Atlanta Cask Ale Tasting Beer List: 1/31/2026

 

Scroll down for WINNERS, PHOTOS, & FULL DESCRIPTIONS OF ALL OUR CASK BEERS this year:

Important ACAT Festival Notes:

• WEAR YOUR BEADS. These are required for entry and for being served.
• ALLERGENS: Some beers contain nuts and other allergens. Check the descriptions below and ask servers to be certain.
• Ribbons for 1st, 2nd & 3rd place Avant-Garde and Classic-Style casks will be posted on casks at 4 PM. Festival attendees can use the link below to vote for People's Choice cask.
• Floors are wet - please use constant caution.
• Don't drink and drive! Use Uber and Lyft.
• Attendees get 10% off delicious food items at Bold Monk today!
• Beers are subject to change without notice. ACAT code of conduct is posted at the bottom.

CLICK HERE to vote for your favorite cask before 5 PM on festival day. Use the unique six-digit passcode from your green ticket to vote. 

THESE 24 CASKS LOCATED IN THE BARREL ROOM:

01. Athentic Brewing Golden Reserve. This 10.8% ABV Barleywine ranks as a traditional English-style made with 100% two-row barley and honey.  Expect a strong brew that’s still approachable with a malty backbone and a dry finish.

02. Bluejacket Dead End Street English Brown Ale. At 4.5% ABV, this traditional English-style Brown Ale is brewed with 100% Virginia-grown malt, then gently hopped with East Kent Goldings. Smooth and creamy, with rich caramel and toffee flavors. Malty-sweet, with hints of raisins, cocoa nib dust, biscuits and nuts.

03. Bold Monk / MAZURT Collaborative Rum Barrel-Aged Unfocused Reflections of Matter Imperial Stout: Amburana Edition. The Beer Elders were lost in a rainforest. A Pajé appeared with a wooden cup of elixir with a magical aroma of cinnamon, vanilla, chocolate, caramel, and tropical fruit. This cup of Amburana wood held an imperial stout like no other. The Elders were magically transported to the Happy Land. Try it for yourself.

04. Bold Monk / Steele’s Sermon English Pale Ale is a collaboration with legendary brewer Mitch Steele. Steele’s Sermon was inspired by the UK’s Timothy Taylor’s Landlord Ale, showcasing bright earthy hops with notes of fresh-cut grass, marmalade, and subtle florals. Balanced by gentle biscuit and honeyed malt with a crisp, dry finish, this thoughtfully restrained ale celebrates cask-inspired harmony and timeless English brewing heritage. 4.8% ABV.

SECOND PLACE AVANT-GARDE: 05. Bold Monk Virtue of Patience Flanders Red Ale is an 8.6% ABV tart blend aged in foeders and ASW Whiskey barrels for over a year. Balaton cherries bring bright, tangy fruit, while mission figs add earthy sweetness, enhancing the beer’s deep amber color, oak aroma and complex, vinous character. 2024 & 2025 World Beer Cup gold medalist; 2025 US Open Beer Championship silver medalist.

06. Cherry Street / Lincoln Fill Station Beards & Brown Jackets is a spectacular collaborative version of an imperial coconut porter that has been resting peacefully on a light bed of Payday candy bars for an exquisite peanut and coconut flavor that dances on the taste buds. This sweet beverage rolls in at 8% ABV.

07. Cherry Street Joe is Not Cool is just a good ole' English pub ale with a balanced malt and hop character and a moderate alcohol percentage. Expect a smooth and slightly malty brew with hints of fresh bread, biscuit, and a little earthiness from the hops. 5% ABV.

08. Cøntrast Artisan Ales Creamish Dry Irish Stout is classic and sessionable with roasty bitterness, a creamy body, and a clean, dry finish. Notes of roasted barley, dark roast coffee, and bitter dark chocolate emerge. 5.2% ABV.

09. Creature Comforts Connected Like a Quilt Scotch Ale. This 6% ABV classic interpretation of a Scottish ale is designed to emphasize beautiful toffee-like malt flavors from imported malts and an extended boil time.

