, becoming an example of successful innovation in a part of Germany where tradition defines too much.

If Augsburg claims to be the first city where beer quality was legally controlled, the Riegele brewery claims to be the oldest brewery in the city today. The owners can trace the history of the brewery back to 1386 through records of taxes paid to the treasury, but the actual age of the brewery may be more. The brewery got its current name in 1884 after Sebastian Riegele acquired it, but before that it was owned by two other families and was known as Zum Goldenen Roß (“Golden Horse”). Despite the name change, the golden horse remains a symbol of the Riegele to this day.

The chief ideologue, though not the chief brewer, at Riegele is owner Sebastian Priller. After getting his MBA in business administration, Sebastian worked for quite a long time in a consulting company whose activities spread all over Europe. When he decided to return to the family business, his father was only able to offer the new director half of his usual salary, but promised to make up for it by doubling the pleasure of his work.

Riegele is a family company, but no family members are forced to work there. Sebastian was given the right to head the brewery as the eldest of the children, and if he didn’t want to, the right would pass to the next heir.

• In the 130 years that our family has owned the brewery, we have had time to make all the possible mistakes in management, and we have come to understand that no one is born a brewer, so the heirs are free to choose their profession,” Sebastian explains.
• That’s why the head brewer is not a family member. Frank Müller directs the production process, and I set the general direction. Together we make decisions about what kind of beer the brewery will produce.

Riegele philosophy

When talking about his brewery, the owner often uses the word “philosophy. For example, Sebastian refuses to disclose production volumes (“it’s not our philosophy”), but he easily reveals the company’s turnover (about 25 million euros per year).

Riegele’s special varieties, currently represented by three directions, are also called “philosophies” here. MAGNUS 16 and DULCIS 12 are brewed following the Belgian philosophy, ROBUSTUS 6 and NOCTUS 100 are brewed in England and SIMCO 3 and AMARIS 50 in America.

In total the Augsburg brewery constantly produces 22 types of beer, among which there are representatives of the “new wave” of German brewing and classic varieties.

Even 30 years ago, the brewery had built itself off the general movement toward averaging the taste of beer. When marketers argued that the closer to the average your product was, the more successful you would sell it, Riegele sought to produce craft beers. For example, the “classic” Augsburger Herrenpils has 40 IBUs (quite “North German”).

Once there’s character in your beer, be prepared for someone not to like it,” Sebastian says. – “I don’t like this pilsner because it’s bitter,” or so we often hear about our beer. And we reply: “Well, that means 40 units is a lot for you. But we do!” Whether or not to accept our beer is up to the individual. I think the main thing is that the beer should not leave you indifferent. I like the slogan “Riegele is a brewery you can’t ignore.”

Special seasonal varieties were brewed at Riegele before Sebastian Priller came along, but it was his idea to expand the lineup with styles that were unusual in Germany.

We create new beers, beers that we like and that we want to make consumers interested in,” says Sebastian. – People here are traditional, but demanding. It’s hard to tempt them to try something new. But if you manage to do it and you like your product, then the person will buy it for a long time.

Riegele’s position is that existing in a transparent world, where information spreads instantly, makes traditional beer promotion models increasingly vulnerable. Large industrial breweries are finding it increasingly difficult to create fantasy images that have nothing to do with the real properties of their product. In this environment, a relatively small regional brewery has an opportunity to attract consumers with its openness and honesty. The Riegele brewery sees about 20,000 visitors a year who come to learn something new about beer. Thanks to the small, experienced brewery, it is even possible to organize brewery courses here.

Equipment

A lot of the equipment in the Riegele brewery can be classified as historical. For example, the wort is brewed on a 1911 brewhouse (albeit modernized and equipped with modern boilers) and the malt crusher is from the same year.

The fermentation and maturation takes place in horizontal tanks of the old design, which has a direct impact on the taste of the beer because the yeast cells are under minimum pressure.

The malt for Riegele is produced by Pappenheimer, a Bavarian malt house. A large part of the hops are purchased from farmers in the Hallertau region, but for special varieties hops have to be purchased from abroad. The brewery is supplied with water by a 240-meter deep well.

Riegele has a special approach to yeast. The brewery has its own laboratory with a vast collection of strains – there are 186 of them! The laboratory evaluates the physiological state of the yeast after each removal from the tank and based on that decides how many yeast cells should be added to a certain batch of wort. Through careful and thoughtful handling of the yeast, the brewery gives its products a shelf life of 6 to 9 months without the need for filtration or pasteurization.

