My first in-depth cross country trip was our geology field camp. Drove from Pennsylvania, thru the upper Midwest, to SD, WY, ID, Montana mapping stuff all the way. We drank our way across the country and got introduced to all kinds of new and exotic (to me) beers. Hamm's, Olympia, Coors, Grain Belt. This was a long time ago, before Coors was available east of the Mississippi. Loved the first three, hated the Grain Belt. Miss those evenings around the campfire drinking beer and telling lies.
Oh, 13PTBUCK, just get a Criterion barrel. You can't go wrong.