best brewery tour uk

The Foodie Travel Guide >  Foodie Experiences > Brewery Tours

Brewery Tours

Discover Britain’s rich brewing heritage by taking one of these recommended brewery tours. Serious Ale Explorers can hop around the UK tasting beer and visiting historic British breweries such as Shepherd Neame in Kent. Over the past five years, there’s been a craft beer revolution resulting in an explosion of small micro breweries. There are now more than 1,300 breweries across the UK. There’s never been a better time to taste British beer. Take your pick from brewing masterclasses, guided tours, beer tasting events and beer festivals.

Tour York Brewery and Taste Beer Brewed Within the Ancient City Walls

Visit the Pioneers of British Craft Beer at Thornbridge Brewery in Bakewell

Bakewell, Peak District, Derbyshire

Fuller’s Brewery Tour: Taste London Pride in Chiswick

Chiswick, London

Adnams Brewery Tour: Become a Suffolk Beer Explorer

Southwold, Suffolk

Tour Shepherd Neame in Faversham, Britain’s Oldest Brewery

Faversham, Kent

Drink Guardsman’s Ale at the Windsor & Eton Brewery

Windsor, Berkshire

Raise Your Glass as You Tour the County on The Yorkshire Ale Trail

Take a Tour of Stewart Brewing, One of Edinburgh’s Micro Breweries

Edinburgh, Scotland

Taste Welsh Mountain Ales at Porthmadog’s Purple Moose Brewery

Porthmadog, North Wales

Tour the Renowned Black Sheep Brewery in Masham

Masham, Yorkshire

Tour Ampleforth Abbey’s Apple Orchard & Taste Award-Winning Cider and Beers

York, North Yorkshire

Sip a Pint in the Beer Garden on the Archerfield Estate

Dirleton, near Edinburgh, Scotland

Be a Brewer for the Day at Edinburgh’s Craft Beer Kitchen

Be a Real Ale Explorer at The Welsh Highland Railway Beer Festival

Snowdonia, North Wales (May)

6 of the Best UK Breweries to Visit

We love craft beer here at Coolector HQ and we’re delighted to report that the UK has some first class brewers to appreciate. If you’re after a trip to a brewery and want to see some of the UK’s finest, we have compiled a list of six of the best that our fair isle has to offer.

Take a look through our picks of some of the UK’s best breweries to visit below:

Fourpure Brewery Tours

Tours are for up to a maximum of ten people and Fourpure’s impressive GEA Craft-star brewhouse which was installed in late 2017 with a newly expanded taproom, there’s really has never been a better time to plan a visit to their brewery. During the tour of the brewery you will learn about Fourpure’s history, how they brew their beers and what makes them different from the competition. On this tour, they will show you the steps required to make each of their 4,000-litre batches which begins with grain and finishes up with a delicious beer. Adult tickets include a tasting flight of six different beers, each beer 1/3 pint size, so what’s not to like?

Beavertown Brewery

Situated in the Tottenham area of North London, Beavertown are a favourite beer brand of ours here at Coolector HQ, particularly in the shape of their delicious Neck Oil beer, so a trip to their taproom and brewery will definitely be time well spent. One of London’s stand out craft beer brands (until their recent purchase by a certain conglomerate perhaps), this is a must visit on any London brewery tour.

Hawkshead Brewery Tour

Located in the very heart of the English Lake District, Hawkshead are brewers of bold, innovative beers since 2002, and their beer range is vibrant and boasts an array of thirst quenching session beers, big hopped pale ales, deep dark stouts and sours. With an impressive range of core beers, available in Cask, Keg, Bottle and Can, there will be plenty to enjoy during a brewery tour here. At Hawkshead Brewery they strive to make the sort of beer they like to drink – distinctive, full of flavour, handmade, and perfectly crafted and their brewery tours are for groups of 10-20 and are on every day at 1pm allowing you to enjoy lunch in The Beer Hall before or after your tour should you wish.

Northern Monk Brewery Tour

House in a grade II listed mill in Yorkshire, Northern Monk’s brewery is a sight to behold and their beers are just as impressive. A brewery tour to this first class, Leeds based brewer will give you a chance to imbibe some of their belters and each tour lets you find out about the history of Northern Monk, meet the team behind the recipes and learn about the process behind brewing beer. Their brewery tours last around 45 minutes and include a pint (or 2 x 1/2 or 3 x 1/3) in their taproom. These operate hourly between midday and 3pm on the first Saturday of each month and are limited to 16 people per tour.

Hook Norton Brewery Tour

Nestled in the stunning, peaceful Cotswold Hills landscape, Hook Norton brewery is a proudly independent and passionate family business that strives to make the very best of its handcrafted brewing heritage and combines it with a extremely contemporary approach, so as to craft a range of real ales for today’s drinkers to enjoy. Hook Norton is one of only 32 family owned breweries and is the finest example of a Victorian Tower Brewery anywhere in the UK so if it’s a brewery tour with a touch of historical significance attached, this is the one for you.

Bristol Beer Factory

Bristol Beer Factory began life in 2004 by making just a few standard cask conditioned ales in a eclectic part of south Bristol.  They soon realised that there is much more to brewing and many more styles of beer they wanted to craft and so they have developed their production to deliver an array of different regular bottled ales, cask ales and a variety of interesting specials throughout the year. Bristol Beer Factory aren’t afraid to try something new and the company has a firm belief that all the great ideas are already within the walls of the brewery – it’s just a matter of extracting them out of the team within. Head on a brewery tour here to see what it’s all about.

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Visit A Brewery

Brewery Tours and Information

Love beer? Find your nearest brewery.

Search the best British breweries below, or switch to the map view by pressing the icon in the bottom-right. See where your favourite beers come from, or book a tour today!

Adnams Brewery

Behind the walls of our Victorian-looking brewery, we’ve got some of the most advanced and energy-efficient brewing equipment in Europe.

Andwell Brewing Co.

Andwell Brewing Co, Hampshire Join us on a guided tour of the Brewery, meet the Andwell’s Team and learn how we craft our quality real

Arkell’s Brewery

Kingsdown Brewery, Swindon Arkell’s Brewery is one of the finest examples of a Victorian steam brewery anywhere in the world.But if this magnificent site looks

Belhaven Brewery

Belhaven Brewery, Dunbar If you would you like to learn more about Scotland’s Oldest Working Brewery and taste Scotland’s favourite ales & stouts, book your

Bishop Nick

Bishop Nick, Essex Ever wanted to try your hand at brewing? Want to treat someone to an unforgettable experience? This is a unique opportunity to

Black Sheep Brewery

Black Sheep Brewery, Masham This is your chance to join one of our experienced tour guides and take a look behind the scenes of our

Bowland Brewery

Bowland Brewery, Clitheroe Our Ales Of Outstanding Natural Beauty are brewed right here beneath the chimney at Holmes Mill – just behind our famous Beer

Brewpoint, Bedford Well’s & Co’s new home, Brewpoint is a state-of-the-art brewing facility with the flexibility to produce the styles of beer that consumers are

Butcombe Brewing Co.

Butcombe Brewing Co. Bristol Bristol born and made to stand out, Butcombe Brewing Co. began life at a time of cultural, social and political change,

Fuller’s Brewery

Griffin Brewery, Chiswick What goes into making Fuller’s ales taste so good? Just how much has brewing changed? How do we continue to thrive in

Gower Brewery

Gower Brewing Company Here at Gower Brewery we’ve been crafting ales of outstanding natural beauty in the heart of Gower since 2011. As the Gower

Greene King Brewery

Westgate Brewery, Bury St Edmunds Come and see the brewery for yourself, learn about its history and taste the beers in our home town? On

Harvey’s Brewery

Harvey’s Brewery, Lewes We pride ourselves on providing a relaxed opportunity for customers to gain an appreciation of the brewing process and our heritage –

Hogs Back Brewery

Hogs Back Brewery, Tongham The Hogs Back is a small family-owned brewery with big plans to make our beer genuinely local and our brewing more

Hook Norton

Hook Norton Brewery Co Ltd Book onto a brewery tour and experience first hand the sights, sounds and smells of brewing beer the Hooky way

Lancaster Brewery

Lancaster Brewery Join us for a relaxed drink in the Brewhouse and Tap or book a Brewery Tour and learn the processes of state-of-the-art brewing

Langham Brewery

Langham Brewery Come and see our Brewery. If you love Craft Ale and want to know a bit more about how it’s done, why not

Long Man Brewery

Long Man Brewery, South DownsBook a Brewery Tour & Tasting to learn more about how we produce Naturally Excellent Beer in the heart of the

Moorhouse’s

Moorhouse’s Brewery, Burnley Discover the mystical secrets and recipes of our exceptional beers with a look behind the scenes. We take you through the heart

Okell’s

Okell’s Brewery Here, amidst the pure shores and rolling glens of the Isle of Man, Okell’s has been defined by our beautiful island for over

Ossett Brewery

Ossett Brewery, West Yorkshire We’re extremely proud of what we do and are keen to share our passion for making our meticulously crafted beer. Our

Palmers Brewery, Dorset You’ll go behind the scenes in the historic brewery buildings, to watch every stage of the centuries-old brewing process. The tour ends

Purity Brewing Co.

Purity Brewing Co. Purity Brewing Co have been producing amazing beers in the heart of the Warwickshire countryside since 2005. Join us on our award

Rebellion Beer Co.

Rebellion Beer Co. Our monthly social nights are a fantastic evening of great beer, great food and great atmosphere. The events offer a chance to

Robinsons Brewery

Robinsons Brewery, Stockport See the old with the new as you explore the brewing process…Our Visit England accredited Visitors Centre, based in the historic town

Salcombe Brewery

Salcombe Brewery, Devon Brewery tours offer the Salcombe Brewery experience. After your welcome drink, tour the brewhouse and enjoy a flight of Salcombe beers. Max

Sambrook’s

Sambrook’s Brewery, Wandsworth It’s a big claim, but we believe our tours are the best in town! First off, they’re only £15 and that includes

Shepherd Neame

Faversham Brewery Our award-winning guided tour takes visitors around the Faversham Brewery site to learn about the ancient art of brewing. See brewing and fermentation

Stewart Brewing

Stewart Brewing, Loanhead Whether you’re a self-proclaimed beer geek or an eager beer novice, Stewart Brewing would love to invite you to one of our

Theakston’s Brewery

Theakston’s Brewery, Masham While we’d like to think Theakston ales are legendary in their own right, many other factors contribute to our company’s reputation. To

Windsor & Eton Brewery

Windsor & Eton Brewery Our brewery tours are a delight for the beer drinker and non-beer drinker alike. You will enjoy a fun, informative and

Wold Top Brewery

Wold Top Brewery Learn all about our story and how we create our wonderful beers, including an insight into the day-to-day workings of a brewery.

Woodforde’s, Norfolk

Woodforde’s Brewery Discover how your favourite beer is brewed with a Woodforde’s Brewery Tour. You will be led by an experienced Tour Guide and immersed

Breweries and distilleries

Fancy making your pint rather than just drinking it? Or even just finding out more about how it ended up in the glass in front of you? Discover how your favourite tipple is created at one of the many tours of distilleries and breweries around the country. There are many independent gin emporiums busy handcrafting one of our most popular beverages and even a whisky distillery. Whether it’s an ale trail in Cumbria offering brewery tours including stop-offs at artisan microbreweries, or a cider route through Herefordshire, remember to bring along a designated driver.

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Herefordshire Cider Circuits

Cycling and cider makes for a great combination in Herefordshire.

Location: Ledbury, Herefordshire

Visit a family run vineyard in the heart of the Chilterns

Explore the vineyard and sample the wine and beer produced in this truly independent brewery in Oxfordshire.

Location: Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire

Be an apprentice brewer for the day at Derventio Brewery

Roll up your sleeves as you become an apprentice brewer for the day in one of Derby’s many micro-breweries.

Location: Derby, Derbyshire

See the oldest independent brewery in Buckinghamshire

The emphasis at Chiltern Brewery has always been to produce natural, wholesome beers using the best, class A malt and hops sourced in England.

Location: Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire

Beer tasting with the Britain's oldest brewer

Celebrate one of Kent's finest exports - the humble hop - with a beery-break in Faversham in Kent.

Location: Faversham, Kent

Gain an all access pass to a Bristol gin distillery

Get some 'Ginspiration' with tutored tasting at family-run distillery in beautiful Thornbury, near Bristol.

Location: Thornbury, Bristol

Take a tour of Adnams Copper House Distillery

The most energy-efficient distillery in the UK, producing high quality vodka, gin, whisky and more from grin to glass.

Location: Southwold, Suffolk

Go to the oldest brewery in Shropshire

Bishop’s Castle is home to the Three Tuns Brewery, the oldest brewery still in operation in the country.

Location: Bishop's Castle, Shropshire

Sample Surrey’s top tipples

Surrey has a wealth of drinks producers creating delicious award-winning wines and beers right across the county.

