Meet the Beer Traveler: Bob Lorber

Q. Tell us about yourself in 140 characters or less. OR in a haiku
A. I’m a Bi-Coastal Sour Beer lover who has traversed the country many times in search of good beer!

Bob leads a tour at Cigar City Brewing.

Q. What are your three favorite things?
A. Wild Ale, Good friends, and kittens.

Q. If beer drinking was your “job” what title would you give yourself? If beer drinking is your job, tell us more!
A. Tour Guide at Cigar City Brewing, -  I’ve been the tour guide since February and I’m backing off my schedule to do tours on Saturdays only. Tours will still be available Wed. thru Fri. But the Saturday tours will be me! I’m also promotions manager at Saint Somewhere Brewing Company. Come “Occupy” the brewery!

Q. Why do you travel?
A. To cross the road…..and to see the world, meet new people and try strange beers.
“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” – St. Augustine

Q. How long have you been seeking out craft beer when you travel? What was your first craft beer travel memory?
A. Since 1981.  Road trip to NYC to drink beer at McSorley’s Ale House. The restroom was co-ed. .25 cent mugs of Dark or light…

Q. Where all have you been?
A.  “I’ve been everywhere, man.
I’ve been everywhere, man.
Crossed the desert’s bare, man.
I’ve breathed the mountain air, man.
Of travel I’ve had my share, man.
I’ve been everywhere.”

Q. What breweries have you visited?
A. I’ve visited over 150 Breweries – here is the list of what I can remember

Dunedin Brewery

FLORIDA        (34)
Monkey King Brewery and Floribbean Grill
Abbey Brewing Company
A1A Aleworks
Charlie and Jake’s BBQ
Ragtime
Coasters Pub
Lagerhaus Brewery
Dunedin Brewery (pictured)
Hoppers Grille and Brewery
McGuire’s Irish Pub And Brewery
McGuire’s Irish Pub and Brewery #2
Market Street Pub
Saint Sebastiaan Belgian Microbrewery
Sarasota Brewing Company
Tampa Bay Brewing Company
Titanic Brewing Company
BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse
The Mill, Winter Park
New World Brewery
Pegs Cantina & brewpub
Cigar City Brewing
Brewzzi
Big Bear Brewing co.
Hops Grill and Brewery

Bob at Mad Cow Brewery

Palm harbor
- St Pete
- Tampa
- Clearwater
- Daytona Beach

Swell Brewing
Saint Somewhere Brewing
Seventh Sun Brewery
Barley Mow
Little Giant Brewery
Mad Crow Brewery (pictured)

ALABAMA
Hurricane Brewing Company

ARKANSAS
Boscos

GEORGIA
Moon River Brewing Company

SOUTH CAROLINA
TBonz – Homegrown Ales

NEVADA
Great Basin Brewing Company
Brew Brothers Microbrewery
Silver Peak Brewery

Bob at Sante Fe Brewing

NEW MEXICO     7
Blue Corn Cafe and Brewery
Chama River Brewing Company
Il Vicino Brewing Company and Tap Room
Second Street Brewery
Turtle Mountain Brewing Company
Kelly’s Brewery
Santa Fe Brewing Company

CALIFORNIA    64
21st Amendment Brewery (pictured)
Humboldt Brewing Company
Anchor Brewing Company
Anderson Valley Brewing Company
Auburn Alehouse
Bear Republic Brewing Company
BJ’s Restaurant and Brewery
Blue Frog Grog and Grill
Brew It Up! Personal Brewery and Grill

Bob at 21st Ammendment Brewery

Broken Drum Brewery and Wood Grill
Butte Creek Brewery
Dempsey’s Restaurant and Brewery
Downtown Joe’s
Eel River Brewing Company
Faultline Brewing Company
Firestone Walker Brewing Company
Gordon Biersch Brewing Company
Hangtown Brewery Inc
Hoppy Brewing Company
Hubsch Sudwerk Privatbrauerei
Hoptown Brewing Company
Iron Springs Pub and Brewery
Lagunitas Brewing Company
Downtown Brewing Company
SLO Brewing Company
Central Coast Brewing
Mad River Brewing Company
Mendocino Brewing Company

