TRAVEL

In addition to covering San Diego County’s brewing industry, San Diego Beer News publishes comprehensive travel pieces examining the unique beer scenes from destinations far and wide. These articles provide detailed information about every brewery in a featured region, including the types of beers each operation specializes in, back stories and inside tips to help craft-beer tourists find exactly what they’re looking for and drink like a local.

Brandon HernándezOctober 4, 2023

Prescott & Sedona, Arizona

Arizona’s craft-beer scene has been on the rise for the past decade-and-a-half, seeping beyond the greater Phoenix area to saturate cities like Flagstaff and Tucson and everywhere in between. Pack in and join us as we examine two locales that, while smaller in population, are plenty noteworthy for their unique…
Read More
Brandon HernándezAugust 9, 2023

Walla Walla, Washington

Wine enthusiasts are familiar with Washington and the wealth of Cabs, Syrahs and Malbecs to be found in the state’s southeastern expanses. A low-key gem of a community, Walla Walla is a destination for many Evergreen State residents—as well as visitors from Idaho and Oregon—looking for some time away from…
Read More
Brandon HernándezMay 2, 2023

Temecula & Murrieta, California

With nearly 50 wineries, American Viticultural Area designation and a well-established wine culture, Temecula Valley is primarily known for its reds, whites and roses, but over the past decade-plus local breweries have worked hard to diversify the region’s liquid assets. Temecula and Murrieta are now home to a combined 15…
Read More
Brandon HernándezFebruary 21, 2023

Arizona Cactus League Ballparks & Breweries

Each spring, Major League Baseball fans flock to Arizona to catch preseason games at Cactus League ballparks located throughout the greater Phoenix area. Following a decade-long brewery boom, “The Valley” now boasts an abundance of local options for pre- or post-gaming with local beer. With more than 50 breweries, brewpubs,…
Read More
Brandon HernándezJanuary 25, 2023

Ventura, California

Sandwiching a stretch of U.S. 101 between La La Land and Santa Barbara is the city of Ventura. A somewhat quirky, fully conscious coastal community, its beachy vibes lend light and texture to a thriving art culture, the vibrant colors of which have bled into a burgeoning local-beer scene. Headed…
Read More
Brandon HernándezNovember 2, 2022

Richmond, Virginia

Smack dab in the heart of Virginia lies a vivid brewing scene that’s among the East Coast’s finest and draws visitors from across the Old Dominion as well as neighboring states and the District of Columbia. But it wasn’t always that way in Richmond. Just over a decade ago, the…
Read More
Brandon HernándezSeptember 14, 2022

Albuquerque, New Mexico

At the turn of the century, Albuquerque was home to an early yet influential brewpub called Blue Corn Albuquerque. It was from that lone operation, which later rebranded to Chama River Brewing, that a wave of ambitious brewers would emerge to establish craft breweries that formed the foundation for a…
Read More
Brandon HernándezJuly 13, 2022

Eugene, Oregon

Oregon has long been a standout state for quality craft beer headlined by suds-saturated strongholds, Portland (PDX) and Bend. Those spots cast long shadows that can obscure the ale-and-lager scenes of other noteworthy locales. Case in point, Eugene, a full-fledged city with small-town charm and over 20 brewery-owned venues, nearly…
Read More
Brandon HernándezJune 30, 2022

Pacific Northwest Standouts

The roots of American craft beer extend throughout the nation, but the bines of the movement are clearly embedded in the Pacific Northwest (PNW). It’s there that hop farmers have cultivated not only a wealth of varietals but a thriving agricultural industry that provides brewers with 75 percent of the…
Read More
Brandon HernándezJune 1, 2022

New Orleans, Louisiana

For seekers of a rollicking good time, New Orleans has everything: downhome indigenous cuisine, international eats, homespun zydeco and jazz music, a proud culture, and locals that embrace community, visitors and the pursuit of happiness. Here, one can literally dance in the streets with an adult-beverage in-hand. And for those…
Read More

Endorsements from tourism professionals who’ve hosted and worked directly with Executive Editor Brandon Hernández on San Diego Beer News’ beer-centric travel articles.

