Where to Drink Like a Local in Every State

Ray Isle shares his favorite breweries, wineries and distilleries in all 50 states.

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Alabama : TrimTab Brewing

Graham Yelton

Even if you can’t make one of the frequent “Happenings” here—think drum circles and fire dancers—stop by the Birmingham brewery to quaff the excellent, wheat-based Bankston 88 Belgian Blonde. trimtabbrewing.com. 

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Alaska : Port Chilkoot Distillery 

Andy Hedden

In an old Army fort in the tiny town of Haines, distillers Heather Shade and Sean Copeland are making one of the tastiest craft gins  we’ve had recently: 50 Fathoms Gin. Is the place remote? Sure. Is it worth the trip? Definitely. portchilkootdistillery.com. 

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Arizona : Callaghan Vineyards

Courtesy of Callaghan Vineyards

Forget cactus. Think grapes. Arizona’s wine scene is little-known outside the state,  but its best bottles are superb. In the Sonoita  region, visit pioneer vintner Kent Callaghan for intense reds like his 2013 Caitlin’s Red, a spicy Petit Verdot blend. callaghanvineyards.com. 

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Arkansas : Bike Rack Brewing Company 

Jullian Wilson

Pedal up, dismount and relax into a pint of toasty Epic Trail Amber Ale at this brewery, founded by four cyclist friends, in Bentonville’s Arts District. bikerackbrewing.com. 

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California : Shafer Vineyards 

Russ Widstrand

Pick one standout in a state with over 4,000 wineries? Impossible. But still, it’s hard  to argue with Napa Valley’s Shafer Vineyards as the choice. Book in advance to taste the  iconic Hillside Select Cabernet, one of California’s greatest reds. shafervineyards.com.  

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Colorado : Laws Whiskey House 

Brewtography Project

Rye and wheat from a family-owned Colorado farm go into some of the best whiskeys around at this Denver micro-distillery. Stop by to sample the spicy Four Grain Straight Bourbon Bottled in Bond. lawswhiskeyhouse.com. 

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Connecticut : New England Brewing Company 

Courtesy of New England Brewing Co.

Fans line up for this New Haven–area brewery’s obsessively sought-after Fuzzy Baby Ducks IPA. That’s a great beer, to be  sure, but don’t bypass the roasty, delicious Imperial Stout Trooper, which, at 9.5 ABV, packs a blaster-like wallop. newenglandbrewing.com. 

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Delaware : Dogfish Head Brewery 

Courtesy of Dogfish Head

If you need to immerse yourself in everything Dogfish Head, stay a night at its quirky, beer-themed inn in nearby Lewes. A glass of  the beloved 90 Minute IPA, followed by  a comfortable bed? Sign us up. dogfish.com. 

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Florida : Cigar City Brewing 

Russell Breslow

The citrusy, robustly hopped Jai Alai IPA  is one of Florida’s most popular craft beers, and the riotous Tampa tasting room is a fine place to down a pint of it. cigarcitybrewing.com. 

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Georgia : Creature Comforts Brewing Co. 

Courtesy of Creature Comforts

Head to this 1940s Chevy dealership-turned-brewery in Athens for top-quality brews, among them the acclaimed, citrusy Tropicália IPA. creaturecomfortsbeer.com. 

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Hawaii : Maui Brewing Co. 

MBC/Edward Smith

With 32 taps, food trucks outside and spectacular views, this lively brewery tasting room is a must-visit on Maui. Try the bold Double Overhead Double IPA. mauibrewingco.com.  

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Idaho : Cinder Wines 

Courtesy of Cinder Wines

In 2008, Idaho native Melanie Krause opened Cinder Winery near Boise. At her tasting room (in a former produce warehouse) try the smoky Syrah from the state’s Snake River Valley AVA. cinderwines.com. 

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Illinois : FEW Spirits 

Courtesy of FEW Spirits

All of FEW’s impressive gins and whiskeys are entirely distilled and aged at its Evanston facility. Don’t miss the citrus-and-black-tea-inflected Breakfast Gin. fewspirits.com. 

