During a recent visit to Asheville, my husband and I wanted to sample a few of the craft breweries for which this city is famous. We couldn’t get excited about the larger group bus tourism so we were really excited to find the BREW-ed walking tours. We could not have been more pleased with our choice. Cliff, our guide, is a certified Cicerone. He is personable and enthusiastic and extremely knowledgeable about beers and the brewing process. More importantly, he is able to explain the process succinctly and clearly. We have taken brewery tours in the past that offer little more than identification of the various pieces of equipment and a few sips of the end product. Cliff offers so much more. Not only did he provide a clear, concise step-by-step explanation of the brewing process, but he also spent some time discussing the best way to taste and enjoy beer. We walked away after two hours with a wealth of “beer knowledge” and, more importantly, an appreciation for several styles we might not have tried without a little encouragement.
Due to weather and time constraints, we opted for the late morning tour which is only two hours and included two excellent breweries with contrasting styles. What a great way to illustrate how subtle changes in barley, hops, and yeast can yield strikingly different styles and flavors.
During a brief walk between the breweries, Cliff also offers some interesting historical commentary about Asheville and it’s development over the years. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone who has an interest in craft beers….regardless of your present knowledge and experience. We will definitely book another tour with Cliff on our next visit to Asheville.