THIRD PLACE AVANT-GARDE: 10. Crooked Culture Brewing HELLO MY NAME IS MARSHMALLOW premieres as a luxurious 11% ABV imperial stout aged in flavorful bourbon barrels for 18 months and dosed with fun marshmallow additions.

11. Cultivation Brewery Fulton Manchester-Style Pale Ale - This 3.5% ABV ale was brewed in the style of some of our favorite modern brewers in Manchester, England. UK Maris Otter and wheat malt, hopped delicately with Ekuanot, Citra, and Idaho 7, create a wonderful blend of fresh fruit notes, floral aromatics, and balanced bitterness in a low ABV package.

12. Fire Maker Brewery The Pot is a super dank version of our mainstay Hazy IPA, Hazed and Blazed. Loaded with Columbus and Simcoe hops, this danky/piney version is sure to chill you out and, who knows, maybe even give you the munchies!

13. Gate City Brewing Cold IPA with Citra and Cascade hops comes in at 5.5% ABV. Its clean profile arises from cold-conditioning and the use of outrageously good aroma, flavoring and bittering hops.

14. Good Word Brewing Auctioned Off All My Swords is a 5.2% Oatmeal Stout. This new offering tastes creamy and full of notes of dark chocolate, while having enough hops to balance the residual sweetness.

FIRST PLACE CLASSIC STYLE: 15. Good Word Brewing Digital Comforts. This 3.9% ABV English-Style Best Bitter showcases notes of orange marmalade and herbal tea that form a wonderful romance in this tasty little bitter that’s big on balance.

16. Hop Atomica Professor Peanut is a peanut butter cup Brown Ale that comes in at 5.6% ABV. This malty brown ale was infused with peanuts and cocoa nibs? Yes, please! This little snack of a beer is a grown-up take on a childhood favorite. It’s sweet from the malt (no lactose here) with hints of peanuts and dark chocolate, and a smooth, balanced finish.

17. Hopstix Oregon-on-Thames English-Style IPA pours with a golden yellow hue and slight haze. Brewed with pilsner malt, flaked oats and Brewers Crystals, the ale is balanced by additions of Amarillo hops in the whirlpool and then Willamette as the dry-hop. ABV: 6.4%; IBUs: 40.

18. Khonso Brewing  Jump is a delightful 7.5% ABV Belgian Dubbel brewed with Belgian and Caramunich malts, bitter orange peel, and pecan syrup to add a southern twist that boosts the nutty sweetness of the beer.

19. Line Creek Forager’s Fête Smoked Chanterelle Adambier. Brewed with a blend of oak-smoked wheat and Munich malts, this strong and malty Altbier variant was co-fermented with alt and Brettanomyces yeasts. It was finished with hand-foraged chanterelle mushrooms, and cask-conditioned with additional “brett.” 9% ABV.

20. Lost Druid Circa 1924 English-Style Old Ale. Dark amber in color with notes of treacle, molasses and toffee sweetness that playfully mingle with softened, yet rich, fruit notes. Expect a deep, rounded mouthfeel that leads to an inviting full finish, enticing you to have another savored sip. 8.3% ABV.

21. Lost Druid Czekolada Baltic-Style Porter is a smooth, cold-fermented beer brewed with our favorite lager yeast. It features malt flavors of a brown porter and the roast of a German Schwarzbier, but this beer is bigger in alcohol and mouthfeel. 8.2% ABV.

22. Max Lager’s Hopsplosion!! IPA. The classic is back! Hopsplosion is a bold, hop-forward American IPA that lives up to its name. Bursting with vibrant aromas of citrus zest, pine resin, and tropical fruit, this brew delivers an explosive hop character from the first sip to the last. 7% ABV.

FIRST PLACE AVANT-GARDE: 23. Monday Night Darker Subject Matter is a bourbon barrel-aged Imperial Stout finished with Brazilian Amburana wood spirals in the cask. 13.5% ABV, with notes of cinnamon, coconut and graham cracker.

24. Monday Night New Zealand-Style Lager is made with Barke pilsner malt and hopped with Nelson Sauvin, Motueka, and experimental hop NZH-109. At 4.8% ABV, this sessionable lager offers notes of watermelon nerds, lemon cream and fresh grass.

