For true beer lovers, the highlight of any vacation is hoisting pints of the local stouts, IPAs and lagers of their vacation destination. They will not be disappointed at these destinations, where the quality and variety of the beer attracts millions every year.
MUNICH, GERMANY
No beer bucket list would be complete without Munich, the place where millions of barley buffs converge every year for the 16-day festival called Oktoberfest. But even if you can’t make it during that time, you can still enjoy the city’s legendary beer gardens and the famed 425-year-old brewery Hofbräuhaus.
MONTREAL, CANADA
For decades now, Montreal has been a mecca for brewpubs, perfecting the art of microbrewery. Beer brewed here is often defined by its color—blonde, rousse, ambrée or noir—than by its style at such places as the world-famous Le Cheval Blanc.
AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS
Home to globally popular brands Heineken and Amstel, Amsterdam is a town steeped in beer history. Locals like to linger long over their pints of pils at neighborhood watering holes called brown bars, where the darkened, nicotine-stained interiors inspire profound conversations.
DUBLIN, IRELAND
Guinness. Need we say more? Fine, inside the Guinness Storehouse —Ireland’s top tourist attraction — you’ll get a grand history lesson along with a perfectly poured pint. Afterward, soak in the city’s thriving pub culture at The Porterhouse, Dublin’s first brewpub, to sample their homemade porters.
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
This is the capital of Belgian beer, the award-winning ale that has been traditionally brewed by monks since the Middle Ages. Here, beer aficionados debate over the quality of their lambics at charming café-bars called L’Estaminets.