The Ultimate Beer Road Trip, Featuring Some Of America's Top Lagers
Toasting some good beers.
There's something undeniably right about hitting the open road in search of a perfect pint. The hum of the tires, the shift of the sun across the sky, and the promise of cold lager waiting at the end—it's as American as it gets. Craft breweries across the country are quietly redefining what lager can be, reviving old-world techniques with new-world swagger. And the best way to taste these brews? Right where they're made.
Road-tripping to a brewery that takes its lager seriously is about more than just drinking—it's about meeting the people who pour heart and hustle into every batch. It's about slowing down, unplugging, and rewarding yourself with a beer brewed with purpose. Whether it's a pilsner pulled fresh in Paso Robles or a crisp cold one in Chicago's gritty north side, the journey is part of the reward. Lager is back and it's calling you to the road.
Here are five spots you can point the car towards to enjoy fantastic lagers. Four recently won major accolades for their beers, and the fifth, an award-winner, is a personal favorite. Cheers!
Located in the heart of Vermont's Northeast Kingdom just below the Canadian border, Hill Farmstead Brewery has garnered international acclaim since its founding in 2010. That's due to its almost fanatical focus on quality, which is a direct result of its small-batch brewing mentality. Every beer they produce is a work of art that often isn't replicated after the tap runs dry. A visit to the brewery is a must for any serious beer lover.
Luckily, Marie, an unfiltered German-style helles lager, named after founder Shaun Hill's maternal great-grandmother, is often on tap at the idyllically situated brewery. A lightly hazy and naturally carbonated brew, it is crisp and slightly fruity, perfect for long summer days. The drinkers on Untappd, the crowd-sourced ratings platform, love the beer, awarding it a 4.09 with over 13,000 ratings, one of its highest ratings for all lagers. Since Hill Farmstead has refused to change its mission from day one, the brewery still only offers its beers in a limited release footprint, so the best way to enjoy one is to visit. Just be sure to plan ahead, their tasting room is only open Wednesday to Saturday from 11:30-5:00, and make sure you leave some room in your luggage to stock up.
Sometimes, it's not just the beer that makes a brewery great; it's the people. That is certainly the case at Free Roam Brewing Company, located in the heart of Texas Hill Country. Founded in 2020 by three-time World Series Champion Pitcher Jeremy Affeldt and award-winning brewmaster Jaron Shepard, it is a microbrewery dedicated to crafting brews that blend West Coast brewing excellence with a streak of Texan independence.
Their brewing excellence is on full display in 40 Mike Mike. This Texas-style bock took home the gold medal in the American-style amber lager category at the 2025 World Beer Cup. Brewed as a tribute to America's veterans, it is a full-flavored beer that nicely balances the maltiness that bocks are known for with a hint of hoppiness. Located in the town of Boerne, just outside San Antonio, home of the Alamo, the brewery offers visitors a large outdoor beer garden to relax in with a fresh brew while you hang with the characters that swing by the brewery. The chances are good that Affeldt may be there and can tell you tales about his time with the San Francisco Giants.
If you love great Mexican food and fantastic beer, you need to add a trip to San Diego to your wish list. The city has long been known for its high-powered craft brewing scene, so there is no shortage of amazing breweries in town, but one of the more interesting is Puesto Cervecerìa. It is the brewing arm of Puesto, a homegrown chain of Mexican restaurants known for their inventive takes on tacos, enchiladas, and other south-of-the-border street food.
It only makes sense that their brewery would create a lineup of beers that offer a West Coast upgrade to traditional Mexican beer recipes. Their Negra took home a gold medal at the 2024 Great American Beer Festival in the International Dark Lager category. A dark Mexican lager, it has rich malty flavors that are balanced against a nutty sweetness. There is no better way to enjoy it than sitting at the bar at one of their eight locations while scarfing down some of their great food after a day at the beach.
If you want to experience the soul of American brewing at its finest, go to Revolution Brewing in Chicago and order a Cold Time Lager. It's more than just a beer—it's a love letter to precision, patience, and Midwestern pride. Revolution has long been known for its bold IPAs and barrel-aged monsters, but Cold Time is where they flex their technical chops with quiet confidence. The beer is loved by many and was named the Best American Style Lager at the 2024 World Beer Championships.
This isn't a flashy brew. At 4.8% ABV, it's humble, but don't mistake that for boring. Brewed with Great Lakes water, Midwest barley, Mexican lager yeast, and a whisper of German hops, Cold Time is as honest and hardworking as the city it's brewed in. Four weeks of cold fermentation yield a crisp, balanced, and clean beer to make you appreciate what lager is supposed to be. Pull up a seat in their Avondale taproom. Let the noise fade. This is beer made right.
Over a decade and a half ago, I made the first of many visits to Firestone Walker Brewing Company. From the get-go, I knew the place was something special. Founded in 1996 by brothers-in-law Adam Firestone and David Walker, it has consistently been recognized as one of California's leading craft breweries. From their iconic IPAs to stunning barrel-aged and wild beers, they have helped to set the standard for beer. But it's their Pivo Pils that truly showcases their technical prowess.
The beer is a harmonious blend of tradition and innovation, drawing inspiration from the classic German pilsner while infusing a modern twist. Pivo's bold embrace of dry hopping, a technique more commonly associated with ales, sets it apart. By incorporating German Saphir hops, the beer exudes floral aromatics, spicy herbal nuances, and lemongrass and bergamot zest notes. Whether you're a devotee of lagers or an aficionado of hoppy ales, Pivo Pils offers a refreshing perspective on what a pilsner can be when boundaries are pushed. There is no better place to enjoy one than at their expansive tasting room in Paso Robles in the heart of California's Central Valley. You can take your time sampling all their brews after a day touring the surrounding wine country. Just make sure to take an Uber, they pour a ton of brews.
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