A well-stocked store shelf or a long beer menu can be intimidating to beer novices. Sometimes they aren’t sure what to buy or what types of beer are best. Luckily, with so many breweries in the area, Milwaukee has many opportunities for the new beer drinker to learn about beer, the brewing process and beer varieties. And, even more luckily for you, I’ve compiled a list of my favorite brewery tours:
1. Miller Brewery is a Milwaukee institution. Located on 4251 W. State St., Miller offers tours Monday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The tour is free but tends to fill up fast. I recommend arriving early to guarantee a spot.
The tour includes a video about the history of Miller, and visits to the brew house, the packaging center and the Miller caves. The tour ends at either the Miller Inn or the beer garden for beer samples. Expect two or three Miller and Leinenkugel products. The Miller tour is perfect for those interested in learning how a large brewery operates.
2. In contrast, the Sprecher Brewery tour will show you how a smaller microbrewery makes its beer. Located at 701 W. Glendale Ave. in Glendale, Sprecher runs tours on Friday at 4 p.m. and Saturday at 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. Because spots are fairly limited for the tour, Sprecher asks that you call ahead and make a reservation.
This $3 tour is well worth your money. The tour guide takes you through the entire process from brewing to bottling. The tour ends at Sprecher’s indoor beer garden for a sampling from a list of up to ten beers. Sprecher lets you take your small tasting glass home as a gift.
3. My favorite local brewery tour is the Lakefront Brewery tour. Located at 1872 N. Commerce St., Lakefront is a microbrewery that has been producing a wide variety of crafts brews since 1987. Tours are Monday through Friday at 3 p.m. and Saturday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., every half hour. There are also 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. tours on Friday for diners at Lakefront’s excellent fish fry.
For only $5, you get a tour of the brewery, four beer samples and either a Lakefront pint glass or $2 off of anything in the gift shop. Quite the deal if you ask me. During my last visit, Lakefront had five beers on tap to sample, including one that had never been bottled. Lakefront is unique because the tour begins and ends at the tap. You get to drink beer before, during and after the tour.
Brewery tours are excellent opportunities to try new beers without spending too much money. The tours also teach you about the brewing process and different beer varieties. Stop by any of these local breweries for a great afternoon.
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