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Indiana : Three Floyds Brewing Co.

Courtesy of 3 Floyds Brewing

Three Floyds is legendary thanks to its Dark Lord Day festival every May. But its Munster brewpub is open year-round, with 15-plus choices on tap, such as the flagship Alpha King Pale Ale. 3floyds.com. 

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Iowa : Cedar Ridge Distillery

Courtesy of Cedar Ridge Distillery

Drop by Swisher’s Cedar Ridge to enjoy superior spirits such as founder Jeff Quint’s toffee-scented Iowa Bourbon Whiskey, along with pizzas from the wood-burning oven. crwine.com. 

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Kansas : Union Horse Distilling Company 

Courtesy of Union Horse Distilling Company

This Kansas City–area whiskey specialist does all its distilling and barreling in-house. The payoff? Top-notch spirits like its Reunion Straight Rye Whiskey, made with local grain. unionhorse.com. 

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Kentucky : Angel’s Envy

Courtesy of Angel's Envy

Bourbon legend Lincoln Henderson’s  legacy lives on at Angel’s Envy, the Louisville distillery he founded in 2010. Hit the tasting room to try the subtly red-fruited Port Finish Kentucky Straight Bourbon. angelsenvy.com. 

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Louisiana : Abita Brewing Company 

Courtesy of Abita Brewing Company

It’s an hour’s drive north from New Orleans  to this brewery’s destination-worthy taproom in Covington, where you can try its benchmark Turbodog Brown Ale. abita.com.  

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Maine : Allagash Brewing Company 

Courtesy of Allagash Brewing

Portland’s Allagash was early to the cask-aged beer game, and brews like its luscious Curieux, a bourbon-barrel-aged Belgian-style triple ale, are standard bearers. allagash.com. 

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Maryland : Sagamore Spirit 

Courtesy of Sagamore Spirit

We feel that Under Armour founder Kevin Plank put his fortune to excellent use when he opened Baltimore’s Sagamore Spirit. Stop  by the Inner Harbor–area distillery to try the intense Rye. sagamorespirit.com. 

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Massachusetts : Trillium Brewing Company

Courtesy of Trillium Brewing Co.

Until this popular Boston brewer opened its Canton location in 2015, devotees had to  fill growlers and then skedaddle. Now you can take a seat to try limited releases on tap as  well as favorites like the grassy, dry-hopped Heavy Mettle Double IPA. trilliumbrewing.com. 

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Michigan : Mari Vineyards 

Courtesy of Mari Vineyards

The über-talented Sean O’Keefe may  be Michigan’s premier winemaker. At Mari’s Upper Mission Peninsula tasting room, you  can check out his elegant wines, including the Mari Riesling. marivineyards.com. 

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Minnesota : Surly Brewing Company 

Courtesy of Surly Brewing Co.

At Surly’s vast beer hall in Minneapolis,  order a glass of the funky Belgian-style  pale ale Cynic to go with some of the excellent  barbecue. surlybrewing.com. 

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Mississippi : Rich Grain Distilling Co. 

Nolen Grogan

Inside an 1880s brick building in Canton, distiller Dave Rich makes some of the best spirits we’ve tasted lately. Sign up for one of the regular Saturday tours, then sample his superb caramel-tinged bourbon. richdistilling.com. 

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Missouri : Side Project Brewing 

Tim Bottchen

Cory and Karen King brilliantly hit both the barrel-aged and sour beer trends with their brews. Visit their St. Louis–area tasting room, The Cellar, to check out their fragrant La Ruche Honey Saison. sideprojectbrewing.com. 

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Montana : Lewis & Clark Brewing Company 

Jason O'Neil

This Helena craft brewer uses Montana-grown malt for beers like its toasty Back Country Scottish Ale, while also supporting  local nonprofits. lewisandclarkbrewing.com. 

