Traveler Beer Company

The Traveler Beer Company began with a phone call between Alan Newman, founder of Magic Hat Brewing, and Jim Koch, founder of Boston Beer Company. That phone conversation begat the Alchemy and Science project, which then produced the Traveler Beer Company.

The Traveler Beer Company produces a new sort of adventure for the craft drinker – craft shandys. According to the Beer Traveler Company, the story of the shandy goes way back.

 

“The shandy tradition dates back to the 17th century and is typically beer mixed with a citrus-flavored soda or carbonated lemonade, ginger beer, ginger ale or cider. Today, English publicans pour a blend of traditional English ale with various lemon and lime beverages for their patrons though real lemons or limes are rarely used.” - Beer Traveler Co.

Alan Newman and company realized that in the craft beer community that was bursting with barrel aged brews and dank IPAs there was a surprising lack of any craft shandys. That’s when the Beer Traveler Company found its mission.

The first in the lineup turned into the brewery’s flagship, Curious Traveler, a malt wheat ale infused with lemon and lime puree, lending it a brilliant citrus aroma and taste. The additional options that are available throughout the Grand Rapids market are Time Traveler, which is a strawberry shandy that utilizes fresh strawberries to create a unique and sweet flavor, and Illusive Traveler, a grapefruit shandy that harnesses the bright citric flavor without the fruit’s bitterness.

Keep an eye out for these shandys so you can get a bit curious and acquaint yourself to them.