THESE 10 CASKS LOCATED IN THE BREWERY:

25. Mutation Brewing Estate of the Art. This beer is a throwback pale ale built the way the style was meant to be. It showcases Crosby Hops’ Cascade and Chinook. Citrus peel, pine, and a touch of honey make up this little beer’s aroma. A clean malt backbone keeps everything in focus, and the classic Pacific Northwest hop bite finishes dry and nostalgic in the best way. Consider this a love letter to the pale ales that got us here. 5.15% ABV and 50 IBUs.

26. NoFo Brew Co.’s Deer Candy is a crushable Cream Ale brewed with Pilsner malt, flaked corn and Samsquanch hops. Fruited in the cask with muscadine juice infused with blueberries, this beer is light and crisp with characteristics of white wine. 5.3% ABV and 25 IBUs.

27. NoFo Brew Co.’s Georgia Foliage is a 4.6% ABV cask-conditioned amber lager with cinnamon sticks, star anise, nutmeg, and orange zest. This cask was primed with a touch of maple syrup. The beer celebrates the foliage found in abundance in North Georgia in the fall.

28. Normaltown / Rainy Day Brewing Catherine's Reign. This collaboration brew is a classic 10.5% ABV Russian Imperial Stout. Look for heavy chocolate flavor from the malt with a balanced bitterness from Centennial hops.

29. Normaltown Brewing Best Bitter is a classic 4.6% ABV UK-style pub ale made with English malts and American Cascade hops. Expect a lovely harmony between hops, malts, and yeast, with hallmark notes of toast, biscuit, caramel, and subtle fruit.

30. Peaceful Side Brewery's Belgian-Style Dubbel showcases rich malt complexity from Riverbend’s artisanal grains, delivering notes of caramel, dark fruit, and subtle toast. Balanced by delicate floral and spicy undertones from Hallertau Mittelfrüh hops, it finishes smooth with a gentle, warming character. 6.6% ABV.

31. Pontoon Brewing Otter’s Campfire Surprise is a coffee brown ale with toasted marshmallows, cocoa and graham crackers.

32. Printer's Ale Manufacturing Fade to Black is a celebration of winter, long nights and good beer. It’s a 9% ABV Imperial Stout with cacao nibs added.

PEOPLE'S CHOICE FAVORITE CASK: 33. Printer's Ale Manufacturing The Tiger's Eyes Are Like My Own was originally brewed in collaboration with Lincoln Fill Station. This version is a fruited sour ale with “tiger's blood” (strawberry coconut and watermelon).

34. Reformation Brewery Just One More is a Vienna Lager conditioned on oak. Toasty Vienna malt meets a short rest on lightly toasted oak, lending soft vanilla and rounded warmth. Served from the firkin with orange zest, clove, cinnamon, and vanilla, this lager feels like a quiet nod to winter spice without ever becoming sweet or heavy.

THESE 21 CASKS LOCATED UPSTAIRS IN THE BOOKSTORE AREA:

35. Rock Solid Brewing Smokin' Goat Smoked Doppelbock. At 8% ABV, this potent lager was created using smoked cherrywood malt for balance and an added layer of appealing complexity.

36. Round Trip Brewing Espresso Sunrise is a 9% ABV strong stout primed with concentrated orange juice, and aged on coffee beans and orange zest.

37. Schoolhouse Brewing’s Ginger's Island is our 5% ABV Blonde Ale with additions of ginger. Just sit right back and take a sip of Ginger’s Island, an American Blonde Ale that’s taken an unexpected three-hour tour into spicy territory. Light, refreshing, and kissed with real ginger heat, this cask-away brew proves that even a little spice can turn a smooth ride into an adventure.

38. Service Brewing Coping Mechanism Imperial Pastry Stout (13% ABV). A smooth and decadent sweet stout brewed with roasty chocolate malts, sweet caramel and toffee.  Look for notes of dark cocoa, caramelized sugar and espresso.

39. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is a pioneering American craft beer known for its balanced yet bold flavor, featuring prominent grapefruit and pine notes from Cascade hops, a hint of caramel malt sweetness, and a crisp, slightly bitter finish, making it a benchmark for the style. At 5.6% ABV, it is refreshing and highly drinkable.

