For some, travel is a mundane activity done to appease one’s masters at the office; for others, travel is purely about rest, relaxation, and escape. My kind of travel allots time to seek out the best malty refreshment and culinary delights each area has to offer. Having nearly 70 craft brewers in my Portland backyard never deters me from conquering new terrain, making my visit to Minneapolis and Denver over 10 days a delicious detour.

The week before Labor Day, I escaped Portland for Minneapolis. As soon as that plane hit the ground, I headed right to my old neighborhood in Northeast Minneapolis to visit the New Bohemia Wurst and Bier Haus. In addition to its 24 rotating taps and 40 bottled offerings, they also feature 18 sausage styles from Brats and Italians to Rattlesnake Rabbit Jalapeno sausage. My favorite beer samples included Indeed’s citrusy Shenanigans Summer Ale, New Holland’s bourbon barrel stout Dragon’s Milk, and Surly’sCynicAle, a Belgian Saison/Pale Ale. I’ll be sure to stop in again next time I’m in town.

Next up were two visits to the finest purveyor of cooked farm animals in town, Butcher and the Boar. Having one of the country’s best chefs, Jack Riebel (evidenced by their James Beard Award semifinalist designation), serving up delectations in one of its best restaurants, this place is not to be missed. Offering high-end cuisine, their famous whiskey drinks, a vast menu of offerings, plus 30 rotating taps of beer from all over the country (Lagunitas, Clown Shoes and Cigar City) were all on hand during my visits. I found it hard to leave their lush beer garden… and to make it back to the hotel without a bit of wobbling.

Arriving in Denver three days later, I stopped in at one of DIA’s two New Belgium watering holes, Spoke, located in the commuter terminal. I sampled their Pumpkick seasonal, which features a light-bodied pumpkin flavor and finishes with a tart cranberry kick. After spending a week in central Colorado, my brother and I visited three of Denver’s finest breweries before leaving town. First up was Boulder’s Avery Brewing, offering 20 fresh taps, with most of their libations leaning toward the Belgian style. Their menu is supplied by a caterer across the street, making the fare much finer than most pub grub. Highlights included their Kaiser Imperial Oktoberfest Lager, The Reverend Belgian Quadrupel, and Hog Heaven, a dry-hopped Barleywine. While my brother, the San Diego hophead, wasn’t quite astounded here, I found their selection quite savory.

Next, we ventured south to Denver, visiting the adventurous crew of the Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project. Located in a tiny industrial park unit, Crooked Stave creates big, wild yeast flavors, and while they only offer 4 taps, they keep the rotation fresh with 15-gallon kegs. I wasn’t astounded with some of their 100% Brettanomyces offerings on hand (very dry and too funky for my taste), yet they are constantly experimenting, generating Saisons aged in peach whiskey barrels and Baltic porters aged in Brandy and Cognac barrels, neither of which was available at the time. The St. Bretta Wit Bier, made with 100% Brettanomyces and blood oranges, brings a tasty zestfulness, and was my favorite of the 4 we tried.

Our last stop was the largest of the three, Great Divide, found in the Lo-Do district. Their taproom is a bit compact and directs its hungry to local food trucks often parked nearby – unusual on both counts considering the size of their operation. Yet what makes this an excellent stop is the variety they provide via 16 seasonal and year-round taps, plus the Public House vibe in the air. Highlights included the Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout and their whiskey barrel-aged Old Ruffian Barleywine. Let’s just say that our 30-minute jaunt to the airport, in rush hour traffic, was a little perilous.

Other than coping with the physical distress I put my body through after visiting 3 breweries within hours of descending 8,000 feet in elevation, the entire trip was a craft beer nerd’s dream. If only I could have had all the beers. Another time perhaps…