Beer is one of the best souvenirs to bring back when traveling. Bring it as a gift and it reminds loved ones that you were thinking of them while traveling. Buy it as a souvenir and the liquid can transport you back when you drink it and when you see the bottle or can if it’s displayed.

Growing up as a craft beer drinker then turning into an enthusiast and then into a writer, The Lost Abbey has been one of the breweries I have followed since the early 2000s, but I had never been able to visit the brewery in San Marcos, CA until just before the pandemic.

For most of those who love sour beers, one brewery in the world generally regarded as the best crafter of traditional sour beer, or lambic. Nestled in Anderlecht in Brussels, Belgium, Brasserie Cantillon sits about halfway down Rue Guede with obvious markings leading to the main entryways – an otherwise camouflaged path to one of the most highly-regarded breweries in the world.