Best Countries to Visit as a Beer Lover

There are a few countries that every beer lover needs to have on their bucket list. Those are the countries in which beer making is an art form and that have a long and proud tradition of making and enjoying a beer.

Making such a trip is best done in your own car and with your own itinerary. That way you can make as many stops as you want and need to and explore each of these destinations in depth. You’ll need to obtain an international license and with it, you can rent a car and start your journey.

Germany

Germany is probably the center of the world for beer enthusiasts, with as many as 1300 different factories and the famous beer festival Octoberfest. This tradition is especially prominent in Bavaria and the rest of southern Germany which has had beer quality-related laws since the 16th century.

The minimum age for alcohol consumption in Germany is 14 and it’s allowed to drink on the streets or in public transport, so any beer lover will feel right at home. While in Munich, make sure to check out a tour of the world’s oldest still-running commercial brewery.

Ireland

Ireland has a long and rich history of beer manufacturing as well. There used to be as many as 200 factories in the 19th century and now there are only 25 of them. This doesn’t mean that the Irish have lost their taste for beer, however.

Metalman micro-factory located in Waterford should be a must-see for every beer lover. The beer produced here is sold only in barrels and only to pubs. Don’t be surprised that light beers such as Guinness aren’t that popular with the locals and that smaller brands of dark beer are more to everyone’s liking in Ireland.

The Czech Republic

Budweiser, Pilsner, Staropramen, and hundreds of smaller brands all originate in the Czech Republic. The history of beer production goes a long way back, with the first factory opened in 993 in Brenov.

Now, there are about 130 different breweries and most of them have tours for visitors if you want to get into the details of how your favorite brew is being made. There’s even a Beer Spa Bernard in Prague if you want a relaxing holiday with a beer manufacturing theme.

Belgium

Belgium is well known for its beer industry and it has as many as 1500 different brands of beer to choose from. Some of these have a long-standing tradition and others are known for their innovative approach and mixing matching different tastes and recipes. Some of the factories you’ll get to visit have been around since the middle ages.

The Delirium, a bar in Brussels holds a Guinness World Record as a bar that sells the most different brands of beer. Make sure to check it out and try just a few of the beers they offer. The service itself is one of a kind experience you’ll never forget.