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13 reviews for Anheuser-Busch Brewery Tour & Gift Shop
Review Highlights
"The tour starts outside by the clydesdale statue."
(in 6 reviews)
"...this place is awesome and the tour was very informative."
(in 3 reviews)
"Well, I'm an honorary brewmaster now."
(in 3 reviews)
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13 reviews in English
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Review from Drew N.
Worcester, MA
11/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
If you haven't tried the un-pasteurized beer straight from the cold finishing tanks at the Anheuser-Busch Merrimack Brewery then you really haven't tried beer at its best. With the Anheuser-Busch Beer Master Tour you get to do that and much more.
When you arrive at the brewery welcome center for your tour expect to spend some quality time with your tour guide and be prepared to drink some beer. Your Anheuser-Busch tour guide will start by sharing some interesting company history while you sample your first beer. We tried the Shocktop Pumpkin Wheat. Your tour guide will then show you the magic in a step by step tour from the raw ingredients to the cold frosty end result.
You start the walking tour in the perfectly manicured grounds looking at the hop garden. There the guide will explain that hops are cone-shaped blossoms and is the spice of beer. You learn that hops contribute the bitterness that balances the malts sweetness.
Before entering the building they walk you by the grain handling area and you begin to appreciate the true scale of the operation in Merrimack. The train cars filled with grain dwarf humans and automobiles alike.
When you enter the building you are immediately looking at the bottom of the huge mash tanks. After a quick elevator ride you find yourself learning the intricate process of beer making in their master control room. Here you get to ask questions to the guys making sure that every step of the process is going exactly as they planned. The room has a wall of monitors you would expect to see at NASA. Each screen represents a different step in the process and with the click of the mouse they can control and makes changes on the fly when required.
Next you venture out into the tank room controlled by those guys. The first set of tanks are where the mashing process takes place. The mash tanks are where they combine ground barley malt and water. Next to it is the cooker where they mix milled rice and water. Eventually, boiled rice is mixed with the malt in the mash tank. This is where step one in the magical process occurs. When combined the natural enzymes the malt breaks down the grains starch into fermentable sugars. This malty liquid is called wort.
Next, the converted mash goes into the Lauter Tuns where the mash is strained and the wort is slowly drawn off. This process takes over an hour to complete and once complete the wort is moved to the Brew Kettle where the secret blend of hops is added. Here the wort and hops are vigorously boiled and the liquid is again strained and cooled in sterile conditions.
Once cooled the wort is moved to the fermentation tanks. In the fermentation tanks yeast is added. Here yeast metabolizes the sugar in the wort into ethyl alcohol and CO2 with the help of beechwood chips; they aren't kidding when they say "Beechwood Aged". The Beechwood chips enhance the fermentation process and are said to create a more crisp and naturally carbonated beer.
It is then moved to the finishing tanks where it takes 30-45 days to age to perfection. This is also where the beer is filtered if desired. This was my favorite stop as we again got to sample beer. We got to sample Bud Light which, I am not usually a fan, but I found that it was really tasty right from the finishing tank. If only you could swing by the brewery for fresh beer.
Of course all products have to go through QA which was our next stop. Here we got to see science at work as they tested the beer to ensure consistency and perfection. We also learned that the Beer Master samples the beer regularly. To do this he has a finely tuned pallet which prohibits him from smoking, drinking anything alcohol based, or engaging in any other activities that might alter those taste buds.
After passing the QA testing the beer is packaged for distribution. It is also pasteurized by heating and cooling the beer which kills the bacteria that causes the yeast to grow. This is done to increase the shelf life of beer from 60 days to about 120 days. The bottles and cans are washed, filled, capped, sealed, pasteurized, labeled and boxed in a nearly automated system of conveyors, lifts, flippers and all kinds of crazy things.
Once completed the tour ends in the tasting room. Here you get 4 samplers to try which was picked by the tour guide. We tried Alexander Keith's Nova Scotia Style Lager, Stella Artois, Redbridge, Shock Top Raspberry Wheat & Rolling Rock. We got one extra because I asked to sample the gluten free Redbridge.
Then you get one more full size sample. I choose the Shock Top Raspberry since I prefer unfiltered beer. Let's just say by this point everyone in the group should at least be feeling good. Before leaving the brewery to see the horses we got a surprise care package which included our honorary Beer Master Certificate and a 12oz Anheuser-Busch glass to take home in addition to the hat we received at the beginning of the tour. -
Review from Kim K.
You will pay extra for the Brewmaster Tour, which this is a review for, but it's well worth it. This was the most thorough and behind-the-scenes brewery tour I've ever been on. We got a Groupon for the Brewmaster Tour which was a great bargain.