Location: Dorking, Surrey

Take a walk round Cumbria with Jennings Adventure Ale Trails

Stunning scenery, cosy accommodation, good food and real ale are all on offer with Jennings Adventure Ales trails in the Lake District.

Location: Ambleside, Cumbria

Enjoy a tipple at Pure Cider North

Cider anyone? Head to Deanhouse Farm, nestled in the Holme Valley and enjoy a sup or two of local, artisan cider producer, Rob North’s passion.

Location: Holmfirth, West Yorkshire

October events: Get merry on local brews at the Robin Hood Beer Festival

With its fine selection of beer and cider stalls, many of which offer local produce, Nottingham's Robin Hood Beer and Cider Festival is a great place for drink connoisseurs.

Location: Nottingham, Nottinghamshire

Rainy Day Activities: Try a Tipple at Plymouth Gin Distillery

At one of Plymouth's oldest indoor attractions, see first hand how Plymouth's unique smooth gin is made.

Location: Plymouth, Devon

Try the first whisky to be produced in London for 100 years

Take a bespoke tour around the London Distillery Company in London's Battersea, and learn how to make your own gin from scratch.

Location: London

Pubs, beer and Robin: Drink in Nottingham's brewing heritage

Explore the rich beer and brewing offer in Nottingham, from historic pubs to modern craft beers, and a brewery tour guided by Robin Hood himself.

Explore the home of Bombay Sapphire on a distillery tour

Become a cocktail-making master at the home of Bombay Sapphire gin. Enjoy a hands-on experience with gin experts, before embarking on a self-discovery tour.

Location: Laverstoke, Hampshire

Raise your glass for a real taste of the Cotswolds

Come, see, taste and buy outstanding natural spirits at the Cotswolds Distillery and stay at a renowned inn nearby for more foodie delights.

Location: Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire

Beach huts, breweries and barmy arcade games

Take in Southwold’s iconic sights on a coastal stroll along Suffolk’s Heritage Coastline, from brightly coloured beach huts to homemade arcade games.

Sup on local ales in one of Norfolk best breweries

Join a tour of Woodforde’s Brewery on the edges of The Broads and discover the local ingredients that make Woodforde’s beer taste so great.

Location: Norwich, Norfolk

Sample local craft beers brewed in Henry VIII's Southsea Castle

Discover the taste of Southsea Brewing Co., brewed in Southsea Castle's micro-brewery.

Location: Portsmouth, Hampshire

Take a tour of the award-winning Bowland Brewery

Enjoy a tour of the micro-brewery before watching the action from the stunning Beer Hall whilst you enjoy a pint of Hen Harrier ale.

Location: Clitheroe, Lancashire

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Best Brewery Tours In London

Heaving with hops, and boasting some of the boldest bottles of beer, the surge in microbreweries has been second to none in this glorious city. But, where to begin? From pubs brimming with barrels, to fully-fledged ale adventures, check out our guide to the best brewery tours in London.

Last edited by Scarlett Welch

Last updated on 19th August 2024

3 Locks Brewing Company - Brewery tours and tastings

@ 3 Locks Brewery on Various dates from Friday 20th September 2024

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to drink beer straight from the tank? Well, you can now find out with £25 tickets to 3 Locks Brewing Company's guided tour and tasting session in Camden. Spots include a complimentary drink on arrival, six tastings and a beer in the brewhouse (as well as some cheeky tank sips, of course). If you find a new favourite, you can purchase it later with a nice 10% off.

• Craft Class ⋅ Drinks Tasting ⋅ Food & Drink

Brewhouse & Kitchen Islington (Angel)

Boasting their own microbrewery right on-site, it's no wonder that Brewhouse & Kitchen's tour is popular among beer-lovers. Cavort around their copper barrels and get a taste for some of the finest craft in the business, as experts teach you all there is to know about the art of hops.

• Islington ⋅ Angel
• Restaurant Bar ⋅ Restaurant ⋅ Pub

Ale Hunters

Get to know some of the best pubs, craft breweries and taprooms across London venues with Ale Hunters' unique tours. You'll gain a whole load of new knowledge along the way, picking up tips and tricks while learning all about the brewing processes, with plenty of tasting opportunities.

BrewDog Camden

Vegan Monday and 2 other offers

If you're looking to try out some hoppy favourites, the BrewDog brewery tour in Camden is a great choice. Enjoy five of their top-quality third pints, which will be expertly paired with a selection of mouthwatering cheeses. Need we say more?

• Camden ⋅ North London
• Pub ⋅ Restaurant Bar ⋅ Restaurant

SMALL BEER: Brewery Tours

@ Small Beer Brew Co on Wednesday 25th September 2024 and 2 other Wednesdays

For fans of independent breweries, Small Beer Brew Co in Bermondsey is definitely somewhere you want to check out. Their brewery tours take place on Wednesdays, giving you a behind-the-scenes look at their unique brewing process and equipment. Head to their Bermondsey venue for a one-hour tour, which also includes a taster of five different beers, as well as a welcome drink on arrival - all for just £15 per person.

• Drinks Tasting ⋅ Food & Drink ⋅ Something A Little Different
• Tickets from £15.00
• South London

Beer Tasting & Brewery Tour Saturday

@ Bianca Road Brew Co on Every Saturday

A jewel in the Bermondsey Beer Mile crown, Bianca Road Brew Co has been developing craft beers at their microbrewery under the arches on Enid Street since 2016. The sustainable brewery, founded by Reece Wood, focuses on fresh-tasting, hoppy lagers and pale ales, with a few quirky creations thrown in too (Strawberries & Cream Sour anybody?) . And, if you fancy learning more about their beers, you can join them for a £20 guided tasting and brewery tour every Saturday. Discover the techniques, ingredients and know-how that goes into their delicious creations, knocking back four halves of beer while you're at it.

• Drinks Tasting ⋅ Activity
• Tickets from £20.00

East End Craft Brewery Tasting Tour

@ Five Points Brewery and Taproom on Friday 20th September 2024 and 13 other Fridays

Fancy trying out some of the East End's best breweries? Now you can with a top-notch craft brewery tasting tour. Starting at  Bethnal Green Tube Station, this  fabulous event will not have everyone tasting bevvies from 4 of the best taprooms, but also learning some fun facts too.

• Bar Crawl ⋅ Drinks Tasting ⋅ Walks & Tours
• Tickets from £49.00

German Kraft

If you're searching for a craft beer tasting in London, head to Kraft Dalston's tours and events. Make your way to their fermentation cellar and tip back 3 different half pints, all while being led by your in-house sommelier and expert, Helen.

Mash Paddle Brewery

Searching for a hoppy tour in Bermondsey? Then you're going to have to Mash Paddle Brewery. This fabulous venue will teach you everything you need to know in its classes and experiences, all while you quaff some of the tastiest pours.

• Event Space ⋅ Pub ⋅ Taproom

Hackney Wick Brewery Tour and Tasting

@ Crate Bar & Pizzeria on Saturday 28th September 2024 and 6 other Saturdays

Join beer expert, Jo, on a guided tour and beer tasting around some of the best microbreweries in Hackney. Expect to try some of the finest tipples in Crate Brewery, Howling Hops Brewery & Tank Bar and Old Street Brewery, before delving into cheese platters at Beer Merchants Tap.

• Drinks Tasting ⋅ Food & Drink ⋅ Walks & Tours
• Tickets from £37.50 - £70.00

40ft Brewery Tour Tasting

@ 40ft Brewery and Taproom on Every Saturday

Undoubtedly one of the coolest independent breweries and taprooms around, 40ft Brewery has been slinging out fresh, contemporary beers in a renovated Dalston car park since 2015. While you're welcome to join them for a pint or two (and some BBQ bites from Acme Fire Cult), you won't want to miss out on their Brewery Tour Tasting (£20 a ticket). Whether you're a newbie looking to learn more about the brewing process or a die-hard fan who just wants to know how your favourite drink is created, this fantastic one-hour session is sure to wet your whistle. As you discover the behind-the-scenes magic, you'll also be able to guzzle 6 1/3 pints of their core and seasonal beers.

• Walks & Tours ⋅ Drinks Tasting

Brixton Brewery Tour and Tasting

@ Brixton Brewery Taproom on Every Saturday

On the hunt for fabulous beer events in London? Head to Brixton Brewery's tour and tasting, complete with a fabulous taster session by a beer expert. Plus, you'll get to learn a tonne about the art and science behind every brew.

Signature Brew Blackhorse Road

A working brewery in the heart of East London, Signature Brew Blackhorse Road, and its Haggerston taproom , are must-visits for any die-hard hopheads. Join one of their epic tours, or sip on a vast array of artisanal beers while enjoying some awesome live music. 

• Walthamstow ⋅ Leyton
• Pub ⋅ Taproom

Wimbledon Brewery Tap

Fancy learning how hoppy goodness is made? Look no further than The Wimbledon Brewery Tap. Learn everything you need to know about brews at its range of beer-fuelled events, such as a beer 'n' cheese tasting, followed by sports viewings.

Battersea Brewery

Offering tastings and insider knowledge of where the magic happens from their on-site taproom, Battersea Brewery is a top-tier South London brewery tour. If you're feeling peckish, they also have a hearty range of grub on offer too.

• Event Space ⋅ Pub

The Five Points Brewing Co

If you like beer, you'll love the taproom tour and tasting the Five Points Brewing Company has to offer. Expect to hear how your favourite drink is crafted as well as a full-on history lesson. Afterwards, you'll get to try four different delicious types for a hoppy good time.

Camden Town Brewery Tour

@ Camden Town Brewery on Various dates from Tuesday 17th September 2024

The Camden Town Brewery tour is undoubtedly one of the best in the biz, as they will be taking hopheads around their incredible factory to see first-hand how their lip-smacking beer is made. What's more, there'll also be a few samples up for grabs throughout.

• Walks & Tours ⋅ Something A Little Different ⋅ Drinks Tasting

Events at Gipsy Hill Brewery

Gipsy Hill Brewery Tours are the perfect afternoon for any beer lovers out there. Every Sunday, the experts are offering guided tours of the brewing process, before giving you the opportunity to taste six different tipples in the taproom. 

Gosnells Of London

Make your brewery tour or brewing workshop a mead-related affair at Gosnells Of London's Peckham location. Discover how honey is fermented, watch the masters at work, get stuck in yourself and take home some spoils.

Round of Black Heart on us!

Looking for a Bermondsey brewery tour? Make your way to Hawkes, London's first-ever cidery for their masterclasses. Get the lowdown on what it takes to turn the humble apple into your favourite beverage, and taste the spoils alongside freshly-baked pizzas.

• Pub ⋅ Event Space ⋅ Taproom

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BEER TOURS UK

Discover the hidden delights of British brewing

We have a three day Chester based tour open for September Wednesday 6th to Friday 8th. The first day will be a visit to a Chester brewer and historic pubs, the second a day in vibrant Liverpool and the third day a trip to  Shropshire to visit a unique brewery followed by several wonderfully atmospheric pubs in beautiful Shrewsbury.  You can join the whole three day tour with accommodation in Chester or for individual days. Later in September we will again tour Liverpool on Thursday  21st and North Wales on Saturday 23  for a mini bus tour to a brewery and country inns.  If interested in any of these tours please contact us now for details on [email protected] 

Unique to britain.

Cask ale and our wonderful pubs - many dating back centuries - are unique to Britain.

THE BEST OF BRITISH BEER TOURISM

With ground breaking tours.

Our tours offer a fascinating glimpse into the rich and varied tapestry of the independent British cask ale brewing scene, all interwoven with visits to our unique British pubs.These are simply beer tours you just can't do alone.  We work closely with long-standing transport, brewery and pub partners to bring you a smooth and memorable beer experience to treasure- see our testimonials.  For 2024/25 we warmly welcome enquiries, both for our established tours around the North West of England and North Wales and new roll outs - including a tour to the beautiful Yorkshire Sales and North York Moors, a Hop Walk in Herefordshire and our

Northern Cities Beer Odyssey.

Please enquire at  [email protected]  or ring  07751 578605 (mobile) or  +44 (0) 1829 250502  for more information.We love to talk through our tours. 

Newsflash : Forthcoming  Tours The next open tours are planned for September and October visiting the Derbyshire Peak District and the Black Country - following the success of our Heritage Pubs of North East Wales Tour. In the Peaks we will take in the celebrated Thornbridge brewery and see the 'new' Burton Union system, along with drovers inns and village pubs dating from the 1800s, all complete with some cracking cask ales. In the Black Country we aim to visit the wonderfully traditional Bathams Brewery and heritage pubs from the area's industrial heyday.   

