Whether you’re a new craft beer drinker or a seasoned veteran, you’ve had that first experience at a new brewery. It could be one that recently opened in your neighborhood, visiting a new town and finding something local, or maybe you take beer trips to new cities…..either way but we have all been there.
Which begged the question, what’s the best approach to visiting a location you may not be all that familiar with? How do we maximize what could be our one and only visit if we aren’t from the area?
For those answers, and more, we asked a number of different PA brewery owners and brewers what their tips would be on visiting a brewery for the first time. Below is what they had to say! What do you think?
“When visiting a brewery for the first time, ask the bartender what they recommend. Often you’ll stumble upon whatever the brewery is most excited about at the moment, and sometimes even some hidden gems you’d never think to order on your own.” – Ben Butler, Co-owner at Necromancer Brewing Company
Be patient, considerate, and be willing to give the brewery a second chance if they didn’t leave a good impression on the first trip. You never know what the employees/brewers/owners are up against. – Mike Sayers, Co-owner & Brewer of Lake Hill Brewing Company
“Don’t be afraid to ask questions! If you’re deciding what to try and it’s your first time there ask for a recommendation. Most brewery staff are really excited to talk about their beer and will tell you the must-tries. Sometimes you’ll get lucky at smaller breweries and if the brewer is on-site they’ll be excited to walk you through the beer list and even show you around the brewhouse.” – Cortney Costa, Head Brewer at Meyers Brewing Company
Remember – that’s someone’s baby. That’s someone’s passion, their dream perhaps. So, if it’s not perfect, you need to give them time. Constructive feedback is always appropriate and appreciated. Also, if you really want to get a feel for their capabilities, don’t go to the hype-chase beers. Go with the simplest recipe they have on tap, the cream ale, the pils, the Kolsch, etc. You can really see where they are in a style that has nothing to hide behind. – Mike LaCouture, Co-owner of Broken Goblet Brewing
I always like to ask the bartender what they recommend. They may recommend something totally different than what you would typically drink or consider getting. – Mark Pavlik, Owner & Brewer of Four Seasons Brewing Company
Ask the bartenders what that brewery’s specialty is. You can guarantee every brewery will have a few IPAs, a stout, etc, but ask them what they’re particularly excited about at the moment. – Jake Howell, Co-owner & Brewer at Second Sin Brewing Company
Try multiple styles. Always try something more delicate, simple, light to gauge the quality of the place. Light styles are much more challenging to nail. Heavily fruited, sweetened, etc is quite easy to pull off and doesn’t say much about the brewer/brewery. – Rob Tarves, Co-founder & Brewer at Our Town Brewery
“Don’t pass judgment until they’ve had a few months to figure it out. A lot of new breweries are opened by people who haven’t worked in/owned a brewery before and are still learning how to brew and run the business. They have to transition from home brewing to professional brewing and they’re very different. Just because they’re not hitting the ground running doesn’t mean they’re incapable of being a world-class brewery.” – Matt Gilberg, Head Brewer of Levante Brewing Company.
“I have two tips! First, get a flight! Try a handful of smaller portions if you’re not sure what you want or are looking to get a good feel for what the brewery has to offer. Second, ask your bartender or server what they recommend! They’re on the pulse more than anyone and usually have the inside track as to what’s hot and I’m their glass for their shift beer!” – Nick Fazzoni, Co-Owner of Butler Brew Works
“Get a flight, you might find a new style that will surprise you! If you visit a new brewery and find a beer you really like, let the brewers/owners know it!” – Robert Buchanan, Co-Owner at Allusion Brewing
“Ask your server(s) questions! If you are unfamiliar with the business model, or the product(s) provided, please ask. We are all striving to do the best we can on your behalf.” – David Kozloski, Co-founder & Head Brewer at GearHouse Brewing Co.