Insights into the future

Sebastian Priller travels the world often and confesses that these trips mainly give him ideas for working on new beers. “Everywhere I’ve been lately – England, Belgium, the U.S. – I’ve found beers that I really wanted to implement in my brewery,” Sebastian says. – We do a lot of trial work, and you would know how many beers we didn’t like were drained! Unsuccessful batches are especially common in barrel aging. I think it’s fair to ourselves and to the consumer to drain those batches. It’s better than convincing people it was meant to be. How many brewers are there at all who are confident in a particular result of barrel aging? We learn for ourselves every day, and it happens that after a long time of working on a brew, we realize that we know less than we originally did.

Despite the boom in craft brewing around the world, Sebastian thinks a rollback toward more moderate styles is imminent. “Look at the U.S. market,” he gives an example. – There, craft breweries are already transitioning to classic styles. Craft beer consumption can be compared to wine consumption. People drink traditional beer to refresh themselves, for example. We see guests of our restaurant drinking a Weizen on a sunny day on the terrace and then ordering a porter with roast meat the next evening at dinner. With such a consumption structure, there will always be more drinkers than porter, and the volumes will be higher. So the classic beer market is in no danger. In Germany specifically, I think the new beer styles are more likely to take market share away from wine than from traditional beer.

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Place 1: Radeberger Gruppe KG, Frankfurt am Main: turnover 1.7 billion euros (2019)

The Radeberger Gruppe is the largest brewing conglomerate in Germany, part of the Oetker Group. In addition to beer production, the company operates as a producer of soft drinks, a beverage wholesaler, a supplier of system solutions for catering companies, a route logistics provider, a retailer (Getränke Hoffmann) and an express delivery service. Oetker’s beer business dates back to 1952, when a controlling interest in the Binding brewery was acquired. In 2002, the Binding group was renamed the Radeberger Group. It includes more than a dozen breweries across Germany. The most famous beer brands are Hasen-Bräu, Berliner Pilsner, Tucher Bräu, Berliner Kind and Berliner Bürgerbräu. The Selters mineral spring in Selters an der Lahn also belongs to this group.

Place 2: Anheuser-Busch InBev Germany Holding GmbH,

Anheuser-Busch InBev is considered the largest brewing group in the world and was created in 2008 as part of the acquisition of American brewer Anheuser-Busch by Belgian-Brazilian group InBev. In 2019, its global revenue was $52.3 billion. Under the Anheuser-Busch InBev Germany umbrella are the group’s German breweries, which operate as their own subsidiaries: Brauerei Beck GmbH & Co. KG, Brauerei Diebels GmbH & Co. KG, Hasseröder Brauerei GmbH and Spaten-Löwenbräu GmbH. Measured in terms of beer production, Anheuser-Busch InBev Germany calls itself number 2 in the German market.

Place 3: Krombacher Brauerei Bernhard Schadeberg GmbH & Co.KG, Kreuzthal-Krombach: turnover €862 million (2019)

The history of the Krombacher brewery began back in 1803 with brewing in a local pub. In the following decades, it evolved into a major regional brewery. However, Krombacher did not become one of the largest brewers in Germany in the Federal Republic until the 1950s. Today the company has about 1,000 employees. In addition to various beers under the Krombacher brand, the company owns the Vitamalz brand and the rights to distribute Schweppes, Dr Pepper and Orangina in Germany.

Place 4: Bitburger Braugruppe, Bitburger: 792 million euros in sales (2019)

The Bitburger Brewing Group is a subsidiary of Bitburger Holding GmbH and combines the “beer activities” of the entrepreneurial Simon family. The bracket for both sisters is Th. Simon GmbH & Co. KG. The origins of the company go back to 1817. At this time the Bitburger brewery in the Eifel region was founded, which is still the main company of the brewery group today. Various breweries were added over time: Köstritzer Schwarzbierbrauerei in 1991, Wernesgrüner Brauerei in 2002, Duisburger König-Brauerei in 2004 and Licher Privatbrauerei 1854. Together the brewery group employs about 1700 people.

