Features
Beer by boat, and other adventuresome beer tours

Lace up your running shoes and brush up on your nautical terms: We found five beer-tasting adventures powered by five different modes of transportation.

By Graham Averill

By Boat: Schooner Woodwind, Annapolis, Md.

Hop on the 74-foot Schooner Woodwind (you’ve seen it in Wedding Crashers) to sample three beers from local breweries like Heavy Seas, Flying Dog and Tröegs. Hoist the sail, steer the boat, and catch the sunset over Annapolis’ skyline from the deck. $42; schoonerwoodwind.com

By Foot: Port City Running Tours, Portland, Maine

The “other Portland” is both a running paradise and a hub of craft beer. Combine the two and you get the Brewery Running Tour, a three-mile jog that hits mainstays like Shipyard Brewing and newcomers Rising Tide Brewing. $20; portcityrunningtours.com

By Bike: Beer Cycling, the Netherlands

Add this to your Life List: Pedal along canals and tulip fields in the three-day Taste of Holland tour. Each 30- to 40-mile day ends at beautifully Dutch breweries like De Molen (in an old windmill!) and Jopen (in an old church!). Cost varies; beercycling.com

By Bus: Brew Bus, Chicago

Hit the high notes of the Second City’s burgeoning beer scene (Chicago’s breweries are set to double in number next year) in true party bus style. You’ll learn about Chicago’s Prohibition and gangster past, and sample the goods at three breweries. $58; chicagobrewbus.com

By Rail: The Real Ale Train, Hampshire, England

Is there anything more English than drinking ale aboard a train breezing through rolling countryside? Highlights include copious amounts of tweed, the restored bar carriage that hosts the party, and the beer; choose from local breweries like Bowmans, Itchen Valley and Triple FFF. 14 pounds; watercressline.co.uk

Published March/April 2013
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