THIRD PLACE CLASSIC STYLE: 40. Six Bridges English Dark Mild is made with Simpsons Finest Maris Otter malt, brown and chocolate malts, Fuggle hops, and Nottingham ale yeast.  Naturally carbonated in the cask. 14 IBUs and 3.5% ABV.

41. Six Bridges Extra Special Bitter was created with Simpsons Finest Maris Otter, medium crystal and Carapils, Ernest hops, and Nottingham ale yeast. One sip demonstrates the elegant beauty and appeal of this classic UK style. 35 IBUs, 4.6% ABV.

42. Social Fox Milk Chocolate Porter is a powerful 6.8% ABV dark ale brewed with Ghanaian cacao nibs, vanilla beans, and lactose.

43. South Main Brewing’s Smokey Magnolia. At 6.5% ABV, this perfectly balanced smoked porter was crafted in collaboration with Sugar Magnolia BBQ, featuring Golden Promise malts smoked over locally sourced oak.

44. STATS Brewpub’s Cow Corner – An English-style Brown Ale with 4.5% ABV and malt-derived flavor notes of fig, almond, and toffee. It’s named in honor of a position on a cricket field.

45. StillFire Brewing Charlie Mop’s Nut Brown Ale is a classic 5.4% ABV British Brown Ale, brewed with all English malts, hops, and yeast, and cask-conditioned for total authenticity. Named after Charlie Mops, who (as the song goes) was “the man who invented beer.” If this ale were any more authentic, you would have to show your passport.

46. StillFire Brewing Mardi McFly’s King Cake Ale - a “let the good times roll” dark ale with cinnamon, vanilla, chocolate malt, and hints of dark fruit just in time for Fat Tuesday. This is all ale, with delicate flavors and spices that give the impression of King Cake, a Mardi Gras staple. Mardi McFly’s is not a sugary abomination of a pastry beer, and there is no plastic baby in the firkin cask. 7.2% ABV.

47. SweetWater Rookie IPA: A 6.9% ABV real ale spin on our OG IPA, cask-conditioned with American oak chips, Chinook and Centennial hops. Rookie is a well-rounded, easy-drinking IPA with notes of citrus, pine, and resin, along with subtle nutty undertones.

48. Three Taverns Single Intent pays homage to Belgium's Trappist breweries, which make a lighter-bodied blonde ale set aside for the monks' consumption. We brought it back after a long hiatus to pour at ACAT. Brewed with Pilsner and Vienna malts, sugar, and a hefty dose of Saaz hops. 5% ABV.

49. Tucker Brewing SIR Doppelbock. This malty lager offers classic notes of dark bread crust and toffee, along with white chocolate and Heath bars added to the cask. 7.5% ABV and 23 IBUs.

SECOND PLACE CLASSIC STYLE: 50. Twain’s 11th Hour APA is Decatur’s favorite American Pale Ale. At 5.5% ABV, 11th Hour has become synonymous with Twain's Brewpub over the last decade. Made with pale malt and Citra and Amarillo hops, this impressive ale is bright and expressive with a soft finish. Today marks the first time this beer has ever been served on cask.

51. Variant Brewing No Small Matter is an 11% ABV English Barleywine with Cook Island vanilla beans. Look for complex flavors dominated by malt, featuring notes of caramel, toffee, brown sugar, molasses, and biscuit crust.

52. Wild Heaven Eschaton Belgian-Style Quadrupel is a strong, dark Belgian-style ale known for its complex flavors of dark fruit, spice, vanilla, and oak, often compared to red wine with a drier finish. This version sits at a potent 11% ABV.

53. Wild Leap Atlanta’s Meetings & Partings Cranberry White IPA. This 6% ABV hoppy ale is a hybrid blend of a Belgian-style Witbier and an American IPA, showcasing flavors of cranberry puree, orange peel, coriander, and Centennial and Chinook hops. This cask was dry-hopped with spruce tips.

54. Wrecking Bar Ye Olde Sprinklerhead English-Style Barleywine.  This award-winning 12.5% ABV strong ale is a showcase of malty richness and complex, intense flavor notes of toffee, bread crust, dark fruits, and a nuance of port wine and Oloroso sherry.
 