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Nebraska : Cut Spike/Lucky Bucket 

Courtesy of Lucky Bucket Brewing Company

Jason Payne’s subtle Cut Spike Distillery Single Malt Whiskey is a winner, and so is his crisp Lucky Bucket Brewing Pre-Prohibition Style Lager. Conveniently, the tasting rooms—just outside Omaha—are adjacent to each other. cutspikedistillery.com; luckybucketbrewing.com. 

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Nevada : Tenaya Creek Brewery 

Tim Etter

Take a break from the craps table—your odds of winning are better with beer. Just head  to this Las Vegas taproom, where you can grab a cool pint of its creamy Hauling Oats Oatmeal Stout. Jackpot. tenayacreek.com. 

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New Hampshire : Hermit Woods Winery 

Bob Manley

Blueberry wine? Hold your skepticism  until you try Ken Hardcastle’s Petite Blue Reserve. It’s completely dry and thrillingly fragrant. Sample it at the winery’s tasting room in Meredith. hermitwoods.com. 

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New Jersey : Unionville Vineyards 

Courtesy of Unionville Vineyards

At Unionville Vineyards in Ringoes—about a 30-minute drive north of Trenton—the complex 2014 Home Vineyard Chardonnay will lay to rest any doubts you have about the quality of New Jersey wines. unionvillevineyards.com. 

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New Mexico : Gruet 

Gabriella Marks

Champagne? Nope: New Mexico sparkling. But if that’s what you thought after tasting this winery’s elegant NV Blanc de Noirs, you wouldn’t be the first to be fooled. Swing by the Albuquerque tasting room for limited cuvées sold nowhere else. gruetwinery.com. 

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New York : Ravines Wine Cellars 

Courtesy of Ravines Wine Cellar

Among the Finger Lakes’ many fine wineries, Ravines in Geneva gets our nod, not only for its steely 2015 Dry Riesling but also for chef Scott Riesenberger’s terrific three-course “Ravinous Table” pairing lunches. ravineswine.com. 

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North Carolina : The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery 

Courtesy of The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery, Inc.

An early player in North Carolina’s craft beer scene, Greenville-area “dark beer specialist” Duck-Rabbit is still one of the best. During the winter months, be sure to try the superb Baltic Porter. duckrabbitbrewery.com. 

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North Dakota : Fargo Brewing Company 

Courtesy of Fargo Brewing

Four native North Dakotans started Fargo  in a garage in 2010. Today their brewery and taproom is a popular draw, thanks to excellent brews like the hop-intense, piney Wood Chipper IPA, as well as limited-release offerings. fargobrewing.com. 

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Ohio : Great Lakes Brewing Co. 

Courtesy of Great Lakes Brewing Co.

Early out of the gate in the indie brewing race—it opened in 1986—Great Lakes brought craft beer to Cleveland, and is still going strong. Sit down at the taproom’s mahogany bar for a glass of its rich, ink-dark Blackout Stout. greatlakesbrewing.com.  

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Oklahoma : Prairie Artisan Ales 

Courtesy of Prairie Artisan Ales

Feeling brave? Head to Tulsa to try Prairie’s Bomb!, a crazily luscious Imperial stout infused with coffee, chocolate and ancho chile that clocks in at 13 percent alcohol. Or,  for a more sessionable option, go for Standard, a crisp farmhouse ale. Either way, you win. prairieales.com. 

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Oregon : The Carlton Winemakers Studio 

Erik Offerdal

This collective in the wine-centric town of Carlton offers bottles from 13 regional producers, including top names like Hamacher and Andrew Rich, whose 2012 Knife Edge  Pinot Noir is a must-try. winemakersstudio.com.  

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Pennsylvania : Chaddsford Winery 

Scott Spitzer

Head to this bucolic, Brandywine Valley winery and buy a bottle of its lemony  2016 Hopewell Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc to enjoy at one of the terrace tables under the trees. chaddsford.com. 