“As a Salt Lake native and self-proclaimed beer snob, I feel like I have a pretty good grasp of the Salt Lake beer scene. That was until I read Brandon’s write-up on Salt Lake’s breweries. From historical context to in-depth details on each location’s ingredients and overall atmosphere, I found myself learning new things about even my favorite and most visited breweries. Brandon is clearly passionate about his craft and does his due diligence. We were thrilled with our coverage as were our brewers. I highly recommend inviting Brandon to your neck of the woods for an excellent travel and beer scene article.” ‒ Ryan Mack, Director of Media & Communications, Visit Salt Lake

“As journalists go, simply put, Brandon is a brilliant, insightful writer, a great researcher and extremely well-informed about the craft-beer industry. His excellent body of work speaks for itself. Brandon’s knowledge of storytelling, his hooks and engaging copy have proven invaluable as he collaborated with our team to share our region’s story and reputation for craft-beer excellence. He makes his copy engaging and persuasive, striking the right middle ground between informing and inspiring in perfect alignment with the Visit Santa Rosa brand. In summary, Brandon is an amazing journalist to work with. He produces his work on time and on deadline, and exhibits an exceptional collaboration skillset. I can 100% recommend him as a trusted, go-to journalist.” ‒ Chris Vomvolakis, Director of Marketing, Visit Santa Rosa

“Discover Flagstaff had the pleasure of working with Brandon Hernandez. He is an expert at showcasing the art of brewing and craft beer. Brandon is an amazing writer to work with and we highly recommend him. Brandon is prompt and thorough in verifying the accuracy of his content and was spot-on with his descriptions about Flagstaff’s mountain town as a destination with everything there is to see and do in Arizona’s official craft-beer city. Brandon provided excellent follow-up notifying Discover Flagstaff of his published content, tagging our DMO and stakeholders on social media, and he was an absolute joy to host. Brandon also has a very dedicated audience who count on him as a resource and his experience to provide recommendation, inspiration and travel advice. During his stay in Flagstaff, he surpassed expectations. That kind of influence, combined with his enthusiasm and kindness, is extraordinary.” ‒ Meg Roederer, Communications Specialist, Discover Flagstaff

“One of the most thorough, curious and thoughtful journalists I’ve worked with in nearly 12 years in this business, Brandon Hernández is a consummate professional. He asks all the right questions and shines with knowledge of both beer and the travel industry. We’re thrilled with his coverage of Bend, Oregon’s beer scene and would invite him back in a heartbeat.” ‒ Tawna Fenske, PR & Communications Manager, Visit Bend

“It was a genuine pleasure to work with Brandon on the beer story for Richmond. He is professional, personable, and easygoing, and he was incredibly thorough in his research, both prior to his trip and while visiting the region. With more than 30 breweries, RVA has a lot of ground to cover, and Brandon did a phenomenal job of touring, tasting and highlighting beers found within our city, towns and counties. The details and delicious descriptions in his final feature should inspire any beer lover to explore Richmond’s brewery scene!” ‒ Carla Murray, Director of Marketing Communications, Visit Richmond

“I had the pleasure of working with Brandon Hernández on an article covering local beer and spirits in the Greater Palm Springs area. As Media Relations Manager for Greater Palm Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau, I work regularly with journalists who are seeking detailed destination information and requesting access to our partners. Brandon was professional, organized, friendly, courteous and punctual. The article he produced was thoroughly researched and well-written. Our partners were thrilled with the results. Recommend highly!” ‒ Laura Hunt Little, Media Relations Manager, Greater Palm Springs CVB

“First and foremost, Brandon is one of the best beer writers we’ve ever worked with here in Paso Robles. An ace reporter, Brandon is always pushing for new and exciting angles, and always looking to create a real “insider” feel to his coverage. While his focus is beer, his skills as a travel writer are equally as strong. Brandon excels in providing fun, digestible and user-friendly stories for a wide breadth of readers; his stuff is accessible to all, from millionaires to backpackers on a budget, and everyone in between.” ‒ Mike Dawson, Media Strategist, Solterra Strategies (for Travel Paso/Paso Robles Chamber of Commerce)

“By the time Brandon called our office to arrange a visit, he had already done a lot of research and knew which breweries he wanted to visit…all of them, over a few days’ time! I joined him on two brewery visits and was impressed by the questions he asked because they reflected the homework he’d done about each location. I learned a lot about brewing, beer, and our local brewery scene that day. He was easy to work with, flexible and appreciative of our efforts. The final ‘plus’ was reading his article where he really captured the energy and spirit of the Eugene Ale Trail.” ‒ Meg Trendler, Travel Lane County

Prescott & Sedona, Arizona

Walla Walla, Washington

Temecula & Murrieta, California

Arizona Cactus League Ballparks & Breweries

Ventura, California

Richmond, Virginia

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Eugene, Oregon

Pacific Northwest Standouts

New Orleans, Louisiana

Santa Rosa, California

South Lake Tahoe, California

Salt Lake City, Utah

Bend, Oregon

Paso Robles & Atascadero, California

Reno, Nevada

Flagstaff, Arizona

Greater Palm Springs, California