Why can't we rate/review brewery tours?

Help Discussion in 'BeerAdvocate Talk' started by Beginner2, Apr 8, 2026.

  1. Beginner2

    Beginner2 Grand Pooh-Bah (4,380) Feb 14, 2016 Illinois
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    Why does BA not allow Place reviews if a brewery organises tours, but does not have a public bar? Shouldn't aficionados encourage others to take tours?

    I just returned from a Podge's tour of Belgian Family Brewers (BFB), a very important subgroup for appreciating better brewing. Several BFBs gave our group of 40 aficionados very good brewery tours and had tasting rooms, but I could not write a Place review for these 4 breweries.

    1) Omer (5 generation BFB and has a great production facility, a tasting room and an events room often open to the public on busy days, all modern),
    2) Verhaeghe (with impressive barrels, it has an antique tasting room, but will soon have a beirgarten once an EU grant comes through),
    3) Roman (also modern, has an indoor tasting room and an outdoor private cafe),
    4) Vicaris/Dilewyns (is an up 'n comer BFB with a tasting room for tours and a bottle shop)

    Now, I suppose I could ask a Monitor to allow Place reviews for these 4 BFBs, and others as they come up.
    But I also don't want to wear-out my welcome... or change a policy if it exists.
    Please advise.
     
    superspak, ChicagoJ, MrOH and 3 others like this.
  2. Todd

    Todd Founder (13,518) Aug 23, 1996 Finland
    STAFF Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah

    The simple answer is: we don't support rating brewery tours. I don't see it happening either.

    That said, if a brewery does have a public bar, retail store, or kitchen, then you can submit a request to tag it as such. That'll make the place reviewable, but again the rating system for places isn't designed for brewery tours. And you're feel to make a mention in your notes when you're reviewing the place in general.
     
  3. doomXsaloon

    doomXsaloon Savant (1,092) Jul 22, 2009 New York
    Trader

    I include that in my review of breweries, but, true, no separate category. Maybe part of 'vibe' ?
     
  4. WillieThreebiers

    WillieThreebiers Grand High Pooh-Bah (9,203) Apr 26, 2012 Connecticut
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    Isn't a tasting room a public bar.
     
  5. Todd

    Todd Founder (13,518) Aug 23, 1996 Finland
    STAFF Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah

    If the tasting room is licensed and open to the public, then yes.

    If it's only accessible via a paid/private tour, then no.
     
  6. WillieThreebiers

    WillieThreebiers Grand High Pooh-Bah (9,203) Apr 26, 2012 Connecticut
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    If the goal is to allow rating, and review, aren't these just tasting rooms with cover charges? Additional, I've never been on a brewery tour where they didn't also sell beer to go and as such, can be rated as stores.
     
  7. Todd

    Todd Founder (13,518) Aug 23, 1996 Finland
    STAFF Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah

    That's not the goal for breweries that are just breweries; no public tasting room, retail store, or restaurant.
     
    superspak and ChicagoJ like this.