Consumers often ask, what is in it for the brewer?

Whether signing up with an established tour or designing/planning a private brewery tour, there should be an aspect of learning something interesting about beer and specifically about the brewery’s styles of beer. Every brewery has its own approach to its signature styles. Brewery tours offer a behind-the-scenes look at all aspects of their brewing process.

A formal tour allows visitors to sample unique brews they might not find elsewhere; a beer tour is about the final act of personal analysis. The beer tasting (like wine tasting) is about aroma, mouthfeel, and flavors in the beer’s finish. But realize, the environment has proven to be a critical factor in taste perceptions, whether beer or wine. The fun environment of a taproom or brewery is hard to replicate at home.

Each brewery has its unique vibe and décor that makes each brewery tour visit a new and interesting experience. There is also a human-interest aspect of a beer tour and that is getting to know the staff at a brewery, their persona, knowledge, and pride in their products. This will set the stage for a long-term consumer. This impacts brand, loyalty, sales, and longevity.

Emily Saladino authored an article for VinePairs in 2018 that summarized what breweries thought made for great beer tours.

“A knowledgeable, friendly, enthusiastic tour guide. You can give people an unforgettable tour of an outhouse factory if you make it relatable and do it with energy and passion.”— Victor Novak, Brewmaster, Golden Road Brewing

 “The guide!”— Emily Byrne, Brewer, Schlafly

 “A great brewery tour happens when the staff is enthusiastic about showing off all the cool things they have and teaching you about the process. For me, it is less about the process and more about the cool toys each brewery has and how they might do things a little differently than other breweries. A super-cool layout and high-end brewing equipment pique my interest, but someone who loves giving tours and is happy to show off what they do is the best part.” — Josh French, Production Brewmaster, Devils Backbone Brewing Company

 “There are three keys to a great tour. First, a knowledgeable tour guide who knows the history of the brewery, knows the processes in making the beer, and respects the industry by conveying their message without bad-mouthing other brewers. Second, an opportunity to get up close to the actual equipment, not just see it on a video screen or behind a glass window. Third, an opportunity to sample the beers along the way.” — Dan Jansen, Brewmaster and Director of Operations, Blue Point Brewing

 “Making people feel like an insider is an essential element of the perfect brewery tour. Being a brewmaster, I get to see behind the scenes, and I think the average brewery visitor wants that same feeling: That is why they signed up for the tour.” — Eric Warner, Brewmaster, Karbach Brewing

As the TV show Cheers! called the special beer experience, a place where “everyone knows your name.”

Note: Tour guides do not necessarily need to be independent. Some breweries conduct regularly scheduled tours utilizing in-house guides, Sierra Nevada is one such brewery.

Distinguishing craft beer to keep it a vibrant community.

Since the pandemic, articles have appeared talking about what the industry and local craft brewers need to do to move ahead and repair the damage from the pandemic. Even this author has added thoughts about plans of action.

Is Beer Touring an additional arrow in the quiver to ensure the sustainability of craft beer?

Author Mark Stock recently wrote that craft beer is approaching a crossroads. After reading Stock’s article there were three takeaways. The article does seem to fit into the benefits of Beer Touring for consumers and brewers.

• Provide a source for customer feedback that helps brewers anticipate change and plan for action to address change– competition, new product offerings, and socio-economic. Beer tour participants can be useful sources for feedback.
• Consumers are conscious of the quality of ingredients, and the commitment of the brand to improved brewing technologies and consumer feedback is important to craft beer breweries. The move to low-alcohol beers does not need to imply that craft beer is compromising on quality, taste, and the health-driven values of non-alcoholic beers. Again, both sides get valuable information. Athletic Brewing is proving this point.
• Craft beer consumers want to identify with the brands they buy. Mr. Stock quotes Elli Pressler of Sierra Nevada as saying, “I would argue that one of the savviest business aspects of craft beer is the ability to be creative and authentic,” Preslar said. The Sierra Nevada brand strives constantly to explain and show its quality to consumers. This has built a successful brand identity. As noted previously, this brand does beer tours. They are a big promoter of customer-forward branding and do use beer touring as part of branding.

A beer tour program is only one element that helps craft beer maintain itself and grow. The good thing is that it can be at least a self-liquidating program.

We have looked at a beer tour from a consumer and craft brewery perspective. Hopefully, the consumer has a new perspective of what they should look for in deciding to go a beer tour route. Additionally, the consumer now has an idea of what a brewery would be looking for in participating in such a tour.

Should a brewery not yet be a beer tour operator or participant in a third-party program we have given something to consider. It is a win-win for everyone.

Try a beer tour and form your own opinion as to its value.

Suppose the largest brewers and craft beer brewers are experiencing slippage in consumer consumption. In that case, the craft beer industry (versus the macro brewer) is in an ideal position to address market changes. In the taproom environment, consumers are coming to the experts. This presents the perfect opportunity for breweries to build an affinity with consumers through brewery tour events, appreciation weeks, and meet-the-staff occasions. The goal is to build loyalty through interactions with consumers. Loyalty on the part of consumers adds value also to their experiences with craft brewery making you feel part of the craft beer community.