You all know how much Ray and I love a good beer excursion. Our most recent one was to Asheville, where aside from drinking all of Steph and Tim’s beer, we managed to go to 7 different breweries/brew pubs in less than 3.5 days. We’re overachievers.
So when the following press release landed in my inbox today, I knew it was something worth sharing.
Beer lovers, your prayers have been answered—visiting breweries just got easier. Brew Trail, the ultimate compilation of brewery information, has launched and promises to make beer tourism a one-stop planning experience.
According to the Brewer’s Association, there are 2,538 breweries and brewpubs operating in the country (the most since the 1880s) and only Brew Trail has tracked them all, including meticulous key details like brewery tour and tasting room schedules. Never before has so much detailed brewery data been available on one site.
With Brew Trail’s Trip Planner, aficionados can plot out a multi-state tour or simply check out some new breweries in town, easily incorporating each brewery’s schedule to cover ground most efficiently. It’s all free, and it’s optimized for mobile devices. From pilsners in Portland to stouts in St. Louis, Brew Trail will help plan a fantastic expedition along America’s beer trail.
“It’s been a true labor of love. A very, very detailed labor of love,” said Brew Trail co-founder Chris Margonis. “Why did we start the site? My buddy and I love beer, it’s as simple as that. And when we realized there weren’t any sites like this—a one-stop spot for all the brewery details along with brewery tour and tasting room times, we devoted ourselves even more to our hobby. We want Brew Trail to be seen as a promotional asset for all craft breweries – to help them level the playing field and gain recognition among the big boys. And we think Brew Trail also has the potential to become an excellent tool for state and local tourism boards as more and more localities launch their own beer trails.”
The US craft beer movement has been exploding, with an astounding 10% annual growth—even while overall beer consumption has been declining slightly in favor of wine and spirits. Although it makes sense given that craft beers have similar complexities and food pairings as wine. Five out of 10 fastest growing beer brands are craft (Dale’s Pale Ale, Lagunitas, Ranger, Torpedo, Shiner) and several of them have been seeing a mind-boggling 45% growth in sales. With this new, overwhelming beer awareness, Brew Trail arrives at the perfect time to make a potential mark on the scene and establish itself within the craft beer culture.