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Rhode Island : Newport Storm Brewery

Courtesy of Newport Storm Brewery

Visiting Newport? Make sure to stop at  this brewery (and distillery) for its unfiltered Rhode Trip IPA. Or, if you’re a rum fan, opt for the smooth Thomas Tew rum, named after a legendary pirate. newportstorm.com. 

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South Carolina : High Wire Distilling 

Jonathan Boncek

Baker turned distiller Scott Blackwell focuses on regional Southern grains at his downtown Charleston distillery. For a good example of his style, check out the maple-smoky New Southern Revival Sorghum Whiskey. highwiredistilling.com. 

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South Dakota: Prairie Berry Winery/Miner Brewing Company 

Courtesy of Miner Brewing Company

These family-owned projects in the heart of the Black Hills region are next  door to each other. Drop by after visiting nearby Mount Rushmore for a taste of the exceptional Black IPA. prairieberry.com; minerbrewing.com. 

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Tennessee : Corsair Distillery 

Darlene Bouchard

Corsair’s Derek Bell and Andrew Webber live for experimentation, and the lineup at their Nashville distillery ranges from their Wildfire hickory-smoked malt whiskey to hibiscus-infused Red Absinthe. Take a tour and then taste their handiwork. corsairdistillery.com. 

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Texas : 4.0 Cellars 

Courtesy of 4.0 Cellars

Sample Texas cheeses and local chocolates alongside wines from three of the state’s top wineries at this Fredericksburg spot in Hill Country. And if the aromatic 2016 McPherson Cellars Cinsaut happens to be open, definitely don’t miss it. fourpointwine.com.  

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Utah : High West Distillery 

Courtesy of High West Distillery

For a shot of pure Utah-ness, head east from Salt Lake City to Wanship for High West’s unusual Valley Tan Whiskey, made with wheat and oats (a mash bill used by 19th-century Mormon distillers), distilled on-site and sold only in-state. highwest.com. 

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Vermont : The Alchemist 

Luv Lens Photography

Yes, hordes start lining up early at this vaunted brewery’s door in Stowe for  a chance to score some cans of its famed Heady Topper Double IPA. But, frankly, we  find all of owners John and Jen Kimmich’s world-class brews covetable, not least their hoppy, roasty, chocolaty Beelzebub Imperial Stout. alchemistbeer.com. 

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Virginia : Early Mountain Vineyards 

Courtesy of Early Mountain

Located just north of Charlottesville, Early Mountain produces standouts such as its vivid, citrus-tinged 2016 Rosé. It’s also a great place to taste other top local wines: A rotating selection is always available in its “Best  of Virginia” program. earlymountain.com. 

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Washington : Cadence Winery 

Benjamin L Smith

Make an appointment at this boutique  winery’s tiny tasting room in Seattle’s South Park neighborhood to try winemaker Ben Smith’s stellar, age-worthy reds, like the 2013 Bel Canto. cadencewinery.com. 

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West Virginia : Smooth Ambler Spirits 

Val Colella

Whiskey fans flock to this distillery’s tasting room in Maxwelton to sample its acclaimed line of Old Scout bourbons. While there, be sure to pick up a bottle or two of the small-production and single-barrel releases you won’t find elsewhere. smoothambler.com.

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Wisconsin : Ale Asylum 

Scott Hanna / Phine Tuned Photography

The cavernous, orange-walled taproom at this Madison favorite is perennially packed with beer lovers downing pints of impressive, whimsically named offerings like the powerfully hopped Ambergeddon red ale. aleasylum.com.

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Wyoming : Wyoming Whiskey 

Courtesy of Wyoming Whiskey

The Mead family came to Kirby, Wyoming,  in 1890 for ranching. They still do plenty  of that, but now they also make remarkable whiskeys from local grains. Take a tour and finish with a taste of the Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey. wyomingwhiskey.com.

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Where to Drink Like a Local in Every State

1 of 51

Alabama : TrimTab Brewing

2 of 51

Alaska : Port Chilkoot Distillery