TripAdvisor’s Top 10 Brewery Tours

TripAdvisor’s Top 10 Brewery Tours

Getting to wander around a brewery and sample a few beers along the way is one of life’s great little pleasures. TripAdvisor recently scoured its consumer ratings to figure out whose tour is best. These are the top ten.

Check out TripAdvisor for more sudsy travel goodness.

1. Beechwood Best: Anheuser Busch Brewery Tour, Saint Louis, Missouri

In addition to offering free tours that take in the legendary Budweiser Clydesdale Stable, Beechwood Lager Cellars and historic Brew House, true hop-enthusiasts can also opt for the more exclusive “Beermaster Tour.” This behind-the-scenes look at the brewing of Budweiser even offers travelers the opportunity to taste samples directly from a finishing tank. Tour tickets are $25 for over-21 year-olds and $10 for 13- 20 year-olds.

2. Revolutionary Pour: Samuel Adams Brewery, Boston, Massachusetts

All of the senses are put to good use on this hour-long tour, as travelers taste their way through the special malts used to brew Samuel Adams beer, smell the hops and discover the secrets of the entire brewing process – from start to finish. Tours run every 45 minutes or so and are free of charge, although a voluntary donation of $2 is suggested, with all proceeds going to local charities.

3. Rocky Mountain Merriment: Coors Brewery, Golden, Colorado

Founded in 1873, Coors’ Golden operation is today the largest single-site brewery in the world. Visitors can enjoy a complimentary, 30-minute self-guided tour of some of the site’s highlights, accompanied by an audio device which details the malting, brewing and packaging processes. Once the walking is done, thirsty travelers can cool off in the “fresh beer room,” and sip a cold sample while resting on ice-cube benches in a refrigerated room.

4. Waterside Libations: Lakefront Brewery, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Founded in 1987, Lakefront Brewery believes there is a direct correlation between attention span on beer tours and drinking beer. As a result, travelers visiting this inventive microbrewery can expect to sample an array of brews right from the get-go, including what was the first beer to be certified organic in the U.S. Tour tickets are $7 and include a souvenir pint glass, four pours of beer and a coupon for a complimentary beverage.

5. Beer on the Banks: Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co., Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin

Boasting a picturesque riverside-setting, travelers visiting this old-world Germanic brewery can enjoy spectacular scenery and award-winning flavors. Free tours take in the history of the company, which dates back over 140 years and has been led by five generations of Leinenkugels, in addition to the brewing process. Travelers can round off their visit at the historic sampling bar, or enjoy an al fresco taste on the covered patio.

6. Rocking Refreshments: Stone Brewery, Escondido, California

Travelers seeking a thirst-quenching experience just north of San Diego can enjoy a complimentary, 45-minute guided tour of Stone Brewery – a 55,000 square foot working brewery, founded in 1996. After a journey to the heart of the operation to learn about the craft brewing industry, visitors are invited to participate in a guided tasting of a selection of year-round and special releases.

7. Hop-Filled Flavors: Terrapin Brew Company, Athens, Georgia

For travelers seeking to soak up some sweet sounds with their cold brews, Terrapin Brew Company offers live music and a festive atmosphere. The brewery, which introduced its first beer in 2002, runs educational tours and tastings Thursday through Saturday evenings, offering visitors a sneak-peek at the 40,000 square foot brewing facilities. Entry is $10 and includes a souvenir pint glass and tasting tickets.

8. Mass Malts: Harpoon Brewery / Mass Bay Brewing Co., Boston, Massachusetts

Located within minutes of downtown Boston, travelers visiting this historic city can add extra flavor to their trip with a hop-tastic tour of Harpoon Brewery. Complimentary weekday tastings are held in the Tasting Room, overlooking the brewery – while weekend tours, conducted when Harpoon is not brewing or packaging beer, give beer-lovers the opportunity to join a guided walk through the brewery. Tour tickets are $5 and include a glass and tasting.

9. Delicious Draughts: New Belgium Brewing, Fort Collins, Colorado

Boasting a Belgian brewmaster, New Belgium Brewing adds a dash of continental flair to Fort Collins. Free tours, which operate Tuesday through Saturday, offer visitors a 90-minute tasting and a stroll around the brewery, which has been creating imaginative blends since 1991. Seven years later, the operation became the first wind-powered brewery in the U.S. – and with sustainability integral to the company, this is an interesting spot for “green” travelers.

10. Froth-Filled Fun: Boulevard Brewing Company, Kansas City, Missouri

No one wants to get left out in the cold, when there’s beer to sample – so TripAdvisor travelers recommend booking a free tour of the largest specialty brewery in the Midwest, plenty of time in advance. After taking in the sights and soaking up Boulevard’s history on a 45-minute, guided walk-through, visitors can enjoy a tasting of an array of beers, including seasonal specialties and year-round brews.

Christopher Null is the founder and editor in chief of Drinkhacker. A veteran writer and journalist, he also operates Null Media, a bespoke content creation company.

5 Comments

  1. Ryan on October 13, 2010 at 5:23 pm

    I dont ever see myself paying any money for an Anheuser Busch tour, much less $25 for one. The Sam Adams and Harpoon tours I recommend. Stone is also a good one. San Diego has many fantastic breweries in the area so you can make a day out of brewery hopping. (Yes I know Stone is in Escondido, but its only 20 miles up the road.)

  2. Trob on October 14, 2010 at 11:54 am

    Whether or not you like Anheuser Busch’s products, their tours are pretty interesting. Especially if you’ve toured smaller craft breweries, which gives you a reference for just how amazingly huge the conditioning tanks are for Bud.

    On another note, I’ve never used TripAdvisor, so does anyone know if the scores there depend on the number of reviews? I can’t believe Anchor’s tour wouldn’t make a best-of list; it puts most brewery tours to shame.

  3. Ryan on October 14, 2010 at 12:09 pm

    I suppose the scale of Anheuser Busch is amazing especially when compared to craft breweries, but I prefer the personal feeling that craft breweries possess. Theres actually an AB factory near where I’m originally from. Ive never been there although I think it still free. Maybe ill check it out some time in the future.

  4. Rick on November 12, 2010 at 11:33 am

    Sam Adams 2nd? Hard to believe, as its one of the most uninteresting I’ve ever been on. No actual brewing done there – just a couple of samples at the end. I’d recommend Anchor Steam (San Francisco), Saranac (Utica, NY) and Yuengling (Pottstown, PA).

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