For some, wine and beer are only drinks or add-ons to an experience, something to enjoy at the bar with friends or to add an extra flavor to an evening meal.
While for wine and beer lovers, and their number is not small, the flavors, style, and creation process are works of art.
There are many wine and beer festivals all over the world, attracting large crowds of wine and beer lovers.
These events, as well as regions noted for winemaking or beer brewing, attract both experts and curious from all over the world to come together to not only drink but also to learn and appreciate.
Wine and beer tourism is on the rise, so in order to be up to date, we will give you some useful pieces of information about the wine and beer travel scene, like the latest popular places.
Beer Festivals
You can choose from loud music and overflowed pitchers to a more quiet atmosphere with small glasses and people patiently lining up to sample a few ounces of a new craft brew.
The majority of them will most likely go somewhere in the middle, with a small lean toward the “party” side.
The breweries will set up booths and serve samples of their latest creations, and visitors may go from booth to booth tasting and enjoying.
Some more dedicated tasters may make notes on a paper, while others may memorize.
Whatever the setting, visitors will find plenty of beer, food, and an opportunity to hang out with other beer lovers.
Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it?
To name all of the must-see beer festivals, the list is far too long.
Visit Oktoberfest in Munich, go to the Bruges Beer Festival and try the best Belgians, hoist a few beers at the Great British Beer Festival, travel to Colorado for the Great American Beer Festival and its never-ending list of attending breweries, or visit the Qingdao International Beer Festival, Asia’s largest beer event.
Wine Destinations
Climate and soil are everything when it comes to wine destinations.
The grapes grow well in France‘s wine region, Northern Italy, or Napa Valley in California because the conditions are ideal.
Luckily for visitors, places with these conditions have a tendency of being very stunning.
The optimum climate tends to be dry and temperate, with ample weather windows for organizing visits.
Despite recent production declines, France remains the undisputed leader in the wine industry.
Bordeaux is perhaps the most popular region, not only for its wine production but also for the Cite de Vin, France’s top wine museum, where wine lovers can learn everything about wine and wine production.
While Bordeaux is a well-known wine region, France has outstanding wine regions not only in the south but also in the north.
Tuscany and Veneto are widely regarded as two of the best wine-producing regions in Italy.
However, wine businesses exist in many of the country’s remote locations, and you never know when you will come across a flavor that will stay with you for the rest of your life.
For those of you who want to tour the US, Napa Valley in Northern California is known for producing great cabernet sauvignon and other varieties.
California
We want to pay special attention to the Golden State because it is the wine capital of the US.
Whether it is a sampling craft beer and wine at Trump National in Los Angeles, trying an IPA in San Francisco, or going on a wine tour in Napa Valley, California surely has a lot to offer.
We recommend driving up the coast of California from San Diego to Wine Country, stopping at festivals and vineyards along the way.
This is a wonderful trip for someone who likes both wine and beer and wants to do some exploring.
Why Go?
So, why go on a wine or beer trip?
The journey gives you a chance to discover a world that goes far beyond your kitchen table or bar stool.
It is an opportunity to learn new things and try flavors you may not have tried otherwise.
You can also visit a region or city that has always piqued your interest.
What better way to explore the South of France than to hop from winery to winery in-between day excursions to the beach?
Long story short, wine and beer can open doors to new adventures.
Plus, you can meet people from a whole new community.
You might be amazed by the folks you meet during a beer festival.
Perhaps you will make plans to see them at another one in another city.
For many people, making and enjoying wine and beer is a passion.
And when like-minded people get together, good friends are quite often made.
