How Beer Has Made Me a Better Traveler

The glass is clear, so clear that the tiny bubbles that are rising through the golden brown liquid can be counted. As each bubble rises it journies to top where it finally meets a large foamy cream. You grasp your hand around the pint and slowly bring it to your lips as you grab a whiff of the nutty, oaky, malty smell as your nose dips its way into the opening of the glass. As the cool foam touches you lips, the cool liquid exudes flavors of sweetness and bitterness and a crisp cool ahhh sensation. That is the experience of a beer.

I love beer, but not because of it’s wonderful rich flavor, or the fact that it is a great way to waste time. I love beer because beer has made me a better traveler.

No I am not grasping at straws here. Let me expalin a bit more. You probably know from your past experiences yourself, beer helps bring people together, It can be a great conversation starter to get information and It has character that can tell a story. But like all great things it also has it’s faults as well. Really hear me out here.

Inhabitions go away

Beer makes it easier to meet people. In a world where we always have walls up, we are consistanly editing our own thoughts and the words that we might say. The consistent want to respect people’s personal space makes it hard to just say to what you want to say. I am not talking about telling some guy that he has a big nose and that his clothes smell like a stinky socks left out for months. What I am trying to say is not trying to offend someone just by saying a simple hello with out over-editing before hand.

It is a given. When we get drunk we tend to relax a bit more, and thoughts flow a bit more, (or not so much). We roll with it rather than over thinking situations. It makes it easier to say “Hey, I love that jacket, where did you get it?” without editing how you are going ot say it before hand. With a brew in hand and a few in the stomach all that extra thinking goes away. You can just say what you really want.

Beer Talk

Finding things in common with people is key. This is especially the case when traveling. As human beings we are social “animals”, wanting to be with people we can bond with based on the same beliefs, values and interests similar to our own. I mentioned this in story about meeting Claudia.

Beer can be that bridge. Just sitting in a pub and asking someone what htey are drinking and asking how they enjoy their beer can just open a line of communication. That can lead to matching or not matching your tastes and preferences of beers. It starts a common ground of interest. At least this is true for a beer lovers, as myself and many others in the world.

Suggestions to help with cultivating this interest. talk about what flavors your prefer. Do you like sweeter beers? Do you like bitter beers? Do you like it dry, dark, light, heavy, warm, cold? What are some of your other favorite beers that you have tasted?

I find that some of these topics start off a great conversation that eventually leads to other conversations like work, family; and god forbid, politics.

Insider Information

Okay after so much drinking and talking to strangers… locals in a pub. I always get to know more about the city/town I am visiting. Yes you could always consult lonely planet guide book or check out yelp, but there is something more genuine about hearing it straight from the horses mouth. (Not trying to call locals horses or anything.)

After bonding with someone over beer, that is when the best advice given. My visit through British Columbia while brew/pub hopping was filled with advice from the locals I meet. Without that advice I would have not known where to set up for firework displays, checked out a lake monster or fidn out about other places to enjoy a good brew.

Beer Has Character

From one brewery to another, each has their own distinct taste. This is especially the case when it comes to different regions and countries. I can tell you a stout from Bali is different than a stout from Dublin. A Hite from South Korea is nothing like a Sour Beer from Sonoma County. (Yeah Apples and…)

What I have found is that each country and state have their distinct characteristic that tells you about the culture in the area. For example Sonoma County, known for it’s wineries, has taken in and embraced that wine culture into their beer with Sour beers, that are brewed in wine barrels. It gives a distinct taste.

Korea has a very lite beer, crisp but not heavy. A lot of businesses are done over drinking in Korea. Too heavy of a beer and the business deal can go wrong.

British Columbia is teaming with high prices of beer to help pay for their universal healthcare. That is why there are lot of homebrewing and craft brews that have come out of the area.

And Red Horse from Philippines? I dont know what that tells you about them. Big bottle and high alcohol content? (I can speculate but I won’t.)

What it comes down to, each beer has a characterist that tells you a story about the people and culture from that region. Tasting beer from around the world opens your mind to knowing so much more about he world.
Drawbacks of Beer
Nothing amazing does not come without drawbacks. Beer included. Beer has it’s problems all over the world. Price is one of the biggest offset I can think of.

When traveling on a budget, the price of beer can start to add up. One turns into 2 then 3 and then 6 (at least for me). The cost starts adding up from $4 and now $24. To prevent from this occurring drink slowly and enjoy each sip taken.

Of course one of the biggest drawbacks is gettign too drunk and forgetting things. I am not talking about leaving your glass slipper behind accidently at the bar. I mean forgetting about safety or where you hotel is. Take a business card of where you are staying with you and stick it in yoru wallet and another in your pocket. When you go to pay you can be reminded to have the bartender to call you cab to get to the hotel on the card.

Drunken people at times can be very heated and at rare times lead to violent tendancies. Some people take those voilent tendancies home and out on their family. This is not a good thing, no matter where you are in the world. That is why for my upcoming project I will be donating all extra money raise to Battered Women’s shelter for our Beer Travel eBook. Helping those survivors just seems the right thing to do.

Conclusion

From Korea, Bali, Colombia, Argentina and Canada, beer has helped me become a better traveler. It has helped me become more aware, helped me find out a character of a country, and allowed me to talk and learn more about the locals. The biggest question is now, what is YOUR favorite beer and where is it from?

Have any great beer stories to share? Did I leave any important points out? Tell us what you think. Leave a comment below, send me a tweet on twitter using #BeerXplorer, or post on my Facebook.

Heck even send us a message. Let me know so I can help. Subscribe to our newsletter to gain even more tips on beer or travel. Happy travels

Erick Redcloud

A partially blind Graphic Designer, Freelance Travel Photographer, Artist, Buddhist and Vegetarian who loves to travel. Erick loves traveling by being with the locals and going off the beaten path. He is the founder and owner of Pathlesstravels and loves inspiring others to follow their dreams, whether it is to travel or something completely different. He started Pathlesstravels to hone is photography skills and to meet amazing people, and to help a friend break into journalism. Check out his photography at his link.

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