What Makes the Perfect Taproom or Brewery Experience?
This last weekend I had the pleasure of getting out to Jester King for the release of SPON. This wasn't my first visit there but it was definitely a different experience than I have had before. This got me to thinking, what makes a perfect taproom or brewery experience? I have had the great pleasure of visit a ton of different taprooms and brew pubs. Some were extremely memorable where others are forgettable. So what about a brewery taproom or brewpub makes it stand out? This will differ on people's perspectives but I wanted to share mine.
New Glarus Brewery - I am fortunate to have this iconic brewery a short drive away. The landscape is beautiful here and the facility is spotless. There is plenty of seating around and you can take a walking tour of the brewery any time. So what makes this a memorable spot for me? The R&D releases! They are the smoothest releases I have ever experienced and because of that I get to spend time with my friends who are also there for the release. It's like a beer friend reunion every time we go. Everyone is not only friendly but all the patrons are very respectful of the brewery. And I don't know many places where you can have a pint and look over the beautiful countryside in New Glarus. We tend to see tons of families of all sizes show up and just enjoy a nice afternoon there. I will never take for granted every chance I get to visit the brewery. It's also nice that Deb Carey personally greets everyone at the start of the release.
Jester King Brewery - My first visit here was simply magical. Now, I am not a fan of visiting breweries alone but sometimes when I travel for work that is my only option. It was a tad busy when I got here but not so much that it felt crowded. The land is expansive and really quite pretty. There are multiple buildings, one has a taproom and another hosts the pizza company that is also on-site. I will be the first to admit that a lot of experiences is based on a lot of factors. I cannot pinpoint exactly what it was about today but everything was just amazing. The beer tasted awesome, the brewery tour was fun and informative and the views of the setting sun was simply stunning. Sitting there alone, watching everyone have fun and enjoying the land around them made me smile. The staff was really friendly too! They thanked me several times for coming out and visiting. If that doesn't make you feel welcome I am not sure what will.
The Bruery/The Bruery Terrux - I am going to lump these together because they are the same brewery but two different locations. I am a fanboy of this brewery and it would take a pretty bad experience for me to not list this as a memorable place for me. Every time I have been here has been a great memorable experience. For me, this is because of the people I have been with. Joel Kennedy whom I met in Milwaukee but now works for The Bruery is always all smiles when you see him. Moe Salamh from Craftbeerkings.com seems to know everybody in there and being a Hoarders Society member defintiely has it's perks. And not to leave out the many other friends I have met via Instagram that have met me here to keep me company. I think the most memorable times is when I get to bring my family here. My wife loves this brewery as much as I do and my daughter seems to enjoy it as well (and no, she doesn't like beer). When we are in Southern California we make it a point to stop here at least once.
Firestone Walker - This is another brewery in California that I love to get to. I have been to two of the three locations and I have always had a good time here. For me, its the ambiance and the beer that make it for me. The Barrel Works location has all the beers I love from them and having a chance to try them all every time I go there is always a good time for me. Being able to buy bottles without hunting for them is also a nice perk. The food is pretty damn good too and the service is always on par with some of the best I have experienced.
Boulevard Brewery - I never got to visit the brewery before the merger with Duvel but the new setup is pretty amazing. You wouldn't think that the first tour on a Monday morning would sell out, but the two times I went there on a Monday morning... you guessed it.... sold out. I got to spend a lot of time in the taproom with views of downtown KC and probably every beer they make available on tap, how can you not have a good time here? It doesn't hurt that at any given time you may have a Jeremy Danner sighting. If you aren't familiar, go check him out on Twitter. You won't regret it. This is memorable for me because I spent a lot of time drinking Boulevard beer while working in KC and getting a chance to finally visit was pretty awesome. The tour is nice too!! I loved hearing about the history of the brewery.
Funky Buddha - Florida breweries are booming now but this place holds a special place in my heart. One of the first breweries I fell in love with out of Florida, I was really excited that I got to meet some great friends here for my first visit. I have always enjoyed their beers and getting it from the source was so awesome. The food trucks outside and the massive interior along with being able to drink with full view of the brewery makes this place pretty damn awesome in my opinion.
While I couldn't pinpoint before what made a place special to me, writing this up made it pretty obvious. One reason is the beer I get to try. The places I went to alone was for the beer that I have always loved or wanted to try and it just so happened that they turned out to be pretty awesome spaces. The second, and most important, is the people I get to spend time there with. For me, craft beer is more about the relationships you get to make than the beer you get to drink. Drinking alone isn't fun for me.