Early interest from individuals or group will be welcomed. please contact [email protected] we also offer walking tours in chester liverpool and manchester: t ake a stroll with us around the fascinating and historic pubs of chester,liverpool. and manchester. these tours can be tailored to your group for either the compact 2.5 hours early evening pub experience or our 4 hour afternoon tour, which takes in a brewery visit with light lunch. if you wish, you can decided the length of time you require for a small party. contact us now for a summer tour experience., i have had the pleasure of going on 2 beer tours with steve hobman from beer tours uk. the first was to north wales and liverpool in 2013, and the second was to the peak district and manchester in 2018. , on each tour we visited both rural and city local breweries and pubs, some were classic examples from the victorian era and early 20th century. we sampled both traditional british real ales as well as some newer, craft beer styles. , steve not only has a fantastic knowledge of british beer, but he ensures we learnt some of the history and culture of the places we visited. , the accommodation on both holidays was in delightful pubs, and the tours were well planned and paced. , as a british expat visiting the uk it was a great way of seeing parts of britain i had never seen and enjoying the best of british beer. , mark davies, all about cask ale.

Beer Tours UK has a very special offer in British beer tourism. We arrange bespoke tours for small groups, with enormous flexibility. Since we began, we have welcomed beer enthusiasts from Canada , the USA , Japan , Scandinavia and Australia along with many homegrown groups.

As a pioneer in British beer tourism, we have been leading both ale veterans and ale novices to breweries and pubs across northern England and North Wales for several years. We started out way with a clear mission to showcase the unique national heritage of craft cask-conditioned ale alongside the iconic British pub - the only place you can drink cask. 

Yes, we do recognise and respect the talents and creativity of the new craft keg brewers - and some of our brewing partners we visit now brew in both styles. And we may even trip over a craft gin producer or two. But cask ale and our wonderful pubs, many dating back centuries - from characteristic city centre ‘boozers’ to grand old coaching inns – are unique to Britain. Our tours celebrate them. This is really good fun beer tourism that you just can’t manage alone. We know the brewers, we know the pubs and we know the beers - well a quite a lot anyway. 

A single day tour to experience the best of local ale, whether visiting a brewery or several pubs in a single location. 

This excellent three day (3 nights) tour will explore the local area, revealing the best cask ale across breweries and pubs in the region.

An exceptional experience for five days (4 nights) visiting both rural and city breweries and accommodation in beautiful pubs. 

With tailored itineraries for organised groups or simply like-minded individuals, we travel to cask ale brewers across rural Cheshire and Shropshire and the wonderfully vibrant cities of Manchester , Liverpool , and Leeds while also heading into the dramatic landscapes of North Wales , the Peak District and the Yorkshire Dales – all wonderful backdrops for tours. We can also arrange tours in London , the Lake District , Scotland and the West Country or other parts of the UK . 

I contacted Beer Tours (UK) as I needed to organise something special for my 60th birthday. I contacted Steve and he created an itinerary and everyone was really looking forward to the trip. It didn't disappoint! Steve took us to pubs we wouldn't have found without him, to Brewery's where we enjoyed a tour (oh and free beer!) and some great scenery. If your looking for a recommendation for something different then try A Beer Tour with Steve Hobman.

Mike Carpenter, Altrincham

A visit to Stonehouse Brewery.

Steve Hobman

Founder | lead tours advisor.

Beer Tours UK is headed by beer writer and brewing media consultant Steve Hobman. Steve is a member of the British Guild of Beer Writers and the Brewing History society. 

Beer Tours UK is featured in articles across Europe for our experience in British beer tourism. 

Maltesen Magazine | Issue 116 | 2019

BEER Magazine | Issue 24 | Summer 2014

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UK Brewery Tours

London Brewery Tours

Founded back in 2014 in Bermondsey, we now have a number of brewery tours in London for you to enjoy. Discover great tasting beer direct from the brewery taproom at a number of locations on our guided tours.

Gift vouchers are available for all the tours below too.

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20 Best Craft Beer Brewery Tours in London

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London has many cracking craft beer taprooms and some of the best breweries in the world. Better still, there are many London brewery tours and craft beer tastings to enjoy.

Try freshly brewed beer and food pairings or even make your own craft beer concoctions with help from skilled brewers, there are a lot of London brewery tours to suit all tastes (and budgets).

From a bevy of beer tastings along Bermondsey Beer Mile to one of the oldest London surviving breweries from the 16th century, here is our guide to the best brewery tours in London:

Best Brewery Tours in London

Table of Contents

1. Fullers Brewery Tour, Chiswick

Fullers Brewery in Chiswick, West London is one of London’s most historic breweries, with brewing starting on the site from 1654.

Known around the world for their iconic ‘London Pride’, the Fuller’s Brewery Tour is a unique way to go behind the scenes of the Griffin Brewery and understand more about the brewing process as well as see vast quantities of brewing vats old and new.

Better still, the Fuller’s Brewery Tours culminate in a visit to their very own brewery bar, a treasure trove of Fuller’s own beers and ales to try, as well as from other breweries.

We’ve done this London brewery tour at Fullers twice already – read about our visits here >

Fullers Brewery tour lasts 1 hour and 45 minutes, and prices start from £25pp including 30 minutes free pour (as at March 2023).

Address: Fullers Brewery Shop, Chiswick Lane S, London W4 2QB

YOU MIGHT LIKE: The best pubs and bars in Hammersmith >

2. Greenwich Meantime Brewery Tour

A relative ‘newby’ on the brewing scene, the Meantime Brewery in Greenwich first site opened in 2010, after originally being brewed in nearby Charlton.

Meantime Brewing is now one of the most established breweries in London and you’ll see their beer being poured in most major London bars.

They have a couple of bases in Greenwich including their main brewery and taproom in North Greenwich where you can do a guided brewery tour and beer tasting.

You can enjoy a Meantime Brewery tour at their Tasting Room in North Greenwich at Blackwall Lane, which lasts 1.5 hours and enables you to sample most of Meantime’s core craft beer range. The Meantime Brewery tour also includes 4 x ⅓ pint tastings.

Meantime Brewing Beer tours and tastings start from £25 per person as at March 2023.

Click here to book a Meantime Brewery tour >

Address: Meantime Brewery Tasting Room, Blackwall Lane, Lawrence Trading Estate, London, SE10 0AR

YOU MIGHT LIKE: Top things to do in Greenwich >

3. Bermondsey Beer Mile tour

Comprising almost 20 breweries and counting, the Bermondsey Beer Mile is likely London’s best beer experience by quite some distance (by a…erm… mile).

From tiny taprooms to brand spanking new bars, and craft cideries to hipster hangouts, there is a Bermondsey Beer Mile brewery to suit everyone’s tastes.

A good way to get to know the Bermondsey Beer Mile better is by doing a Bermondsey Beer Mile tour. 

We recently did a Bermondsey Beer Mile tour with UK Brewery Tours – their Bermondsey Cheese, Meat and Beer tour was right up our street and a fun way to explore the Bermondsey Beer Mile, get insights into the brewing process plus meet with fellow beer enthusiasts or casual craft beer fans.

By the end of the tour, everyone was very chatty – maybe it had something to do with all the lovely beers we got to try along the way.

We’ve visited every brewery along the Bermondsey Beer Mile – read our Bermondsey Beer Mile guide here >

New for July 2024 – our Facebook Craft Beer and Brewery Fans group! Love all things craft beer? Head on over to our Facebook group! Click here to join our group >

4. Camden Town Brewery Tour

One of the newest brewery taprooms in North London and the spiritual home of Hell’s Lager (which you now see on tap in most of London’s pubs), Camden Town Brewery offers brewery tours plus tasters in their taproom.

Their sleek beer hall (located in nearby Kentish Town) has over 20 different beers on tap plus a walk-in fridge and merchandise shop.

A big space with a huge bar (more corporate than quirky), Camden Town Brewery Beer Hall is a welcoming place and beer drinking space which caters for all group sizes and all tastes (given their sheer number of beers on tap) – it also has a small outdoor drinking area too, perfect for summer months.

Better still, Camden Town Brewery offer regular brewery tours which include beer tasting at source. (Camden) Hells yeah!

Click here to find out more about Camden Town London brewery tours >

Address: Camden Town Brewery Beer Hall, 55-59 Wilkin Street Mews, London NW5 3ED

YOU MIGHT LIKE: Things to do in Camden Town and the best Pubs in Camden guide

5. The Five Points London Brewery Tour & Taproom, Hackney

Five Points Brewery and taproom is a couple of minutes away from London Fields and Broadway Market on Mare Street.

A great set-up on the site where they brew all their beers, the Five Points Brewery beer garden (well, craft beer in a car park!) has a pop-up bar with a combination of their own Five Points range and guest beers on tap.

Five Points core range includes an extra pale ale (XPA), Pils and our favourite, a chocolatey coffee Railway Porter.

Five Points Brewery also offer their London: Craft Brewery Tour, with at least four tastings and a 1.5 tour of their east London brewery. Brewery tours at Five Points brewing start from £20 per person.

Click here to book a Five Points Brewery tour >

Address: The Five Points Brewery & Taproom, 61 Mare Street, London E8 4RG

YOU MIGHT LIKE: The best bars and breweries in Hackney Wick >

6. Bianca Road Brewery Tour, Bermondsey

One of the larger indoor drinking areas on the Bermondsey Beer Mile, Bianca Road Brew Co taproom feels primed for a party with one of the best set-ups along the Bermondsey Beer Mile. Bonus points too for Bianca Road Brew Co’s wall posters and artwork.

Originally hailing from Peckham, Bianca Road Brew specialise in West Coast American style beers They have all the usual beery goodness like IPA, APA and lager but also some of the more interesting craft concoctions.

Bianca Road Brewery Tours start from £20 per person and include a guided tasting, four halves of Bianca Road Brewery beer.

Click here to book a Bianca Road London Brewery tour in Bermondsey >

Address: Bianca Road Brew Co, 83-84 Enid Street, London SE16 3RA

YOU MIGHT LIKE: The best brewery taprooms in London >

7. Blackhorse Beer Mile Brewery Tours, Blackhorse Road, Walthamstow

The Blackhorse Beer Mile 2023 runs between the Lockwood Industrial Estate (Wildcard Brewery and Hackney Brewery High Hill Taproom) and Uplands Business Park ( Signature Brew , Hackney Brewery & High Hill Taproom , Big Penny Social , Beerblefish Brewing, Exale Brewing and now Pretty Decent Beer Co ). Seven brewery heaven!

As at early 2023, The Blackhorse Beer Mile currently comprises seven breweries and taprooms (with more likely planned)!  Plus if you visit all of the magnificent seven, you get to keep a special ‘Blackhorse Beer Mile’ pint glass – cheers to that!

There are a couple of London brewery tour operators that offer Blackhorse Beer Mile tours – UK Brewery Tours and Ale Hunters :

Click here to book a Blackhorse Beer Mile tour with Ale Hunters >

Read our guide to visiting all of the Blackhorse Beer Mile breweries here with pictures and an overview of each >

8. Anspach & Hobday Brewery – Croydon and Bermondsey tours

Underneath the arches, Anspach and Hobday is a compact taproom in the thick of the brewing vats, although most of their brewing is done at their new Croydon brewery.

What they lack in size at their Bermondsey Beer Mile is made up for by their super friendly staff and varied range (a mix of core and collaborations).

And their newer Croydon Anspach and Hobday brewery is a big and beautiful brewery beast to behold (try saying that after several stouts).

Anspach & Hobday offer London brewing tours at both their Bermondsey and Croydon breweries.

Click here to find out more details about their brewery tours >

Addresses: Anspach & Hobday Bermondsey Brewery 118 Druid Street, SE1 2HH Anspach & Hobday Croydon Brewery Unit 11, Valley Point, Industrial Estate, Beddington Farm Road, CR0 4WP

YOU MIGHT LIKE: The Leytonstone Beer Mile guide >

9. Pillars Brewery Tours, Walthamstow

Pillars Brewery have two venues across Walthamstow – their taproom on Uplands Business Park (in the vicinity of Walthamstow Village) and also their Untraditional Pub at Walthamstow Crate.

At their main brewery near Walthamstow Village ,  you can drink amongst Pillars brewing vats and you can also do a 2 hours Pillars Brewery Tour.

This London brewery tour at Pillars in Walthamstow includes tastings of 6 beers with accompanying food pairings plus a tour behind the scenes – talk about a classy craft beer brewery tour!

Pillars Brewery core taps range is generally their Pillars Pilsner (4.0% abv), their Rebel Helles Lager (4.8% abv) and our current favourite, the Untraditional Session IPL (4.5%).

Click here to book the Pillars Brewery brewery tour >

Address: Pillars Brewery, Unit 2 Ravenswood Industrial Estate, Shernhall Street, Walthamstow E17 9HQ

YOU MIGHT LIKE: The best Walthamstow pubs, bars and breweries >

10. Signature Brew Brewery Tour, Blackhorse Road

One of the bigger taprooms on the Walthamstow Beer Mile, we rate Signature Brew as one of our best taproom experiences in London (maybe because we’re suckers for their Nightliner coffee porter).