Place 5: Oettinger Brauerei GmbH, Oettingen in Bavaria: turnover 323 million euros (2018)

The history of Oettinger Brauerei began as Fürstliches Brauhaus zu Oettingen, and in 1956 the company was taken over by the Kolmar family, which itself has a long tradition of brewing. Oettinger Brauerei is still a family enterprise and, in addition to its headquarters in Oettingen, produces in Gotha, Mönchengladbach and Braunschweig. In contrast to other breweries, Oettinger Brauerei has achieved success through direct sales – direct deliveries to supermarkets, beverage markets and petrol stations. In addition to the wide range of Oettinger-branded beers, Oettinger beers are sold in supermarkets under private labels.

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Schlossbrauerei Stein brewery is located on the grounds of a “cave castle” that has existed since the 12th century. It is a rare type of castle, which is “embedded” in the rock, making it impregnable from at least three sides. The legendary robber baron Heinz of Stein, who terrified passing merchants, lived here in the 13th century.

The first mention of a brewery in the castle dates back to 1489 (530 years ago!).

In the 19th century the castle belonged to the Duchess of Leuchtenberg, daughter of Napoleon Bonaparte’s stepson.

The location of the castle in the rock has been used to their advantage by brewers in the past: the constant low temperature inside the rock made it possible to brew beer even in the warm season. This peculiarity is used even nowadays: the forfs located in the cave require considerably less energy for cooling.

Traditional brewing and Steiner VS Warsteiner

Beer is brewed by decoction on a brewhouse with a capacity of 300 hl per brew. Up to seven brewings per week, with no more than one brew per day.

Schlossbrauerei Stein produces about 60,000 hl of beer per year, which is sold exclusively within the district. Approximately 70% of the beer is sold in bottle and 30% is sold in kegs. 90% of the beer is filtered (almost all bottled beer).

The cavernous brewery has a wide lineup of brews:

• Steiner Pils – Pilsner (ext. 11.8%, alk. 4.8%).
• Steiner Export (12.5% ext., alk. 5.3%).
• Steiner Medium – Low-Alcohol Beer (ext. 7.2%, alk. 3.2%).
• Steiner Märzenbier – Merzen (13.0% alcohol, 5.5%).
• Steiner Chiemgau Helles – Helles from locally brewed (11.5% extract, 4.9% alk).
• Steiner Chiemgau Urdunkel – a dark beer made according to the recipes of the Benedictine monks from the Seeon monastery on Lake Kimsee (12.4% ext., alk. 5.2%).
• Heinz vom Steiner Helles Weissbier, Bio-bier is a Bavarian light wheat bio-beer (11.7% ext., alk. 4.9%).
• Heinz vom Steiner Dunkles Weissbier, Bio-bier – Bavarian dark wheat bio-beer (11.8% ext., alk. 4.9%).
• Heinz vom Steiner Lagerbier is an unfiltered Zwickel-style beer with suspended yeast (ext. 12.7%, alk. 5.3%).

There are also two non-alcoholic beers (bottom and top fermentation), a radler and several seasonal beers (e.g. Steinbock, a strong dark beer with 18.5% alk).

Not so long ago the brewery had an opportunity to start selling beer in Italy, but it turned out that it was impossible to sell beer under the Steiner brand there – it violates the rights of Warsteiner – the largest private German brewery in the Italian market, because the word Steiner contains part of the word Warsteiner.

“Classic” and CKT

All bottom-fermented beers are produced according to the “classic” scheme with two tanks. The lager house has a common refrigeration system. Because of the height, the fermentation tanks could not be placed in the rock and the cooling costs could not be reduced. But the horizontal forfs of enormous length fit well in the same cave where beer barrels were stored in the old days.

It may seem strange that the bottom beers are fermented in the old fashioned way, while the top beers are fermented in a CKT. But there is an explanation: it was technologically necessary to separate the production of Weissbier from the general fermentation process and for the expansion the more modern and less labor-intensive CKTs were preferred.

Raw materials

The malt is stored in wooden silos, which also serve as supporting structures in the brewery (so they are not easily discarded).

The brewery uses Pappenheimer malz malt from a malt house located in Middle Franconia. Pappenheimer produces four varieties: Pilsner, Weizen, Munchner and Wiener, which are the main malts for the Schlossbrauerei Stein brewery.

The yeast for the main beers of the bottom-fermented “cave brewery” is the well-known W-34/70. For Bavarian wheat beer, the W-68 strain is used.

