djk7

I wasn't sure of the best forum for this thread, but I'm starting it in DiningBuzz, since it seems like a companion to the long running beer fridge thread, and brewery restaurants are included here. Mods can move it if needed.

I've never taken a destination trip just to visit a brewery, but have made it to a few, both on vacation and business trips. This has included going on tours, stopping by taprooms, and eating at their brewpubs. And at some breweries, because of time constraints, I've only been able to visit their store.

From memory, here is my list, going back quite a few years:

Tours - in no particular order

• Coors, Boulder, CO - Took the free tour way back before it became self guided. Small samples at the end. After filling out a brief survey, was one of the few selected for a tasting and rating of possible future products.
• Herforder Brauerei, Hiddenhausen, Germany - Was taken by some German friends, I think there was a charge, but don't know what they paid. Samples after the tour were full 1/2 liter, limited to 10 per person. Hopefully nobody tried to test the limit. Wursts and bread were also provided.
• Avery Brewing, Boulder, CO - Free tour including samples. Have a designated driver as they have some high potency brews. This applies to most of the taprooms too.
• Budweiser, Busch Gardens, Tampa, FL - Long gone now.
• Magic Hat Brewing, South Burlington, VT - Free self guided tour with free samples afterward.
• Guinness Storehouse, Dublin, Ireland. Fairly expensive ~15 Euro, and you don't see the actual factory. Still impressive and informative, and worth it if you are in or near Dublin

Taprooms - most serve full pints and charge going rates, exceptions noted. Most also sell beer to go.

• New Belgium, Ft. Collins, CO. - FREE samples (not pints), including of course, Fat Tire
• O'Dell Brewery, Ft. Collins, CO. - reserved for a private party when I went, I wasn't able to try.
• Ft Collins Brewery, Ft. Collins, CO. - how can a town this size be blessed with three great microbreweries?
• Yakima Craft Brewing, Yakima, WA
• Port/Lost Abbey, San Marcos, CA - nominal price for flights of 4 non-pint samples.
• Founders Brewing, Grand Rapids, MI - Largest by far of the ones I have been to.

Brewpubs/Restaurants

• Tommyknocker Brewery, Idaho Springs, CO. - Great place to stop coming back to Denver from the ski resorts, try the green chili. Cold beer to go too.
• Stone Brewing, Escondido, CA - tried to get there twice when I was in the area, but alas, haven't actually been there yet, although one of my co-workers has.
• Ice Harbor Brewing, Kenniwick, WA

Brewery stores

• Bell's Brewery, Kalamazoo, MI

Since some of these are older experiences, so details and free vs. not free might have changed.

If I recall any more, I'll add them, let's hear yours.

To stay on the topic of real breweries, please stick with breweries that distribute, and not brewpubs that just brew for in-house consumption or branded bars.

Gamecock

Guinness Storehouse in Dublin. Great tour with a pint from a room overlooks the town.

Starwood Lurker

I've done three local breweries here in Austin.

Live Oak Brewery was a gas because the brewmeister was passionate about her product and she filled your glass over and over and over as she waxed philosophically about her craft.

Austin Beerworks was fun also. They were generous with their beer as well and you could also sense the passion they have for their craft.

Spoetzel Brewery was not as fun as I thought it might be. They're passionate about their craft as well, but they are such control freaks that it takes away from the experience. As the bus driver noted, "I came once; no need to go back again."

Did the Schlitz tour in Longview, Texas about 40 years ago as well, but I can't remember much about it and I'm not even sure they still brew there.

I'd like to visit Avery and New Belgium someday though.

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flsunshineflyer

Toured the Abita Brewery outside New Orleans. There were several brews on tap that you just went up to as if it was a fast food beverage station. As much as you wanted. IIRC, it was free.

cordelli

Not so much the tours but if they have a tasting room or restaurant we will try to visit. The one that comes to mind first is Lagunitas in Sonoma, they have way more beers there than we usually see from them on the East Coast.

rankourabu

The Guinness and Heineken experiences were fun - a bit overpriced, but what they heck.

I also enjoyed these free tours:
Beer Lao in Vientiane, Laos - free pints and Beer Lao gear
Tyskie in Tychy, Poland - free pints
Speights in Dunedin, NZ - free pints of different kinds (but I think entrance was NZ$10)
Kokanee in Creston, BC - one free bottle.


I am sure I am forgetting some, but those were probably forgettable.

djk7

Planning to go to Ireland later this year, and even though I've heard mixed reviews on this, will bite the bullet. It is Guinness, after all!

kipper

I've found that once you've worked in a brewery for more than an hour or so, the tours are very similar from one to another. That said, I will try to seek out brewpubs or microbreweries with sampling rooms or brewpubs.

fs2k2isfun

I was in Germany last week and made a pilgrimmage to Bamberg. Wasn't able to go on any tours, though I did speak with the owner of Schlenkerla and drank at many of the breweries' taprooms. Breweries in Germany don't seem to be as tour friendly as those in the US.

tcl

Almost always do a google search of the area in advance to see if there are local breweries open for tasting. If they serve food, even better.

snuggliestbear

My wife and I did the MillerCoors trio in a year - Coors on a trip to Denver/CO Springs and then a separate trip just to Leinenkugel's (with a stop at Miller along the way). Those were a lot of fun. We also hit up Steam Whistle in Toronto because it was the top rated thing to do on TripAdvisor and it was a lot of fun! (and good beer)

printingray

I experienced Two Brothers Tap House for many times and found it good. Its is a place hidden in the back of warehouses so its not easy to find it. Its the tap house with a multitude of good beer and fantastic food. A wonderful place for lunch and dinner but in weekdays, it opens after 3 so lunch isn't possible. The customer service is above the average. House beers are of good quality but well priced also.

TravelMutt

Yes. This is exactly why I travel. Beer, mead, and cider, along with food, are what I always look for.

My next two trips are to the Basque region of Spain, for food and cider, and Berlin/Prague/Plzen/Bamberg for beer.

My favorites have been, in no particular order:
1. Jolly Pumpkin Old Mission, Traverse City, MI
2. Great Lakes Brewing, Cleveland, OH
3. Kuhnhenn Brewing, Detroit, MI
4. IJ Brewery, Amsterdam, NL
5. Cantillon Brewery, Brussels, BE
6. De Heeren Van Leidekerke, Leidekerke, BE
7. Short's Brewery, Bel Aire, MI
8. Terrapin Brewery, Athens, GA
9. Cigar City Brewery, Tampa, FL
10. My hometown bar Redlight Redlight, Orlando, FL
I must ask, since you are from Orlando, do I know you? I know a lot of guys in the beer scene around here, and we meet up at Redlight Redlight often.

braslvr

Not exactly, but I do very much seek out bars that play 70s/80s music, allow smoking indoors, and have at least a few attractive women present. It's become increasingly important as it becomes harder to find. If those criteria are present in a brewpub type place, all the better.

sparkchaser

I try to. At the very least I try to seek out local brews.

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