There are countless locations throughout the world that are iconic--recognizable instantly by anyone with even the most cursory global awareness--places like the Great Wall of China, the Eiffel Tower, and the Empire State Building. I would argue, too, that there are a comparable number of beverages that are equally symbolic and important: a frothy mug of cold beer, a glass of whisky, and even a piping cup of coffee. In some instances, the drinks and locations are indelibly linked--known worldwide not because of one or the other but rather the confluence of both; one comes to define the other because of the well-established association.
For my entry tonight, I was feeling a bit nostalgic and so I decided to take a look at the top ten iconic drink locations that I have visited and enjoyed the beverages or libations that are forever linked to them. Some are held close to my heart as much out of the sentimentality of the recollection; others are bucket list items--things that any drinker should hope to experience at least once before they disembark for the great beyond. My list is consequently limited to the places that I've been fortunate enough to visit and so there are still quite a number of spots and quaffs that I hope to visit and enjoy during my journey through this life. For the first time, I'm including and discussing drinks other than beer purely in the spirit of the list; some drink/location associations are too powerful to ignore!
#10 The Cuba Libre & Mojito at the Bacardi Distillery in Puerto Rico
The Mojito has enjoyed an enormous resurgence over the past few years as one of the go-to summer drinks at bars throughout the country; nearly every restaurant chain seems to offer at least one riff on the refreshing drink style. The Cuba Libre, in some ways, is akin to the Jack and Coke in that there is a very specific ingredient requirement in order for the drink to be authentic; using any brand other than Bacardi Superior and Jack Daniel's results in a rum and coke/whiskey and coke, respectively.In 2007, I was able to visit the Bacardi distillery in San Juan, Puerto Rico with my wife for her birthday. While there, we were treated to a few free drinks as well as a demonstration of how to make three of the brand's most iconic drinks, two of which were the Cuba Libre and Mojito. Being in a beautiful tropical locale, we found that nothing hit the spot quite like these two libations.
#09 Budweiser at the Brewery in St. Louis, Missouri
Budweiser is, without question, the most recognizable brand of beer in the United States if not the world; its ubiquitous red and white can might be nearly as familiar to Americans as the golden arches of McDonald's or the ears of Mickey Mouse. Love it or hate it, macrobrewed beer has been the foundation for beer drinkers across the country for the better part of the past sixteen decades with Anheuser-Busch leading the charge.
Being able to visit the enormous St. Louis facility is something that every beer fan should experience (as noted here). The only reason the Anheuser-Busch brewery experience comes in so low on my list here is that, although Budweiser is synonymous with American beer, I feel like St. Louis is not necessarily associated with the brand and brewer to the same degree or at least to a degree comparable to that of other breweries on my list. Regardless, it is, in a way, the Disney World of the macrobrew world and is worth visiting at least once.
#08 Molson/Moosehead in Canada
Back in 2006, after returning from our first 6,600 mile cross-country road trip, my wife Heather and I still had a fair amount of wanderlust. To appease it, we decided to take a brief extended weekend trip up to the Atlantic Provinces. While in Fredericton, New Brunswick, we visited a bar called Isaac's Way--one of the first ones that we had ever been to together. Unsure of what to drink while we were there, we looked up and saw the signs for Molson's and Moosehead (the latter of which was a brewery we would come to encounter later in the trip).Adopting the, "When in Rome" policy, we opted for the ubiquitous Canadian brews, enjoying the refreshing lagers as we discussed the excitement we felt about the awesome trips that we had taken and were then taking. For Americans, Molson is arguably the only beer that comes to mind when we think of our great neighbors to the north (though this is a terrible misconception, especially considering the awesome and ever-growing beer scene, particularly in Quebec and Ontario).
#07 Starbucks in Seattle/Coffee in Washington State
After driving an average of fifteen hours a day over the course of five days back in 2008, Heather and I had made it from Staten Island, New York all the way to Dawson Creek, British Columbia in an attempt to drive to Alaska along the Alaska Highway (a rough outline of the route). The next day, after an incredible sequence of events, we wound up turning back and decided to continue along with the rest of our trip rather than risk our safety in pursuit of the only state we haven't visited. A few days later, we passed through the border into Sumas, Washington; it was one of the biggest moments of relief I have ever experienced.
Given the proliferation of coffee shops throughout the country (and their purported affiliations with the Emerald City), it goes without saying that Seattle is synonymous with the bean. Starbucks is arguably the most famous brand but Seattle's Best has made a splash in recent years by teaming up with other, more well-known and well-established businesses like the Subway fast food chain.
#06 Having Sam Adams in Boston
Samuel Adams' Boston Lager is one of the few brews around that is as much about place as it is about beer. The world-famous microbrew is associated with the city of Boston as much as it is with the beginning of the microbrew movement of the later-Twentieth Century. Residents of Beantown take pride in their locally brewed beer and so it was an honor to be able to enjoy one at the Samuel Adams brewery in Jamaica Plains.
