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Great American Bicycling Beer Tour

Posted on 24. Feb, 2010 by Derrick.

Significant changes in life opens new doors and new open doors leads to interesting twists. Recently I’ve changed the direction in where my life was going. More to the point I’ve been fired, and instead of continuing my career I’ve decided to start new.

I’m now an hourly employee, working at one of Denver’s largest liquor stores. I’m their “beer guy”. I’ve got a resource of over 1000 beers to study, and a bunch more time on my hands. So to enhance the legitimacy of my endeavor I’ve decided to include a few things on my bicycling beer tour resume.

I want to become a certified Cicerone and certified beer judge from BJCP. For most of you that read my blog, this doesn’t mean shit, but to a few of you, you know that these carry a bit of weight. I’m hoping that this opens some doors while I’m making my visits that previously I wouldn’t get.

I’ve also started my donation page for Athletes for a cure. They are run by the Prostate Cancer Research foundation. I’m going to be bringing my fathers ashes with me and spreading them along the way. He passed away because of Prostate cancer and I want to try and raise $100k for the foundation. With 1 in 6 men being effected by Prostate cancer, awareness and money is going to go a long way to defeating this scary disease.

On to more practical matters. The actual rout and breweries I’m going to.

The Breweries. Originally I was going to avoid Sam Adams, but decided, what the hell. So I’m going to start the tour at Sam Adams and then head over to Harpoon brewery. After Amherst I’m going to be hitting  the Northampton Brewery, making my way up to Pittsfield Brew works then over to Brown’s Brewing co for our first stop in NY

The route. From what I can tell, the riding is going to beautiful, hilly, and winding. This is the second leg planned and has about 94 miles. I’m using a 100 mile block concept for legs of the tour. That way I can upload only sections to my GPS instead of trying to upload the entire route.

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Yikes 3,988 miles, give or take.

Posted on 10. Dec, 2009 by Derrick.

This time I’ll be ready!

Kinda…. Sorta…

I’ve got my first two stops planned in what is now being called “Great American Bicycling Beer Tour” Harpoon Brewery Kicks it off and 90 miles away we get to Amherst Brewery. And that’s as far as I got. Routing out of Boston is a pain in the ass. It took me roughly 2 hours in posting on forums, and reading about bicycle routs before I could call it a day.

I figured I’d look at all the beer mapping populated areas, and re-rout my original. I’ve since added about 900 miles, avoided Utah, added Northern Colorado, Oregon, and Northern Cali.  I’ve also added a portion of the PCH because, well, because I’ve always wanted to ride that part.

This new beta rout includes more beer, more miles, and more beautiful terrain.

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