I believe the regular tour just goes through the basics and will show you the Clydesdales. The Beermaster Tour includes a visit to the Hop Garden, Brew House, Hop Room, Primary Fermentation Cellar, Lager Cellar, Bottling and Canning Line, Packaging Facility, Quality Assurance, and Finishing Cellar, including sampling directly from a Finishing Tank. You are also given an honorary brewmaster certificate and a goodie bag to bring home.
Getting to see the computer room at the Brew House was awesome, the brewers explained what each screen meant and how they monitor each brew. The Quality Assurance lab was cool too, we got to see all of the spiffy equipment used to test their beers. And having a fresh, full glass of beer from the Finishing Tank was awesome.
The size of this brewery is massive. Very impressive! I've been to the Anheuser-Busch brewery in St. Louis which was also immense. It's incredible to see how all different sized breweries operate, this one was no exception. The scale of their production is pretty mindblowing. -
Review from John S.
6/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
Well, I'm an honorary brewmaster now. Thanks Anheuser-Busch!
The Brewmaster Tour costs money, but you can see far, far more of the massive brewing operation than on the regular plebeian tour. And you get to do it in high style, with ear-pieces, safety goggles and pulls of beer fresh out of the lager tanks.
Like Busch beer or hate it, you will learn an obscene amount about "industrial scale brewing" by taking this tour. The sheer size of the facility and the sheer volume of product they put out under such rigid brewing standards is truly something to see. From the immense aging warehouse to the bottling line that stretches to the horizon, you will get a real sense of what it takes to supply people with the most popular beer in America.
Absolutely positively worth a trip if you love beer. -
Review from Topher D.
Salem, MA
7/25/2011
while it is the evil empire and probably deserves a drop in stars because of it, the tours here are great. The brewmaster especially. Penny was our leader and was fantastic. You get to go behind the scenes and even have a bud out of a cold conditioned tank. For 25 a person it is a very reasonable price, plus you get some goodies on the way out. Seeing the bottling/canning line up close was a real treat as well. The regular tour is also very good and ends up in the hospitality room where you get to sample many of their beer products.
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Review from Paul E.
Beer. Alongside fast cars, guns, and blowing stuff up, it's what makes a man a man. Most of us have a simple understanding of what beer is, and a few of us luckier souls have dared to touch the face of God and brew this magical elixir at home. But to truly understand the magic that is barley, rice, hops, yeast, and water from Rocky Mountain streams, one must take a brewery tour. And that is just what I did during a side trip to New Hampshire, when I visited the Anheuser-Busch brewery.
Approaching the brewery, there was no mistaking what they made; the heady aroma of yeast and freshly-brewed beer can be smelled from miles away in that crisp New England air. Stepping inside the visitor center, you're greeted by a nice lady at the front desk. Simply tell her you're there for a tour, and she rewards you with a single, glossy ticket, granting you entrance to the wonders of the factory beyond the cozy visitor center. For a moment, you'll feel that same giddiness that Charlie felt when he got a golden one. While waiting for the tour to begin, relax in the plush visitor center. Kick back on one of the plush sofas in front of the roaring fireplace. Or perhaps take a walk around the room, perusing the numerous beer artifacts and history displays scattered about. Did you know Anheuser-Busch owns its own railroad? I already did (and now you do, too), but they have displays there informing you of that fact.
Once the tour begins, your guide begins with a bit of history of the company, its founders, etc., etc. (yeah, yeah, get to the free samples part). But of course, good things come to those who wait; taking our group outside, he shows us the overall layout of the facility, then walks us over to receiving, where huge railcars full of rice and barley are unloaded in the first step of the beer making process. Yet another reason to love railroads. Moving on, he shows us the boilers where the grain mixture is cooked, then on to huge stainless-steel tanks where the brewing process continues. He showed us a large bin of beechwood chips, that are actually added during the brewing process; they aren't kidding when they say "Beechwood Aged". We move deeper and deeper into the bowels of the plant, following a maze of pipes and tanks, until finally we arrive at the Nirvana otherwise known as the bottling room. A football-field sized area of conveyors and machinery, with row upon row of those amber-colored bottles moving from here to there, it really helps put into perspective just how big the entire operation is.
Finally, we get to the best part. Sampling. Ending the tour in a plush bar-lounge, your tour guide turns into your bartender. Show him your I.D., and you get two free(!) tap beers of your choice, only a few feet and hours removed from the production line. It doesn't get any fresher than that. I opted for a regular Budweiser, and a seasonal brew, Winter's Bourbon Cask Ale. The regular Bud was much, much better than usual; freshness does make a difference. The Winter's Bourbon Ale was surprisingly good; very smooth, with a hint of vanilla. It was like someone skillfully merged cream soda with a light ale, and went great with the free pretzels they so thoughtfully provide. If you're not drinking, or are the designated driver, not to worry, they have a soda fountain of various soft drinks at your disposal.
