08-03-2025
Best Brewery Tour (2025) - USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Photo courtesy of Mat Trogner C/O Allagash Brewing Co. No. 10: Allagash Brewing Company - Portland, Maine
Allagash Brewing Company offers an excellent selection of brewery tours, starting with Taste of Allagash, a 30-minute tour and barrel room exploration that includes two samples of featured releases. The 1-hour Signature Beer & Barrels Experience checks out the wild and sour barrels aging cellar and includes sampling five seasonal specialties. Allagash also offers private brewery tours for 10 guests at a time, for those who want a more personalized experience.
Photo courtesy of Bell's Brewery No. 9: Bell's Brewery - Comstock, Michigan
Bell's Brewery, one of the oldest craft breweries east of Colorado, started out with a 15-gallon soup pot in 1985. Today, visitors can tour their state-of-the-art facilities in Comstock, Michigan, and at their flagship location in Kalamazoo, Michigan, to learn more about Bell's brewing processes, fermentation, and packaging. Tours include complimentary samples.
Photo courtesy of Deschutes Brewery No. 8: Deschutes Brewery - Bend, Oregon
Bend's first microbrewery and one of the largest craft breweries in the country, Deschutes is renowned as a leader in beer hops and hop development. Their 45-minute tours are inexpensive and super informative, getting you up to date on Deschutes' history and brewing process. Not to mention, you get a free koozie as well complimentary beer as part of the tour.
Photo courtesy of Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. No. 7: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. - Chico, California and Mills River, North Carolina
Sierra Nevada beer fans have the opportunity to tour brewing facilities in either North Carolina or California. During each 45- to 60-minute interactive tour, visitors trace the process from grain to bottle. Smell whole-cone hops, sample sugary wort, and finish with a guided tasting of Sierra Nevada beers. Beer Geek, Beyond the Pale, and other tours go further in depth.
Photo courtesy of Knorth Studios No. 6: Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co. - Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
Visitors to this Chippewa Falls brewery have a few options when it comes to tours. The hour-long Legacy Tour covers more than 150 years of Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co. history, including a stroll through the modern facilities and a visit to Leinie Lodge. Alternatively, spend 90 minutes on a tour with the master brewer, 30 minutes exploring the Leinie Lodge Pilot Brewery, or 90 minutes learning about the history of the brewery and Chippewa Falls.
Photo courtesy of Phil Cassella - Burial Beer Co. No. 5: Burial Beer Co. Forestry Camp - Asheville, North Carolina
Burial Beer Co. offers guests a peek into their production facility and taproom in Asheville, North Carolina. Designated drivers can take the tour for free, and though they won't get to partake in the tastings, they'll still get the lowdown on the Asheville brewing scene and the history of Burial during this 1-hour experience.
Photo courtesy of LP Creative Studio No. 4: Anheuser-Busch Brewery Experiences - St. Louis, Missouri
At Anheuser-Busch Brewery Experiences, visitors can choose from an array of tours. The Day Fresh tour takes you through the Clydesdale stables, the Brewhouse, and throughout the St. Louis campus, while the Finisher Tour goes straight to the fermentation cellars, giving guests a complimentary branded hat and commemorative glass to go with their beer samples. For their biggest fans, the Beermaster Tour is 2 hours long, visits exclusive locations, and offers fresh beer straight from the finishing tank, as well as a bevy of souvenirs.
Photo courtesy of SweetWater Brewing No. 3: SweetWater Brewing Company - Atlanta, Georgia
Visit SweetWater Brewery in Atlanta for a guided tour of the brewing facilities. Standard 30-minute tours highlight the brewing process, while High Gravity tours — available on weekends — go behind the scenes and last 90 minutes. Both tours include beer samples.
Photo courtesy of Spoetzl Brewery No. 2: Spoetzl Brewery - Shiner, Texas
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 of its success on the town of Shiner, and witness the brewing process up close. Tour packages start at $30 per person over 21 years old and include complimentary pours of Shiner beer.