Shoot me a message and tell me about your favorite brewery spot and what makes it special. I want to hear about it all!! Maybe you'll have me visiting your favorite spots in the future!
Cheers friends!!
New Glarus Brewery - I am fortunate to have this iconic brewery a short drive away. The landscape is beautiful here and the facility is spotless. There is plenty of seating around and you can take a walking tour of the brewery any time. So what makes this a memorable spot for me? The R&D releases! They are the smoothest releases I have ever experienced and because of that I get to spend time with my friends who are also there for the release. It's like a beer friend reunion every time we go. Everyone is not only friendly but all the patrons are very respectful of the brewery. And I don't know many places where you can have a pint and look over the beautiful countryside in New Glarus. We tend to see tons of families of all sizes show up and just enjoy a nice afternoon there. I will never take for granted every chance I get to visit the brewery. It's also nice that Deb Carey personally greets everyone at the start of the release.
Jester King Brewery - My first visit here was simply magical. Now, I am not a fan of visiting breweries alone but sometimes when I travel for work that is my only option. It was a tad busy when I got here but not so much that it felt crowded. The land is expansive and really quite pretty. There are multiple buildings, one has a taproom and another hosts the pizza company that is also on-site. I will be the first to admit that a lot of experiences is based on a lot of factors. I cannot pinpoint exactly what it was about today but everything was just amazing. The beer tasted awesome, the brewery tour was fun and informative and the views of the setting sun was simply stunning. Sitting there alone, watching everyone have fun and enjoying the land around them made me smile. The staff was really friendly too! They thanked me several times for coming out and visiting. If that doesn't make you feel welcome I am not sure what will.
The Bruery/The Bruery Terrux - I am going to lump these together because they are the same brewery but two different locations. I am a fanboy of this brewery and it would take a pretty bad experience for me to not list this as a memorable place for me. Every time I have been here has been a great memorable experience. For me, this is because of the people I have been with. Joel Kennedy whom I met in Milwaukee but now works for The Bruery is always all smiles when you see him. Moe Salamh from Craftbeerkings.com seems to know everybody in there and being a Hoarders Society member defintiely has it's perks. And not to leave out the many other friends I have met via Instagram that have met me here to keep me company. I think the most memorable times is when I get to bring my family here. My wife loves this brewery as much as I do and my daughter seems to enjoy it as well (and no, she doesn't like beer). When we are in Southern California we make it a point to stop here at least once.
Firestone Walker - This is another brewery in California that I love to get to. I have been to two of the three locations and I have always had a good time here. For me, its the ambiance and the beer that make it for me. The Barrel Works location has all the beers I love from them and having a chance to try them all every time I go there is always a good time for me. Being able to buy bottles without hunting for them is also a nice perk. The food is pretty damn good too and the service is always on par with some of the best I have experienced.
Boulevard Brewery - I never got to visit the brewery before the merger with Duvel but the new setup is pretty amazing. You wouldn't think that the first tour on a Monday morning would sell out, but the two times I went there on a Monday morning... you guessed it.... sold out. I got to spend a lot of time in the taproom with views of downtown KC and probably every beer they make available on tap, how can you not have a good time here? It doesn't hurt that at any given time you may have a Jeremy Danner sighting. If you aren't familiar, go check him out on Twitter. You won't regret it. This is memorable for me because I spent a lot of time drinking Boulevard beer while working in KC and getting a chance to finally visit was pretty awesome. The tour is nice too!! I loved hearing about the history of the brewery.
Funky Buddha - Florida breweries are booming now but this place holds a special place in my heart. One of the first breweries I fell in love with out of Florida, I was really excited that I got to meet some great friends here for my first visit. I have always enjoyed their beers and getting it from the source was so awesome. The food trucks outside and the massive interior along with being able to drink with full view of the brewery makes this place pretty damn awesome in my opinion.
While I couldn't pinpoint before what made a place special to me, writing this up made it pretty obvious. One reason is the beer I get to try. The places I went to alone was for the beer that I have always loved or wanted to try and it just so happened that they turned out to be pretty awesome spaces. The second, and most important, is the people I get to spend time there with. For me, craft beer is more about the relationships you get to make than the beer you get to drink. Drinking alone isn't fun for me.
Shoot me a message and tell me about your favorite brewery spot and what makes it special. I want to hear about it all!! Maybe you'll have me visiting your favorite spots in the future!
Cheers friends!!
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