55. Yazoo Brewing Gerst Amber Ale - A clean, approachable beer made with mostly German malts and a hint of flaked maize to remain as true as possible to the original style brewed by the Gerst Haus Brewery in Nashville, Tennessee, back in the 1800s. 4.9% ABV.

CLICK HERE to vote for your favorite cask before 5 PM on festival day. Use the unique six-digit passcode from your green ticket to vote.

Photos by: Mary Fiorello, Patricia Watt, Charles Bockway & Matt Simpson

ACAT CODE OF CONDUCT: ACAT is dedicated to a harassment-free festival experience for everyone, regardless of gender, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, race or religion. We do not tolerate harassment in any form. All communication should be kind, appropriate and inclusive for all audiences, including people of diverse backgrounds, sexual orientations and cultures. Sexual language, harassment and imagery are never appropriate. All festival participants are expected to conduct themselves with responsibility, integrity, courtesy and respect for others. Participants violating these rules will be asked to leave at the sole discretion of the festival host and/or organizers. Thank you for respecting these important rules.

A Few of Owen Ogletree's Favorite Craft Beer Spots

 

- A Few of Owen's Favorite Craft Beer Spots

Look below for an article from 2021 that showcases just a few of Owen Ogletree's absolute favorite places in the world to enjoy craft beer. If you love beer and travel, make a note of these bucket list spots or come along on one of Owen's group beer trips.       BROUWERIJ 't IJ Amsterdam, Netherlands Back in 1991, when I first saw beer writer Michael Jackson's Discovery Channel special that features this Amsterdam brewpub, I knew I had to visit. I still feel excited each time I see the statuesque windmill and walk through the doors to the taproom. Started in 1985 by a famous Dutch folk musician who loved chemistry and brewing, the place was once a bathhouse with water pressure powered by the adjacent windmill. The name 't IJ comes from the river that runs just outside, but the name also sounds like "egg" in Dutch, thus the ostrich egg on the logos. Expect Belgian-styled beers like a Wit, Dubbel, Tripel and strong ales, with modern additions like IPAs, red ales and Bocks served alongside munchies such as nuts, dried sausages, and Dutch cheese cubes sprinkled with celery salt. The place is a brisk hike from central Amsterdam, but well worth the steps. Taster beer flights are available, and a second taproom has opened in the Vondelpark area of the city.       STONE WORLD BISTRO & GARDENS Escondido, California, USA Stone Brewing has been creating exceptional craft beers for years, and there's no better place to enjoy them than the breathtaking Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens - Escondido. The complex includes a massive bar area with a glass wall looking into the main brewery. Trees, boulders, wooden tables and a water feature surround the central bar, where the draft selection includes 36 taps, and the food menu is loaded with local, organic, farm-sourced cuisine. Step out into the beer garden area for more seating, a tranquil pond, boulder landscaping and a short nature trail. Leashed dogs are welcome in the one-acre beer garden. A second location exists in the form of Stone World Bistro & Gardens Liberty Station in San Diego. Both are "must-see" spots when visiting the area. The blurry photo occurred when Greg Koch, Stone Brewing's former co-owner, grabbed our camera for a group selfie when we visited him back in 2010.       SCHLENKERLA Bamberg, Germany Historic Bamberg ranks as one of the most scenic and iconic locales in all of Germany, and there's no better place to sip a bit of the city's history than the renowned Schlenkerla smoked beer brewery tavern in the heart of old town. Over the years, I've taken more than a hundred friends to Sclenkerla - many of whom thought they wouldn't like smoked beer (Rauchbier). Every single protester left Schlenkerla with a new love and appreciation of this classic lager style. Having the beer fresh from the brewery makes all the difference. Expect a dark Marzen-style brew made with malt that is smoked over a beechwood fire. The beer is served by gravity tap from wooden barrels hoisted to the top of the bar. The brewery also produces specialty smoked variations made with wheat, oak, and a high-gravity malt bill. The tavern houses several historic dining rooms, a central courtyard and a swag booth selling glassware, tin tackers, apparel and more. The pub opens early to allow loyal patrons to stop in for sausages, bread and a glass of Rauchbier on the way to work. Owner Matthias Trum is a wonderful friend of mine who has worked hard to preserve the history and charm of Schlenkerla.       