Some people choose to do Dry-January, but personally that’s not something that I have ever or probably will ever choose to do.

First, my birthday is in January. Second, I like beer. Third, to me, forcing yourself to not do something is not a healthy option over moderation. Fourth, it’s a global pandemic, we celebrated a new President, and we faced an insurrection on our nation’s capitol.

In summary, I drank some beers in January! Here are my favorites, in no particular order:

CLIMB THE BALLMER PEAK FROM TRILLIUM BREWING IN BOston, MA and Equilibrium Brewery in MIDDLETOWN, NY

The second batch of this Triple IPA loaded with hand selected Citra hops. I love a good collab and EQ teaming up with Trillium was bound to be amazing! I brought this one up Stone Mountain, and although it wasn’t the Ballmer Peak it was a great peak to enjoy such a delicious beer. Check out all my favorite hikes near Charlotte here!

Even More Gummy Saurus from Evil Twin Brewing in New York, New York and Tripping Animals Brewing in Doral, FL

Even More Gummy Saurus is a Fruited Sour with coconut and marshmallow. I did not have high expectations for this beer because I am not a huge coconut fan and I generally like my Fruited Sours to be berry focused, but this one was stellar. Best paired with college basketball watching.

Marvoloso V7 from Commonwealth Brewing Company in Virginia Beach, VA

Wow. This one was an Imperial Chocolate Stout aged on Basil Hayden’s Bourbon and Woodford Reserve Rye barrels and conditioned on marshmallow, coconut, walnuts, cocoa nibs, Tahitian vanilla beans, and Ghirardelli dark chocolate. I enjoyed this adjunct-packed Stout at Carolina Beer Temple, we were lucky enough to visit when they were doing a Commonwealth tap takeover! Their outside patio area is great, I definitely recommend checking them out!

Hommage Bio Frambozen from Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen in Brussels, Belgium

Lambic Life! This is the Season 17|18 Blend Number 60 version Lambic with raspberries, cherries, and local honey. There is nothing that makes you feel quite as boojie as a Lambic basket. This was a special treat for my birthday from a good friend that we enjoyed at The Whale Beer Bar in Asheville. They’ve always got a killer tap list and can/bottle list as well!

Dessert Cart from Mountains Walking Brewery in Bozeman, MT and The Whale Beer Bar in Asheville, NC

Dessert Cart is a Pastry Stout brewed for The Whale's 3rd Anniversary using Mountains Walking’s thick and decadent Pastry Stout base conditioned on toasted coconut, toasted pecans, cocoa nibs and Tahitian vanilla bean. Creamy, thicc, flavorful, and delicious! We enjoyed this can at Salud Beer Shop, one of my favorite spots in Charlotte.

Second Hand Shanty from Vitamin Sea Brewing in Weymouth, MA and Resident Culture Brewing in Charlotte, NC

This is a Triple IPA Double Dry-Hopped with Mosaic, Strata and Michigan Copper. Vitamin Sea and Resident Culture both crush it in the IPA game so it was no surprise that this collaboration was great. I personally preferred Vitamin Sea’s version, but both were absolutely fantastic!

Tune in next month for my February favorites! Cheers -Alexis

Obviously I love exploring breweries, but craft beer bars are always fun to hang out at as well. I love getting to try hard to find or obscure beers from breweries across the world!

My favorite craft beer bars each offer a little something different, but they all have delicious and unique beers! Check out my top picks globally below:

The Avenue Pub

Located in New Orleans, Louisiana this craft beer haven is open 24/7 365 days of the year! The Avenue has a fantastic tap list at both their main bar downstairs and their balcony bar upstairs.

The balcony is one of the best parts of The Avenue, it is a fantastic place to kick back and watch the streetcars roll by and soak up some Louisiana sunshine. Their location right on Saint Charles Avenue makes it a prime spot to watch parades during Mardi Gras season, but beware of beads flying into your beer!

The Avenue also has a full food menu that is typical bar food. The cheese fries are fantastic, especially after a beer or two. If you’re local to New Orleans their Mug Club is a fun feature to earn discounts on beers and get invited to special events.

Polly and her team do a fantastic job at The Avenue so be sure to show them some love the next time you’re in The Big Easy! Take note that The Avenue is 21 and up only.

Check out all of my New Orleans recommendations here!

Salud Beer Shop

This Charlotte, North Carolina beer bar and bottle shop opened its doors in 2012 and has been crushing the game ever since. Located in the NoDa neighborhood, they’ve got 16 taps and a plethora of cans and bottles for consumption both on and offsite.

Salud’s owners Jason and Dairelyn Glunt host frequent events such as tap takeovers, porch parties, and special releases in the bottle shop. They’ve also got natural wines, meads, and a food menu featuring Neapolitan-style pizzas.