Signature Brew especially excel at their live music gigs and partnerships (e.g. they recently announced a new collaboration with Rough Trade records in 2023).

The set-up here at Signature Brew is excellent with a recently opened bar out the front of the brewery complete with mezzanine sun terrace and kitchen on top.

Signature Brew also has a big beer garden out the front where you can drink amongst the brewing vats (the garden is also pooch friendly too). Signature Brew brewery tours cost £20 pp on selected Saturdays as at March 2023.

Clcik here to book an East London Brewery Tour at Signature Brew >

Address: Unit 15, Uplands Business Park, Blackhorse Lane, London E17 5QJ

11. Battersea Brewery

We love Battersea – there are so many things to do in Battersea especially since the riverside area was transformed and the Power Station revitalised.

This is no truer than the recent (ish) opening of Battersea Brewery. With ample indoor and outdoor seating, the brewery is located in the Arches Lane area.

The sheer number of beers on tap at any one time at Battersea Brewery is a delight and indoors, you can sit amongst the huge brewery vats.

As well as tasting beers, you can take a tour of Battersea Brewery and accompanying a tasting flight with a cheese toastie starting at £25 per person (by request only).

Click here to find out more Battersea Brewery London tours >

Address: Battersea Brewery, 12 – 14 Arches Lane, Battersea Power Station, SW11 8AB

12. Hawkes Cidery & Taproom (temporarily closed as at March 2023)

One of the coolest looking bars on the Bermondsey Beer Mile , this taproom has bags of character and style – plus damn fine cider!

With well stocked fridges (which include beers in case you aren’t a cider fan) and a huge seating area, there are often specials to be had here, as well as a pizza menu and tours of the brewery.

Please note as at March 2023, the Hawkes Cider London brewery tours are currently suspended.

Address: Hawkes Cidery & Taproom 86-92 Druid Street, Bermondsey, SE1 2HQ

13. Kraft Dalston

We visited the Kraft Dalston brewery on opening night and were blown away by its interiors and delicious German style beer range.

Onsite at Kraft Dalston, you’ll discover Seoul in a Bottle Korean restaurant (their Korean street food is spot on), plus you can take a behind the scenes brewery tour. Prices start at £35 per person (as of March 2023).

Click here to book a private Kraft Dalston London Brewery Tour >

Address: Kraft Dalston Bar & Restaurant, 130a Kingsland High Street, London E8 2LQ

Kraft Brewery also run the bar at Mercato Mayfair – read about the best street food markets in London >

14. Small Beer Brewery Tour (closed)

Small beer, low alcohol, big taste!

Another Bermondsey brewery, enjoy a tasting tour at Small Beer and discover how they make their low ABV beers.

The Small Beer brewery tour in south London lasts for around an hour and includes a welcome drink as well as four tasters along the way. Brewery tours at Small Beer Co start from £15 per person as at March 2023.

Address: Small Beer Brewing, 70-72 Verney Road, London SE16 3DH

15. Brixton Brewery Tours

You may have heard of the Bermondsey Beer Mile and maybe even the Blackhorse Beer Mile or Leytonstone Beer Mile , but how about the Brixton Beer Trail?

Consisting of 6 breweries, the Brixton Beer Trail is well served by Stockwell and Brixton London Underground stations and is a relatively new addition to the London craft beer and brewery scene.

The 6 breweries, bars and taprooms along the Brixton Beer Trail are Affinity The Grosvenor, London Beer Lab , Ghost Whale Brixton , Dogs Grandad Brewery , Friendship Adventure Brewery and Craft Metropolis Brixton.

Click here to book a guided Brixton craft beer and brewery tour here >

YOU MIGHT LIKE: Guide to the best things to do in Brixton >

Located smack bang between the Greenwich Peninsula and Cutty Sark, Brew By Numbers Morden Wharf Brewery is easily one of the best London’s riverside pubs and taprooms – a serious craft beer brew with a view!

Similar in design (minimalist) to their Bermondsey Beer Mile taprooms in an industrialist setting, BBNO’s south east London taproom not only has an incredible range on tap (try their traditional and rich BBNO Porter – 6.4% abv; oof!) but also has an amazing riverside setting, boasting views of the River Thames.

BBNO offer London brewery tours at their Morden Wharf / Greenwich brewery site  – however their brewery tours are held at random dates, not weekly etc.

Click here to find out more about BBNO’s brewery tours >

Address: Brew By Numbers Morden Wharf Brewery, Morden Wharf Road, London SE10 0NU

17. Brixton London Beer Lab

Ever fancied making your own beer? If not, seriously why not? The London Beer Lab is a Brixton microbrewery that makes your hop-infused dreams come true, allowing you to concoct your very own craft beer, following 5 different beer recipes.

Group workshops or individual brewing sessions and beer tastings are available at Beer Lab London – so instead of just beer tasting in London, why not make your own craft beer concoction!

Click here to book a brewing session at Beer Lab London >

Address: Brixton London Beer Lab, Arch 41, Railway Arches, Nursery Road, London SW9 8BP

18. Sambrook’s Brewery Heritage Tours, Wandsworth

A wonderful, Wandsworth taproom, Sambrook’s Brewery tap in the Ram Quarter is a nice mix of new taproom fixtures surrounded by history and heritage of Sambrook’s brewing site, the oldest continually brewing site in the country (since 1533!) and London’s oldest independent brewery.

The set-up at Sambrook’s Brewery tap is really well done and what we loved about our Sambrook’s Brewery experience was the friendly bar staff, the tasting flights and the industrial interiors.

Sambrook’s Brewery offers Heritage tours costing £15pp which start with a tutored tasting and followed by a tour of the heritage centre. Sambrooks Brewery tours last around 60 minutes and end with a free pint!

Click here to book a Sambrooks brewery tour >

Address: Sambrook’s Brewery, 1 Bellwether Lane, London SW18 1UD

19. Four Pure Brewery Tour in Bermondsey

Our final ‘best London Brewery tour’ is Fourpure Brewery in Bermondsey.

Probably our favourite overall taproom experience on the Bermondsey Beer Mile in terms of the venue itself is Fourpure. Whilst less ‘personal’ than other taprooms on the Beer Mile (due to its huge size and massive throughflow of drinkers), this is a ‘new’ Fourpure Brewery  taproom, opened in summer 2019.

You could easily spend all day in Fourpure’s taproom, with a light and bright modern interior decor, good food offerings, massive TVs (and also a gift-shop!).

Fourpure offer a weekly brewery tour and tasting in south London every Saturday for £25 per person, lasting 1.5 hours and accompanied with a tasting flight.

Click here to book a Four Pure Brewery Tour >

Address: Fourpure Brewing Co. Basecamp Bermondsey Trading Estate, 22 Rotherhithe New Road, SE16 3LL

You might like – best craft beer brewery bars in Manchester >

20. Borough Market Craft Beer Tour (closed)

We love Borough Market – there is no better way to spend a few hours than exploring all the food stalls, sampling dishes from all over the world. 

That said, whilst most go for the food experience, Borough Market has plenty of beery history to explore.

UK Brewery Tours offer a dedicated Borough Market Craft Beer private tour that explores the brewing history of Borough Market before heading along to more breweries along the Bermondsey Beer Mile. Hops and history are always a good combination we find!

YOU MIGHT LIKE: The best pubs near Borough Market >

Finally – one London brewery tour to totally avoid:

London fields brewery.

We hate to name and shame but this was without doubt the worst London brewery tour we ever undertook and the experience stills maddens us to this day.

The first time we turned up, the London Fields Brewery was closed without any announcement so we had a totally wasted trip to east London.

When they bothered to open up next time, the London Fields Brewery Tour was a total sham – you literally went into one room (there was no brewing) and see nothing.

The staff member admitted she was so disinterested and hungover that if we wanted to know about the history of brewing at London Fields, we were best to Google it. You cannot make this up!

We were then given a couple of jugs of beers to share in the bar amongst about 8 of us – the whole debacle was less than an hour.

Breweries definitely need our support more than ever but this was an absolute shocking tour.

Found this best brewery tours in London article helpful?

Check out our other london blog posts.

• Blackhorse Beer Mile, Walthamstow guide and map
• Bermondsey Beer Mile – ultimate guide with map
• South Bank walk – the best walk in London (with map)
• Best things to do in Soho, London 
• Things To Do Near London Bridge Station 
• Borough Market guide – London’s famous food market 
• Things to do in Stratford, London
• Best Pubs and Bars in Notting Hill, London 
• Best things to do in Canary Wharf and Docklands
• Things to do in Camden, North London

Did you enjoy our best Brewery Tours in London blog post? Let us know in the comments or by sharing it on social media.

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Bristol Brewery Tours

Hop aboard the craft beer boat for tastings on a tour that visits Moor Brewery and ends at Beer Emporium for cheese, meats and beer!

The Bristol Craft Beer Experience

Home of the Bristol Craft Beer Experience since 2016, our 4 hour Bristol Brewery Tour includes a boat trip with tastings on board the ferry, a tour and tasting at the award winning Moor Brewery in Bristol and ends up at Beer Emporium on King Street for more tastings of beer along with cheese and meat boards!

The Bristol Craft Beer Experience starts the day by meeting outside Grain Barge and heading down to the ferry for our private 30 minute tour along the harbour. On board we’ll enjoy a talk and tasting of 2 local beer styles to start the day (nothing too heavy to start). We’ll sail past the old Bristol brewery site, and you’ll hear a little bit about the history of brewing in the city from past to present.

We’ll then head to Moor Brewery where you’ll get a look behind the scenes at the brewing equipment along with a talk from the team on how beer is made at this legendary award winning brewery. After the tour we’ll head inside the taproom to allow time to sample a selection of beers brewed on site.

It’s then a walk down to King Street though Castle Park where we’ll stop to see the site of the old Bristol Brewery (around 20 min walk). We’ll then reach The Beer Emporium for the final tastings of the day and cheese and meat platters to share (these are nibbles rather than a meal however you can get a discount on their excellent pizzas).

All 3 stops below are included on our tour…

The day starts on board the ferry with a 30 minute ride across the beautiful Bristol harbour with tastings of Bristol Beer Factory beers on board. Your expert beer guide will talk you through the beer styles sampled.

Moor Brewery

Then it’s a short walk to Moor Brewery for tastings of their award winning beers along with a tour of the brewhouse. Discover how the beer is made and take a tour of the brewing equipment.

Beer Emporium

Final stop, after a brisk 20 min walk, is Beer Emporium on King Street where guests will sample a flight of craft beer with nibbles of cheese and meats to end the day. Discover the best of Bristol’s beer scene.

Tastings Included

Tasting included on the boat and at each stop visited. Discover a range of local beers and a variety of styles.

4 Hour Tour

Enjoy an afternoon in great company on our 4 hour Bristol Brewery Tours running since 2016.

Boat Trip Included

Start the day on board the ferry and see Bristol from the water whilst enjoying local beer tastings.

Expert Guides

All our guides know a thing or two about beer and will answer your questions on the tour.

5 Star Reviews

Check out the feedback from other guests who have joined us on a tour in Bristol along with other cities around the UK where our tours operate.

Check out the photos of previous guests on our award winning tours.

Private Group Tours

Private group tours are available for corporate outings or stag and hen parties. Get in touch for more details.

Reserve your space

Bristol craft beer experience tickets.

Tickets are available for our tours from our ticket partner Design My Night. Just select an available date and book a tour with up to 30 guests.

For group tour requests please click here to visit UK Brewery Tours .

What’s included?

Beer tastings and cheese and meat sharing platters are included. There’s the right amount of beer to enjoy over the time it takes to complete the tour. We generally serve beer in third of a pint measures so you can enjoy tasting a range of beer styles. There’s two or three beers to taste in each stop however this can differ sometimes depending on what’s brewing. You may taste keg or cask beer and again this depends on what is available at each stop.

When do tours take place?

Tours take place on various Saturdays throughout the year and generally run at least once per month however there may be extra dates in the summer and less dates in Winter due to popularity.

What time do tours start and finish?

Public tours start at 11.45am with the boat departing at 12pm. They finish around 4pm (finish time may vary slightly depending on the group).

Where do tours start and finish?

Tours meet outside Grain Barge and the full address is Grain Barge, Hotwell Rd, Bristol BS8 4RU. Here’s a Google Map link.

Tours finish at Beer Emporium, 13 – 15 King St, Bristol BS1 4EF ( map link here )

What’s the refund policy?

Refunds are available up to 30 days before your tour. As we need to arrange things is advance we regret we cannot refund tickets if there is less than 30 days before the event starts. This is for any reason including covid, illness, late trains etc – so please consider protecting your tickets with your own policy if you feel this may be needed for your own circumstances.

Do tours take place in all weather conditions?

Yes, tours take place in snow, rain and hail so please dress for the weather. Please be aware that walking takes place outside in the fresh air. We only cancel tours if there is a risk on the actual tour to or guests. Therefore, if travelling from another city please be aware that the tour will still run and you should consider the travel arrangements made to get there at the start time if there is adverse weather.

