Best brewery tours?

I've only been on one, but it was pretty good. Did a brewery tour at Ballast Point (Old Grove location). It happened that they were shooting film for something that day during the tour, so one of the owners led it. Or maybe it was the head brewer? It was a couple years ago. Anyway, it was pretty interesting.

 

Anheuser Busch in St. Louis. It's free! The brewery tour is quite good, regardless of how one might feel about the end product(s).

 

I'd say Allagash so far. The tour was free and it began with 4 pretty generous pours of what they had on tap and walked around in the barrel room. Not a favorite brewery of mine but the tour was nice. And did I mention it was free

 

Cantillion self tour 5 or 6 euro and a 2 pour beer tasting at the end.

 

I really enjoyed Ommegang. Nice tour, beautiful property, and tied it in with a visit to the Baseball HOF.

 

Lakefront MKE; I mean this in a 100% honesty, there is no need what so ever for further conversation.

 

Odell's was good. I like their tasting room space a lot. Only one pour on tour and it was one of their mediocre offerings, but buying a flight of pretty great pilot beers beforehand and drinking them outside while playing battleship was a fun time. The tour was more extensive than some others i've been on too.

 

This could be good or bad, but Ed Stoudt gave a crazy tour at Stoudt's. I found it humorous.

 

I have a special place in my heart for Yard's in Philly. I've been on the tour a few times, with each being a little different. Plus, how can you be disappointed in a brewery tour when it starts like this:

Guide: "Everyone who has received a free beer, raise your hand!"
Group: (Collective hand raising)
Guide: "Now, ask yourself why there isn't a beer in your raised hand, and then go back to the sample table and fix this problem!"

Smuttynose was also pretty good, as they put a cap on the number of people in the group, the guys were willing to really shoot the shit afterwards, and the samples were never-ending.

 

Bend, Oregon.

 

New Belgium's tour was amazing. Their tasting room is fantastic, you get to bring what you are drinking with you when they call for your tour time. You are met with a tray full of beers as soon as the tour starts, get to pour your own (choice of 8 when I was there) on the next stop, glass of Lips of Faith sour (Tart Lychee when I was there) in the barrel room, plus a hand full of their other offerings along the way. 90 minutes long but it only felt like 30 to me. Very interesting, fun and full of cool info. I'll make it a point to go back and bring friends if I'm ever in the Ft. Collins area again.

 

Smuttynose used to give a pretty solid tour. Got to stick your head into the whirlpool and get pretty close to the brewing process, then got to try some samples at the beginning and end. Did the tour one afternoon and then met my wife for dinner and the first thing she said, 'You smell like beer and bread'. Although it was hit or miss whether you got a marketing or brewing person do the tour.

 

I second cantillion and ommegang, both great tours, but my favorite tour was Heineken. Crappy beer, great tour. Reminded me of chocolate world at hershey park

 

I agree with Anheuser Busch in St. Louis is pretty cool for nostalgic reason’s, Coors’s in Colorado is ok. But for smaller craftbrew joints. Summit in St. Paul Minnesota is ok but my #1 is Surly Brewing in Brooklyn Center Minnesota. It’s free, 5+ oz pours with 5 tokens. Good history lesson on how it all started. Can’t really go wrong with that!

 

I had a pretty good time on the Deschutes tour. Super knowledgable tour guide, and unlimited samples in the gift shop. They also have this cool hall of fame art gallery thing with a painting of every Jubelale label, pretty cool.

 

Anchor's tour was pretty cool, especially given their history. I also took the tour at Firestone Walker when they had just upgraded some of their equipment but were still installing more, and that was pretty neat as well.

 

Last time I was in St. Louis I drove out to Schlafly Bottleworks for lunch and found that they offer a free tour along with a complimentary tasting. It starts with the history of brewing in St. Louis, then a tour of the production area, followed by a tasting.

 

This is the only brewery tour I've ever really thought was worth the time. Most of them are all the same.

 

Boulevard in Kansas City is my favorite. Their brewery is huge, the people are great, and the beer is fantastic.