Beer Tourism On The Rise

I love to see stories about craft brewing in the mainstream media.  CNN has an article today about the rise of beer tourism in the U.S.  The number of craft breweries in the U.S. is now at a 100 year high with over 1,500, making it pretty easy to find a brewery or brewpub almost anywhere you go.  And not only is there a large number of breweries, there's such a great variety in the styles of beer they produce.  Most craft breweries are pretty small and their beers are often only available in the surrounding region.  And in the case of brewpubs, usually only available at their location.  So getting out and visiting these places is often they only way that you'll get the chance to even try their beers.  We're heading to Seattle and Portland next week and I already have a list of great beer places to try and visit and beers to look for. 

For help with adding some beer destinations during your next vacation, check out The Beer Mapping Project website.  They have free online maps with the location of breweries, brewpubs and beer stores for most major U.S. destinations.  They also have a slick mobile interface to access the website from your smartphone while you're on the go.  I've used their site numerous times to find a nearby beer bar when travelling.