Secure your space with a ticket!

£65pp (includes beer tastings and nibbles)

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Gift Vouchers

Looking for a gift? Gift Vouchers can be purchased from UK Brewery Tours for our Bristol Brewery Tours and are valid for 12 months from purchase.

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• Overall Guide to Dorset
• Dorset Coast
• Bournemouth
• Things to Do
• Food and Drink
• Festivals and Events
• Inspiration

16 Brilliant Dorset Breweries to Visit

• Last Updated 28 August, 2023

Some posts on this site contain affiliate links. If you book or buy something through these links, I earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). Take a look at my privacy policy for more information.

A guide to all the breweries to look out for in Dorset – many of which are open for tours and tastings…

Beer-lovers, rejoice! Dorset is full of incredible breweries – from large-scale manufacturers to small artisanal craft brewers. You can find locally produced beers and ales at pubs all over the county. But if you want a more in-depth experience, or you fancy learning a little more about where beer comes from, why not consider a brewery tour?

Below, I’ve rounded up all the breweries in Dorset which offer tours. These are the best spots to plan a visit if you fancy getting a close-up glimpse into the world of beer making, as well as tasting beers with guidance from an expert. I’ve also listed some other note-worthy breweries which don’t offer tours. You can still visit these to purchase beer directly, or to try a couple of pints in the on-site taproom.

Map of Dorset Breweries you can Tour

7 dorset breweries to visit for tours and tastings, more dorset breweries to try.

RELATED POST: 8 Amazing Vineyards and Wineries in Dorset

1. Hall & Woodhouse, Blandford Forum

Beer, at least figuratively, is in our blood. Badger, our crown jewel, is so much more than just beer; it is rich in heritage, expertise and craftsmanship. It is woven into the tapestry of the last two and a half centuries of world history. And since we started brewing in 1777 we have proudly remained family-owned and Dorset-based. Hall & Woodhouse

Hall & Woodhouse are the Dorset-based brewery behind Badger Beers, as well as several other brands. The brewery was founded in 1777 by Charles Hall, an “entrepreneurial gentleman farmer”. Today, they not only produce beer at their historic brewery in Blandford Forum, but also run one of my favourite pub families. There are over 180 Hall & Woodhouse pubs and inns across the south of England, offering delicious pub food and, of course, a great range of Dorset-made beers and ales.

Tours and Tastings: Brewery tours at Hall & Woodhouse brewery cost £15 and include a flight of beers. You can also book the Beer Experience for £25, which ends with an expert tasting.

Address: The Brewery, Blandford St Mary, Blandford Forum DT11 9LS

2. The Dorset Brewing Company, Dorchester

Founded in 1996, the Dorset Brewing Company (aka DBC) operate out of the Jurassic Brewhouse in the village of Crossways, just outside of Dorchester . Their state-of-the-art spring water-fed brewhouse is responsible for a wide range of local beers and ales, including their popular Jurassic Coast brands. New for 2020 was the addition of an onsite taproom.

Tours and Tastings: Regular tours cost £15 and run every week on Fridays between 3pm and 4pm. Tours include a generous sampling of ales with a souvenir glass. Bespoke private tours can also be arranged for groups of 15 or more.

Address: The Jurassic Brewhouse, Hybris Business Park, Crossways, Dorchester DT2 8BF

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3. Palmers Brewery, Bridport

Over in Bridport , you’ll find Palmers Brewery , one of the oldest in the UK. They’ve been brewing fine cask ales from their picturesque brewery since 1794! So there are few better places to get an insight into the long tradition of British beers brewing.

Perched on the winding River Brit, complete with a functioning waterwheel, this is also the only thatched brewery in the UK. As well as producing award-winning ales and beers, Palmers also own some of the best-known and best-loved pubs in the South West. Which means there are plenty of places to try their fab range of beers, ciders, and spirits!

Tours and Tastings: Tours run at 11am and 2pm from Monday to Friday all year round, and cost £17 per adult. Places are limited so it’s recommended you book online.

Address: Old Brewery, West Bay Rd, Bridport DT6 4JA

4. Poole Hill Brewery, Bournemouth

Poole Hill Brewery are a newer addition to the Dorset breweries scene. It was founded in 2013 by Jennifer Tingay, and the entire project was Crowdfunded so there’s a lovely community aspect to the business.

The brewery is housed inside a beautiful historic building, originally Bayley and Sons Iron Mongers, dating from 1880. As well as tours and a popular taproom, Poole Hill also host a number of events. Everything from live music and open mic nights to more unusual things, such as beer yoga – there are plenty of reasons to visit this lovely, turquoise-painted brewery!

Tours and Tastings: One-hour tours start from £12 for adults and run on Saturdays at 2pm and 4pm.

Address: 41-43 Poole Hill, Bournemouth BH2 5PW

5. Lyme Regis Brewery, Lyme Regis

We’re passionate about bringing unique, creative, and quaffable craft beers to The Jurassic Coast. We have an overwhelming desire to brew and enjoy craft beer, and to create a range of new-age beers that puts Lyme Regis on the map. Lyme Regis Brewery

At the heart of Lyme Regis , a fantastic microbrewery was opened in 2010 in the Malthouse of the historic town mill. Originally called the Town Mill brewery, it was later rebranded as Lyme Regis Brewery and moved to a larger production facility.

Then, in 2018, the brewery was bought by “four local mates” Wes, Adam, Elliott and Dan. Today, they’re producing some fab beers made from locally sourced ingredients, with colourful packaging which draws on the history and spirit of the local area.

Tours and Tastings: Lyme Regis Brewery don’t currently offer tours, but you can visit the taproom for a tasting. You may also arrange a brewery tour by contacting the team directly.

Address: The Town Mill, Mill Lane, Lyme Regis DT7 3PU

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6. Dorset Piddle Brewery, Piddlehinton

With a name like Piddle, you’d think that we don’t take anything seriously. But, we do – brewing. Dorste Piddle Brewery

Dorset Piddle Brewery has a name that consistently delights the more childish amongst us – me included! The name comes from the valley where the brewery is based, but the team have embraced the endless innuendo possibilities, creating a brilliant brand with fun packaging, tongue-in-cheek beer names, and – of course – top-notch beers!

Tours and Tastings: Contact the brewery for more info and to book.

Address: Unit 24, Enterprise Park, Piddlehinton, Dorchester DT2 7UA

7. Barefaced Brewing, Blandford Forum

Last up on the list of Dorset breweries is Barefaced Brewing in Blandford Forum. Founded by Wimborne lads Tom and Nick, the brewery originally operated out of a converted garage. Today, they can be found in an industrial-chic warehouse space on Holland Business Park – and you can spot their fun range of beers at pubs and beer festivals around the county.

Tours and Tastings: Contact the brewery for more information about tours.

Address: Unit 1, Holland Business Park, Holland Way DT11 7GH 

As if those weren’t enough, here are a few more Dorset breweries worth looking out for. Although these don’t offer tours, you can find their brews in various pubs across the county. Check their sites to find out where they’re stocked – or head to a local beer festival and see how many you can spot. Many of these breweries also have taprooms on-site, where you can get a little more info about the beers while you try them.

1. The Cerne Abbas Brewery – Dorchester Road, Cerne Abbas , Dorchester, DT2 7JS. Popular local brewery with a taproom open on Fridays & Saturdays.

2. The Way Outback – 144 Seabourne Rd, Bournemouth, BH5 2HZ. Microbrewery with a taproom and bar.

3. Sixpenny Brewery – Holwell Farm, Holwell, Wimborne, Cranborne, Wimborne, BH21 5QP. Brewery with a taproom.

4. Eight Arch Brewing Company – 3A, Stone Lane Industrial Estate, Wimborne, BH21 1HB. Taproom is a pop-up bar.

5. Isle of Purbeck Brewery – Manor Road, Studland, Swanage, BH19 3AU. Shares its plot with the Bankes Arms pub.

6. Sandbanks Brewery – Unit 6, 4-6 Abingdon Rd, Nuffield Industrial Estate, Poole, BH17 0UG. Brewery with a taproom.

7. Drop the Anchor Brewery – Bridge Streer, Christchurch, BH23 1DY. Visit the Tuckton Taphouse at 181 Tuckton Road to try their beers.

8. Gyle 59 – The Brewery, Sadborow Estate Yard, Chard, TA20 4PW. Tours are available on request, while the brewery taproom opens by prior arrangement for events etc. You can also visit the brewery bottle shop, but ring first to check it’s open.

9. Windward Brewery – Strong orchard, Pineapple Ln, Bridport DT6 5HZ. Part of the Dorset Nectar Cide Farm , who have a taproom, campsite, and also offer orchard tours.

Are there any other Dorset breweries missing from this list? Scroll down to leave a comment!

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2 thoughts on “16 Brilliant Dorset Breweries to Visit”

Windward Brewery and Cernabbas brewery both have tasting rooms

Thanks so much Christian! I already had the Cerne Abbas brewery listed but I’ve added Windward Brewery to the list too 🙂 Thanks for the recommendations!

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Your online guide to Britain’s unique and distinctive towns.

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Twenty towns where breweries are a key part of their history and significance

Britain has been brewing beer for hundreds of years, the art dates back to before the Domesday Book. Until the middle of the C20 th most towns had a local brewery, many of them independent family firms. Sadly, mergers and takeovers of big international brands has seen a lot of them disappear.

In recent years breweries have made an incredible come back with the help of t he Campaign for Real Ale . The UK now boasts over 2,000 breweries; that’s more breweries per head than any other country in the world! Due to the huge growth of the brewing industry, dozens of towns across Britain have brewers offering brewery tours.

Here are some of Britain’s most famous brewery towns. Ensure to make a visit, and don’t miss the chance to drop in to the breweries. Creating a brewery trail around the country is a great way to see Britain’s towns and try the local beer.  

Shepherds Neame © Instagram: Herbaltablet

The picturesque market town of Faversham sits between the Kent downs and the coastal wetlands. Dating back to before the roman conquest, the town has gracefully preserved its rich history. Idyllically located within a hop-growing environment, Faversham has become renown for its beer. The Shepherd Neame brewery is famous for being the oldest brewery in Britain.

The Shepherd Neame  brewery was officially founded in 1698. The extensive brewing past in the town, creates a heaven for historians who want to quench their thirst.

Bristol Beer Factory by Bristol Beer Factory

Often referred to as one of Britain’s most trendy cities,  Bristol is a thriving metropolis in South West England. Due to the growing alternative indie culture, the town is now bursting with independent breweries. Bristol may be famous for its cider, however the town is also home to some award winning beers. One of the town’s favourite breweries is Bristol Beer Factory. Starting its life in 2004, this brewery is proud to be part of the ‘craft beer revolution’ sweeping the country. The brewery has developed a range of bottled ales, cask ales and some quirky specials.

Windsor Knot Beer © Instagram: Pegasusart

Famous for its royal connections, the historic town of Windsor sits just beneath The River Thames. Windsor Castle distinctly homes the British Royal Family. And is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. Brewing has recently made a welcome return to the heart of Windsor. Windsor and Eton Brewery want beer to become the new main attraction in the town.  You can feel royalty in the air in Windsor, and now you can even taste it in the beer. ‘Harry & Megan’s Windsor Knot’ is a unique bottled beer dedicated to the couple. The beer is a blend of American and British hops to celebrate the royal wedding.

Meantime Craftsmen Project: Brewery Extras © Mikael Buck

The home of time, and the prime meridian of the world. Greenwich is an area in South East London. Sitting on the bank of The River Thames and Greenwich mean time (GMT). Famous for its maritime history the Cutty Sark and Gipsy Moth IV are both here by the river. Additionally Greenwich is home to the National Maritime Museum. Meantime Brewing Company claims to be the home of London beer. Notable beers such as London Lager and London Pale Ale are core favourites. The brewery offers tours, tasting, and even masterclasses.

St. Austell

St Austell Brewery with sunset by St Austell

Referred to as the Cornish Riviera,  St Austell is an old market town not far from the beautiful South Cornish coast line. The discovery of China clay in the surrounding area put the mining town on the map. In recent years tourists flock to St Austell to visit the nearby Eden Project. Beside mining, brewing is another historical industry founded in 1851. St Austell Brewery is Cornwall’s oldest independent family brewery. And has been brewing on the same site for over 100 years.

Wadworth Brewery street © instagram: benjamin.koenig136

Devizes is a vibrant market town with a medieval past, a wealth of history and architectural heritage. The market place rates as one of the prettiest streets in Britain. The brewery is a dominant feature of the town. Tours are available of Wadworth Brewery . Sample their famous 6X, see a unique collection of hand painted pub signs and meet the Shire horses that still deliver beer to the local pubs in the town.

