Meet the Brews Travelers, On a Mission to Hit 365 Breweries in 365 Days

Any craft beer lover would probably admit that, at one point or another, they’ve dreamed of traveling the country at length to visit as many breweries as they could squeeze into their schedules. For Dallas, Texas-based craft beer enthusiasts Michael Roberts and Brandon Wurtz, that dream has become a reality since they started their yearlong, cross-country brewcation at the beginning of this year as the Brews Travelers 365.

Before foolhardy road trip images begin flooding your mind, know that the Brews Travelers have a mission beyond simply enjoying the magnitude of beers they’ll encounter along the way–their goal is to help put smaller breweries on the map, literally, and highlight the amazing growth of craft beer throughout the United States. It’s not just enough to focus on the big players; the two are determined to hit as many small, regional breweries as they can to get a real feel for beer styles and trends across the country. Part of their journey involves sharing the spoils they collect along the way, trading beer they’ve picked up from one region with brewers in another state and repeating the process as they move on. Beer is communal and it helps bring people together, and it’s the travelers’ mission to ensure their actions reinforce the spirit of craft beer itself.

, Meet the Brews Travelers, On a Mission to Hit 365 Breweries in 365 DaysOne look at their extensive and detailed brewery route that represents more than a year of planning and the amazing amount of content they’ve been able to generate so far will prove just how serious these guys are about their mission. After traversing 16 states, they’ve already visited 114 different breweries (& counting), breaking their own goal of hitting, on average, one brewery every day. Along the way, they rely on the generosity of family, old friends, new acquaintances, and beer lovers they meet to host them, interspersed with camping and nights spent in their beer-filled van.

Now I’m moving aside to let the guys give you the real and uncensored scoop behind their year-long journey.

Describe your mission in your own words. Why are you taking this trip now, what does it mean to both of you, and what do you hope it will do for the craft beer industry?

 

Roberts: Our mission is quite simple–visit at least 365 breweries in 365 days in a selfish indulgence of awesomeness, while at the same time promoting each of the breweries we go to as an appreciation for them putting up with us. We both love craft beer and felt this was the perfect time for an absurd trip like this. I just turned 30, and Brandon just turned 29, so we wanted to take the trip now before we get too deep with mortgages and jobs and marriages and other lame adult stuff. We hope that through our social media, website, and all of our shenanigans that smaller, more localized breweries will get attention on the other side of the country where they might not otherwise be known. At the same time, we feel it is important to visit some of the larger craft breweries too, in order to show a more complete look into the industry as a whole.

 

Wurtz: Our mission is essentially two-fold. First, I am getting a completely unique experience from this trip. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see this beautiful country and meet great people and make human connections everywhere. After a few unfulfilling years in the real world with a corporate job, I had saved up some money and jumped on this opportunity. This may not be the most financially responsible decision I’ve ever made, but it will be the most worthwhile, something I will always look back upon with fondness. What good is having money in the bank if you aren’t happy? Life is for living.

Secondly, I hope this trip will draw some more attention to the craft beer industry, especially the newer, more regional/community-oriented breweries. If even just a handful of people find the information from our blog informative or worthwhile, or take inspiration from our journey to have an adventure of their own–even if they just find some joy living vicariously–I’ll consider that a victory.

 

, Meet the Brews Travelers, On a Mission to Hit 365 Breweries in 365 DaysWhat’s your best response to someone who thinks you’re crazy for making this trip? On the flip side, when do you think you’ll get some groupies?

 

Wurtz: Ultimately, those people are correct. You would have to be just a little crazy to do this, right? I think some people looked down on the idea, thinking it was just going to be some drunk fest. We drink very small quantities on our visits and make sure to drive only when sober–whatever it takes. 

Roberts:I am absolutely crazy and you should try it out sometime because it’s fantastic. We’ve had a few people reach out to us and have had the opportunity to meet a few of them at this point. We also have every intention of meeting up with more, so if you count them as groupies, we already have some!

How long (really) did it take to plan the trip? Have you had any real roadblocks? Do you think you’ll be able to stay on track for the entire year? 