BRICK STORE PUB Decatur, Georgia, USA 1997 saw the American craft beer movement just starting to take hold. Three buddies from Athens, Georgia (Dave Blanchard, Mike Gallagher and Tom Moore) had decided to open a specialty beer pub in a slightly run-down spot in downtown Decatur, and many people thought the three guys were crazy. It didn't take long for the Brick Store Pub to bring new life to the area and become established as one of the country's best craft beer destinations. The front door leads into the atmospheric and welcoming main bar that's loaded with delectable craft beers, while the stairs to the left of the bar take patrons to the gorgeous upstairs Belgian Bar that pours an exceptional range of hand-picked Belgian beers from taps and bottles. Across from the Belgian Bar, check out the pub's popular UK-themed cask ale bar. The kitchen rolls out a satisfying range of tasty pub grub to enjoy alongside your beer, and Brick Store recently expanded the outdoor seating space to the rear of the pub.       BRUGS BEERTJE Brugge, Belgium 't Brugs Beertje ranks as the best beer bar in the scenic, medieval town of Bruges. With over 300 Belgian beers and five taps, this cozy "brown café" features walls covered in antique beer tin tackers and memorabilia. My friend Daisy Claeys started the pub back in 1983 and became one of Belgium's most active craft beer advocates before retiring in 2017 and passing the pub on to her trusted co-owner and managers. Beer writer Michael Jackson filmed portions of his 1990 Discovery Channel "Beer Hunter" series in the pub, and craft beer tourists from around the world make the pilgrimage to Beertje to soak in the classic Belgian ales and warm atmosphere. If the small front parlor is full, a spacious back seating room awaits. Check the atypical opening hours before planning a day to visit the pub. When my Brewtopia tour groups visit Bruges, this pub has always been the favorite stop.       McMENAMINS EDGEFIELD Troutdale, Oregon, USA Located on a former farm and large poorhouse on 75 beautiful acres, this charming hotel complex is just a short ride east of Portland near the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. McMenamins Edgefield houses 100 cozy sleeping rooms decorated with folk art depicting elderly characters who lived and died there. Stroll the grounds to visit the brewery, brewpub, winery, distillery, heated mineral pool, herb garden, nine-hole golf course, movie theater, Jerry Garcia statue and a multitude of bars scattered around the property. The delousing shed is now a gift shop. The power station is now a brewpub. The trash-burning shed is now a cigar and cocktail bar. A storage cellar room has been converted into a Grateful Dead tribute bar. Tasty house-made beers include Terminator Stout, Hammerhead Ale, Ruby, Black Rabbit Porter and Sunflower IPA. If you find yourself in the Portland area, be sure to spend at least one night at Edgefield.       THE BELL INN Aldworth, Berkshire, UK My second favorite cask ale pub in England has to be a remote, rural pub to the west of London that was named the UK's 2020 "Pub of the Year" by the Campaign for Real Ale. The Bell Inn Aldworth has been in the same family for around 250 years and treasures its history, warm personality and unspoiled interior. The pub pours local cask beers from brewers such as West Berkshire Brewery, Arkell’s, Rebellion and Loose Cannon, with the simple food menu including house-made soups alongside mouth-watering crusty rolls filled with meat or cheese. The Bell is normally filled with locals who have always given me and other visiting strangers a warm welcome. The men's toilet is outdoors in a rustic shed with no roof, so guys can pee while gazing at the stars. Locals call it "the planetarium."       PROEFLOKAAL ARENDSNEST Amsterdam, Netherlands I simply love Amsterdam - the canals, architecture, art, progressive culture and pubs are so appealing. Imagine an Amsterdam beer pub that only serves craft beer made by the 400+ Dutch breweries. This pub actually exists and is known as Proeflokaal Arendsnest. Owned by my beer expert friend Peter van der Arend, Arendsnest is tucked away on a quiet street on the edge of central Amsterdam, offering a vast selection of craft beers from the Netherlands. It's a dream for Untappd patrons who will love ticking all the rare beers on draft and in bottles and cans. The place boasts a beautiful, welcoming atmosphere and amazing sausages and cheeses from the region. If the main bar area is packed, try the downstairs seating area. Peter van der Arend is pictured behind the bar in the photo.       