On the sidewalks of St Helena, just over an hour north of San Francisco, it feels hot enough to fry an egg on the pavement. It's around 35C on the manicured high street of the wine town, the heat radiating across the clipped rows of the surrounding vineyards. So naturally, I blame thirst for driving me into a cool tasting room at just 11am. Not that I should have to explain myself; this is Napa Valley, where drinking is encouraged.
Surrounded by steel tanks and barrels, effervescent assistant Zack spends an hour pouring me samples. Then, a dozen boozy splashes in, when things have gone pleasantly fuzzy and the outdoor heat has faded to distant memory, he pulls out one final bottle. "This," he says, filling my glass, "is really special; it has notes of mandarin and lemongrass." I breathe in the zesty aromas and sip deep. Now that's one heck of a beer.
Yes, beer in Napa Valley, America's most famous wine region. Here, where most worship at the altar of the grape-specifically, bold, tannic Cabernet Sauvignon - it takes imagination to do something different. More than that: with both tourism and local economics skewed heavily towards wine, it also takes guts.
Nile Zacherle, founder of Mad Fritz Beer, definitely has that. While training in brewing decades ago, he found the increasingly generic ingredients used in mass-market beers uninspiring, so switched to winemaking. Later, as the craft beer movement grew, he saw a gap in the market for a quality Napa variety and started Mad Fritz alongside his vinous day job.
Denne historien er fra May 2023-utgaven av National Geographic Traveller (UK).
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra May 2023-utgaven av National Geographic Traveller (UK).
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Annette Arjoon-Martins
RAISED BY HER INDIGENOUS GRANDMOTHER IN GUYANA, SOUTH AMERICA, ANNETTE BUILT A FEMALE DRONE UNIT TO MONITOR MANGROVES
The Amazon to the Andes
THIS AUTUMN, PADDINGTON HEADS TO PERU ON THE BIG SCREEN - FOLLOW IN HIS PAWPRINTS FOR AN EPIC FAMILY ADVENTURE
Serra de Tramuntana
MAJORCA'S MAJOR MOUNTAIN RANGE IS EVERY BIT AS BEAUTIFUL AS THE ISLAND'S COASTLINE - AND YOU CAN HIKE STRAIGHT FROM YOUR HOTEL
CRAFTING PERFECTION
Carlsberg's old brewing district has been redeveloped, offering creative new ways to enjoy Copenhagen
HOTEL AWARDS 2024
IT'S BEEN AN EPIC YEAR FOR HOTEL OPENINGS, REVAMPS AND EXTENSIONS, AND WE'VE SCOURED THE GLOBE FOR THE BEST OF THEM. WHETHER YOU WANT TO TUNE INTO THE JUNGLE FROM A TREEHOUSE, SLEEP IN A PIECE OF HISTORY OR WATCH THE SUN SET OVER MOUNTAIN PEAKS FROM YOUR BED, YOU'RE GUARANTEED A MEMORABLE STAY FROM OUR WINNERS AND RUNNERS-UP
MALDIVES
An archipelago of 1,192 coral islands and 26 turquoise atolls looping across the Indian Ocean, the Maldives is home to resorts that cater to every imaginable taste, from barefoot escapes to designer digs. The most convenient to reach are located in the South Malé, North Malé and Vaavu atolls, within speedboat distance of Velana International Airport, while more remote atolls are accessible by seaplane or domestic flight. With easy access to the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Baa and Raa are especially popular. Those around the Equator, including Gaafu Alifu, offer a splendid sense of isolation, abundant marine life and brilliantly starry night skies.
TRANSYLVANIA
The central Romanian region of Dracula fame makes for an intriguing autumn break - sink your teeth into its crafts and culture after discovering its turreted castles.
Audio adventures
FROM OVERTOURISM TO HOW THE OLYMPIC GAMES AFFECTS HOST CITIES, HERE ARE SOME OF THE BEST PODCASTS THAT EXPLORE THE WORLD
NICE
Historically a place where monarchs and aristocrats would escape the winter in favour of warm Mediterranean climes, this southern French city is at its best in the off season
BELFAST
In the Northern Irish capital, the healing and uniting powers of music and art are being used to reconcile the past, look to the future and bring communities together