The IPAs and ales worth making the journey for.

The craft beer “revolution” means that even your local pub now probably stocks something more interesting than brown bitter or wan lager, and that a visit to a speciality bottle shop presents an overwhelming choice of brews, from saisons to stouts, brewed globally from Manchester to Melbourne. It’s welcome, but it’s almost too diverse – the kick from seeking out something exciting in a sea of mass-market dishwater is harder to find. However, there are still some beers obscure enough to be cherished – those made miles off the beaten track, and in such small quantities that getting your hands on one is an achievement in itself (and sure to impress your friends). Here are five far-flung destinations you’ll want to sink a beer in.

Westvleteren, Belgium

The Trappist monks of the Abbey of St Sixtus in rural west Flanders brew the dark, raisiny, yeasty quadrupel Westvleteren 12, but to sample it may require a miracle. They only make enough to financially support their pious lifestyle; it’s sold at the monastery gate to those who have pre-ordered it two months in advance, plus at the De Vrede cafe – the only premises permitted to sell it - in the neighbouring village.

Vleteren is 90 minutes’ drive from Brussels.

The brothers run a simple but serene guest house in their monastery. It’s an ideal place for some peace and contemplation (and they might even slip you a bottle or two).

Mikkeller Torshavn, Faroe Islands

That cultiest of craft breweries, Copenhagen’s Mikkeller doesn’t do things the obvious way, so it’s fitting it opened a tiny, cosy bar in an ancient building in the middle of the smallest capital city in the world on a remote island in the North Atlantic. (You’ll need a beer by the time you make it here.) Try the locally brewed Gullhornið English-style IPA.

Torshavn is a one-hour flight from Copenhagen, Edinburgh and Bergen, Norway.

Nearby Hotel Forøyar has stunning views of the wild and windswept country, plus its restaurant Koks has a Michelin star.

The Alchemist, Stowe, Vermont, US

In 2003, a small brewpub in northern Vermont set about making a new kind of IPA – hazy, strong and stuffed to bursting with hops. The extremely limited edition result was Heady Topper, which went on to inspire a new category in beermaking called North Eastern IPA. Even today, cans of Heady Topper rarely make it out of the state (and are limited at their shop to four packs per person) – grab it if you see one, or better still, visit New England and fill your boots.

A three-hour drive through forests from Boston Logan International.

Perfect for winter skiing and summer hiking, Stowe Mountain Lodge mixes contemporary service with classic New England style.

Russian River Brewing Company, Santa Rosa, California, US

You could go to Sonoma County to drink the famous wines. Wines are ten-a-penny, though – instead make the trip into California’s heartland to Russian River Brewing and its pub in downtown Santa Rosa, where you can drink Pliny the Elder, an imperial IPA that for years was voted best beer in the world on ratebeer.com. It’s a hop-loaded delight that’s barely seen anywhere but there.

Santa Rosa is just over an hour’s drive north of San Francisco.

Farmhouse Inn in nearby Forestville has a few laid-back and luxurious rooms amid gardens and native woods. The restaurant is a farm-to-table treat.

Colonsay Brewery, Scotland

With its 135 inhabitants, pristine beaches and abundant natural habitats, the Inner Hebridean island of Colonsay is a Scottish paradise. And it also happens to be the smallest island in the world with its own brewery, making the odyssey to get there even more rewarding. Sup a bottle of its 80 shilling, a traditional Scottish heavy ale, as the sun sets over the crashing sea.

Oban is a 2.5hr drive from Glasgow; from there, it’s a 2.5hr ferry to the island.

The characterful Colonsay Hotel dates to 1750 and serves fine local produce (and, of course, Colonsay Brewery beer).