PILSNER URQUELL BREWERY Pilsen (Plzeň), Czech Republic Czech Pilsner lagers originated at the Pilsner Urquell brewery in the mid-1800s, and even after all the years of political and ownership change, the brewery still produces the world's greatest Czech Premium Pale Lager. No true craft beer lover should miss the Pilsner Urquell tour that takes participants across the historic brewery campus and into three brewhouses from different centuries. The culmination of the visit is a tasting of unfiltered Pilsner Urquell beer in the icy, historic cellars. While most of the lager is now fermented in massive stainless steel tanks, the tour beer is fermented and matured in old, traditional, wooden vessels. This exceptional beer offers a huge depth of complexity from Moravian malt, spicy Czech Saaz hops and light notes of buttered toast from the malt and fermentation. When visiting the brewery, remember to grab some seats at Na Spilce, the brewery's lovely restaurant that offers beer and hearty Czech cuisine in the historic sandstone cellars.        SIERRA NEVADA BREWING COMPANY Mills River, North Carolina Yes, "Malt Disney World" does exist, and it's located in North Carolina. If you've made the pilgrimage to the gorgeous Sierra Nevada facility in Mills River, you know the awesome scope and appeal of the place. The brewery produces all the old favorites like Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Stout, Torpedo, Hazy Little Thing and Bigfoot Barleywine, with a load of exceptional brewery exclusives thrown in for fun. Be sure to try the unfiltered Pale Ale that's made with an added dose of Cascade hops. Take a detailed guided tour or a self-guided walk along the upper-level brewery catwalk and exhibition and be sure to check out the massive back patio and amphitheater. Sample mouth-watering menu items from the kitchen and purchase sampler trays to try all the beers. There's also a gift shop with tons of swag and beer to take home.        IN DE VREDE Westvleteren, Belgium Many people around the world consider the Trappist beers made by the monks of Saint-Sixtus Abbey of Westvleteren to be among the greatest ales ever brewed. To sample these amazing beers without paying the inflated prices of unauthorized resellers, you must visit the blissful café In de Vrede located just across the road from the abbey. The café and gift shop usually offer the Westvleteren Blond Ale, Westvleteren 8 and the extraordinary Westvleteren 12, served alongside sandwiches and small plates made from the abbey's own cheese. With an impressive complexity in aroma, flavor and mouthfeel, Westvleteren 12 is genuinely heavenly. A visit to this peaceful corner of Flanders makes for one of the greatest craft beer pilgrimages on the planet.       AYINGER BRÄUSTÜBERL Aying, Germany Just a 30-minute drive or train ride south of Munich brings visitors to the Ayinger Privatbrauerei, Aying Brewery Guesthouse Hotel and the brewery's wonderful Ayinger Bräustüberl beer hall restaurant. The hotel and beer hall are positioned across the street from each other in the center of the tiny, picturesque village of Aying, while the brewery is located just down the quiet road. In my opinion, Ayinger brews the greatest traditional beers in all of Germany, and the welcoming Bräustüberl makes the ideal place to enjoy the beers alongside a dish of hearty Bavarian fare. Beers include an exceptional Helles, Pilsner, Dunkel, wheat beer, malty Jahrhundert Bier and the amazing Celebrator Doppelbock. Sit inside to soak in the old-school Bavarian decor or grab a bench in the cozy beer garden. The hotel offers a more upscale restaurant and a variety of beautiful sleeping rooms.                               GALBRAITHS ALEHOUSE   Auckland, New Zealand From its striking façade to the warm, bustling bar pouring house-brewed cask ales, this Auckland landmark brewpub offers an experience unlike any other in the city. Housed in the lofty, historic Grafton library at the top of Mt. Eden Road, Galbraith’s Alehouse welcomes visitors with a relaxed atmosphere, hearty food, and world-class cask beer. Owner and brewer Keith Galbraith founded the Alehouse in 1995 with a mission: to bring traditional, old-world cask ales to New Zealand, where few were being produced. His dedication to heritage brewing techniques has earned the pub both local admiration and international acclaim. In fact, Galbraith’s beers have brought home multiple honors—most notably two gold medals and the trophy for World Champion Strong Dark Beer at the prestigious 2017 International Brewing Awards in Burton-on-Trent. With hand-crafted dishes rooted in pub traditions and pints that carry centuries of brewing history, Galbraith’s isn’t just a place to drink—it’s a destination for anyone who loves real ale and authentic hospitality.       