Bob at Moylan's Brewing

Moylan’s Brewery and Restaurant (pictured)
Nevada City Brewing Company
North Coast Brewing Company
Pyramid Alehouse, Brewery and Restaurant
Santa Maria Brewing Company
Six Rivers Brewery
Truckee Brewing Company
Lost Coast Brewing Company
Hogshead Brewery and Pub
Rubicon Brewing Company
River City Brewing
Sacramento Brewing Company
Sudwerk Brauerei
Steelhead Brewing Company
Magnolia Pub and Brewery
San Francisco Brewing Company
ThirstyBear Brewing Company
Rogue Ales Public House
Pacific Coast Brewing Company

Bob at Russian River

Russian River Brewing Company (pictured)
Third Street AleWorks
Stumptown Brewery
Mount Saint Helena Brewing
Marin Brewing Company
Calistoga Inn
Triple Rock Brewing Company
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Silverado Brewing Company
Ukiah Brewing Company
Ruth McGowan’s Brewpub
Sebastopol Brewing Company
Tied House Cafe and Brewery
Rafters Grille & Brewery
Ace Cider Co.
Yuba River Brewing
Powerhouse Brewing Company

Bob visits Defiant Brewing Co.

OREGON
Steelhead Brewing Company
Wild River Brewing and Pizza Company
McMenamins High Street Brewery and Cafe
Ninkasi Brewing Company

NEW YORK
Obie’s Cooperstown Brewing Company
McSorley’s Old Ale House
Defiant Brewing Co. (pictured)

COLORADO
Breckenridge Brewery and Pub
Coopersmith’s Pub and Brewing
New Belgium Brewing Company
Odell Brewing Company
Sandlot Brewery

LOUISANA
Abita Brewing Company (pictured)
Crescent City Brewhouse
Dixie Brewing Company
Heiner Brau

Bob at Abita Brewing

MISSISSIPPI
Lazy Magnolia Brewing Company

NORTH CAROLINA
French Broad Brewing Company
Southend Brewery and Smokehouse
Hops
Rock Bottom Brewery

OAKLAHOMA
Coach’s Sports Museum and Brewery
Bricktown Brewery

UTAH
Red Rock Brewing Company
Squatter’s Pub Brewery
Salt Lake Brewing Company
Wasatch Brewpub

WYOMING
Altitude Chophouse and Brewery
Library Restaurant and Brewing Company

Bob at Yuengling Brewing Co

WASHINGTON
Big Time Brewing Co
Elysian Brewing Co.
Pike Brewery and Pub
Gordon Biersch Brewing Co

OHIO
Marietta Brewing Company

CANADA
the upper Canada brewing co *

MACROS
Anheuser-Busch Inc
Lone star
Yuengling Brewery (pictured)

Q. What do you look for in a beer destination when you travel?
A.  Beer.  I like easy and accessible but I’ll go out of my way for a good brewery.

Bob loves and promotes Saint Somewhere Brewing.

Q. What are some of your favorite breweries that you have visited?
A. Cigar City, Saint Somewhere, Anchor Brewery, Abita Brewing Company (I got lost in the brewery, no one was around and I wandered in awe for 20 minutes), Ruth McGowan’s Brewpub, Seventh Sun Brewery Dunedin Brewery. These are some of my favorite breweries because they either have great beer, great owners, great staff, or are just great places to hang out and drink great beers.

Q. How do you find craft beer when you travel?
A. internet, word of mouth, RateBeer, The Roaming Pint

Favorite Beer City to travel to:
A. SF/Sonoma County

Best Beer State in your opinion:
A.  Florida, I’m a “homer”  (Cigar City, Saint Somewhere)

Brewery you want to visit:
A.  3 Floyds, Jolly Pumpkin, Big Storm, Hill Farmstead, Lost Abbey

Tell us about your most memorable brewery visit:
A. Most memorable = New Belgium Brewery
New Belgium Brewery was the fist place I ever tried “sour beer”

Q. What do you look for when deciding what pint to pour next?
A. Abv?, Food pairing, how hot is it out. Is it sour?

Q. What is the most unique beer you’ve enjoyed?
A. Unity Vibration’s Triple Goddess Kombucha Beers, both raspberry and ginger

Q. If you could have dinner and beers with anyone in the craft beer industry, who would it be and where would you go?
A. Fritz Maytag, He is my favorite Craft Beer pioneer and I love Anchor Steam! The Toronado in San Francisco is where I want to have beers with Mr. Maytag and dinner up the road at the Magnolia Brewpub.

Q. Where can we find more about you online? Twitter/Facebook/Website etc.
A. http://www.facebook.com/bob.lorber