Looking for an entertaining way to learn about new breweries and craft beers? Hopping: The Backpacking Beer Adventure video docuseries that combines hitchhiking with beer tasting for a unique spin on the typical brewery visit may be just what you’re looking for.
Each episode of the Hopping travel docuseries follows Kenny Flannery hitchhiking through the western United States to get in-depth looks at some of the best breweries he can find. Over the past decade, Kenny has been living out of his backpack while his friend Nick Noyes was in New York City working in the film industry. Now, they’ve joined forces to travel, drink amazing beer, and document the whole journey.
Each episode delves into a new brewery or two and the adventure to get there. Hitchhiking, couchsurfing, and otherwise having a great time.
From Las Vegas to Arizona and California, Kenny Flannery and Nick Noyes thumb rides to breweries like Able Baker, Mother Road, Dark Sky, Wilderness, Beer Research Institute, Wren House, Border X, Modern Times, BarrelHouse, Device, and Burning Barrel.
This backpacking beer adventure updates with a new episode each week. The series starts off with episode 1 at Able Baker Brewing in Las Vegas. Brewery owner James Manos tells stories about atomic ducks, the OG Vegas “Instagram influencer,” and provides a wide range of some of the best beers on the planet. Kenny and Nick have to figure out where to sleep and how to get moving towards Arizona for the next run of brewery visits.
Here’s a look at the other episodes:
Episode 2, Mother Road & Dark Sky Brewing
Kenny takes Nick on his first hitchhiking trip to Flagstaff. Mother Road Brewing and Dark Sky Brewing are eagerly awaiting their arrival on New Year’s Eve, prepared with stories and plenty of beer to share.
Episode 3, Wilderness Brewing and Beer Research Institute
Kenny and Nick hitchhike from Flagstaff to Phoenix on the next stop of their Hopping endeavor. They hit up Wilderness Brewing and The Beer Research Institute to meet the crew and drink down some beers that are both sustainable and powerful.
Episode 4, Wren House and What Ales Ya
Before hitchhiking to San Diego, Kenny meets Luke Wortendyke and Kyle Krieg at Wren House Brewing in Phoenix to hear their story and sample beers. The What Ales Ya homebrew store shares their story, and provides the goods for a couple homebrew sessions.
Episode 5, Modern Times Beer and Border X
Modern Time allows cameras behind-the-scenes for the first time in years, deep into their barrel warehouse. Border X Brewing pours a 9% horchata golden stout, just to say hello.
Episode 6, BarrelHouse Brewing
BarrelHouse Brewing in Paso Robles has the venue and the beer to magnetize anyone between SoCal and NorCal. While filming the Hopping show, Kenny and Nick experienced their longest wait while hitchhiking north of Los Angeles, but were greatly rewarded by dropping in to their brewery.
