Best Brewery Tour (2022)

Visitors in Hershey can choose between three tour options at Tröegs Independent Brewing, a free self-guided tour through the heart of the brewery, a guided production tour or a Splinter Tour exploring the brewery's barrel-aging program. The popular production tour includes a behind-the-scenes look at the wood-aging cellar, mill room, hop cooler, brewhouse, fermentation cellar and packaging line. A welcome beer is included.
Photo courtesy of Tröegs Independent Brewing

A tour of Yards gives beer lovers an inside look at how one of Philadelphia’s most popular beers is made. These humorous (and entirely wheelchair accessible) tours take guests through the production facilities, with tastings along the way and last about 40 minutes.
Photo courtesy of Yards Brewing Co.

Bell’s, one of the oldest craft breweries east of Colorado, started out with a 15-gallon soup pot in 1985. Today, visitors can tour the facilities free of charge at both the Comstock and Kalamazoo locations to learn more about the processes of brewing, fermentation and packaging. Tours include complimentary samples.
Photo courtesy of Bell's Brewery

You don’t have to fly to Dublin for a behind-the-scenes Guinness experience, thanks to the Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Baltimore. Hour long tours of the facility cover Guinness heritage while offering a glimpse at how the iconic stout is made today, stateside. Each tour includes a complimentary keepsake.
Photo courtesy of Steve Vilnit

Samuel Adams has long been a giant in the Boston beer scene, and visitors are invited to learn more about the history of the company and its famous Boston Lager during 60-minute tours of the brewery. After hours tours let guests see the facilities with a cold one in hand. Other themed tours focus on the brewery’s history and barrel aging program.
Photo courtesy of Sam Adams Boston Brewery

The first-come, first-served free tours of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery offer a laid-back journey through the working brewhouse, cellars and bottling line for a chance to watch the magic happen. For beer lovers, grain to glass tours go into normally off-limits parts of the facilities, including cold storage, the grain handling room and the barrel-aging room.
Photo courtesy of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

Visitors to the New Belgium facilities in both Fort Collins and Asheville are in for a treat. Free 90-minute tours include beer sampling (of course) as well as stories of the brewery's history. After the tour, guests are invited to enjoy beers in the tasting room or grab a bite to eat from a rotating list of visiting food trucks.
Photo courtesy of New Belgium Brewing Company

Visitors to this Chippewa Falls brewery have two options for tours. The hour long Legacy Tour covers the 150-year history of Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company, with a stroll through the modern facilities and a visit to the Leinie Lodge, where historical photos and vintage brewing equipment sit on display. The Behind the Scenes with the Family tour is led by a Leinenkugel family member for a more personalized experience.
Photo courtesy of iStock / Chalffy

Sierra Nevada beer fans have the opportunity to tour brewing facilities in either California or North Carolina. During each 45-minute interactive tour, visitors trace the process from grain to bottle. Smell whole-cone hops, sample sugary wort and finished with a guided tasting of Sierra Nevada beers. Heritage, Beer Geek and Hop Head tours go further in depth.
Photo courtesy of Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

Spoetzl Brewery, the pride of Shiner, Texas, dates back to the early 1900s. Those who take the 45-minute brewery tour will be introduced to the history of Spoetzl, learn about the impact its success has had on the town of Shiner, and have the opportunity to witness the brewing process up close. Tour packages start at $20 per person over 21 years old and include complimentary pours of Shiner beer. 
Photo courtesy of Portra // Getty Images