Roberts: I came up with the idea over Christmas break of 2012 and pitched it to Brandon on Christmas Day. After he told me that it was idiotic and he was all in, we started planning, mapping, and saving, so it took almost exactly one full year. We had to stay in Atlanta for a few extra days during Icepocalypse 2.0 and unfortunately cancel plans with some of the breweries, as well as reschedule Bluejacket when we were in DC due to 6 inches of snow, but we haven’t really run into any major roadblocks yet. *knocks on wood*

Wurtz: When he told me the idea, I believe my response was promptly, “that’s crazy….I’m in!” We then talked into the wee hours of the morning hashing out ideas. Planning began pretty much right away–researching breweries, looking at advice of how to survive on the road (showering, boondocking, and camping strategies), and compiling lists of where we would like to go.

I definitely think we will be able to stay on track. We will roll with the punches and push through, whatever obstacles are thrown in our path. That said, we really need the van to hold up–issues with our transportation could be incredibly detrimental. As we have picked up some attention, we have had many people reach out to invite us to their brewery. We try to be as accommodating as possible but sometimes a brewery is just too far out of our path to work into the schedule. I’m trying to get better at accepting the fact that we can’t do everything. 

 

, Meet the Brews Travelers, On a Mission to Hit 365 Breweries in 365 DaysWhat were your reservations/hesitations about setting off on this journey, and what would have been good to know before you set out that you know now? 

Roberts:The only real hesitation (other than unadulterated anxiety about taking on such a large task) was the thought of being away from family and friends for so long. It would have been good to know that this winter was going to be a ravenous beast with ice rabies, but we’ve managed… so far…

Wurtz: My main reservation was just not knowing how accommodating breweries would be – that they perhaps wouldn’t support our mission. Especially in the south, where many breweries don’t have tap room hours and rely solely on weekly tours, we took a chance that they would open their doors to us when they weren’t open. We were overwhelmed in that regard and each and every brewery has been supportive and hospitable.

As far as what would have been good to know before leaving: I wish I had gotten more involved in Couchsufers. It is an amazing resource that we neglected to utilize for the first couple months. It is so great that people are willing/able to open their homes to strangers. Couchsurfing has certainly made for some great conversations with new friends and I definitely plan to pay back the hospitality we have received by hosting travelers when we get back, wherever I end up. 

 

What’s the coolest experience you’ve had so far (or the top few) that have further validated this trip? Best beers you’ve sampled/breweries you want to shout-out to?

Roberts: All of them. Seriously. Every single day we have experiences with amazing people, good beer, and get to see parts of the country I’ve never seen before. Getting to be at the filming of Brew Dogs when we went to Fullsteam in NC and helping Burley Oak mash-in one morning were both pretty sweet occasions, though.

Wurtz: I have really cherished every day and every experience. I will say, we must have planned well because we have yet to have a bad beer–really just a scale from solid to exceptional. Special shout out to our local Dallas breweries, even the ones we didn’t officially visit at the start. Support local!

 

, Meet the Brews Travelers, On a Mission to Hit 365 Breweries in 365 DaysHave you noticed anything significant about regional brewing trends, different approaches by state?

 

Wurtz: We have definitely run across a lot of breweries that are trying to create beers with a sense of place–terroir if you will–by utilizing locally sourced ingredients. It’s great to see that sense of sustainability spread throughout the craft beer culture.

Roberts:The craft brewing industry is absolutely amazing and unlike any other industry that I know of. All of the people in it are overwhelmingly nice and seem to all go above and beyond what they’re paid to do–even helping out their competition. Also, hops and brewing equipment are apparently very hard to get right now; we’ve heard that across the board. Oh, and it seems like you can’t be a brewer unless you have a beard…

What is the most rewarding part of this experience so far? How do you think you’ll feel after it’s all over? 

 

Wurtz: The most rewarding part of the experience is by a wide margin the people. We have gotten to meet so many amazing people making great beer (or just enjoying it). It is nice to get to try so many excellent beers but, for me, it is really more about the stories behind them–the human aspect.

Roberts:We reach out to every brewery we intend to visit beforehand to set up an appointment, and every single one has welcomed us with open arms. They go out of their way to make sure we have a great time during our visit and I always feel like I am not able to show enough gratitude. Most of them reach out to let us know that they like and appreciate our articles after we post them, too, which definitely feels good.

I have no idea how I’ll feel after it’s all over. There will probably be a year-long hangover, followed by irrational thoughts of planning another trip…

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