Samuel Adams' Boston Lager is one of the few brews around that is as much about place as it is about beer. The world-famous microbrew is associated with the city of Boston as much as it is with the beginning of the microbrew movement of the later-Twentieth Century. Residents of Beantown take pride in their locally brewed beer and so it was an honor to be able to enjoy one at the Samuel Adams brewery in Jamaica Plains.
#05 Coors Light in The Rocky Mountains
One of my most cherished road trip memories is getting to visit Colorado, in general, and Denver, in particular. My dad had moved out there towards the end of his twenties and he always shared stories of his time out there and of his westward trek that ultimately landed him in Denver. It was a journey I wanted to take, myself, since first hearing these tales and so when I was finally able to do so in 2006, it felt more like a pilgrimage than a simple drive.
After my first true near-death experience (the brakes went out on the car during a steep descent along Mt. Evans--one of the 14,000+ foot mountains in the Rockies), I found myself at the Coors Brewery in Golden, Colorado. It was my first brewery tour and it focused on the beer that I associate most with my dad; what more could I ask for? Enjoying an ice cold Coors Light at the brewery is one of the most important, sentimental beer moments I've ever had.
#04 Mai Tai in Hawai'i
My honeymoon to O'ahu and the Big Island of Hawai'i was the most exciting trip of my life. On our last night in paradise, my wife and I attended a luau. Unbeknownst to me, there were unlimited free Mai Tais included with the cost of admission. The sweet concoction was the perfect libation for a fun-filled evening that involved fire dancers, Kailua pork, and one very tender inebriated moment on the way back to the car...
One of my most cherished road trip memories is getting to visit Colorado, in general, and Denver, in particular. My dad had moved out there towards the end of his twenties and he always shared stories of his time out there and of his westward trek that ultimately landed him in Denver. It was a journey I wanted to take, myself, since first hearing these tales and so when I was finally able to do so in 2006, it felt more like a pilgrimage than a simple drive.
After my first true near-death experience (the brakes went out on the car during a steep descent along Mt. Evans--one of the 14,000+ foot mountains in the Rockies), I found myself at the Coors Brewery in Golden, Colorado. It was my first brewery tour and it focused on the beer that I associate most with my dad; what more could I ask for? Enjoying an ice cold Coors Light at the brewery is one of the most important, sentimental beer moments I've ever had.
#04 Mai Tai in Hawai'i
My honeymoon to O'ahu and the Big Island of Hawai'i was the most exciting trip of my life. On our last night in paradise, my wife and I attended a luau. Unbeknownst to me, there were unlimited free Mai Tais included with the cost of admission. The sweet concoction was the perfect libation for a fun-filled evening that involved fire dancers, Kailua pork, and one very tender inebriated moment on the way back to the car...
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| (I booked the honeymoon through Expedia) |
#03 A Beer & A Brat in Wisconsin
Few things go together as well as meat and beer. Last year on my first long road trip with my wife and son, we visited Milwaukee on our way to Minneapolis. While we were there, we were able to enjoy a baseball game at Miller Park. Though we missed out on taking part in the pre-game tailgating, we were able to indulge in some of Wisconsin's quintessential treats inside of the stadium. The first thing I did upon entering was locate the food vendor where I purchased an authentic Wisconsin brat. Since we had just come from the Water Street, Lakefront, and Sprecher breweries, I decided to pass on grabbing another beer. Still, I was able to enjoy the best of what Milwaukee had to offer in the same day. For an East Coast guy like me, it was a dream to do so in the great state of Wisconsin!
#02 Having a Margarita at Margaritaville in Key West
I think it's pretty safe to say that there is no drink more associated with a song than the margarita thanks to Jimmy Buffett. Immortalized in both song and location, the margarita will forever be linked both to Key West and to the utopian state of mind called Margaritaville. Fortunately, Mr. Buffett had the wherewithal to launch a successful dining and drinking venture off of the success of his song--a place that encapsulates perfectly the spirit of the eponymous ville of margaritas.
During my first road trip with my wife literally the day after we graduated from college, we headed down to Florida for ten days of excitement and adventure. One day, while staying at a timeshare in Weston, we decided to take a trip down to Key West. I had never been to Florida and so I decided that a trip to the southeasternmost point of the continental United States would be a great milestone for me to check off of my list. Using only a map in our atlas (if one can even recall such things being used), we made our way down to the very end of Route 1. We found a small parking lot and decided to explore what Key West had to offer. Ultimately, we found Margaritaville and decided that it would be fitting to enjoy the world-famous drink in its rightful location.