The Red lion © Instagram: jleco1

Situated in the North of Wiltshire, Cricklade  is a rare example of a preserved Saxon town. Also the first town built on the River Thames and a gateway to the Cotswolds. The name Cricklade means the place by the river crossing. The Town motto is ‘in loco delicioso’ which translates to in a delightful place. The town is steeped in history, and has many landmarks. It was home to a royal mint from 979 to 1100 and there are examples of Cricklade coins in the town museum. Hop Kettle Brewery is the towns local brewer. Located in The Red lion Inn, the pub remains self sufficient. Producing a variety of unique in-house beers. The pub itself dates back to the 1600’s, so character is not lacking in this charming microbrewery.

Wetherby Beer © Wetherby Brew co

With a Charter dating back to 1240, King Henry III gave the Knights Templar the rights to hold a market in Wetherby . Traditionally the market operates on a Thursday. Wetherby, an important halt exactly half way between London and Edinburgh. Today, traffic passes the town on the A1, resulting in a peaceful market town.  After an absence of nearly 100 years, Wetherby has its own brewery. Based on York Road  Wetherby Brew Co , offers a range of ales for every occasion. The brewery regularly offers open days. Visitors can watch the brewing process and even sample beers in the tap room bar.

Wychwood Brewery By Wychwood Brewery

Set in the heart of the Oxfordshire Cotswolds,  Witney is a historical market town famous for its three B’s. its Bread, its Blankets and its Beer. Brewing dates back centuries in Witney to 1841. Wychwood Brewery is now the towns largest brewery. It is named after the ancient medieval Wychwood Forest that boarders Witney. The forest is noted for it’s myths and legends. The forest inspired the creation of its flagship beer, The legendary Hobgoblin. The beer is currently the 3rd best selling bottled ale in the UK.

Hook Norton Brewery © Instagram: 04woolleyh

Hook Norton is a quintessential English village, 20 minutes from the historical town of Banbury .  The town was established as a civil parish in Anglo-Saxon times. The village sits in North Oxfordshire, at one of the highest points in the county. Home to one of the oldest victorian tower breweries in Britain. Hook Norton Brewery is a traditional example of brewing using gravity. Tower breweries use a multi-staged flow process, gravity helps the flow from the top floor down. Architecturally beautiful, this brewery is unique in style and well worth a visit.

Harveys Brewery © Instagram: tomhobden

Founded in the 6th century, Lewes began life as a Saxon town. Formally the county town of Sussex, Lewes is a civil parish town. Landmarks include, Lewes Castle, Anne of Cleaves house and Lewes Priory remains. In 1264 the battle of Lewes commenced, leading to the uncrowning of Henry III. In more recent history Lewes became less important. Lewes became a market town in 1790 which also marks the founding of Harveys Brewery.  Using water filtered through the nearby chalk downs creates a unique element for the brewery. The water is extracted sixty feet below the brewery creating the renowned beers.

Ringwood Brewery © Instagram: ringwoodbrewery

The New Forest in Hampshire is home to many villages and towns. On the Western edge of the forest sits Ringwood. The market town lies around The River Avon. The crystal water created the perfect brewery settlement. In olde England Ringwood had one of the highest pub per head populations. This was due to the amount of merchants and drovers that passed through the town. Although beer has been brewing for centuries in this town, Ringwood Brewery established in 1978 and leads the way. The wild boar is the symbol of Ringwood brewery, and wild boars can be spotted roaming in the forest. The New Forest National Park provides a perfect location to explore woodlands and experience the coast, whilst enjoying quality beer.

Camden Town is a special part of London, to the north of Tottenham Court Road and including Regent’s Canal. Blossoming out of post war London, the area grew into bustling, thriving neighbourhood. There’s everything you need here and more, including London Zoo. The Camden Town Brewery is in Wilkins Street Mews and welcomes visitors to explore the brewery and taste the ale!

Bury St Edmunds

Brewery at night © Greene King

Bursting with history, explore Bury St Edmunds medieval streets and architecture. Home to Suffolks only cathedral and the abbey ruins, one of the most important medieval monasteries in Europe. The town boasts award winning restaurants, and gastropubs. While also brewing Greene King ales for over 200 years. Being the largest UK pub, retailer and brewer Greene King Westgate Brewery offers tours presenting traditional brewing methods. Visitors can also climb to the roof of the brewery to admire the best views of Bury St Edmunds.

Burton-upon-Trent

Bottled Vintage Car © The National Brewery Museum

At one time Burton-Upon-Trent produced one in four pints of beer sold in Britain. Hence known as the capital of brewing still today. Sitting above the National Forest and on the River Trent, Burton offers a contrast of activities. Today Burton is home to The National Brewery Centre.  The museum offers daily tours, including the history and development of brewing, and real life stories. The museum provides a unique collection of vintage vehicles to enhance the visit. Even more, The William Worthington micro brewery tops off the tour. Visitors have the chance to sample a range of local ales brewed on site!

Edinburgh , the capital of Scotland since C15th, and the second most popular tourist destination in the UK. A popular destination due to the magnificent historical and cultural attractions that it offers. Teeming with breweries in the C19th Edinburgh was a hub for exporting beer globally. However, today nearly all of the C19th breweries have gone. Recently breweries have made a come back in Edinburgh, with independent brewers popping up all over the city. Edinburgh Beer Factory is one of the new independent breweries. The brewery is inspired by the Edinburgh-born ‘father of pop art’ Eduardo Paolozzi. They take underestimated beer styles and present them at their best.

Samuel Smiths Brewery © Instagram: mattearley

A delightful market town surrounded by beautiful North Yorkshire countryside. Tadcaster is home to three historical breweries – John Smith’s, Coors and Samuel Smith’s. Yorkshires oldest brewery, Samuel Smith’s still uses oak casks for its naturally conditional ale. The old brewery has two full time coopers who make and repair the oak casks.

Theakston Brewery Visitor Centre © Instagram: davebeere

Although a relatively small town, Masham has two working breweries, Theakstons and Black Sheep brewery. Theakstons is one of Britain’s oldest family brewing companies. The company is still run by direct descendants of Robert Theakston who founded the company in 1827.

Cockermouth

Jenning’s Brewery © Mike Harris

Just outside of the Lake District National Park is Cockermouth .  It is one of only 51 towns in Britain, designated as a ‘gem’ town. Therefore it is preserved as part of our national heritage. Jennings Castle Brewery is located nearby to Cockermouth. With 190 years of brewing heritage, it is a jewel in the crown of the lake district. Jennings brewery uses water from the lakeland, the tour allows visitors to see the process of brewing.

Robinsons Brewery © Instagram: my.yorkshire.life

Within the boundary of greater Manchester is the large town of Stockport . The large town sits on the south bank of the Mersey. In the past Stockport was known as an industrial town. Today, Robinsons brewery is still keeping the brewing industry alive. The brewery provides great tours to visitors. The shire horses usually stay at the brewery, meeting the gentle giants adds to the tour.

These are just a selection of towns with a brewery story to tell and a reason to visit. We’d be delighted to hear from our readers about other towns where the brewery story is a part of a town’s visitor offer and part of the story of beer in Britain.

In the meantime we do hope you’ll enjoy taking trips with a brewing theme as you explore Britain’s delightful towns.

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7 BEST London Brewery Tours for this Summer

This post contains product affiliate links. These are mainly on items/hotels/tours that I personally endorse & love. I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase, but at no extra cost to you.

Want to learn about the London beer scene? From Camden Town Brewery to the Meantime Brewing Company, these are the best London brewery tours for you!

If you’re looking for something different to do this summer, then here are my favourite London brewery tours for you guys.

I’ve been living in London for over 10 years now and I can’t tell you how much the beer scene has changed in that time.

5-years-ago the most exotic beer you’d find in a pub was Hoegaarden. Fast forward to today and there are so many cracking craft beers to choose from. Honestly, the choose in almost endless, more than you can do in a night anyway. Most pubs even have Beavertown on draft nowadays (which I absolutely love by the way).

Supplementing all of this beer are these amazing London breweries popping up all over the city. Breweries like Fullers and Camden have been around for ages, but now there are single still craft microbreweries creating some downright delicious beers.

Places like Fourpure Brewing Co and Camden Town Brewery have really changed the craft beer scene with innovative ideas. For example, Fourpure were the first British brewery to can its beers in 330ml cans, something that is now becoming much more the industry standard now.

As a beer lover (you can even read all my fun facts about beer here!), I’ve done a fair few of these incredible London brewery tours, you know, for research purposes and all that.

From self-guided tours at the Bermondsey Beer Mile to a historic pub tour right in the heart of the city, these are some of the best beer tours in London.

The next time you’re looking to drink your way through the city, go on one of these tours and really experience how great the craft beer scene is here in the Big Smoke.

Oh, and drink responsibly and all that.

Planning a trip to London? Then check out my guides to Brixton , Elephant and Castle , the Harry Potter walking tour , Tower of London , and all the best adventures in London you can do.

Tours in London

Camden town brewery.

Camden Town Brewery really is one of the best breweries in London and you will love the tours they have here.

I think Camden Town Brewery have some of the freshest IPAs in the city. Pop along to the taproom and you’ll quickly see what I mean. The best thing is they’ve also got an excellent kitchen so you can eat here too.

As for tours, this brewery offers two different tours. The first is a drop-in tour (meaning you can’t pre-book). This is a quick tour that takes you through the basics of beer and it only costs a gold coin donation (either £1 or £2). The money is donated to the 4 charities that the brewery supports so you’re even doing a good deed going on this tour.

The second tour is a lot longer and much more in-depth. This tour lasts approximately 90 minutes and will take you on a trip through the brewery sampling a few beers along the way. This is a great place to start your beer Odyssey and you really get to see the inner-workings of a brewery. It ain’t pretty but boy do they produce a delish beer at the end of it.

This tour costs £12 per person and it’s best if you pre-book beforehand. Obviously you can pop along to the taproom for free. There is some incredible street art in Camden too which is why I love visiting this part of London.

The Five Points Brewing Co.

You may have seen Five Points beers in supermarkets like Tesco and Sainsburys – their JUPA juicy pale ale is one of my go-tos for a summer bbq; it is absolutely delicious.

Well, these guys are now doing brewery tours too. Located in the heart of Hackney in east London, these tours are all about the methodology and the brewing process.

Led by one of the main Five Points beer experts, they will take you on a guided tour of the brewhouse, barrel-ageing project, and packaging lines while explaining everything that goes into making excellent craft beer.

After the tour, you will taste four different beers fresh from the tank while seated on their mezzanine beer terrace overlooking the brewery. This brewery is always great to visit, especially before a night out in Hackney afterwards.

Five Points Brewing tours are available on Thursdays at 7pm, and Saturdays at 2pm & 4pm. They also do private tours too!

Meantime Brewery Tour

If you’ve ever wanted to see the Cutty Sark or the Royal Observatory (the birthplace of Greenwich Mean Time) then maybe add the Meantime Brewing Company to the list as well.

Meantime Brewery is an award-winning brewery in Greenwich. It actually lives inside the Old Royal Naval College. This means that it is only the second brewery in the world inside a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Very London and very cool.

The Old Brewery run regular tasting sessions and tours that you can go on. The tour and tasting session last around 90 minutes, and you can even book a private tour if there’s a large group of you.

On Saturday there are tours every hour from 12-5pm. On weekdays, they only offer evening tours at 7pm. Tickets are £20 per person and included a tasting session.

Fuller’s Brewery Tour

Fuller’s is one of the oldest breweries in London. They have been brewing beer on this site in Chiswick since 1845. How amazing is that!?

With beers like London Pride, Frontier and Honey Dew, they’ve got a really quality range of beers that have been served up to Londoners for well over 100 years now.

The Griffin Brewery tour shows modern machinery combining with traditional brewing methods to produce Fuller’s award-winning ales. This tour is perfect for tourists as it runs from Monday to Friday with a number of slots from 11am till 3pm. The tour usually lasts around 90 minutes and you end up in the taproom at the end of it.

Tickets for this one cost £20 per person and are really popular so book beforehand. You’re also right next to the Thames Path so you can go for a walk along the Thames afterwards.

Historic pub walking tour

This is actually one of the most popular London beer tours you can do.

On this tour you’ll experience London’s traditional drinking scene on a pub crawl taking in some of the most historic pubs in the city.

You’ll have a fun and educational guide where you’ll visit at least four historic pubs. Pop into centuries-old ale houses, see literary haunts favoured by writers like Charles Dickens and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and learn about local drinking culture through the ages.

For those of you who are interested in the history of London while enjoying a few pints along the way, then you really can’t go wrong with this tour. You can find out more about this London walking tour here .

Bermondsey Beer Mile

I can’t recommend the Bermondsey Beer Mile enough for when you’re in London.

Basically, the beer mile is an amalgamation of craft microbreweries and bottle shops located in the old railway arches of Bermondsey near London Bridge. It’s taken the craft beer experience in London to the next level.

To date, there are about 17 different London breweries along this roughly 2-mile stretch. The best thing to do here is start at one end and make your way along the Bermondsey Beer Mile stopping off at a few different places along the way.

