Borrowing again from my favorite comedian, Brian Regan …
Ladies and gentlemen, from the flight deck. Somebody put our engine in upside down, and there’s only one tool in our galaxy that can fix this … and it’s in Madagascar. Apologies for the delay.
But we’ve all been there. Sitting in the airport when you get the announcement or phone notification that your flight has been delayed 1, 2, 6 hours. What to do? If you’re like me, you’re faced with several options. I usually decide to be less unhealthy and use the ‘opportunity’ to get some Fitbit steps in. That usually lasts no more than 30 minutes as I grow weary of dodging people either walking at a zombie pace staring at their phones with zombie face or the people late for flights doing the OJ Simpson thing through the airport. (This OJ thing, not the other one.) I could peruse the shops in the airport and buy something that I don’t need at 8 times the price I could get it at home. But I want to do most is to saddle up at a watering hole and have a good local beer. I don’t mean some sports bar that only serves mass-produced national stuff through questionable keg lines. I want to find somewhere that serves a good pint of local beer.
During my most recent flying-home-experience, I found myself with 6 (yes, six) hours in the airport, trying to get home from DC. (Note: I do not recommend drinking for 6 hours before flying home. For about 37 reasons.) But the delay made me think. I did the Google-thing to find the best places to get local beer in airports, but I could not find a good list. There were lists per city, or the top 7-9-10 places to get a drink. But there wasn’t a single good list.
So, here is my first stab (no, not another OJ reference) at a good list. PLEASE comment below with your suggestions.
ATL – Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
- Sweetwater Draft House (Terminal B)
- Chicken + Beer (Near gate D5)
BHM – Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport
Birmingham Brewhouse (Concourse A)
BNA – Nashville International Airport
- Yazoo Brewing Company (Gate C23)
- Fat Bottom Brewing Company (Gate C14)
- Tennessee Brew Works (Terminal A/B food court)
BOS – Boston Logan International Airport
- Harpoon Tap Room (Terminal A)
- Boston Beer Works (Terminal C)
BTV – Burlington International Airport
The Skinny Pancake (past security – both concourses)
BWI – Baltimore/ Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport
- DuClaw Brewing (Main Terminal near B)
- Flying Dog Tap House (A/B food court)
BZN – Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport
Copper Horse (main level between escalators)
CLE – Cleveland Hopkins International Airport
Great Lakes (Gate C14)
Bar Symon (Concourse C)
CLT – Charlotte Douglas International Airport
- Carolina Beer Co (Concourse D/ Gate D7)
- NoDa Brewing (Concourse A)
- Captain Jack’s Tavern (Between gates E3 & E4)
DEN – Denver International Airport
- New Belgium Brewing (Near Gates B32 & B80)
- Boulder Beer Tap House (Jeppeson Terminal)
- Root Down (C Gates/ Center core)
DTW – Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
Shed Bar (Gates A2 & A38)
EWR – Newark Liberty International Airport
Caps Beer Garden (Gate C120)
GRR – Gerald R Ford International Airport (Grand Rapids)
Bell’s Brewery (Grand Hall near food court)
GSP – Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport
- RJ Rockers Flight Room (Concourse B)
- Thomas Creek Grill (Concourse A)
IAD – Dulles International Airport (Washington, DC)
DC Chophouse & Brewery (between ticket counters 2&3)
IND – Indianapolis International Airport
- 317 Tap Room (Civic Plaza)
- Sun King (Concourse B)
LAX – Los Angeles International Airport
- Rock & Brews (Terminal 1)
- The Parlor (Terminal 3)
- Point the Way Cafe (Terminal 6)
LGA – New York LaGuardia Airport
Biergarten (Terminal C)
MCO – Orlando International Airport
Cask and Larder (Gates 100-129)
MKE – Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport
Leinenkugel Leinie Lodge (Concourse D)
MSP – Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport
- Stone Arch Craft Lab (Terminal 1)
- Lolo American Kitchen & Craft Bar Terminal 1)
ORD – Chicago O’Hare International Airport
Publican Tavern near K Gate
PDX – Portland (OR) International Airport
- Hopworks Urban Brewery (Concourse E)
- Country Cat (Concourse D/E)
- Deschutes Brewery (Concourse D)
- Laurelwood Public House & Brewery (Concourse A)
PHX – Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
- Four Peaks Brewing (Terminal 4)
- O.H.S.O. Brewery & Distillery (Terminal 2)
PWM – Portland (ME) International Jetport
Shipyard Brewing (Gate 5)
SAN – San Diego International Airport
Stone Brewing Co (Terminal 2)
SAV – Savannah Hilton Head International Airport
Southbound Brewing Co (Pre-Security)
SFO – San Francisco International Airport
Anchor Brewing (Terminal 3, near gate 70)
STL – St Louis Lambert International Airport
- Schlafly Beer Bar & Grill (Terminal 1, Concourse C)
- Three Kings Public House (Terminal 2)
TPA – Tampa International Airport
Cigar City (Airside C)
Cheers! Here’s hoping you’re delayed in one of these airports soon. Wait … that didn’t come out right. You know what I mean.