After leaving the restaurant, we strolled around for a bit and realized that the sun was about to set. For those who have never been, the summer sunset isn't just a daily event to be overlooked--it is a communal experience. People flock to the best locations available to watch the incredible explosion of colors in the sky as night overtakes the day, washing away the sun's golden glow and replacing it with the millions of glittering diamonds that shine down from the heavens. There was no place to park and so, for the only time that trip, I relinquished control of the car to Heather and she drove around the block while I tried to snag a few pictures of the glorious event. Just thinking about it is making me crave both another night in Key West and another margarita by way of Jimmy Buffett.
#01 Enjoying a Pint of Guinness at Temple Bar in Dublin
Guinness is not just a beer to me--it's part of my identity. Though Budweiser is associated with the United States, Molson with Canada, and Fosters with Australia, all three have other beers that could easily be substituted in (and all three countries have other beers that are more revered and enjoyed, nationally, than the aforementioned ones.) For the great nation of Ireland, though, nothing is more emblematic than Guinness. A pint of Guinness, itself, is such a powerful symbol that it is distinctly recognizable from other generic beer depictions.
Guinness represents camaraderie, devotion, quality, tradition, and myriad other elements that comprise the Irish (and Irish-American) identity. The Temple Bar region of Dublin, in turn, is a microcosm of the global drinking community given its quantity of pubs. No place is more recognizable than the eponymous Temple Bar pub (pictured at right).
Though the Perfect Pint that I poured at the Guinness Brewery is, without question, the most memorable pint that I have ever enjoyed, I would argue that the one I had at Temple Bar had the most sentimental value. I viewed my trip to Ireland as a pilgrimage of sorts--a cultural homecoming that culminated with that pint in that place.
Few things go together as well as meat and beer. Last year on my first long road trip with my wife and son, we visited Milwaukee on our way to Minneapolis. While we were there, we were able to enjoy a baseball game at Miller Park. Though we missed out on taking part in the pre-game tailgating, we were able to indulge in some of Wisconsin's quintessential treats inside of the stadium. The first thing I did upon entering was locate the food vendor where I purchased an authentic Wisconsin brat. Since we had just come from the Water Street, Lakefront, and Sprecher breweries, I decided to pass on grabbing another beer. Still, I was able to enjoy the best of what Milwaukee had to offer in the same day. For an East Coast guy like me, it was a dream to do so in the great state of Wisconsin!
#02 Having a Margarita at Margaritaville in Key West
I think it's pretty safe to say that there is no drink more associated with a song than the margarita thanks to Jimmy Buffett. Immortalized in both song and location, the margarita will forever be linked both to Key West and to the utopian state of mind called Margaritaville. Fortunately, Mr. Buffett had the wherewithal to launch a successful dining and drinking venture off of the success of his song--a place that encapsulates perfectly the spirit of the eponymous ville of margaritas.
After leaving the restaurant, we strolled around for a bit and realized that the sun was about to set. For those who have never been, the summer sunset isn't just a daily event to be overlooked--it is a communal experience. People flock to the best locations available to watch the incredible explosion of colors in the sky as night overtakes the day, washing away the sun's golden glow and replacing it with the millions of glittering diamonds that shine down from the heavens. There was no place to park and so, for the only time that trip, I relinquished control of the car to Heather and she drove around the block while I tried to snag a few pictures of the glorious event. Just thinking about it is making me crave both another night in Key West and another margarita by way of Jimmy Buffett.
#01 Enjoying a Pint of Guinness at Temple Bar in Dublin
Guinness is not just a beer to me--it's part of my identity. Though Budweiser is associated with the United States, Molson with Canada, and Fosters with Australia, all three have other beers that could easily be substituted in (and all three countries have other beers that are more revered and enjoyed, nationally, than the aforementioned ones.) For the great nation of Ireland, though, nothing is more emblematic than Guinness. A pint of Guinness, itself, is such a powerful symbol that it is distinctly recognizable from other generic beer depictions.
Guinness represents camaraderie, devotion, quality, tradition, and myriad other elements that comprise the Irish (and Irish-American) identity. The Temple Bar region of Dublin, in turn, is a microcosm of the global drinking community given its quantity of pubs. No place is more recognizable than the eponymous Temple Bar pub (pictured at right).Though the Perfect Pint that I poured at the Guinness Brewery is, without question, the most memorable pint that I have ever enjoyed, I would argue that the one I had at Temple Bar had the most sentimental value. I viewed my trip to Ireland as a pilgrimage of sorts--a cultural homecoming that culminated with that pint in that place.
So that's my list! Of course, as I mentioned before, there are still a number of drinking experiences that I have yet to enjoy, including attending an authentic Oktoberfest celebration, visiting an authentic Trappist brewery, visiting the Heineken brewery, and touring any number of West Coast breweries while sampling their tremendous IPAs. I'd love to know that your list consists of (or would consist of, if it's a "wish list" of places), so leave a comment and let me know!
Cheers!
Matt
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