What is it about beer that makes it so dang good?
Sure, yeast, hops, and alcohol create a winning combination that initially dazzles the tastebuds and keeps people coming back for more. However, to me beer possesses an intangible quality even more savory than that. There’s something about the communal nature of beer—something about the way it is intended to be celebrated, discussed, and shared—that makes it taste rich like the conversation and sweet like the friendship it often accompanies.
Interestingly, beer dates back to some of the most notable cultures of the ancient world and survives as one of the oldest drinks humans have produced. Indeed, the earliest beer dates back to at least the fifth millennium BC and was also documented in a variety of ancient Egyptian and Mesopotamian historical artifacts.
As humans have continued to evolve, so has our relationship with beer. Since the start of the Industrial Revolution many countries have maintained proud brewing legacies that have come to define time, culture, and tradition. Countries like Germany, Belgium, Austria, Ireland, and England have particularly strong traditions, each with its own history, characteristic brewing methods, and unique styles of beer that have come to embody identity, community, and national pride. Every country approaches this process in a slightly different way and thus brings an inherent beauty and variety to the global art that is brewing.
When Cam and I first moved to Minnesota we knew next to no one. We found a place to live, unpacked our belongings, and adjusted to the new structures and routines that came to define daily life. Sure, we explored major landmarks and recommended restaurants, but we still found ourselves a bit “stuck” when it came to truly familiarizing ourselves with a new city.
That’s when we found Pub Pass.
Pub Pass defines itself as “America’s Favorite Craft Beer Passport.” Essentially, it is a small, travel document-sized portfolio that serves as an invaluable ticket to the craft beer scene in your neck of the woods. But it is so much more than that.
So how does it work? Every year Pub Pass curates a list of 25 bars and breweries in your area. You order the booklet online and pay a one-time fee of $25.00. Once it arrives, you have a year to use your passport to explore new and favorite beer haunts around town, all the while enjoying your “free” 25 $1 beers, broadening your craft beer flavor palate, and shaking up your routine throughout the process.
Amazed? So were we! It almost seems too good to be true.
Cam and I ordered our first set of Pub Passes in October of 2018, determined to visit as many locations as possible during the final three months of the year. Throughout our quest we discovered hidden gems in the West Metro, drove into the heart of downtown Minneapolis, crossed the river to explore St. Paul, and lost ourselves in the vibrant eclectic pulse that is Uptown. We never traveled far, but our adventures always took us to new locations, most often places we had never even heard of before. We sampled stouts, IPAs, lagers, and ambers, sometimes with friends and often as a duo, all the while mingling with locals and familiarizing ourselves with new parts of the cities that we had come to call home.
The beauty of Pub Pass is that it truly has something for everyone. Your initial cost is marginal to almost non-existent[1], and your return on investment is both significant and multi-faceted. Local brews your thing? You’re in business. More a fan of traditional American staples? Those are on tap as well. Looking to explore something fresh, fun, and funky like Surly’s “Naked and Afraid” (a mosaic dry hopped tropical ale) or Modist’s “Fruit City” (an apricot and peach-forward sour ale)? Pub Pass has your back[2]. Indeed, in addition to discovering favorite new hotspots, Pub Pass encourages beer lovers (and “beer ambivalents[3]”) alike to sample new brews in an extremely experimental, risk-free way.
In addition to having the opportunity to sample a plethora of new brews, Pub Pass naturally encourages participants to pursue small-scale exploration and embark on local adventure[4]. I strongly believe the best way to get to know Minnesota—or the Twin Cities, at least—is through biking and beer. The metro area is home to over 56 craft breweries and seemingly endless miles of impossibly breathtaking nature-lined trails. Cam and I made a point to embrace these assets and slowly (but steadily) familiarized ourselves with this new territory, one brewery and bike path at a time. Little did we know, choosing to order our Pub Passes was one of the best decisions we could have made in those first couple months of living in a new city: They forced us out of our comfort zones and launched us into the heartbeat of local life.
As if this weren’t enough, Pub Pass also offers an easy, guilt-free way to approach together time and construct maintenance-free social plans. Have you reached the end of a long work week and wanted to go out but didn’t have the energy necessary to plan a fun evening[5]? Pub Pass to the rescue! Cam and I have spent many a weekend hopping from one brewery to the next, mapping out an “itinerary” of sorts with friends and following the pre-constructed trail to great beer and exciting new destinations.
Ultimately, the true beauty of Pub Pass lies in its minimal cost and maximum value to effectively address a wide variety of goals, purposes, and intentions. As Cam and I ring in the new year we are now on our third set of booklets, and while some of the 25 locations inevitably remain the same, the passports continue to serve as an invaluable way to discover exciting new local treasures, widen our beer experiences, and expand our flavor profiles. We all look for a little more pizzazz and adventure in our lives, and Pub Pass serves as the perfect reminder that we don’t have to travel far or spend a lot of money in order to find moments of discovery and adventure in our own backyards.
To a year of good beer, great people, and lively adventure.
Cheers!
[1] Even though you pay for your Pub Pass, there certainly comes a point when you start to view your beers as “free.” True? Not entirely. (But also kind of based on what people charge for beer these days.) Regardless, it’s magical.
[2] Hmm… Does this taste like honey? I do believe I detected notes of “apricot.” (Apparently when I drink new beer I develop a refined, highly discerning palate that I articulate in a flawless British accent…Naturally.)
[3] You know who you are.
[4] Note that while I’m speaking specifically to my experience in Minnesota, Pub Pass is also currently offered in Boulder, Brooklyn, Denver, Kansas City, Madison, Milwaukee, Phoenix, South Florida, St. Louis, Tampa/St. Pete, and Washington D.C. Pretty nifty!
[5] A truer rhetorical question doesn’t exist.
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