12 of the Best Beer and Brewery Tours Around the World

The land of the Reinheitsgebot, the birthplace of popular beer styles (ranging from the helles lager to the hefeweizen), and the home to atmospheric bierhallen and biergartens—not to mention beer’s biggest festival, Oktoberfest—Bavaria is a must-visit destination for beer lovers. You’ll do it all on this introductory evening tour, including a visit to the famed Hofbräuhaus, a stop at the Beer and Oktoberfest Museum, and a hearty Bavarian dinner.

Nothing is more representative of Britain’s longstanding and thriving beer culture than its cozy, convivial pubs—and this small-group tour offers a friendly introduction to London’s pub scene. Less boozy pub crawl and more opportunity to soak up these venues’ centuries of history while still enjoying pints of real ale as you go, this is an ideal introduction to the capital’s most beloved haunts.

Belgium is on most beer lovers’ bucket lists for a reason, and this immersive walking tour will introduce you to Brussels’ most evocative taverns and cafés, as well as the sheer plenitude of local brews available in the Belgian capital. Try everything from wild-fermented lambic to Trappist favorites such as Orval and Chimay—and line your stomach with cheese, chocolate, and cured meats as you go.

Every autumn, more than 6 million beer lovers make the pilgrimage to the Theresienwiese in Munich to attend Oktoberfest, a defining city tradition since it first took place in 1810. The scale can be overwhelming if you plan to visit solo, but by booking tickets and a tour in advance, you’re guaranteed a spot at the famed Hofbräu-Festzelt tent, plus half a roast chicken and two liters of festbier. Don’t forget your lederhosen or dirndl.

Home to roughly 160 craft breweries and a longstanding beer-drinking heritage, Chicago is one of the best cities in the United States for beer lovers—and there’s nothing quite like exploring its best bars and breweries aboard a distinctive barrel bus. From Prohibition history to modern-day brewpub highlights, you’ll sip your way around the Windy City’s top beery destinations.

The Pilsner beer style was famously created in 1839 in Pilsen (just a quick trip away from Prague), and golden lager is still the Czech capital’s beer of choice. Beyond the big-name Czech breweries, enjoy a local experience of Prague’s beer scene when you venture to three of its top-rated microbreweries for tutored tastings.

Denver has been a must-visit destination for craft beer lovers for decades, thanks to its wealth of independent breweries (and the fact that it hosts the Great American Beer Festival—the country’s largest beer fest—every autumn). If you’re after an introduction to the Mile High City’s wide-ranging beer scene, this craft beer tour in Lower Downtown Denver will whisk you to multiple breweries and beer bars.

Anchorage might not be the most obvious craft beer destination, but Alaska’s most populous city is host to a number of longstanding, award-winning breweries that are worth trekking to. While visiting three of the city’s best breweries (and enjoying numerous samples), you’ll discover what makes the Last Frontier a top spot for suds lovers.

While much of German brewing is staunchly tradition-bound, leave it to avant-garde Berlin to get experimental. In addition to long-standing local favorites such as Berliner weisse, Berlin’s brewers turn out hazy IPAs, sours, and a wide range of other styles—and this guided craft beer tour offers the perfect survey.

Asheville, North Carolina has one of the highest rates of breweries per capita in the United States—little wonder that it’s considered one of the country’s craft beer capitals. Don’t be intimidated by the bounty: on this Cicerone-led craft beer tour, you’ll be taken to two or three of the city’s key breweries for behind-the-scenes tours and tastings.

You can’t talk about IPAs without talking about San Diego. It was here that breweries the likes of Pizza Port, Stone, and Ballast Point honed their vision of the West Coast IPA as bracingly bitter, boldly hoppy, and crystal-clear. Today’s San Diego breweries are still pushing the culture forward, as you’ll discover on this craft brewery tour.

Toronto might be a hub for contemporary craft beer, but brewing history runs deep here, too. On this local beer tour, you’ll discover some of the present-day hotspots while also stopping by several of the city’s historical pubs and neighborhoods.