There is a shift in the culture of beer and sophisticated drinkers are traveling to taste new brews. Especially in the United States, plenty of breweries are opening their doors for consumers and connoisseurs.

While many casual beer drinkers wouldn’t know an India pale ale (characterized by hoppy bitterness and higher alcohol content) from a Belgian-style ale (a citrus-tinged, spicy taste), he’s encouraged by the growing number of people visiting breweries and festivals.

Those of you looking for a trip out west this fall should check out the Great American Beer Festival. For other parts of the country and from dates beginning this summer through the end of the year, scroll down to the end of this article.

Find a brew you like? Bring some with you to any event in your belly and enter it in next years Beer Madness.