The warm days of summer are perfect for many things. In particular, road trips and kicking back with an ice cold beer. Just hopping in the car and driving where your whims take you isn’t for everyone. Why not road trip with purpose?

There are many breweries across the United States and you can take a coast-to-coast trek visiting the places where your favorite drink is made. Here, we present to you a small selection of brewery tours that will take you across the USA. You are more than welcome to add your own stop in Kansas to visit the world’s largest ball of twine (http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/8543) if you wish.

Sam Adams Brewery – Boston, MA

Add some American history to your brewery tour of America at this stop. Not only do you learn how Samuel Adams beer is made, you will also learn the history of their Founding Father/brewer namesake. Combine the with a Red Sox game for the ultimate Boston experience. While the tour is technically free, they do suggest a $2 donation that goes to local Boston charities.

http://www.samueladams.com/share-passion/tours.aspx

Anheuser-Busch – 5 US locations

Anheuser-Busch has turned brewery touring in to an art form (even if you can’t say the same for the taste of Budweiser). See the process behind making enormous quantities of beer and the steps they take to protect the environment while they do it. Several locations offer Beer School for those of legal drinking age who want to learn the art of beer appreciation. In addition their five different brewery tours, they offer tours of Warm Springs Ranch (home of the Clydesdale horses) and and Grants Farm (land once tended by President Ulysses S. Grant). Make sure to take in a Cardinals game if you stop in St. Louis.

http://www.budweisertours.com/z01/

Milwaukee, WI – Several Breweries

Not only the land of Cheese Heads, Milwaukee has many breweries to choose from. C’mon, their MLB team isn’t called the Brewers for nothing. The hipster in you will be happy to visit the birthplace of Pabst Blue Ribbon while your inner beer snob will rejoice in tasting beer from some of the smaller locally available brews. If you are interested in the local cheese, there are probably tours, but that is a topic best left for Cheez Whiz.

http://milwaukeebrewerytours.com/

Denver, CO – Many breweries to choose from

You can get your fix of brewery tours (and give your driving foot a rest) by settling down in Denver and visiting their numerous breweries. There are plenty of different breweries in the area that all offer free tours. The tours cover the range of brewing giants like Miller/Coors to up and coming crafts brewers like Left Hand Brewing. There are tours and tasting to suit every beer taste and yet more Major League Baseball with the Colorado Rockies.
Here are links to just a few:

http://www.breckbrew.com/about/tours

http://denver.about.com/od/attractions/tp/10-Free-Colorado-Brewery-Tours.htm

http://www.denver.org/what-to-do/attractions/detail?memid=23978&k=microbrew&wc=Attr

Rogue Brewery – Portland, OR and surrounding towns

Finish up your trip in the Pacific North West. Rogue Brewery offers tours of its Micro Hopyard in Independence, OR. The tour takes you through Rouge’s 42 acres of hop filled farmland. Their farm is surrounded by cherry and filbert trees as well as osprey nests. It’s a nature tour any beer lover will enjoy. After your tour you can enjoy a pint or two and some food at the Oregon Brewing Company.
Farm tours are only offered on weekend. Make sure to check ahead before making the trek out there. http://www.rogue.com/locations/locations.php

Abbey Beverage Company – The Monastery of Christ in the Desert, Northern New Mexico

For some beer is a religious experience. So why not visit a working monastery that has recently entered the world of craft brewing? The monastery is located 75 miles north of Sante Fe, so plan this as a day trip. Brewing happens on a small scale at this location with the monks focusing on seasonal beers brewed from their own hop yard. Yes, the monks do the brewing under the guidance of a master brewer. Abbey Beverage has a lager facility in Moriarty, NM, but visiting the monks at their home will make for a lovely get away from city life and give example of the famous quote: Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy. Don’t expect free samples here, just a path to a simple, happy life.

http://christdesert.org/Abbey_Beverage_Company/index.html