Toured AB Brewery today

Now I don't want this to turn into an anti-AB thread. I'm not really a huge fan of BMC, nor do agree with their marketing tactics and strong-arming of te smaller brewers. However, the Merrimack facility is is on the way home from the LHBS and it's a free tour, so I figured what the hell. It's interesting to see something brewed on a massive scale with consistency. I'd been there a few times as a kid, but it's been 20+ years since the last time... Took some pics and figured I'd share.

The "Brewhouse":


Mash Tuns:


Lauter Tun and Kettles:


Primary Fermenters:


Secondary Fermenters:


bottling line:

Thanks for posting this.

My first impression was "my god that is huge!"

My second thought was to go look at my photo tour of Llabat's "Pioneer" brewery, to see how far the industry has advanced even just in terms of sheer size and technology.

Did you get to taste anything? I've heard rumors that they actually have beers that aren't commercially available to taste and some of those are often pretty good.

They do give you 2 8oz beers at the end of the tour, but everything that they had is commercially available. I was surprised they had landshark lager... guess they have shares in the brewery. Also they had a gluten-free AB beer, and Merrimack is the only facility that brews it.

I had an Amber Bock (which isn't that bad) and a Bud Light Golden Wheat (never would of bought this and now I know why, tasted like bud light with a little wheat malt added)