The time and day during which you decide to tour is crucial to how much you will enjoy it. For some breweries, you don't have any other options apart from the three hours they're open for touring on Saturdays. Others, you can pick any day of the week within a 10 hour window. In my experience, the fewer people on the tour, the better. Consider the tour as having a classroom atmosphere, but with alcohol. The smaller the teacher to student ratio, the less you will have to struggle to hear the guide, the fewer people you will tipsily bump into, and the more you will learn before the alcohol permeating your blood cells renders you slightly brainless. But really, you're going for a tasting, not a binge (unless you're at Harpoon), so it shouldn't get that far. ;) If you're concerned about it being too crowded, call ahead and ask about the best, quietest time to tour. And don't worry, I've never seen any brewery run out of booze because the crowd was too big! If your schedule allows it, try to go on a weekday when they're bottling/canning. It's nice to walk around the machinery and look at all the doo-dads and idle whirly-woos, but to see them in action is a mesmerizing, nose-tantalizing experience!
So there's your cheat sheet, people! Use it, or earn a failing grade as I did when I visited Brooklyn Brewery. Don't misinterpret me, the brewery was great, but it was my lack of the knowledge outlined in the previous paragraph that made the experience a bit hectic.
Brooklyn Brewery - Brooklyn, NY
Pictured above is the master brewer on site at BB. She is the brains behind all brews that come out of this location, including their latest pale ale, Hair of the Cat...
Ok, ok, all joking aside, isn't she a cutie!? This little kitty perched herself atop the swag booth, high above the masses of intoxicated hipsters, like a lone survivor in the zombie apocalypse. There was no way she was coming down to accept any pets from the mob, but she gladly posed for our pictures from her secure location. Note: drunk people love cute animals.
Ok, ok, all joking aside, isn't she a cutie!? This little kitty perched herself atop the swag booth, high above the masses of intoxicated hipsters, like a lone survivor in the zombie apocalypse. There was no way she was coming down to accept any pets from the mob, but she gladly posed for our pictures from her secure location. Note: drunk people love cute animals.
What? Beer? This is about beer? Oh... yes! Let's take it from the top. It was a chilly Saturday in Brooklyn, NY. Arlo and I decided it was best to go on one of the earlier tours, so as to avoid the crowd. Apparently, we weren't the only ones with this thought in mind, and spent a half hour digging our chins deep in our coats while we stood in line outside.
It. Was. Mobbed.
For those of you that don't know, Brooklyn is quickly becoming a hipster capital. And hipsters absolutely love beer. Hipsters also love supporting the local economy. Aaaaand they love being thrifty. I think you're starting to understand where I'm going with this. Beer + Local + Free Tour = perfect Saturday afternoon for every hipster within a 200 mile radius. As if standing in line just to enter the building wasn't enough, we then had to stand in line to buy tokens, after which we had to stand in line to use the tokens to buy beer. It was a zoo. The volume of sound inside was high above the level of a noisy bar, and rivaled that of a rock concert. Communication was by hand signals and lip reading only. The place was big, but simply not big enough to hold the capacity of people that swelled and swilled inside. Every time I tried to move from one place to another, people eyed me as I passed, as if to say, "I swear to God, if you bump my elbow and my beer goes everywhere, you're going to die." It was not the friendliest environment.
Once precious beer was in hand, we decided to wait in line (this place loves lines) for the tour. Thirty minutes later, and we were off to check out some of the quieter rooms of the facility - something my ears were dearly looking forward to. After all 100 of us (oh my god) walked 50 paces into the main room of the brewery, I quickly realized this is where we would stay for the next 15-20 minutes while the tour guide talked... and that was it. Normally, the tour is actually a tour, but this wasn't possible with such a large crowd. I was fairly disappointed at first. But the absolute saving grace of all of this was the tour guide himself. He was hilarious! He gave the normal brewery speech about how beer is made with water, hops, yeast, malt, blahblahblah, all the while sneaking in subtle quips. My favorite part was his story about the brewery's history with the mafia. It was crazy enough to be true! It's not easy to manage such a large crowd, let alone an intoxicated one, but he did so with finesse, and only using his words! He was, by far, my favorite guide out of all the tours I'll cover in this blog.
