Hop In Brew Pub
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
A wide selection of locally made beer and some of the better bar pies you’ll find north of the border...
What it is: First, Hop In Brew Pub is not a “brewpub” but a pub that serves beer (and pizza), so don’t expect to find stainless fermentors or a brew deck. What you will find is a number of cozy rooms inside a house that’s been converted into a lively bar where mismatched chairs and tables along with arm chairs and couches give you the feeling of attending a party that’s been going on for a very long time (since 1911 to be exact—at least that’s when the house was built).
Why it’s great: Alberta is going through its beer renaissance right now, with about 100 breweries operating in the province. If they package or distribute and the beer is worth its salt, you’re likely to find it at this bar. It’s a go-to for craft-minded consumers, and while you can get some beers made for the pub by area stalwart Wild Rose Brewery, there’s plenty else to choose from. Menu items are limited to baked bread and melted cheese combinations (pizza, quesadillas), meaning a trip to the gym is usually in order the next day. —John Holl
Saison
Richmond, Virginia
This eclectic gastropub in the city’s Jackson Ward neighborhood offers a dozen local and national drafts backed by an abbreviated but exciting list of esoteric and vintage bottles.
What it is: The Saison gastropub pairs inventive yet homey dishes (e.g., country-fried mushrooms with black lentils and the city’s best burger capped with smoked American cheese and ramp-infused ranch dressing) next to fresh drafts from local stalwarts such as The Veil Brewing Co. and RVA’s very own outpost of Stone Brewing. Next door, Saison Market, a cafe and bottle shop, slings all-day lattes, spicy fried-chicken biscuits, and even more draft and packaged beer to stay or to go.
Why it’s great: Owners and Virginia natives Adam Hall and Jay Bayer opened Saison in late 2012 as a craft-cocktail and -beer destination with Certified Cicerone Chris Elford. Elford has since moved on to open bars in Seattle, but the beer program remains as charming and eclectic as ever, with rotating drafts such as The Veil’s Coalesce Czech-style Pilsner and Cuvée de Castleton from New York’s Captain Lawrence Brewing Company, a wild ale cofermented with Muscat grapes. The bottle list, though short, includes vintage selections from breweries such as Allagash (2015 Interlude, anyone?) and rare bottlings from De Dolle, Oxbow, and Off Color. Saison also offers an extensive natural wine list and cocktail menu. —Justin Kennedy
Pint
Jersey City, New Jersey
This cubby hole–sized bar dates back to pre-Prohibition days (yes, it was a speakeasy during those dark years) and now serves up lots of local craft beer and fish bowl–sized cocktails.
What it is: Pint is a neighborhood spot near enough to mass transit to make it an after-work stop for many and near enough centralized downtown to make it the local hangout for others. The beer is pulled, largely, from local breweries, although there are bottles and cans that rotate from some larger national players. Other big draws include the jukebox controlled by patrons’ cell phones and free popcorn.
Why it’s great: Largely, the craft-beer industry has struggled with diversity. Pint is a gay bar that has embraced clean, fresh, local beer. There aren’t many places where you can drink a draft IPA while watching Ru Paul’s Drag Race, while the person next to you is drinking an electric blue, vodka-heavy concoction in a fish bowl with a rubber duck floating on top. Still, everyone is welcome, and a bar like this is happy to serve anyone who is in the beer community. —John Holl