Microbreweries on the East Coast

Microbreweries have grown in popularity within recent years. According to the Brewers Association, beer-producing facilities almost tripled since 2012 and the numbers keep rising. Everyone wants to take a crack at concocting the perfect recipe of malt, hops, yeast and water to present their idea of the best beer anyone has ever tasted. Just on the East Coast of the United States, most people live within a short driving distance of multiple breweries.

Starting up north, Maine has more than 90 breweries for travelers to check out. The Maine Beer Trail is a guide that rewards enthusiasts for visiting 10 or more locations. Prizes include a hat if you visit 10–19 breweries, a t-shirt if you stop by 20–98 and a special secret prize pack for visiting all 99 locations on the map.

Heading down the coast, New York City has breweries in every borough. In Queens, Fifth Hammer Brewing offers a wide variety of beer, from sours to barrel aged, while in Brooklyn, Other Half Brewing primarily focuses on double dry-hopped IPAs. Just like everything else in the Big Apple, travelers can embrace a diverse selection of their favorite bubbly drink.

Down in the Southern states, hop vines can grow tall in the sunny, humid conditions. Although the plant likes well-drained soil, the humidity helps some variety of the vines flourish. Savannah, Georgia’s, Southbound has a tight selection of wild-yeast IPAs and Belgian-style quad brews that uniquely speak for themselves. Lastly, Florida is home to Cigar City, which produces a solid line-up of nitro and seasonal selections.

Beer is sweeping the nation more than ever and on the East Coast, brew masters raise a pint to keep customers satisfied.