Braaaaiinnnnnssssss.... err, Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrr! Sadly, there was no time or room for tasting samples. =( I got to try two different beers, but that was it. The reason I wanted to go to Brooklyn Brewery in the first place was to try their black chocolate stout from the tap. Really, if all else failed, but I still got my draft chocolate stout, then it was a great day. To my dismay, as we creeped forward in line to get our beer, I realized they did not have the chocolate stout listed at all. After asking, they said they could open a bottle of the choco-brew for me. Though I was really looking forward to a draft, I was delighted to have it at all! I didn't even take a sip until I was on the other, less headache inducing side of the building where I could stand elbow to elbow with the other quiet-seekers and enjoy it.
I had a draft of this decadence at Pearly Bakers in Easton, PA a few weeks prior the tour, and was amazed at the flavor complexities. The smell was definitely chocolaty with hints of vanilla. The front of the taste was not overly bitter or sweet. It was not chalky. It walked the fence between dessert and beer without falling into either one. It was something I imagined would be sampled in the Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory for adults. It was a bit creamy, but not too heavy - almost similar to a Guinness. The back half of the taste is my favorite part. It's literally like you just took a bite out of a chocolate bar. I did a double take, or a double sip, and my taste buds were telling the truth. This was truly divine. Unlike many other chocolate stouts, and despite the name "black chocolate stout", the chocolate quality was not too dark (I don't like really dark chocolate). After just one pint, it was my absolute favorite stout ever.
Unfortunately, after my second taste at the chocolate stout mecca, I began to question my previous evaluation of it's heavenly status. There was no balance, and it was a bit too chocolaty. I don't know. Things were just different between us, and I wondered if it would ever be the same again. I chalked the whole experience up to a bad bottle. These things do happen. It's always good to try a beer twice (or three times) to rule out the possibility of such an unfortunate occasion. *sigh*
I also tried BLAST!, their year-round, double, imperial IPA. They state on their site that this beer is "ludicrously hoppy", so you would think I would hate it. But it's really not that bad. The 9.0% ABV along with the tropical fruitiness on the front of the palate is a nice touch, but it's the back of the taste that rears it's ugly, hoppy head with every sip. I half love and half hate this beer, but it's good enough to enjoy a pint every now and then.
This particular visit to Brooklyn Brewery really left me wanting. I didn't have the experience or the balanced, chocolaty beer I so desired, and I didn't get to sample their other offerings. But I can't blame the brewery for it's popularity. Good beer is good beer! A less crowded experience would have proven much more satisfying. Again, the biggest plus for the whole event was the tour guide. He really saved the day. Oh, and the kitty. She was perfect!
If you ever decide to go here for a tour or even just a pint, I highly recommend calling ahead to avoid the lines and giant clusterfluffle that I endured. It's a nice place, the beer is good, and the staff is very knowledgeable/friendly/funny as hell. But no one likes to spend their free time waiting while there is so much beer to be had!
Tour wisely, my friends!
Next Up: Yuengling Brewery - Pottsville, PA
It. Was. Mobbed.
For those of you that don't know, Brooklyn is quickly becoming a hipster capital. And hipsters absolutely love beer. Hipsters also love supporting the local economy. Aaaaand they love being thrifty. I think you're starting to understand where I'm going with this. Beer + Local + Free Tour = perfect Saturday afternoon for every hipster within a 200 mile radius. As if standing in line just to enter the building wasn't enough, we then had to stand in line to buy tokens, after which we had to stand in line to use the tokens to buy beer. It was a zoo. The volume of sound inside was high above the level of a noisy bar, and rivaled that of a rock concert. Communication was by hand signals and lip reading only. The place was big, but simply not big enough to hold the capacity of people that swelled and swilled inside. Every time I tried to move from one place to another, people eyed me as I passed, as if to say, "I swear to God, if you bump my elbow and my beer goes everywhere, you're going to die." It was not the friendliest environment.