CRAVEN ARMS PUB & CRUCK BARN Appletreewick, Yorkshire Dales, UK If you know me, you know that I love authentic cask ales in a beautiful pub in the UK. Craven Arms ranks as my favorite pub in England. Yorkshireman David Aynesworth and his son Robert bought a rundown pub on the side of a hill in the lovely Yorkshire Dales, removed the linoleum floors, fluorescent lights and 1970s wallpaper, taking the pub back to its 19th-century roots by installing stone floors, a rock fireplace, gas lights and historic decor. In 2006, Robert even built a replica of a medieval "cruck barn" behind the pub. With tree trunk trusswork, wool insulation, exterior heather roof thatch, and walls from stones found on-site, the Yorkshire Dales has not seen a new cruck barn since Henry VIII was alive and kicking. Craven Arms serves the best cask ales from the region, and the kitchen cranks out truly amazing dishes made from traditional recipes. Annual beer festivals and ferret races at the pub are popular with the locals. The group photo below was taken with David in his cask ale cellar during one of my Brewtopia group trips several years ago.       RUSSIAN RIVER BREWING COMPANY Santa Rosa, California If you ever have the opportunity to visit the quaint and cozy town of Santa Rosa, be sure to get in line at Russian River Brewing about 30 minutes before the doors open. This extremely popular brewpub is run by Vinnie Cilurzo, a former winemaker who transitioned to craft beer in the '90s. Vinnie's Pliny the Elder has achieved cult status and was one of the handful of potent, hoppy beers that created the style of Double IPA. Along with hoppy beers, Russian River also offers a range of funky, wild, barrel-aged beers such as Damnation, Temptation and Supplication. Sandwiches, pizza and calzones are on hand to enjoy alongside the exceptional beers. Russian River ranks as one of the greatest brewpubs in the world, and the owners have opened a beautiful second location in Windsor, California, that I have yet to visit.       CANTILLON GUEUZE BREWERY & MUSEUM Brussels, Belgium I still get chills every time I walk into Cantillon, and it's not because of the cool temperature of the brewery - it's because of the exceptional beer and atmosphere. This family brewery is also a historic museum, offering self-guided and expert-led walk-throughs, followed by a tasting of the brewery's flagship Lambics that offer a huge depth of complexity and pleasant acidity from wild fermentation and multi-year barrel-aging. After enjoying your tour samples, hang around in one of the two tasting parlors to purchase and sip bottles of some of Cantillon's rare fruited versions and specialty Lambics that are always on rotation. When sitting in the tasting area next to the old wood-burning stove, you'll feel as if you stepped back in time 100 years as you savor an ancient style of ale. A large bar has been added upstairs, and the downstairs gift counter sells t-shirts, souvenirs and bottles of Lambic to take home.       UERIGE BREWERY TAVERN Dusseldorf, Germany Just like the citizens of Cologne (Köln) Germany love golden Kölsch ale, folks who live a few miles away in Düsseldorf are fiercely loyal to Altbier. Amber to copper in color, Altbier is a historic German ale style that used to be consumed all around the region, until pale lagers became popular. Moderate malt richness is balanced by German hops, with some Altbiers ending sweeter, and others offering a more hoppy, bitter finish (like Uerige - my favorite). Like Kölsch, many Altbiers enjoy a cold lagering period that reduces fruity esters to low levels. Altbier offers 4.3–5.5% alcohol, a crisp, grainy malt character and a medium body. It's so enjoyable to wander the streets of Düsseldorf, visit all the Altbier taverns, drink lots of beer out of small cylindrical glasses, and compare the flavor nuances of different breweries. The Uerige brewery tavern ranks as my favorite place in Dusseldorf to enjoy flavorful Altbier and hearty German cuisine in a traditional setting.