Energy

In addition to the location of part of the equipment in the rock, Schlossbrauerei Stein has another advantage: its own small hydroelectric power plant, which covers the brewery’s energy needs. The dam is located on the site of an old water mill on the branch of the river Traun, a tributary of the Danube. Trout frolic in the clear water from the alpine slopes. This water was once also used for brewing beer, but now the brewery is supplied from a well.

Bottling

The beer can either go straight to the filler after filtration or wait in the buffer tank for bottling. The filter has a capacity of 10,000 liters per hour.

Bottling and keg bottling, as well as palletizing of the bottles, take place on fully automated lines. Like most German breweries, Schlossbrauerei Stein uses reusable bottles.

In Germany, especially in its southern part, there are a lot of so-called “breweries around the bell tower,” selling beer only in their town and neighboring villages. Schlossbrauerei Stein is one of many regional breweries. But the “cavernous” aging of the beer makes it unique.

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Bristol Beer Factory

Creative, quirky and unconventional, Bristol is often described as the coolest city in the southwest of the United Kingdom. And it’s no surprise that it’s full of indie breweries (not to mention plenty of craft bars – among them the awesome Small Bar). Bristol Beer Factory has been in operation for over a decade and has become a favorite of Bristol beer lovers. It brews five main brews and more than a dozen seasonal brews – including oatmeal porter, milk stout and rye. They’re best tasted at Grain Barge, the brewery’s bar converted from a grain barge moored in Bristol Harbor, or at Barley Mow, a pub near Temple Meads train station.

The Old Brewery, Durnford Street, Bristol BS3 2AW

National Brewery Centre

Burton was once thought to be the beer capital of Britain. Its location next to the Trent and Mersey Canal was ideal for shipping beer to the ports of Liverpool and Gull. Add the mineral-rich water, ideal for ales, and it’s easy to see why Burton has often been called the “beer town. But unfortunately, the days when there were more than 30 breweries in the small town are gone, and the breweries themselves have closed or merged with other breweries. You can learn about the history of Burton’s brewing industry, including the most important brewery, Bass, at the National Brewery Center. There’s also a great pub lunch and beers from around the world – just a beer geek’s paradise. The tour will cover the rise and fall of Burton brewing, and ends with a tasting at the pub, where tourists will be treated to beers from the microbrewery located there. We recommend White Shield IPA, a beer with 180 years of history.

Horninglow St, Burton-on-Trent DE14 1NG

Hook Norton Brewery

It looks like it stepped out of a Dickens novel, which is not surprising when you consider the history of this rustic brewery. Opened in the 1850s, Hook Norton is one of the few surviving “tower” breweries of the Victorian era. They were designed to use gravity instead of pumps. A guide will take you through the brewery – so traditional, in fact, that you can even look inside the stables, which are home to the heavy-duty horses that cart beer to the nearby pubs. Genuine Hook Norton ales can be found on tap in most local pubs and in the surrounding villages of the Cotswolds region. The emphasis here is on “sessionability” – beers that can be drunk several pints at a time. In addition to traditional cask ales, the brewery also produces keg kraft ales. There are also stronger brews, seasonal and collaborative brews. But the quintessential local brewing tradition is Hooky Bitter: 3.5% alcohol, malt and floral notes with a clean finish. Created to be enjoyed all evening in one of Cotswold’s vintage pubs.

Brewery Lane, Hook Norton, Banbury OX15 5NY

The Northern Monk

In a once-abandoned neighborhood of Leeds stands an old mill, listed as a historic building. It’s the heart of the Holbeck neighborhood, which is now undergoing a major revitalization-including thanks to Northern Monk. “I wanted from the beginning to create a brewery that was authentically British and northern, but also very progressive,” explains Northern Monk founder Russell Bissett. The theme of the brewery combines the centuries-old history of monk brewing in the North of England with American craft brewing. Russell pays a lot of attention to evolution and tradition and has been successful in choosing collaborative partners. For example, Northern Monk brewed the first Anglo-Indian beer with a tiny Mumbai brewery. On the second floor of the old mill is an informal taproom with bare brick walls called Refectory. Here you can sample up to 20 beers, including guest beers. Don’t neglect the food either – British snacks that go great with beer. And don’t forget to try the flagship sessional Eternal IPA.

