GB’s Bottle Shop
Orlando, Florida
Drink in or get it to go at this casual neighborhood spot off the beaten tourist path.
What it is: A low-key spot for great craft bottles, fresh growler/crowler fills, and draft pours in the creative heart of the “real” Orlando—Mills50/Ivanhoe Village. It’s spacious and unpretentious, yet comfortable, with a thoughtfully curated retail selection and draft lineup.
Why it’s great: Florida is a difficult state for retailers, as one liquor-store chain and one grocery-store brand dominate much of the beer landscape. Thankfully, smart and down-to-earth craft retailers such as GB’s Bottle Shop have popped up to satisfy the need for great beer from creative producers. Try a small pour or two on draft, get crowlers to go, and shop the smart selection of bottles and cans that ranges from Belgian classics to cutting-edge small and local producers. It’s not fancy or pretentious, just a quiet place to geek out on some of the best craft beer around. —Jamie Bogner
Details
Hours: 12 p.m.–12 a.m., Sunday–Monday; 12 p.m.–2 a.m., Tuesday–Saturday
Address: 531 Virginia Dr., Orlando, Florida.
Web: gbbottleshop.com
Landbierparadies
Nuremberg, Germany
These three atmospheric pubs (and one shop) in this historic city are doggedly devoted to country lager.
What it is: Three wirtshäuser—houses of hospitality—plus one beer shop, all dotted around central Nuremberg and all specializing in rustic Franconian lager. Expect long scrubtop tables, lots of wood paneling, hearty sausages and cheeses, and a range of kellerbiers and other lagers from the surrounding countryside—including at least one beer fresh from a spigoted barrel atop the bar.
Why it’s great: Nuremberg is a worthy attraction in its own right, but beer-wise it lags behind Bamberg and environs, dominated as it is by the local Tucher brand. These pubs provide nooks away from the bustle, ideal for wallowing in gemütlichkeit and getting to know some of region’s most comforting, flavorful lagers. —Joe Stange
Details
Hours: Vary by location, but generally 5 p.m.–12 a.m., Monday–Tuesday; 5 p.m. –1 a.m., Wednesday–Saturday; 11 a.m. –12 a.m., Sunday
Address: Leipziger Strasse 32, Strezinger Strasse 4–6, and Wodanstrasse 15, Nuremberg, Bavaria, Germany.
Web: landbierparadies.com
TeKu Tavern
Seattle, Washington
A true beer geek’s bar and bottle shop, ensuring that beer is served in its perfect form.
What it is: A 55-tap bar and bottle shop less than a mile from Pike Place Market, and almost spitting distance from the Space Needle. But this is no tourist trap—though visitors to Seattle won’t find a better place to dip their toes into the best of Pacific Northwest beer, cider, and mead. The tap list reads like a best-of-the-best in American and imported beer, with a special focus on Washington and Oregon.
Why it’s great: Even within Seattle’s rarified beer scene, TeKu stands out for its obsession with every aspect of beer service—from the namesake TeKu glasses, in which most beer is served, to the custom gas-blending draft system, to the variable serving temperatures at which beers are presented, depending on their styles. Staff are knowledgeable but not snobbish, and the room’s long communal tables are as likely to be filled with local brewers as they are with stroller-pushing families. —Kate Bernot
Details
Hours: 12 p.m.–10 p.m., Monday–Wednesday; 12 p.m.–11 p.m., Thursday, 11a.m.–12 a.m., Friday–Saturday; 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Sunday
Address: 552 Denny Wy., Seattle, Washington.
Web: tekutavern.beer
PHOTOS, FROM TOP: Jamie Bogner; Joe Stange; Courtesy TeKu Tavern