Once precious beer was in hand, we decided to wait in line (this place loves lines) for the tour. Thirty minutes later, and we were off to check out some of the quieter rooms of the facility - something my ears were dearly looking forward to. After all 100 of us (oh my god) walked 50 paces into the main room of the brewery, I quickly realized this is where we would stay for the next 15-20 minutes while the tour guide talked... and that was it. Normally, the tour is actually a tour, but this wasn't possible with such a large crowd. I was fairly disappointed at first. But the absolute saving grace of all of this was the tour guide himself. He was hilarious! He gave the normal brewery speech about how beer is made with water, hops, yeast, malt, blahblahblah, all the while sneaking in subtle quips. My favorite part was his story about the brewery's history with the mafia. It was crazy enough to be true! It's not easy to manage such a large crowd, let alone an intoxicated one, but he did so with finesse, and only using his words! He was, by far, my favorite guide out of all the tours I'll cover in this blog.
Braaaaiinnnnnssssss.... err, Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrr! Sadly, there was no time or room for tasting samples. =( I got to try two different beers, but that was it. The reason I wanted to go to Brooklyn Brewery in the first place was to try their black chocolate stout from the tap. Really, if all else failed, but I still got my draft chocolate stout, then it was a great day. To my dismay, as we creeped forward in line to get our beer, I realized they did not have the chocolate stout listed at all. After asking, they said they could open a bottle of the choco-brew for me. Though I was really looking forward to a draft, I was delighted to have it at all! I didn't even take a sip until I was on the other, less headache inducing side of the building where I could stand elbow to elbow with the other quiet-seekers and enjoy it.
I had a draft of this decadence at Pearly Bakers in Easton, PA a few weeks prior the tour, and was amazed at the flavor complexities. The smell was definitely chocolaty with hints of vanilla. The front of the taste was not overly bitter or sweet. It was not chalky. It walked the fence between dessert and beer without falling into either one. It was something I imagined would be sampled in the Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory for adults. It was a bit creamy, but not too heavy - almost similar to a Guinness. The back half of the taste is my favorite part. It's literally like you just took a bite out of a chocolate bar. I did a double take, or a double sip, and my taste buds were telling the truth. This was truly divine. Unlike many other chocolate stouts, and despite the name "black chocolate stout", the chocolate quality was not too dark (I don't like really dark chocolate). After just one pint, it was my absolute favorite stout ever.
Unfortunately, after my second taste at the chocolate stout mecca, I began to question my previous evaluation of it's heavenly status. There was no balance, and it was a bit too chocolaty. I don't know. Things were just different between us, and I wondered if it would ever be the same again. I chalked the whole experience up to a bad bottle. These things do happen. It's always good to try a beer twice (or three times) to rule out the possibility of such an unfortunate occasion. *sigh*
I also tried BLAST!, their year-round, double, imperial IPA. They state on their site that this beer is "ludicrously hoppy", so you would think I would hate it. But it's really not that bad. The 9.0% ABV along with the tropical fruitiness on the front of the palate is a nice touch, but it's the back of the taste that rears it's ugly, hoppy head with every sip. I half love and half hate this beer, but it's good enough to enjoy a pint every now and then.
This particular visit to Brooklyn Brewery really left me wanting. I didn't have the experience or the balanced, chocolaty beer I so desired, and I didn't get to sample their other offerings. But I can't blame the brewery for it's popularity. Good beer is good beer! A less crowded experience would have proven much more satisfying. Again, the biggest plus for the whole event was the tour guide. He really saved the day. Oh, and the kitty. She was perfect!
If you ever decide to go here for a tour or even just a pint, I highly recommend calling ahead to avoid the lines and giant clusterfluffle that I endured. It's a nice place, the beer is good, and the staff is very knowledgeable/friendly/funny as hell. But no one likes to spend their free time waiting while there is so much beer to be had!
Tour wisely, my friends!
Next Up: Yuengling Brewery - Pottsville, PA
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