A few notable mentions that I’d really recommend are Anspach & Hobday, Fourpure, Partizan, Southwark Brewing and The Kernel. Stop off at any of these and you’re bound to enjoy the beers they have on offer.

The best thing about the Bermondsey Beer Mile is it’s essentially a self-guided tour. Just pick your team, head there early on a Saturday and see if you can tick off a fair few of these mircobreweries.

For me, this really is one of the best self-guided London brewery tours you can do in the city. I have no doubt you’ll enjoy this one. A lot.

For more information about all the different London breweries and their opening times, check out this incredible Bermondsey Beer Mile guide . This guide will really help with planning your trip here.

Beavertown Brewery

I feel like Beavertown Brewery have slowly been taking over London for the past couple of years now. If you’ve never heard of this place before, Beavertown produce fantastic session beers like Neck Oil and Gamma Ray. If you haven’t had these yet then get yourself on a Beavertown Brewery Tour!

Beavertown Brewery was set up in 2011 by Logan Plant, son of legendary Led Zepplin frontman Robert Plant. Located in Tottenham Hale, North London, Beavertown is well-known for its annual event The Beavertown Extravaganza. This is where they welcome some of the top breweries from around the world to offer up their beers to thirsty Londoners.

The Taproom at Beavertown is awesome and there’s a huge outside beer garden that’s perfect for the summer. I’d really recommend getting here and trying out a few of the beers that Beavertown have to offer.

The Taproom is open every Saturday and they even have a street food truck there for when you’re feeling peckish. Even though this isn’t an out and out London brewery tour, it is still a fantastic place to visit. When it comes to beer tasting in London, it’s hard beating this spot.

Which one of these breweries in London would you be keen to visit? Make sure you let me know in the comments below!

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About the Author

Macca Sherifi is the founder of the multiple award-winning blogs An Adventurous World and the Great British Bucket List. Every month he inspires over 200,000 avid readers to travel the world.

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• Best of British
• How to Buy British

Top 25 British Breweries

Britain is known for its beer, so it seemed about time we put together a list of some of our favourites. here’s our top 25 british breweries for you to enjoy.

We’ve been brewing in Britain for thousands of years, and today the brewing industry is stronger than ever. With over 1,400 breweries in Britain shipping to 121 countries, the beer and pubs sector is responsible for 869,000 jobs in Britain.

We put a call out on our social media channels to ask our followers what some of their favourites beers and breweries were, and this is the result – a list of 25 British breweries that are crafting excellent beers in the UK today.

I’m sure we’ll be adding to this list as we try out more British beers, so please leave your recommendations in the comments at the end of this post.

JP Brew Limited was founded in 2017, by two beer enthusiasts whose desire was to create a tasty commercial lager, which could showcase the best of British ingredients. JP Brew is working with British malt and hops growers to develop lagers and beers which bring to light the fantastic range of products available in the UK.

Bowman Ales

Bowman Ales is a micro brewery based near Droxford in Hampshire, producing award-winning real ales such as Swift One and Wallops Wood. You can enjoy their beers in pubs all over the South of England and further beyond.

Mad Squirrel

Mad Squirrel brewery is a micro powerhouse of quality and innovation, brewing on a state of the art A.B.E brewhouse with the very best ingredients. The roots of Mad Squirrel can be traced back to 2010 when Red Squirrel Brewery Ltd was incorporated and a new brewery was built in Potten End, South-West Hertfordshire.

Based in Greenwich and fiercely proud of its London roots, Meantime has won a worldwide reputation for beers of great quality and provenance. Meantime was the  first British brewery to win any medals at the World Beer Cup in 2004 and is the only British brewery to have won medals at every World Beer Cup since.

Magic Rock Brewing

Inspired by local brewing traditions, Magic Rock Brewing is the culmination of a lifelong passion for beer. Richard Burhouse (aided by head brewer Stuart Ross) started the brewery in 2011 in an old out-building of the family business (an importer of crystals and natural gifts) in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. Their ‘Same but Different’ beers are packed with intense yet approachable flavours which will challenge and inspire.

Purity Brewing Co

Purity Brewing Company is an award winning craft brewery established in 2005. Based on a working farm in the heart of the beautiful Warwickshire countryside, Purity are committed to brewing beer with a conscience. Their brewery practices are designed to be environmentally friendly and in the case of their wetland system, environmentally enriching.

Twisted Barrel Ale

Twisted Barrel Ale are an artisan vegan business based in Coventry, making hand crafted, flavourful beer in small batches. Brewery and tap house at FarGo Village. Originally brewing on a 60 litre kit, at the time they were the smallest commercial brewery in the UK. In 2015, they launched their brand new Brewery and Tap House with a new 1000 litre brewing kit.

Bradfield Brewery

Bradfield Brewery is a family run brewery based on a busy working farm in the Peak District, within the picturesque village of Bradfield. Using the finest malts, traditional hops and natural spring water from their own borehole they produce a range of distinctive and award winning cask conditioned real ales.

Double Maxim Beer Company

Following the closure of Vaux Brewery in Sunderland and Wards Brewery, Sheffield in 1999, the former employees of these two companies established the Double Maxim Beer Company Ltd. The success of the Double Maxim bottled beer business and the passionate support of customers meant that in 2007, the company was able to establish the purpose built Maxim Brewery at Houghton le Spring, just a few miles from the former Vaux Brewery site.

Red Cat Brewing

Red Cat Brewing is a small independent brewery in Winchester that was set up with the singular aim of creating imaginative, stunning craft beer. Red Cat brewery equipment is a traditional English mash set up, made to their own specification by Malrex in Burton on Trent.

Dancing Cows Distillery and Brewhouse

Dancing Cows make small-batch artisan spirits and beers using locally sourced grains, fruits and botanicals in The New Forest.  They make all sorts of beers at their brewhouse in Lymington. We using local ingredients, traditional methods and mad scientist techniques to create beverages that will make you smile!

Derby Brewing Co

Derby Brewing Company, is a family run business set up in 2004 and they have over 30 years of brewing expertise in their brewery. Since their small start back in 2004 they now have three pubs as the brewery.

Castle Rock Brewery

Formed in 1977 as ‘Tynemill’ by former CAJMRA Chairman Chris Holmes, Castle Rock has gone from strength to strength over the years, developing a reputation for both inventing and unique pubs, and excellent quality real ale.

Windsor & Eton Brewery

Windsor and Eton are a ‘beer led’ brewery making outstanding beers of every single style and character. They are proud to be part of the revolution in beer making, and as founder members of the London Brewers Alliance, they have helped grow the number of the Capital’s breweries from 11 in 2010 to over 90 today.

Harvey’s Brewery

Harvey’s Brewery is a family business, with a member of the eighth generation currently working here. The brewery has been a landmark in Lewes, the county town of East Sussex, for over 200 years. Harvey’s remains a privately owned limited company and the brewery’s trading area does not normally exceed 60 miles from the brewery in Sussex.

Robinsons Brewery

Based in the heart of Stockport for almost two centuries, and owning around 260 tenanted and managed pubs, inns and hotels across the North West, ‘Robinsons’ is one of oldest names in British brewing history. A proud family of independent brewers, Robinsons is an advanced and sophisticated brewery, with a worldwide reputation for real ale.

Green Jack was founded in 2003 by Tim Dunford, and is a multi-award winning traditional real ale brewery based in Lowestoft, Suffolk. From humble beginnings Green Jack has now grown into one of the largest real ale breweries in East Anglia. In 2009 they built a new 38 barrel brew house in an old smoke house in the heart of historic Lowestoft.

Theakston Brewery

Theakston is one of Britain’s oldest established family brewing companies. T&R Theakston Ltd is an independent, family brewing company founded in 1827 located in the Yorkshire Dales market town of Masham, North Yorkshire. The company is controlled and run by direct family descendants of the founder Robert Theakston.

Northern Monk

Northern Monk creates quality beers combining the best of traditional monastic brewing values with a progressive approach to ingredients and techniques. Homed in a Grade II listed mill in the spiritual heart of the industrial revolution. They regularly collaborate with breweries and businesses from near and far to help strengthen the North for positive change and to continually diversify their own products.

Hobson’s Brewery

Founded in 1993 by the Davis family, over the past 20 years Hobson’s have grown to become a leading brewer in Shropshire and one of the most sustainable breweries in the UK. The success of their brewery and its many awards has been down to a strong culture of supporting the region, its people and its resources.

Northern Whisper Brewing Co

Northern Whisper Brewing Co. take traditional techniques and add in a few modern twists to keep things interesting. Combining heritage and new ideas they create a truly unique range of beers.

Freedom Brewery

Freedom Brewery have been brewing a wide range of unique lagers since 1995. Originally London based, the team moved up north  to Staffordshire in the quest for better water and sustainable brewing. Now set on a private estate of rolling countryside and access to their own private spring water source, they continue to innovate with flavour and process.

Innis & Gunn

Innis & Gunn is one of Scotland’s most successful independent craft brewers. Foundered in 2002 Master Brewer Dougal Gunn Sharp was asked to create a beer to mature in bourbon barrels to impart a sweet, malty flavour. This beer would then be thrown out, and the barrels would go on to age spirits. But what if the beer was actually getting better whilst in the barrel? Turns out, he was absolutely right and Innis & Gunn was born.

Established in 1872, Adnams is a brewer of beer in the coastal town of Southwold in Suffolk. Adnams  work with local farmers and producers who supply their brewery and hotels, and even partnered with a local business to install an anaerobic digestion plant to turn brewery and food waste into biogas.

Please leave a comment below if you enjoyed this article about British breweries.

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The 5 Kent breweries, distilleries and vineyards you can visit for a boozy guided tour

From hop to tap - or even grape to glass - Kent's breweries are back open for tours, tipples and tastings

• 17:44, 31 MAY 2021

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We often take our alcohol for granted - especially during the pandemic, as quite a few of us brightened up dull lockdown evenings with a bottle, or two, or three.

However, that need not be the case - especially as lockdown has eased - as Kent is home to a great number of breweries, distilleries and vineyards open for tours, and more importantly, tastings.

It's not just big names like Shepherd Neame that have guided routes around their factories, however, as many smaller brands have opened up their doors to curious customers over recent years.

There are plenty of independent companies in and around Kent, making spirits, wine and cider.

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So even if a lager isn't your cup of tea, there's plenty of choice for guided tours and tastings.

Without further ado, here are five of Kent's best breweries that have reopened their doors to customers.

Shepherd Neame Brewery, Faversham

It wouldn't be a list about alcohol in Kent without mentioning Shepherd Neame, the oldest Brewer in the UK.

The tour really lives up to the authentic and traditional reputation of Kent's flagship beer maker, too - guiding you through the brewing process that made Shepherd Neame what it is today.

From tasting the mineral water from the brewery's well, to smelling the locally-grown hops and even a detailed peek at the mash tuns that are so central to Shepherd Neame's way of doing things, this is a must-see for Kent's hop-heads.

It's not all talk either - having been given Tripadvisor's travellers' choice award for 2020.

With a tasting at the end of the tour, the full experience clocks in at a decent 2 hours - but be advised to book ahead, and maybe book a cab to get you home afterwards!

Address: 17 Court Street, Faversham, ME13 7AX

Copper Rivet Distillery, Chatham

From an established name to a relative newcomer, there are few that can make the claims to history and innovation like those at Copper Rivet.

Having only opened for business in 2016, the brewery is based out of Chatham's historic Royal Dockyards, in a beautiful red-brick pumphouse, and there's far too much history to go too deeply into here.

Luckily, the tour of Copper Rivet isn't just going into their process as the only grain to glass distillery in Kent - as it gives a rundown of Chatham's lengthy naval history in the process too.

The docks were regenerated in recent years, but their historic architecture has meant it has featured in films and TV shows such as Les Miserables, Call The Midwife and Grantchester - amongst many others.

Buildings and history aside, the prospect of tasting gins, vodkas and whiskies all made from locally sourced ingredients, and even having the option to grab some top-quality food, there's a lot to like about one of Kent's freshest faces in the booze business.

Address: Leviathan Way, Chatham, ME4 4LP

The Ramsgate Brewery, Broadstairs

Home to Gadds, a craft beer proud of it's East Kent heritage, The Ramsgate Brewery is a little smaller scale than Shepherd Neame or the impressive location of Copper Rivet, but that's no issue.

Operating a with team of just 10 people, Gadds manage to pump out a million pints of beer a year, and deliver to pubs, clubs and restaurants around Kent.

In their own words, they've "been around long enough to know what we're doing, and not so long as to be old fashioned."

With a full tour and tastings on offer on the first Saturday of each month, it might be a slightly harder brewery to get a booking at, but it's worth it for a smaller-scale view into where your craft pints come from.

To add to all of this, the team at Gadds make a habit of creating what they call 'Irregulars', being pop-up beers that only come up once or twice a year, but offer something a little different to what you'd expect.