Salud also won the top spot for Best Beer Bar from USA Today in 2019 and 2020 so don’t just take my word for how great they are! Be sure to check out their brewery upstairs too, Salud Cerveceria.

Liquiderie Bottle Shop

Liquiderie is located in Paris, France. It is a tiny little spot with a just a few bar stools, but it is full of some incredible beers. They’ve got three beers on taps and a slue of cans and bottles for sale to drink in-house or take to-go.

They’ve also got a small food menu for snacks. Liquiderie’s staff is super nice and friendly so don’t be afraid to ask questions or just hang out!

This cute little spot is located right in the heart of the Folic-Mericourt neighborhood.

The rest of my Paris recommendations are located here!

Torst Bar

Torst is located on Manhattan Avenue in Brooklyn, NYC. With so many beer bars and breweries in The Big Apple, Torst sets itself apart with its killer tap list and unique environment.

Torst is classier than your average beer bar, with a sleek set-up and intimate atmosphere. They have 21 taps, a large list of can and bottle beer options, natural wines, and cocktails as well.

Torst also has a small food menu with snacks and a few sandwiches. They offer Happy Hour from 4-7pm every weekday.

Beer Street is another one of my favorite NYC craft beer bars with more of a dive bar atmosphere, cheaper prices, and still a fantastic tap list. Check out all of my NYC recommendations here!

The Whale Craft Beer Collective

The Whale has locations in Asheville, North Carolina and Greenville, South Carolina. Each location has 20 taps and a large can and bottle list to enjoy.

On tap at each spot you will also find Whale Exclusives, which are beers they collaboratively brewed with local breweries for release only at their taprooms.

The Whale is dog-friendly and also offers, wine, mead, sake, and non-alcoholic craft beverages. Be sure to stop by next time you’re in AVL or GVL!

Check out my Asheville recommendations here and my Greenville recommendations here!

The Porter Beer Bar

Located in the heart of the Little 5 Points neighborhood of Atlanta, The Porter Beer Bar is a mecca for ATL’s craft beer nerds.

The Porter has been open since 2008, before the craft beer scene in the US really took off.

They have over fifty taps, a large selection of cans and bottles, wine, and cocktails. Be sure to bring your reading glasses with you to this beer bar—the tap list is a novel but it is worth the effort!

The Porter also has a full food menu to keep your appetite at bay while you peruse and enjoy your many drink options.

The rest of my Atlanta recommendations are located here!

The International Beer Bar

Located in Zurich, Switzerland, The International is a cozy little spot with indoor and outdoor seating options. They have craft Swiss, European, and global beers available.

Their staff is super friendly and they have truly delicious beers to try. They do tap-takeovers and also have cans and bottles available.

Check out my Zurich guide here!

State of Beer

State of Beer is in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina. It is from the team at Trophy Brewing which has three taprooms as a part of their brewery as well.

State of Beer is a bottle and sandwich shop with 12 taps, a plethora of bottles and cans, small plates, salads, and sandwiches. You can also buy beer to-go here.

They have a nice outdoor patio to enjoy your beer and food on as well, it gets busy when the weather is nice. Check it out next time you’re in the area!

Pop The Top Craft Beer Shop

Another gem in Charlotte, North Carolina, Pop the Top is located in the South End neighborhood. Ketan and his fantastic team have 24 taps, cans, and bottles for sale to consume on or off premises.

Pop The Top does not have a kitchen so they are dog-friendly and you can bring your own food. They host frequent tap takeovers and you’ll frequently find a bottle share happening as well.

They’ve also got an outdoor patio for those sunny days, board games, and TVs.

Local Option

Located in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago, Local Option is—as you might guess—where the locals go!

They have 24 taps, a few of which are usually their own beer they brew as well. The food at Local Option is delicious, so be sure to come hungry and eat up!

Their taproom has some punk-esque vibes but is still welcoming and friendly to everyone.

They partner with AJ Maka Distributors to get some amazing craft beers and meads on tap and in the bar, so be sure to stop by next time you’re in the Chicagoland area!

Check out my Chicago recommendations here!

Monk’s Cafe

Monk’s Cafe is in downtown Philly and advertises itself as “The soul of Belgium in the heart of Philadelphia”.

They have 25 beers on tap and a bottle list, both with an emphasis on Belgian beers. The vibes are more pub-like with a full food menu and servers, but I would recommend just sitting at the bar to get the full beer nerd experience.

Monk’s Cafe also has a lot of special events, such as a special tapping of Pliny the Younger from Russian River that happens each year. Check it out next time you’re in Philly!

My guide to Philadelphia is located here!