Brewery tours may feel like a thing of the Early Aughts, but there are quite a few regional and national breweries that can offer up a worthwhile experience. Some are even worth a destination trip just to visit the breweries themselves. That’s because brewery visits also offer the opportunity to try rare, taproom-only beers.
USA Today recently had readers (i.e. drinkers) name the top 10 brewery tours of 2019. USA Today editors, along with craft beer experts Ruth Berman and Gary Monterosso, whittled down the massive amount of options into a list of 20 nominees that readers then voted their 10 favorites from.
The final list is a who’s who of regional and national breweries. If you’re looking to take a beer trip in 2020, this list isn’t a bad place to start.
1. New Belgium Brewing Company
Location: Fort Collins, Colorado & Asheville, North Carolina
Beers to try: Fat Tire, La Folie, 1554
2. Bell’s Brewery
Location: Comstock, Michigan
Beers to try: Two Hearted Ale, Batch 1000, III: Oh Captain! My Captain! (Leaves of Grass Series)
3. Boulevard Brewing Co.
Location: Kansas City, Missouri
Beers to try: Tank 7, KC Pils, The Calling
4. Tröegs Independent Brewing
Location: Hershey, Pennsylvania
Beers to try: Nugget Nectar, Mad Elf, Troegenator Doublebock
5. Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Location: Milton, Delaware
Beers to try: 120 Minute IPA, Super Eight, World Wide Stout
6. Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Location: Chico, California & Mills River, North Carolina
Beers to try: Estate Ale, Bigfoot, Hazy Little Thing
7. Port City Brewing
Location: Alexandria, Virginia
Beers to try: Maniacal Double IPA, Optimal Wit, Porter
8. Allagash Brewing Company
Location: Portland, Maine
Beers to try: White, Two Lights, Coolship Resurgam
9. Samuel Adams
Location: Boston, Massachussetts
Beers to try: Boston Lager, Sam ’76, Winter Lager (or Summer Ale)
10. Lagunitas Brewing Company
Location: Petaluma, California
Beers to try: Born Yesterday, Phase Change, Daytime
