INFORMATION ABOUT BREWERIES

What is a brewery?

There are over 7,000 breweries and brewpubs (combined) in the United States, yet they total only about 13% of the beer-producing market. There is likely at least one near you. Have you checked it out?

A brewery is a place where beer is brewed and sold on-site. Some breweries serve food, but I think a proper brewery should focus on its beer and consider the food second.

Each brewery uses its own blend of ingredients to create beers of all styles. The brewing world is known for camaraderie, but every brewery is in competition with each other. Who wins in these battles? The drinkers! Breweries constantly change recipes and add ingredients to make their beers stand out. This makes for some very innovative and surprising brews for the masses to enjoy.

How do you visit a brewery?

This may seem like a silly question but it has certainly been asked many times. Some people feel intimidated because they don't know much about beer while others simply don't know common brewery lingo. Forget all that and pay a visit to your local brewery. And bring your cranky uncle who refuses to drink beer that's not made by the big companies. You may not convert him to craft beer but he’ll hopefully get a better appreciation when he sees how it's all done.

I've given brewery tours and there's always at least one person who is amazed at how much work goes into the operation. Running a brewery involves chemistry, artistry, engineering, a culinary flare, business knowledge, and other notable qualities. Even if you're not a fan of beer, take a tour at your local brewery to learn all that goes into producing it.

When preparing to travel, the first thing I tend to do is look up the local breweries. I often base my accommodations on the distance to them. Many travel sites or a quick Google search will provide a list and/or map of places to find local brew.

In addition, a very useful tool is the Untappd app, which can use your phone's location to search for breweries and bars in the area. The app also allows users to keep track of beers for future reference. And by drinking certain amounts and combinations of beers, you sometimes "earn" badges which make it feel like you’re engaging in a nifty social hobby instead of having a drinking problem.

As I mentioned earlier, don't be intimidated. Each brewery is unique but most are the same in at least one way- the employees love talking about beer. Ask a question about the brewery and/or beer in general and you'll make a friend in no time.

Brewery terminology

LAGER vs. ALE
Every beer is either a lager or an ale, depending on how it’s brewed. You can learn all about that on brewery tours. For now, just know that lagers tend to be crisper, cleaner, and tamer. Most of the popular beers by the biggest breweries in the world are lagers.

Ales are everything else. There seems to be an ever-expanding list of ale types. A good (though not definitive) rule is that lagers are usually self-identifying. If it doesn't say 'lager' in the beer’s name, it's probably an ale.

FLIGHTS
Many breweries offer samples of their beers in a group called a flight, which is a great way to try different styles without committing to a full pint. Breweries typically offer 4-5 samples of whichever beers you choose. Some breweries have fixed flights so ask your friendly bartender what that place's policy is. Enjoy the beers in your flight then grab a pint of something else to try the full spectrum of their brews. Many places present their flights in interesting ways so look for that, too. Photo op!

CROWLERS AND GROWLERS
Crowlers are (usually) 32-ounce aluminum cans which can be filled with almost any beer that’s on tap at a brewery. (A sign will specifically tell you if a beer is unavailable for growler fills.) Growlers are the same size or larger and made of glass or metal but serve the same purpose. Both are always for off-site consumption so fill one at the end of your visit to bring home or to a party. You can be that interesting beer guy. Hooray!

An unopened growler or crowler will typically stay fresh for a week. After opening, drink its contents within two days. If you bring an empty growler to a brewery, make sure it has been cleaned well. Breweries will not fill dirty growlers because their product would get tainted and you would be mad at them. My method is rinsing it thoroughly then letting soapy water sit in it overnight. Crowlers cannot be reused but should always be recycled.

TOURS
I've been on many brewery tours and, honestly, they're all pretty much the same. Equipment varies but the brewing process is identical whether it's a huge brewery, a small one, or some guy in his kitchen.

That said, every brewery has its own interesting story of how it came to be. Something can be learned on any tour but don't feel bad about missing some. Also note that a bigger brewery does not necessarily mean a better tour. Sometimes you'll have to schedule a tour ahead of your visit so check the website(s) when you know where you're going.

BARRELS

You'll hear breweries refer to how many barrels of beer they produce at one time or in a year. This is an industry term which equals 31 gallons and is often abbreviated BBL. Typical kegs come in half-barrels (15.5 gallons) and sixtels (1/6 of a barrel, around 5 gallons). These ‘barrels’ are different from wooden ones some breweries age their beer in.

BARREL-AGING

Offering barrel-aged varieties of regular beers has become very popular. For example, a brewery will brew a stout then age it in barrels they bought from a bourbon distillery. The wood from the barrel and leftover flavors from the bourbon give the stout new characteristics.

That was a common example but this process is used for many types of beer in other barrels such as non-bourbon whiskey, wine, tequila, brandy, rum, and whatever else people can think up. If you order a flight, try to include a beer and its barrel-aged counterpart to see the difference, which can be anywhere from subtle to overwhelming. A good brewery will carefully find the perfect balance.

CASK (FŒDER)
Order a cask beer and the first thing you'll notice is that it's room-temperature. This is an English method of serving beer, and why people say all their beers are too warm. Serving certain beers warmer than usual (or ordering a cold one and letting it sit) can bring out more flavors and aromas than their chilly equivalents. This is commonly done with India Pale Ales (IPAs) and English Special Bitters (ESBs).

NITRO
Anyone who's had a Guinness on-draught has had a nitro beer. For various reasons, beer is usually poured using carbon dioxide. Swapping nitrogen for the CO₂ gives the beer a creamier texture, foamier head on top, and will take longer to be served, as Guinness fans know.

Three good questions to ask at a brewery:

What do your beers' names mean?

Why are there bubbles in the buckets near fermentation tanks?

Where does your grain go after you brew with it?

Three annoying questions to not ask at a brewery:

Which beer tastes like {insert big brand name}?
(None of them does. That's the reason for craft beer. Instead, ask for a recommendation starting with, 'I usually drink…')

What’s your favorite beer on tap right now?
(This question is fine if you’ve established a dialogue with the employee, but don’t base your choice on a stranger’s preference. Everybody has different tastes and yours may differ greatly from theirs.)

Do you just drink beer all day?
(No, but brewery workers must test their product like any other company. That product being alcoholic is simply a perk.)