Address: Unit 7, Hornet Close, Pyson's Road Industrial Estate, Broadstairs CT10 2YD

Greensand Ridge Distillery

Another name to make Tripadvisor's traveller's choice list, Greensand Ridge is based out of an old Victorian coach house, overlooking the fields and forests of Kent.

This one is a hands-on look inside the gin-making process, and though it's not quite as broad an experience as Copper Rivet, Greensand Ridge offers something unique.

The hands-on idea is quite literal - as the tour includes an explainer on the art of distillery, and a chance to distil your own gin on an individual copper pot still.

If you're not partial to a G&T, you might want to give this one a miss, but for those of us who love a bit of gin, the prospect of coming home at the end of the day with your own freshly brewed bottle is an opportunity crying out to be taken.

Address: Shipbourne Road, Tonbridge, TN11 9NS

Biddenden Vineyard

Biddenden Vineyard brands itself as Kent's Original vineyard, and at over 50 years old there's a good deal of history to the award-winning winery.

With eleven varieties of grapes across 23 acres, this is no cottage industry, but an award-winning example of the fact that you can get some really great wine without looking abroad.

Biddenden is also home to a cider brewery using Kentish apples and pears, so if grapes aren't your thing there's still a reason to visit.

Open tours currently run from April to September, but you can also book a private tour if you want a more personal insight into how your wine gets made.

Address: Little Whatmans, Gribble Bridge Lane, Biddenden TN27 8DF

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Home » Budget Travel » The Best Brewery Tours in The World – INSIDER Guides

The Best Brewery Tours in The World – INSIDER Guides

All backpackers love beer right? Well some of us REALLY love it. In fact over recent years I have grown into something of a beer connoisseur having sampled the finest ales from pretty much every brewing country on earth!

No kidding guys, these I consider myself a bonafide beer snob – so much so that I can no longer stomach the Chang and Kingfisher staples that formed the backbone of most of my backpacking trips.

I also know I’m not alone. Craft ale and brewing is vogue all over the world right now and interest in how many is made is fast rivalling interest in how beer tastes to the point that breweries are frantically opening up for tours, introducing tap rooms, and even building on site museums.

Yep, brewery tours are fast becoming ubiquitous and every travel destination worth its gentrification seems to have at least one brewery that visitors can tour. In this post, we will look at some of them as we raise a glass to the best brewery tours in the world.

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What Is a Brewery Tour?

Faqs about the world’s best brewery tours, final thoughts on the best brewery tours on earth.

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A brewery tour is a guided exploration of a brewery, offering insights into the process of beer production from grain to glass. It often includes an introduction to the history of the brewery, a walk through the brewing process , and best of all, most of them climax with a tasting session where attendees get to sample the various brews.

Brewery tours can range from an intimate look at small craft breweries to expansive tours of globally recognized beer giants.

Let’s look at just a few of them.

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Guinness Brewery, Dublin

The Guinness Brewery, synonymous with Ireland itself, has been brewing their iconic dark irony stout in Dublin since 1759. The brew they produce here is an absolute global phenomenon, served in bars from Dublin to Dubai (although it tastes its absolute best right here in Dublin). If you are backpacking Ireland, then a visit to the Guinness Brewery is a must do.

The Guinness Storehouse tour is one of the best brewery tours in the world. The tour lasts approximately 1.5 hours and costs about $30. The highlight of the tour is the Gravity Bar, where you can enjoy a pint with a 360-degree view of Dublin and even have a go at pouring the perfect pint of Guinness yourself.

Brooklyn Brewery, New York

Brooklyn Brewery was a pioneer and is now a staple of the rocking New York craft beer scene . Established in 1988, this brewery helped kick-start the craft beer revolution in the USA so come and pay your dues.

The tour lasts around 45 minutes and is totally free (little in NYC is ever free). The tour covers the history of the brewery and the brewing process. Highlights of the tour include a tasting of four beers and a peek at the barrel-aging room.

Heineken, Amsterdam

Heineken is one of the most recognized beers worldwide (and one of the most average in my humble opinion). The company has grown into a mega multinational conglomerate owing different  countless well known brands but the home brewery in Amsterdam is where it all started. It’s not just a beer tour though, the Heinekern tour is an immersive experience that teaches you all about the brand’s history and brewing process.

The tour, called the Heineken Experience, takes around 1.5 to 2 hours and costs about $23. The tour highlights include the Brew You Ride, an interactive brewing experience, and a tasting of two refreshing beers at the end.

Cantillon, Anderlecht

Belgians know their beer and have been brewing the strong stuff ever since the middle ages when the monks used their monastic life very wisely. As such, a brewery tour in Belgium genuinely is a journey into the nation’s heritage. In the heart of Belgium, Cantillon Brewery has been brewing traditional lambic beers since 1900. It’s one of the few places in the world that still uses the ancient natural fermentation method.

If you visit Belgium , then you must take some time to sample its fine, fine beers. The tour lasts about 1 hour and costs about $9 making it a bloody bargain. The highlight of the tour is seeing the traditional brewing process in action, including the unique open-fermentation method.

Museum of Yebisu Beer, Tokyo

Yebisu beer, first brewed in 1890, has a rich history and is deeply intertwined with the modernization of Japan. The museum, located in Tokyo, showcases this fascinating history.

The tour lasts approximately 1 hour and is free – however, beer tastings start from $5. The tour highlights include a deep dive into the history of Yebisu beer and a tasting session in the beer salon.

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Samuel Adams, Boston

Samuel Adams, another key player in the American craft beer revolution, opened its doors in Boston in 1984. Their Boston Lager has become an iconic American beer and while Samuel Adams cannot really be called Craft Beer anymore, they are definitely one of the more cool and principled of the giant brewers.

The Samuel Adams brewery tour lasts approximately 1 hour and costs around a nifty $10. Even non-drinkers may enjoy this one as it has become one of the definite things to do in Boston . The tour highlights include a walkthrough of the brewing process, a satisfying beer tasting session, and a souvenir tasting glass to take home. Good value right?

Delirium, Brussels

Now we come to one of my personal favourites. The Delirium Brewery, home to the famous Delirium Tremens (12% seriously strong beer), is located right in the heart of Brussels, Belgium. Known for its pink elephant logo, Delirium has a reputation for brewing strong, flavorful beers. Brussels is one of Europe’s great party cities and this is my personal favourite place to warm up for the night ahead.

The Delirium Belgian brewery tour is a part of the Delirium Village visit, which lasts about 2 hours and costs around $15. The tour highlights include a visit to the iconic Delirium Café, a walkthrough of the brewing process, and beer tastings. Going back to the Delirium Cafe, the ground level bar does excellent strong beers and you can pitch naive tourists order a pitcher and then regret it. The downstairs bar offers the largest selection of bottled beers in the world – they even sell Heineken.

If you only visit brewery Belgium once, then Delirium makes the obvious choice.

Carlsberg, Copenhagen

Carlsberg is of course one of the largest beer companies in the world but despite what their clever marketing slogan says, most probably do NOT brew the best stuff…. The company was founded in 1847 in Copenhagen and the brewery’s historical site is now home to the Carlsberg Museum.

The Carlsberg tour lasts approximately 1.5 hours and costs around $15. The tour highlights include the world’s largest collection of unopened beer bottles, the old brewhouse, and the Carlsberg horses. People tell me actually Carlsberg tastes a lot better (ie, drinkable) straight from the source although I am not convinced.

Modelo, Mexico City

Grupo Modelo, known worldwide for its easy and light bodies beers like Corona and Modelo Especial, is headquartered in Mexico City (one of the worlds best cities for partying ). The brewery tour gives you an inside look at the massive production of these popular beers so loved by over 100 million Mexicans.

The tour lasts approximately 1 hour and is free. Tour highlights include an overview of Grupo Modelo’s history, a walkthrough of the brewing process, and a tasting session.

Sierra Nevada, Chico CA

Sierra Nevada, founded in 1980, is another of the pioneers of the craft beer movement in the United States. The original brewery in Chico, California, offers an immersive look into the craft of brewing beer. I randomly visited Chico when I was backpacking California a few years ago and stumbled into (And then out of) this awesome little brewery.

The tour lasts approximately 1.5 hours and is free. Tour highlights include a walk through the beautiful hop fields, a look into the brewing and bottling process, and a complimentary tasting session where you get to try some “unreleased” specials.

Brewdog, Ellon (Scotland)

The enfante terrible of the UK brewing revival, Brewdog burst onto the scene in 2007 and quickly made a name for itself with its bold, hop-forward beers. Brewdog is now a global brand but the brewery, still located in Ellon, Scotland, offers a deep dive into the Brewdog way of big brand craft brewing. If you are backpacking Scotland , then do swing by Ellon.

The tour lasts about 1.5 hours and costs around $20. The Brewdog Tour highlights include a look at Brewdog’s state-of-the-art brewhouse, an exploration of the barrel-aging program, and a guided tasting of four of Brewdogs beers.

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Budvar, Ceske Budjovice, Czech Republic

The Czech’s do make some excellent lagers and you can come and see just how they do it at the Budbat Brewery. The Budvar Brewery, known in the US as Czechvar, is located in Ceske Budjovice, Czech Republic a region which to be fair, doesn’t get all that many visitors. The brewery’s lagers, brewed with local ingredients, have been enjoyed for over 125 years and are now exported worldwide.

The tour lasts approximately 1 hour and costs around a humble $5. Tour highlights include a visit to the historic brewhouse, a look into the unique lagering cellars, and a beer tasting.

Fullers, London

Now for the second best beer tour in the UK. Fuller’s Brewery, known for its bitter and heavy London Pride, is one of the iconic breweries in the UK. The brewery has been making beer at the historic Griffin Brewery in London since 1845 and is a funky and offbeat thing to do in London.

Amongst the best brewery tours london offers, the Fullers tour lasts about 1.5 hours and costs around $20. Tour highlights include a history of London’s long and proud brewing heritage, a guided tour through the brewing process, and a tasting session of Fuller’s award-winning beers.

Tiger, Singapore

Tiger Brewery, founded in 1932, is a bonafide Singaporean icon. The Tiger Brewery tour offers a comprehensive overview of how this Asian beer giant crafts it’s crisp, refreshing lagers.

The Tiger Brewery tour lasts about 1.5 hours and costs around $15. Highlights of the tour include a walkthrough of the brewing process, a packaging gallery showcasing the brand’s evolution, and a beer tasting session in the Tiger Tavern.

Coopers, Adelaide

Coopers, Australia’s largest independently-owned brewery, has now been producing decent beers in Adelaide since 1862. The brewery is famous for its unique ales that undergo a secondary fermentation in the bottle ( science eh?! ).

The Coopers Adelaide brewery tour lasts about 1 hour and costs around $20. Highlights of the tour include an in-depth look at Coopers’ brewing process, a visit to the on-site museum showcasing the brand’s history, and a tasting session in the brewery bar.

Ps, If you want to wind up an Australian beer enthusiast, just say the word “Fosters” to them.

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1. How should I prepare for a brewery tour?

It is recommended that you wear comfortable shoes as you may be on your feet for a while. Try to eat before you go, as you’ll likely be drinking beer during the tour. Don’t forget your ID, as you may also need to prove you’re of legal drinking age. Lastly, remember to have a plan for getting home safely if you plan to sample the beers!

2. Are brewery tours suitable for people who don’t drink beer?

Yes. While the tasting part of the tour might not be appealing, brewery tours offer a wealth of information about the historical and technical aspects of brewing, local culture, and even architecture. Many breweries are also landmarks with beautiful views. Of course, non-drinkers will probably get quite as much from the experience…

3. What should I expect during a beer tasting session on a brewery tour?

Beer tasting often involves sampling small amounts of different types of beer. Your guide will likely explain the characteristics of each type, including appearance, aroma, taste, and mouthfeel. You may also learn about the ingredients used in brewing each type of beer and get tips on food pairings too.

4. Can I purchase beer directly from the breweries I visit on these tours?

Most breweries do have on-site stores where you can purchase their beers, often including exclusive or limited-edition varieties not available elsewhere. Some even sell branded merchandise like t-shirts, glassware, and condoms. It’s best to check with each brewery beforehand, as their policies may differ.

As well as enabling casual alcoholism in the name of cultural appreciation, Brewery tours genuinely offer a chance to dive deeper into the world of beer. They help to reveal the craft, history, and passion behind some of our favourite brews. Whether it’s a renowned global brand or an up and coming craft brewer, each tour on this list offers something unique.

From the ancient art of brewing in Belgium to the cutting-edge craft beer scene in the US, from the traditional lagers of the Czech Republic to the crisp Asian lagers, these tours are true  testament to the deep diversity of the beer world.

So, for the backpackers, the beer lovers, and the curious travelers, the world of brewery tours awaits you. Whether you choose a brewery tour in London, a beer tour in the UK, or a visit to a brewery in Belgium, you’ll be stepping into a world of flavour, craft, and history.

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