Nothing can beat an ice cold beer on a hot summer day. If hops make you happy, check out these breweries and tours recommended by the travel experts at The GO Group, LLC, the nation’s largest ground transportation company.
No visit to Boston is complete without taking a Sam Adams Brewery tour. Learn all about Samuel Adams, the brewer and the patriot. See the brewing process first hand then try the specialty malts and smell the aromas of whole leaf noble hops. Tours are offered daily, check www.samualadams.com for times. The $2 suggested donation go to charities. In South Boston, visit Harpoon Brewery for tours and tastings; Harpoon also lets visitors take growler jugs and six packs home as souvenirs.
The Milwaukee Brewing Company, located downtown, uses local ingredients and suppliers in a “sustainable, creative and innovative environment. The “Beer in Hand” tour includes samples of the year-round staple flavors, current seasonal offerings, and other beers that are available that day. Visitors will be able to taste ingredients and learn about systems that uniquely support its sustainability. Miller-Coors has a 155-year history of brewing and offers tours daily every 30 minutes between 10:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. (10:30 am – 2:00 p.m. Sunday’s seasonally). Every tour ends with samples that can be enjoyed in the Bavarian-style Miller Inn or in the outdoor Beer Garden.
In Chicago, kick off your tour at Goose Island, the city’s first and most well-known brewers which opened as a brew pub in 1988 when the craft beer industry was still in its infancy. Today, Goose Island continues to brew an innovative selection of over 50 craft beers at the brewpub, which can be purchased throughout the U.S. Located on Chicago’s northwest side, Revolution Brewery is one of the largest in Illinois. The heart of the facility is the 45 barrel brew house where the brewers mash and boil the brew; it also features a high-speed canning line, which can fill over 500 cans a minute and can be seen from the tap room. The Brewery offers complimentary guided tours every Wednesday through Saturday at 6 p.m.; Saturday tours at 4, 5 and 6 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Tours are first come, first served and space is limited.
St. Louis is home to Anheuser-Busch; it’s so popular that locals simply refer to is as “AB.” Located just south of downtown, the AB brewery is open for free tours, featuring a tasting at the hospitality room at the end, and also offers a $10 “beer school” which uses a series of samples to teach students about different varieties of beer. If you prefer craft beers, try one of St. Louis’ other breweries including Schafly, Urban Chestnu and Morgan Street Brewery.
There are more than 150 breweries in Washington state and many of them are located in or near downtown Seattle. Beer lovers can chose from sites such as American Brewing Company, Emerald City brewing Company, Epic Ales Brewery and Fremont Brewing Company. Each offers its own style, techniques and tastes. Experience three breweries in one day with Road Dogs Brewery Tour.
The GO Group serves all the airports in the cities above.
The GO Group, LLC is a one-stop source for door-to-door airport shuttle services. Its members transport some 13 million passengers to and from 66 airports in the United States, Mexico, Canada and Europe annually. Travelers can book ground through GO’s website, www.goairportshuttle.com.
Contact: Dyana Flanigan