Our Year in Beer - Top 5 Breweries of 2022!
What a year it’s been! Despite Morgan being pregnant for half of 2022, we were still able to hit 14 different states and experience tons of unique breweries this year. Without further ado, here are our top 5 breweries from the year (in no particular order).
Hop Atomica in Savannah, Georgia
The vibe of Hop Atomica feels as if you were on Sunset Boulevard in southern California. With its gold accents, marble bar top, and modern furnishings, you felt like a celebrity from the moment you stepped inside. To maintain this ambiance, the presentation of the way they serve their beer is something we’ve never encountered. Flights are served on a gold platter and certain beers are poured into stemmed glasses - but the real attraction is the food and spices they incorporate into their drafts. Whether it’s chili powder on the rim, fruit dropped into the beer, or our personal favorite - a scoop of ice cream with the Cookies ‘N Creme Stout poured over the top - this is a brewery that is all class!
Check out our full feature on Hop Atomica here.
Allagash Brewing Company in Portland, Maine
If you’ve never experienced the brewery scene in Maine, you are missing out - it rivals any state in the country from our perspective. Having visited Allagash once before, it was worth the drive back while on a Boston trip. The outdoor area is fantastic, with a wood timber framed bar, tons of seating, yard games, and multiple food trucks (seafood, of course!) spread out around the entire face and side of the building. Their Allagash White is probably our all-time favorite flagship beer, with a great mix of spices. We can only hope it will one day be distributed to Kansas! In true Maine form, Allagash also produces wild ales made in small batches that must be added to your list of future samplings.
Check out our full feature on Allagash here.
Gotahold Brewing in Eureka Springs, Arkansas
There’s just something about craft beer and the great outdoors that pair together perfectly. Gotahold is just outside of bustling downtown Eureka Springs, but one would think you were miles away from anything - the area behind the brewery is a literal forest! Complete with yard games, a food truck, a stage with live music, and even a mile-long walking trail, it is truly paradise. In addition to the atmosphere, Gotahold takes the prize as the best brewery for beer quality in 2022 for us. They have 10 beers on tap including IPAs, sours, stouts, and even a Helles. Everything we tried was top notch and could easily win a prize at a beer festival.
Check out our full feature on Gotahold here.
Breckenridge Brewery in Littleton, Colorado
Having tried multiple Breckenridge Brewing beers before, even we were blown away with the actual campus of a facility that they occupy. Their space includes multiple outdoor areas, a separate tour room, a restaurant / gift shop, and then of course the brewery, canning, and packaging buildings. If you make time to visit, the tour is a must. For just $4 a person they guide you on a 90-minute adventure, teaching you the brewing process, briefing you on their history, and providing behind-the-scenes exposure to their massive facility. To top it off, they provide you beer to drink during the walk, as well as a full flight waiting for you upon completion of your journey!
Check out our full feature on Breckenridge here.
KC Bier Co. in Kansas City, Missouri
Having lived in the Kansas City area for 7 years, we can’t believe it’s taken us this long to visit KC Bier Co - we’ve definitely been missing out! The outdoor space is huge and even has areas where you can bring your dog (perfect for Barley). The seating both indoors and out feature long tables, perfectly tying into their German bier hall feel. Speaking of German - all of their bier is brewed of traditional German styles! While we have been to a few places like this, none do it better than KC Bier. Their Hefeweizen is one of the top biers in all of Kansas City - we’ll be sure to be back in 2023!
Check out our full feature on KC Bier Co. here.
Photo by Mom+Camera Photography
We kicked off 2022 with a goal of launching our own beer blog and are excited to have made that a reality (and we featured 43 breweries in our first year alone)! Whether you’re with one of the breweries we’ve visited, you’re a fellow craft beer lover, you’re someone we’ve met throughout our brewery travels, or you’ve just stumbled upon us - we’re grateful that you’re here. We hope you’ll follow along with our brewery adventures (even with a baby in tow!) again in 2023.
Cheers!
