Charging for a brewery tour?

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by KevSal, Sep 17, 2015.

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  1. KevSal

    KevSal Pooh-Bah (2,940) Oct 17, 2010 California
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Recently a local brewery announced they were going to have brewery tours again, I was pumped to check them out and went to book a tour. $7 a person? wtf? Ive gone to a dozen of brewery tours and have actually never paid a fee to do so, at any of them. Im not that excited to check them out...

    This got me thinking, is this normal practice? and if so what is the most that you have seen charged for a tour? What does the fee cover, just the samples you try?

    Even Sierra Nevada is free and super educationaly, their tour is excellent
     
    #1 KevSal, Sep 17, 2015
  2. rozzom

    rozzom Pooh-Bah (2,620) Jan 22, 2011 New York
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Never come across that. Would pass your question back to you - what did the $7 fee cover at the brewery in question?
     
    #2 rozzom, Sep 17, 2015
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  3. floridadrift

    floridadrift Initiate (0) Oct 24, 2014 Florida

    CCB charges $15 + a glass and a feel sample of something nice. Its not that crazy man. Pretend anywhere you go now, is going to charge to pay their light bill.
     
    #3 floridadrift, Sep 17, 2015
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  4. gobuccos

    gobuccos Initiate (0) Apr 28, 2014 Ohio

    We spent $7 per person at Lakefront in Milwaukee. The price included 4 beers, so definitely worth it. You also get a pint glass at the end of the tour.
     
    #4 gobuccos, Sep 17, 2015
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  5. PapaGoose03

    PapaGoose03 Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,057) May 30, 2005 Michigan
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    I've paid a fee at more than half of the tours that I've experienced (plus Sam Adams was just a donation for a charity). The fee certainly covers some of the cost of some sampling, but a couple of the tours also involved a 'free' pint glass after the tour was complete.
     
    #5 PapaGoose03, Sep 17, 2015
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  6. RummyRedbeard

    RummyRedbeard Pundit (899) Mar 8, 2013 Colorado

    Honestly when I started going to breweries I was surprised that most of them DON'T charge. I don't think it's that outrageous, it's pretty much a service charge, and besides that as others have mentioned you will probably receive a souvenir.
     
    #6 RummyRedbeard, Sep 17, 2015
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  7. mikebezek

    mikebezek Initiate (0) Apr 16, 2015 Pennsylvania

    Was told at Great Lakes that "by law they have to charge" since the tour involved beer drinking. Put a buck in a jar and threw back some beers.
     
    #7 mikebezek, Sep 17, 2015
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  8. CBrodbeck

    CBrodbeck Initiate (0) Nov 1, 2014 Florida

    Funky Buddha charges $5 for the tour... You get some samples along the way, and you get a nifty FB pint glass at the end. Not too terrible.
     
    #8 CBrodbeck, Sep 17, 2015
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  9. lateralusbeer

    lateralusbeer Savant (1,222) Feb 7, 2010 North Carolina
    Trader

    One would think a brewery would want to create as low a barrier to entry as possible for the tour, because of how much it increases the chance of the tour taker leaving a converted fan.
     
    #9 lateralusbeer, Sep 17, 2015
  10. Scott17Taylor

    Scott17Taylor Initiate (0) Oct 28, 2013 Iowa
    Trader

    It's only $7, a lot of breweries charge and honestly it seems reasonably to me.
     
    #10 Scott17Taylor, Sep 17, 2015
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  11. Andrew041180

    Andrew041180 Initiate (0) Mar 15, 2013 Massachusetts

    Are we still talking about beer? :wink:
     
    #11 Andrew041180, Sep 17, 2015
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  12. Andrew041180

    Andrew041180 Initiate (0) Mar 15, 2013 Massachusetts

    I've never seen a brewery charge for a tour. If it was just a fee to look at the stainless then I would pass on it. If the fee was attached to a tasting or some kind of brewery swag that I wanted I wouldn't have a problem with it.
     
    #12 Andrew041180, Sep 17, 2015
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  13. ncusatis

    ncusatis Crusader (483) Dec 22, 2014 Wisconsin
    Trader

    Milwaukee Brewing Co. - $10 - All you can drink (I'm not lying)
     
    #13 ncusatis, Sep 17, 2015
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  14. Domingo

    Domingo Grand Pooh-Bah (4,252) Apr 23, 2005 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah

    Cantillon charges 7 Euros for a tour...but it includes 3 (fairly large) sample pours and gives you free run of 90% of the building.
     
    #14 Domingo, Sep 17, 2015
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  15. Dachs

    Dachs Initiate (0) Oct 17, 2014 Ohio

    Ive toured a couple breweries in Wisconsin and they always charged anywhere from $5-10 for a tour but it always included beer samples that easily cost more than the cost of the tour.
     
    #15 Dachs, Sep 17, 2015
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  16. jlsims04

    jlsims04 Initiate (0) Jul 14, 2013 Illinois

    Some charge some dont. Some are worth it some are not. I am much more willing to pay for a flegdling brewerys tour than an established one however.
     
    #16 jlsims04, Sep 17, 2015
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  17. TuckerMaxx

    TuckerMaxx Initiate (0) Sep 29, 2010 Connecticut

    I'll be there on Friday! cant wait to go back. Cant forget about the high ABV coupons too
     
    #17 TuckerMaxx, Sep 17, 2015
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  18. gilgar

    gilgar Initiate (0) Nov 14, 2013 Texas

    The local breweries used to charge a fee ($10 give or take) for which got you a free glass and several samples. They got the laws changed here in Texas and now all but a couple are selling their beer directly rather than charging a fee for the visit.

    A local called (512) still charges $10 for a glass and 3 samples (but from what I've read they are generous with the samples and you pretty much get as many as you want within reason)
     
    #18 gilgar, Sep 17, 2015
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  19. azorie

    azorie Pooh-Bah (2,471) Mar 18, 2006 Florida
    Pooh-Bah

    geez seen 1 set of tanks you seen them all. Its like when wineries started charging to taste their wines, they lost me. If you need to charge to do a tour, just stop doing tours. seriously what is there to see. Now beer camp now that I would pay for.

    at here you can peek into the brewery room, storage area converted into brewery (whatever) and go yep its where they make the beer. woohoo....much to do about nada.:grinning:

    at cigar city you used to see the line as you go into to tasting room , if you pay for that your nuts...:grimacing::grimacing::rolling_eyes:
     
    #19 azorie, Sep 17, 2015
    Last edited: Sep 17, 2015
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  20. bluehende

    bluehende Initiate (0) Dec 10, 2010 Delaware

    Most breweries around here charge. It usually includes some beer and is not a bad a deal. If there is no beer then they are usually free.
     
    #20 bluehende, Sep 17, 2015
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