Image: Flickr
If there’s anything that San Diegans love more than outdoor adventures, it’s craft beer. With perfect weather year-round, every weekend is the perfect opportunity for a road trip and no road trip is complete without some liquid refreshment at the end of it (stay classy - no drinking and driving).
Unfortunately, there are fewer disappointments more epic than cracking open a delicious beer at the end of a long drive and encountering a warm or skunked brew. Oh, the humanity! However, there are ways to avoid this tragedy. We’re here to let you in on some craft beer secrets – what are some beers that travel well on long road trips?
First off – the container. Beer growlers most often hold 64 fluid oz. of delicious beer and generally are made of brown glass or stainless steel. “Why aren’t they in clear glass containers?” you may ask. Well, it’s no industry secret that clear glass ruins beer by letting in light and UV rays, which - science-science-science – makes it taste awful. If you care even the tiniest shred about how your beer tastes, avoid light or clear glass bottles (even if you aren’t going on a road trip). Growlers are fantastic for road trips because they hold more beer in fewer containers for economical traveling! However, if you’re heading to a beach or public area that doesn’t allow glass bottles, be sure to opt for aluminum cans instead.
Image: Wikimedia
Next up – the style! Here in San Diego, we take our hops pretty seriously. West Coast Pale Ales and India Pale Ales tend to be reserved for serious hopheads only and thrive in the beer-drinking community of Southern California. However, there’s more to this phenomenon than just a cultural tendency to hop large or go home. IPAs were invented to survive long voyages at sea, and while true beer geeks – ahem, historians – will be all too glad to start a debate on the origins of IPA, we find it’s best to skip the lesson and just bottoms up with a delightfully hoppy and long-lasting brew after your drive.
Since San Diego is home to some of the world’s best IPAs and Pale Ales, allow us to suggest some of our favorites. Alpine Brewing’s Duet or Exponential Hoppiness (if you can get them) are perfect rewards after a long day of traveling, and Green Flash’s West Coast IPA, Stone Brewing’s Ruination IPA, Ballast Point’s Sculpin IPA, or Port Brewing’s Mongo IIPA (Double IPA) are excellent choices as well.
Finally, while letting your beer get warm for a short while has been decisively proven NOT to affect the flavor, if you’re going on a multi-day road trip, keep the temperature as stable as possible to minimize the risk of off-flavors.
Long story long, any beer can survive a road trip under the proper conditions. With minimum effort (and by avoiding light-colored beer containers), you’re practically guaranteed a successful reward at the end of your journey!
While ensuring that your brewskis survive the road trip in tip top condition is an essential part of any journey, let’s not forget the vehicle itself. Before every road trip from San Diego (or anywhere), make sure to check your car’s fluids, tire pressure, filters, and all of the important components to guarantee a safe and fun trip. If you need an oil change, new tires, or just a check-up before hitting the road, head over to Convoy Auto Repair for some TLC for your car! Schedule an appointment today or call 858-560-9131 for the best tips and advice for your car.