The Old Flax Store, s Mills, Marshall 9YJ, Marshall St, Leeds LS11

Howling Hops Tank Bar

It was the first bar in Britain (and remains one of the few) to serve beer straight from the tank rather than from kegs or cask. The bar has a dozen tanks ranging from fresh pale ales to smoked porter. Long benches, outdoor seating next to Regent’s Canal, and a small pop-up barbecue kitchen make this one of the best beer spots in the United Kingdom. The name Howling Hops is a tribute to American bluesman Howlin’ Wolf, “The Howling Wolf.” The brewery began brewing New World-style hopped beers at Cock Tavern Cellar in Hackney. To save time and effort, the beer was served straight from the tank in the basement through pipes stretched directly to the taps in the bar. That’s how the idea of opening a full-fledged tank bar came about. The beer list usually features one or two experimental brews (like a double chocolate-coffee-ffee-vanilla-milk porter), but a West Coast-style IPA always goes over well.

Unit 9A Queen’s Yard, White Post Ln, London E9 5EN

Jerusalem Tavern

Step through the wooden doors and you’ll immediately notice how old Jerusalem Tavern looks. It’s easy to picture William Pitt the Younger and Charles Fox arguing by the fireplace, or Samuel Johnson coming in for a pint on the way home from the City. Somewhere beneath the foundations lie the even older remains of the priory of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, which gave the pub its name. The Bible-crazed knights didn’t mind a drop or two, and the tradition behind the pub’s bay windows continues to this day – thankfully, it’s a stone’s throw from the City. The taps are filled with tasty beers brewed in Suffolk by St Peter’s Brewery, which embodies the spirit of medieval monastic brewing, though it opened in 1996. The ales here taste exactly as we imagine Pitt and Johnson-era ales, but the historic pub also looks to the future – there’s everything from honey porter to gluten-free and organic beers. Enthusiasts recommend Organic Ale – on tap or in recognizable green glass bottles reminiscent of 18th-century gin bottles.

55 Britton St, Clerkenwell, London EC1M 5UQ

Meantime Brewing

At one point in history, Greenwich was the center of the world – or at least of the British Empire, which counted time and location from the Greenwich Meridian. Greenwich, southeast of London, is a legacy of that era and has many fascinating places to visit. In 1999, Alistair Hook began brewing a beer here called Meantime. The new brewery heralded a return to the capital of craft brewing after decades of stagnation. Today, everything is fine with London beers, and Meantime (though now owned by Asahi) brews beers with traditional local ingredients – hops from Kent and barley from East Anglia. The brewery itself is located in the middle of nowhere, between the O2 Arena and Greenwich Park. But it entices visitors with a two-hour, £20 tour and a tasting room. Another option is to visit the Meantime Pub on Royal Hill, Greenwich Union, where you can eat and try a classy selection of beers. You could start with an IPA with Kent hops Fuggles and Goldings, which harks back to the days when Britain ruled the seas.

Lawrence Trading Estate, Blackwall Ln, London SE10 0AR

Saltaire

Saltaire’s makeshift taproom in the brewery’s canal-side backyard is the epitome of the brewery’s approach that has quickly won the market: quiet confidence and down-to-earth attention to the local community. On the last Friday of every month, the brewery hosts beer club meetings (cost £5), where visitors sit right next to tanks and other equipment and taste beers, including guest beers at £2 a pint. Saltaire brews both traditional British ales and heavily hopped craft beers. Everyone loves Saltaire’s award-winning flagship brew, Saltaire Blonde, with the fresh taste of German and Czech malts.

County Works, Dockfield Rd, Shipley BD17 7AR St.

Austell

This Cornish bigwig has been in business since 1851. The St Austell brewery now owns pubs from Land’s End to Bristol, and its cask ales are shipped all over Southwest England (the brewery is on track to sell a billion pints of beer). It brews some of Cornwall’s most famous beers – including Tribute, a soft and drinkable golden ale, and an invigorating Korev lager. There are guided tours and an interactive story about the brewing process in the visitor center. The new stout Mena Dhu (which means “black hill” in Cornish) is recommended. 63 Trevarthian Rd, St Austell PL25 4BY Hawkshead Freshly whitewashed or finished in oak, pubs are the heart of the Lake District. They’re ready to quench the thirst of farmers and hikers alike. There are several good breweries here, but connoisseurs call Hawkshead the best. This brewery, located in the village of Steveli, is surrounded by mortarless stone walls and green hills where sheep graze.

