Whether it’s of the craft or mass produced variety, beer always tastes best in the place where it’s made. Along with a taste of their lovingly tended produce, brewery tours offer insight into the methods (and madness) behind the brewing of a beer. Taking into consideration both a beer’s taste and how interesting the telling of the story of its making is, here’s our pick of the 5 best brewery tours in the USA. The featured image is by futureshape.
Brooklyn Brewery – New York City, New York
Brooklyn Brewery has played a huge role in the regeneration of Williamsburg from dangerous neighbourhood to hipster hangout. There’s a small batch (no more than 30 people) tour lasting just over half an hour at 5pm on Mondays through Thursdays where you can taste four beers and see the brewhouse for only $8.
Stone Brewing Company – Escondido, California
For $3 you get a 45-minute tour and a guided tasting of all of Stone’s beers. Alternatively check out sporadically scheduled events such as “Beer 101: History of Beer” where resident brewers guide you though 10,000 years of brewing – naturally a few tasty study aids are included.
Flying Dog Brewery – Frederick, Maryland
Flying Dog takes educating patrons seriously. Their tours – run on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays – last two hours and include five beer samples, all for five bucks.
MillerCoors – Golden, Colorado
While they may not be known for their quality, MillerCoors’ beers are certainly remarkable for their quantity. Their facility in Golden, Colorado is the biggest single-site brewer in the world, turning out up to 22 million barrels a year. A free half hour tour offers insight into what it takes to make beer on a massive scale. And why not – a sample or two while you’re here won’t hurt.
Road Dog’s Brewery Tour – Seattle, Washington
How can you know how good a brewery is if you have nothing to compare it to? With visits to three of Seattle’s craft and microbreweries, the Road Dogs brewery tour is the solution. Their “join-in” tour lasts around three hours and costs $79.
NOTE: Tasting available to over 21s only. Bring government-issued ID!
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