Beer’s the Deal

A brewery tour makes for a fun afternoon on a trip abroad, and there are many with hundreds of years of history behind them. Ask your travel advisor about these five historic beer-making facilities.

by Stephanie Matas

Weihenstephan Freising, Germany

The oldest brewery in the world, established in 1040, has survived multiple natural disasters and several plagues while continuing to create some of the world’s finest hefeweizens (wheat beer). Sip a cold brew, then wander through the beer museum to the lookout point and marvel at miles of small rustic towns with cathedrals that speckle the horizon.

Smithwick’s Kilkenny, Ireland

When John Smithwick moved to Kilkenny in the early 1700s to forge a life for himself, the penal laws for Catholics were in full force, meaning he couldn’t own property, so he went into the brewing business secretly. Today, Smithwicks’s red and pale ales are the beer of choice for many locals, as the brewery helped shape the region’s history. Visit the barrel yard, where large wooden barrels were once repaired and stored, while sipping a frosty red ale. The full tour is given by a local guide, and lasts about an hour.

Stiegl Salzburg, Austria

Steeped in tradition, this family-owned business was established in 1492, outlasting fire, wars and economic crises. Championed as Austria’s most successful beer brand, Stiegl combines spring water from the Alps, summer barley and premium hops to create a delicious golden lager. Learn about the beer’s history, see the brewmasters work and enjoy a tasting while admiring the gables and turrets that are characteristic of this architectural marvel.

De Halve Maan Bruges, Belgium

Established in 1856, De Halve Maan has continued to thrive thanks to constant innovation, from delivering beer by horse and cart, to its famed underground pipeline, which delivers beer to a nearby bottling plant and was the first of its kind. Learn about the brewery’s vast history and its unique brewing process, then ascend to the roof for a beautiful 360-degree view of Bruges. Afterward, settle into a comfy couch in the brasserie and taste one of four specialty wheat beers with a perfectly paired meal.

Three Tuns Bishop's Castle, England

With humble beginnings in the 17th century, Three Tuns is the oldest working brewery in the U.K. Beers are distilled in a classic miniature Victorian tower that was constructed in 1888, so each captures the essence and history of its unique surroundings.

Tour the original brewhouse, which is now a fermentation room where the beer makers add the brewery’s one-of-a-kind yeast. Try the collection of six awardwinning ales in the same spot where it’s rumored the five culprits of Britain’s Great Train Robbery spent time imbibing.