The brewery was founded in 2002 by Alex Brody, a former BBC foreign correspondent. The idea behind the brewery is “beers from the heart,” traditional cask ales brewed with crystal clear water from Lake District springs from malts and hops from around the world. From golden and red ales to Brodie’s Prime rich pub stout, Hawkshead beers are served in a “northern manner,” through a narrow-headed tap that yields a large foamy cap. You can sample the beer in the brewery’s beer hall and snack on local tapas, venison burgers and game pies. You’ll get thirsty on a hike through the hills of the Lake District – and Hawkshead Bitter with its citrus and floral notes will quench it best.

Staveley Mill Yard, Unit 22/28, Back Lane, Kendal LA8 9LR

Beavertown Brewery

Located between Walthamstow and Stoke-Newington in North London, Beavertown Brewery is off the beaten track – unless you’re heading to Ikea in Tottenham. But it’s definitely worth the trip – the taproom, open on Saturday nights, offers the best craft beer in London (including in cans adorned with the city’s best illustrations, created by creative director Nick Dwyer). The Beavertown brewery was founded in 2011 by Logan Plante (how he’s connected to Led Zeppelin is anyone’s guess), who sought inspiration not from traditional British cask ales but from breweries such as Dogfish Head in the United States. Head brewer Jenn Merrick has brought the brewery numerous awards, including 2015’s Supreme Champion Brewer. She has created seven major beers. The brewery is constantly involved in collaborations – with Mikkeller, Dogfish Head and Odell, for example. The taproom regularly hosts events and is generally an inspiring place to be. Check out Gamma Ray APA, with Amarillo and Citra dry hops, and Black Betty IPA with West Coast hops layered on a roasted malt base.

2, Lockwood Industrial Park, London N17 9QP.

Brew By Numbers

We suggest starting your beer odyssey in Bermondsey with BBNo, which is located just south of Moltby Market. Like many of Bermondsey’s “beer mile” breweries, Brew by Numbers Taproom is open on Fridays and Saturdays. The brewery’s founders, friends Dave Seymour and Tom Hutchings, drew inspiration from beer trips to Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Belgium. They have kept the spirit of adventure in their beers. The brewery is known for saison, but also experiments with barrel-aged, vitbiers and other styles. After the equipment was updated, the old equipment was freed up for experimental brews. The excellent double IPA combines British malts with American and New Zealand hops. 79 Enid St, London SE16 3RA Fourpure Brewing Co. This brewery will have to be found, but it’s worth it. As historian Simon Winchester says, nineteenth-century South London was a place no respectable Londoner would dare to go.

Some might say the neighborhood hasn’t changed much since then. But the industrial area at the south end of Bermondsey’s Beer Mile has some of what we consider to be some of the tastiest beers in the area. Fourpure’s founders, brothers Dan and Tom Lowe, were inspired by their travels around the world and encounters with American craft breweries (like Pfriem). The brewery has been in business since 2013, and its regular brews are a pale ale, a sessionable 4.2% IPA and a powerful West Coast IPA with an abundance of mango, pineapple and grapefruit flavors from Citra and Mosaic. There are up to 16 beers on tap, including guest beers (the taproom is open Friday evenings and almost all day Saturday). It’s not the most luxurious place – a few tables and benches and a composting toilet outside – but the plus side is that it’s not far from South Bermondsey train station. However, we came here for the beer – we especially liked the oatmeal stout.

Bermondsey Trading Estate, Rotherhithe New Rd, London SE16 3LL

Sulwath Brewery

In the heart of the Scottish Borders area stands the town of Castle Douglas, which in medieval times was a stronghold of the Douglas clan, resisting the raids of brigands. Today in this market town, life is much calmer. Its inhabitants are not engaged in war but in the food industry. The town is surrounded by fertile farms, and there is still a weekly fair of live cattle. Among the 50-plus food industries is the family-owned Sulwath Brewery, named for Sulway-Firth Bay to the south, whose waters create a mild microclimate. The Henderson family brewery opened in 1996. It brews several traditional cask ales, all on soft local water. The only lager in the lineup, Galloway Gold, showcases the character of Jathec hop, and Grace is a great example of a meld, one of the oldest British beer styles, in which fruitiness and sweet maltiness dominate hop bitterness. British Maris Otter barley is used for the chocolate flavor of the award-winning Black Galloway Porter. You can taste it all in the brewery’s modest taproom. Tours are often held on Mondays and Fridays at 1 p.m. During our visit, the beer of the day was Criffel IPA, named after a nearby mountain. Its flavor is more subdued than American IPAs.