So what else can I say? Anheuser-Busch has a top-notch facility here, with very friendly employees. Our tour guide was friendly and very knowledgeable, answering every question we threw at him, not to mention doing a great pour when he went into bartender mode. If you're in the area, definitely take a tour. It's free, fun, informative, and only takes a half-hour or so. And the best part of all? The beer!Listed in: On the Road Again...
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Review from Chad L.
Old Town, ME
8/5/2007
Ever wonder how the big breweries work? This is definitely the place to stop and get a tour. Very informative and fun tour, there are free samples in the Hospitality area (only 2 but they are 10oz samples and they are fresh!). Don't forget to go down to the Clydesdale stables and see the pull team.
This is a family friendly tour with Free soda and pretzels for anyone too young or not interested in beer.
Worth taking the tour. -
Review from Dana B.
Somerville, MA
6/19/2010
This was our first stop on our New England Brewery Tour. AB is a huge facility taking up acres and acres of land. They have a nice gift shop, stables for the clydesdales, and a giant brewery that you can tour for free.
The tour starts outside by the clydesdale statue. They take you by the hops garden and in the brewery to see the brewing, production, and bottling process. We were lucky enough to go there on a day that they were in production. Seeing bottles get whipped around and filled were awesome.
The only downsides were that our tour guide was really quiet on the microphone and I think he was intimidated by our group. The brewery is loud and it was hard to hear as it was.
AB has aabout 14 different beers for you to try at the end of the tour, but you only get to pick 2. All the other breweries that we went to gave samples of all their beers on tap and a glass to take home. These samples were generous, but I would've rather had a smaller sample and be able to try more beers. -
Review from Jessica F.
MA
8/11/2008
Do you have family or friends coming to visit? Have you already taken them into Boston a dozen times? Then set your sights north and bring them to the Anheuser-Busch Brewery in Merrimack. Like a lot of people on Yelp, I' don't drink Bud but I was really impressed with the brewery in St. Louis, so I had to see the New England facility.
The grounds are beautiful, the tour is about half an hour long and is very informative and family friendly, and you get 2-11oz samples in their hospitality room overlooking the bottling line. The best part? It's free! They had samples available that I had never heard of, and one that I wish I hadn't. Budweiser and Clamato? My friend tried it and said it was like a Bloody Mary, but with beer. I did not do an independent verification. 5 of us divided and conquered the bar so we were able to get a sample of everything we wanted to try. After the tour we walked over to the Clydesdale stables, which is a must-see.
All in all, 5 adults and one baby had a really great afternoon hanging out, learning about mass production of beer, strolling beautiful gardens, and getting up close and personal with the most magnificent horses you'll ever see. It's definitely worth the gas money. -
Review from Heather O.
Melrose, MA
3/31/2009
Awesome!! Had a great time here on Saturday with the hubby and some friends. You get to see the horses, drink two beers, eat a bag of pretzels, be mildly entertained with a beer brewing lesson, and are afforded the opportunity to ask any Budweiser questions you want. All for free. They have a cute gift shop with lots of t-shirts on clearance for $7.99 and all the employees are as nice as can be (and why not - they get all the free beers they want as part of their job bennys).
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Review from Paul J.
Brooklyn, NY
2/24/2009 1 photo
great place to visit, its totally free 'n u get free beer (limit 4 per person), this place will make you patriotic towards the american beer but don't wear a yankee cap it really distracted our tour guide, this goes for the whole of new england for that matter.
you also get a chance to see their museum and real clydesdale horses they've 12" diameter feet 'n are quite pretty.Listed in: Free around the world
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Review from Marc M.
Walnut Creek, CA
9/23/2007
Even though I am more of an aficionado of craft brews, I still had to make a stop off here at the "King of Beers." The tour was pretty exciting and informative. You get to sample a variety of Anheuser-Busch libations, even test market brews that haven't been released to the general market yet..............no ill side effects so far. The coolest part was walking down to the stables and watching the Clydesdale horse team getting groomed and prepped for a local event; Amazing!!!!!
Listed in: Breweries Across America
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Review from Jackie G.
Boston, MA
3/30/2009
Love this place!! I'm actually from NH and the first time I actually visited was when I lived in Boston... go figure! I'm not too much of a beer drinker although I'll have a Bud Light from time to time so I thought it would be cool to see how it was made. I was super impressed, this place is awesome and the tour was very informative. Its absolutely free and you get to try 2 different types of beer. So many different types of beer are produced by Anheuser- Busch that I was not aware of, I was amazed and it is because of the tour I am now completely obsessed with Michelob Ultra Pomegranate Raspberry, its wicked good! Not to mention you get to see all of the pretty Clydesdale horses which was my favorite part!!! They are so cool!!
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Review from Mark T.
Brooklyn, NY
2/24/2009
16 brothers for Budweiser, amazing place to c the fabrication of true American beers, and some special breed of horses which used to deliver the beer back in the days. gr8 bar at the end of the tour.
