It was almost exactly two years ago that I posted an entry bragging about having patronized 200 breweries. It is now time to brag some more on the same subject. On the 5th of July, I was ever so slightly surprised when Untappd informed me that I had just checked in my 300th brewery. I wasn’t completely blindsided, of course. I knew I was close but thought I had one or two more to go. I came up with an explanation at the time but I now think that explanation, while true, is only part of the story. I’ll say more on that later.

Checking in a beer at Millstone Pizza Co. & Brewery in Cody, WY, triggered the message at left. There had been a couple of recent check-ins of places I thought were breweries but which had shown up as something else when I entered them. One had appeared as a restaurant and the other a pub. I checked my Untappd list of breweries and discovered that both were on it. They carried multiple category classifications and had been counted as breweries even though it hadn’t looked that way at check-in. That, I decided, explained my surprise.

I was at the pizzeria/brewery doing research for a friend. He and his wife had eaten there a couple of years ago and thought it the best pizza they ever had. However, they feared their long day and well-honed appetites might have unduly influenced them and suggested I provide a second opinion. I was, of course, willing to oblige. There’s a good chance I would have found the place on my own because of the brewery but I might not have had a pizza there. If not, I’d have missed out on something really good. I’ll pass on naming it the best ever because that’s just too tough a call but it certainly was one of the best ever.

With my mental score now calibrated with my Untappd score, the next brewery I stopped at would get some extra notice from me because it would be the start of my next one hundred. Cowboy State Brewing, in Glenrock, WY, was hard enough to find that it almost missed out on being number 301. Google found it and Google Maps led me there but I could see nothing very brewery-like. The address pointed to this brick building that identified itself as many things but brewery was not one of them. I finally stepped inside and asked and received an affirmative answer and some pretty good beer. The CSB on the wall behind the bar was the only brewery-related signage I saw. 

Before I mention a few breweries from my third one hundred, I need to rewrite some history. Actually what I’m doing is acknowledging some rewriting of history that Untappd has done. Apparently, three entries have been added to the list of breweries visited prior to July 23, 2019. That’s the date I visited Bircus Brewing Company which I reported as my 200th in that 2019 post. Blue Stallion Brewing in Lexington, KY, now fills slot 200 on the Untappd list and TinCap Cider in Wilmington, OH, now fills slot 201. Sadly, I have no photos of my visits to either of these. The fact that TinCap is on the list may offer a clue as to what happened. TinCap is a cidery; they brew no beer although they serve beer from several local breweries. Untappd’s “Find the Source” badge is described as being based on a count of “venues categorized as a Brewery, Cidery, or Meadery”. I don’t believe that has always been the case. I believe it was originally only breweries. It’s even possible that the change was made around the beginning of July and contributed to my surprise at Millstone being a milestone. Curiously, places that have been classified as breweries after being logged by me (e.g., Pinups & Pints) have not been added to my list. Please note that much of what I’ve written in this paragraph is conjecture. I know for a fact that the list has grown by three pre-7/23/19 entries but I can’t identify those three and am only guessing at the reason. I am also only guessing that entries after that date have been added as well.

And now some breweries that I’ve visited for the first time in the last two years that stuck in my mind for various reasons.

The only pictures I have from my first visit to Fibonacci Brewing (#208 9/15/19) are of the ceiling lamps and the clock. I really liked the place, however, and have returned several times so that I’ve acquired other photos. It’s a very small family-friendly place operated by a friendly family with good beer, a nice yard, and a B & B (with goats) next door.

Big Thorn Farm (#215 10/20/19) near Georgetown, IL, just might be the coolest brewery I’ve ever experienced. It starts with a long gravel driveway. There is an enclosed bar for the winter but the open-air one is perfect for the summer. The place really is off-grid through the use of solar power and other techniques and the beer glasses are compostable.

Veterans United Craft Brewery (#249 11/11/20) in Jacksonville is a bit special in its own right, but my visit is memorable to me because of whom I was with and when I was there. The brewery was founded by veterans and almost all employees are veterans. I was there with a veteran (my cousin) on Veterans Day.

My first visit to Marietta Brewing was way back in 2008. That’s two years before Untappd was founded and six years before I started using it. I finally made it back this year and was able to log it (#263 4/6/21). I really appreciate them waiting around for me. Not all breweries I visited before 2014 did. 

At the time of this post, my count of breweries stands at 305, and my count of beers at 1520. That’s an increase of 308 since that 2019 post. I have gained a little on Sara but only because of her “special occasion only” logging. Brian remains about 400 ahead of me and Nick has increased his lead to more than 2000. On top of that, my Untappd friends now include Jack with a beer count over 4700. Good thing I’m talking breweries, eh?