There's something uniquely satisfying about sampling a fresh batch of beer right where it was brewed. Take a guided tour and learn the tricks of the trade at one of these US breweries.
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Photo By: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
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Photo By: The Boston Beer Company
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Stop by Odell Brewing Co. for a taste of some of their experimental beers, cooked up in small batches at the brewery in Fort Collins, CO. Take a tour to learn all about craft brew culture.
Get a glimpse of the entire brewing process at Troegs Brewing Company in Harrisburg, PA. Start off with free samples in the tasting room, then move through the brewhouse where you'll learn all about fermentation and filtration. Tours are offered every Saturday; reservations are recommended.
On your next trip to Boston, stop by Harpoon Brewery. Narrated beer tastings are offered during the week, and full tours of the brewery are conducted on weekends. Tours are $5, and include a souvenir glass and beer tasting.
Free tours of Brooklyn Brewery are conducted each weekend. For an even more informative experience, plan ahead and book one of the reservation-only weeknight tours. They cost $8, are limited to 25 people and include a free tasting.
Get a behind-the-scenes look at the brewhouse, cellars and packaging hall at Dogfish Head Brewery in Milton, DE. Make sure to try a few of the free samples as well. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, beer enthusiasts can also tour the Dogfish Head pub in Rehoboth Beach, DE, site of the company's experimental brewery.
Visit the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company in Chico, CA, for one of the daily guided tours. Stop by the taproom and restaurant for a taste (or 2) of their award-winning brews.
Smuttynose Brewing in the seaport town of Portsmouth, NH, offers tours on Fridays and Saturdays. Also be sure to visit the Portsmouth Brewery, New Hampshire's original brewpub.
Learn all about the history of Samuel Adams Brewery on an hour-long tour of the Boston facility. The comprehensive tours are offered daily, and include a beer tasting.
Visit the Coors brewery in Golden, CO, for a tour of the largest single-site brewery in the world. At the end of the tour, visitors can take a look at the collection of historical beer cans, bottles and memorabilia, and sample some of the Coors products.
Anchor Brewing Company in San Francisco takes great pride in its traditional methods of beer production. Tours are offered daily, but make sure to make a reservation before visiting.
Visit Abita Springs, LA, for a free tour of Abita Brewery. Visitors are given a cup to pour their own samples from the taps in the tasting room both before and after the tour.
Free tours of the Anheuser-Busch Brewery in St. Louis are conducted daily. For a more comprehensive behind-the-scenes experience, schedule a $25 Beermaster Tour.