209 King St, Castle Douglas DG7 1DT

Three Tuns Brewery

Calling yourself the oldest licensed brewery in Britain is a pretty high-profile statement, but Shropshire’s Three Tuns has all the proof. The brewery received its first official brewing license in British history in 1642 and still operates in the same wood-framed building that underwent some changes in the Victorian era. When CAMRA first began its crusade to save real British beer in the ’70s, Three Tuns was one of only four pubs in the country that still brewed real ale. The brewery nearly closed at the beginning of the new millennium, but in 2003, real ale lovers rushed to its rescue. Some of the equipment was updated, but not the traditions and ingredients. The beers are still brewed according to centuries-old recipes, but not forgetting modern trends – try Faust Banana with ginger and lemon notes, for example. Nearby, at the Three Tuns Inn, regulars stand precariously at the bar while bearded folk singers play medieval music. Bar regulars insist that the essence of the brewery is best captured by XXX Pale Ale.

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Anchor

One of the first craft breweries in the United States was established in the 19th century. It has opened and closed several times, going through a series of bankruptcies. Nowadays it is the standard American craft beer, and Steam Beer (lager fermented at high temperature, due to what it has a pronounced caramel aroma and flavor) has become a flagship sort.

Sierra Nevada

Their flagship pale ale has long been an icon for many craft brewers. Today, the brewery has been able to take it a step further by offering hop ales that are brewed exclusively with fresh hop earrings.

Samuel Adams

No longer just a craft brewery, but a craft giant that offers its facilities to aspiring brewers who can’t yet open their own facilities. Their story began back in 1980. By far their best brew is Boston Lager, a caramel-colored beer with very fresh aromatics and an unusually light flavor.

Rogue

Oregon’s Rogue Brewery is one of the few breweries in the States that promotes the principle of from farm to barrel, aiming to source as much of their brewing ingredients from their own gardens, fields, and farms as possible. That’s why their beers are so flavorful and fresh, with a unique flavor and aroma.

DogFishHead

Sam Calagione is the irreplaceable charismatic leader of his own brewery. He starred on the Discovery show “Brewers,” where he talked about rare brews and styles. Today, his brewery is one of the pioneers in new flavors and aromas: a stout with shiraz juice, a blanc with pinot noir or a pale ale with botrytized berries.

Two Roads

A brewery that embodies the spirit of industrial America. Located on the territory of a former factory and created by the hands of workers – this is how Two Roads is often described. Now it is an iconic brewery that has won the hearts of people around the world, as evidenced by numerous awards. Their gose with sauvignon blanc or light stout with coffee have long become a standard of taste.

The Lost Abbey

The sour beer category is quite diverse, and Belgium was the home of these styles for a long time until The Lost Abbey brewery came along. Today, the quality of their beers exceeds that of individual Belgian breweries, as proven by medals and cups. Their beers are bottled exclusively in 0.375 or 0.75 liter bottles to emphasize their wine complexity.

Stone

The problem with many craft breweries in America is a fixation on preserving their craft spirit, which causes them to stay within their state, but that’s not about these guys. Stone has been the driving force behind the craft movement in the U.S., bringing American craft beer to the international market.

AleSmith

A brewery whose fame precedes it. Here they brew beers whose aroma and taste are benchmarks, and even the Belgians have already recognized their skills. The work not only on the taste but also on the label turns their bottles and cans into something special. Although the price is quite high, their beers should and can be pampered on special days.

Anderson Valley

Boonville is a small town that is home to one of the most famous breweries. You may not know its name, but you’ve probably met the bear with horns on the label. Their portfolio includes light, drinkable brews as well as complex bourbon barrel-aged imperial stouts. They are actively reviving the gose style by adding local fruits and berries. This is where to start getting to know Kraft.

We’ve only compiled a selection of 10 breweries for you, but even from it you can see how varied American craft is. Try some tasty beers and stay tuned! We’ll continue to bring you the latest in craft beer.

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