THAT GUY at the brewery tour.

[TexasDroughtBrewery]

I like how everyone is admittedly "that guy" LOL, I should of known it was you guys!!!

 

[csurowiec]

Last year I was at a little corporate event that was held in the taproom of a small brewery. The brewery staff gave us a tour and I was the only beer nerd in the bunch which made me obviously "that guy". The lady giving the tour points to fermenters and tells us the barrel size of the fermenters. Someone immediately asks how much is a barrel. The lady gets a deer in the headlights look so I say 31 gallons. As the tour went on the group asked several more technical questions about terms she used but she didn't know their meaning. I helped her out a few more times and by the end she told me I should have done the tour.

 

[TravelingLight]

Unless there's some special tasting involved, like brewer's private stock or sampling some barrels, I'm not taking any more tours. The beer is cooked, the beer is cooled, the beer is fermented, packaged and sold; not a whole lot new to see. The only exception would be super small nano breweries, each one seems to have a twist on a process that is somewhat interesting. The tours don't take long and the brewer is usually more approachable.

I totally agree. For the most part, I have zero desire to ever take a brewery tour again. If you've toured one, you've toured a thousand.

Except Cantillon. THAT is a tour I'd like to take.

 

[Kampenken]

A tour story, not a "That Guy" story but thought I'd add my experience. I was in Ireland on a work trip in summer of 2001 and decided to arrive on Sat am to tour on the weekend. I spent Sat walking around quite a bit, trying to stave off jet lag. On Sunday I had enough of walking and took a bus tour of the city. When it arrived at the Jameson's distillery, at about 11am, I jumped at the tour offer. I'd been up for some time and as all pubs were still closed in Dublin, decided this would be a great idea. At the start they asked for volunteers, I thought to sample the whiskey. Turns out it was to be taste testers. I was not much of a whiskey drinker then, and certainly not Bourbon, the first of 5 comparison shots, but there I was with 3 Englishmen/women at the front of the room giving a taste review, while the rest of the tour looked on (with a shot of Jameson's in hand!). The English were slamming back their shots like water, to me that Bourbon was like gasoline. I'm sure Jameson provided the cheap stuff in their comparisons. To this day I do enjoy Jameson's, and I did finish their shot, so the tour operator was quite pleased! (I did tour the Guinness Brewery with my work team later that week and "poured the perfect pint"!).

 

[jrgtr42]

I've been "That Guy" several times - like others, asking technical questions and so on - sometimes they get answered well, other times, you can see the speil is just a memorized routine.
However, my dad got the label one time - I think we were at Harpoon's Vermont facility, the guy asked, "what are the 3 things that ruin beer?" he pipes up, "Bud, Miller and Coors." That one did get a laugh from the guide and the rest of the group.

 

[beernutz]

I was sort of that guy when I took the Lazy Magnolia tour in Kiln, MS about a year ago with a buddy. The guide was 20ish and he said he'd worked at the brewery about a month. After he'd walked us though the tour I quietly said to just him that I think wort sounds more like wert than wart. He was not amused so I didn't even bring up how he was pronouncing trub.

 

[Biscuits]

So glad to know that we can use HBT as a support forum for being "That guy"... I have my own stories but nothing out of the norms like you all have shared...just asking technical questions and trying to flex my brewing knowledge muscle to a bunch of people who only did the tour for the drinks.

 

[GHBWNY]

We visited a local craft brewery a couple years ago. No tour, but a tasting room. Our flights were being served by the owner himself, offering fairly general descriptions of each beer. Since I already knew *everything* there was to know about brewing after doing it only 2 months, I thought, "Here's my chance to talk some serious shop with this guy, my brother-in-beer." So, with my best know-it-all swagger, I set down my empty IPA glass, looked him the eye and said, "I brew my own beer." The look. Oh, the look.

 

[Limbrizik]

I totally agree. For the most part, I have zero desire to ever take a brewery tour again. If you've toured one, you've toured a thousand.

Except Cantillon. THAT is a tour I'd like to take.

Funny you mention Cantillon. I was there just a few months ago and it was the coolest brewery. They chill their beer in an open vat with the windows open so the air blows through. Crazy.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Funny you mention Cantillon. I was there just a few months ago and it was the coolest brewery. They chill their beer in an open vat with the windows open so the air blows through. Crazy.

That would be terroirifying.

 

[TravelingLight]

Funny you mention Cantillon. I was there just a few months ago and it was the coolest brewery. They chill their beer in an open vat with the windows open so the air blows through. Crazy.

I've heard on the tours of Cantillon they let you sample still beer straight from the tank. That true? That's worth the price of admission right there for me!

 

[Dan_K]

Funny you mention Cantillon. I was there just a few months ago and it was the coolest brewery. They chill their beer in an open vat with the windows open so the air blows through. Crazy.

It's called a coolship and a lot of breweries are installing them all over the country. I know that Black Project in Denver and New Glarus in Wisconsin have both installed some recently.

 

[EthanH]

That would be terroirifying.

Ha! Good one.

 

[martiniw2olives]

I'm always "THAT GUY" on brewery tours; the know-it-all who smiles knowingly whenever they actually say anything about brewing and asks "insider" questions about hop schedules, pitch rates, and other unbearable crap like that. I'll bet most of us are "THAT GUY" on the tour, actually... Shame on us!

I try hard not to be that guy. Seems like every hipster with a beard and knit cap are "hop experts" now. If I have questions I will try to have a quiet one on one with the brewer. There is one place I enjoy going to occasionally where they know I home brew, and I bring my beer in for them to sample. They actually appreciate me doing that. That really broke the barrier down.

 

[nasty_rabbit]

I totally agree. For the most part, I have zero desire to ever take a brewery tour again. If you've toured one, you've toured a thousand.



Except Cantillon. THAT is a tour I'd like to take.

I guess that I have a different perspective on repeating tours. I live 30 to 45 minutes away from 5 regional breweries and enjoy visiting 1 or another every month or so but I do have the reputation of being "that guy" when there. One brewery was testing their Tequila barrel aged porter and I walked over to the employee with my sample glass asking for an offering. He politely refused citing that it wasn't quite ready. Then I politely explained that I fully understand and appreciate what flat, warm, green beer was supposed to taste like. I was the only one that day that got a taste. At another tour in a different brewery I was talking to a few of the employees about life in general and they invited me and my group to the "cellar". We accepted and followed them. While there one of the owners came in and asked the employee who we were and why we were in HIS cellar. The employee told him that I was his cousin visiting from out of town. The owner offered samples of his private stock and then left us to ourselves. Sometimes being "that guy" has it's advantages.

 

[FatDragon]

Jester King has been using one for a few years as well. When I saw it on the tour this summer, I was definitely "that guy".

 

[Limbrizik]

I've heard on the tours of Cantillon they let you sample still beer straight from the tank. That true? That's worth the price of admission right there for me!

I wouldn't doubt that happening but not for my tour. I did sample all of their taproom beers. So tasty. The price for admission was 7 euro but that also included two beers.

 

[krebs119]

I've been that guy on a few occasions.

Last summer we toured Ithaca Brewery. There were probably 25 people in the tour group. The first question out of the guide was "So, can anyone tell me the 4 main ingredients in beer?" Before she was even done with her question I shouted out (as fast as I could - like a brown nosing 2nd grader who read ahead in their textbook) "water, hops, yeast, grain - and sometimes adjuncts!" Her response was something like "ohhh, we have a showoff here". I felt bad.

A few years ago we toured Southern Tier brewery. At the time, the guides were different workers of the company from different parts. This day it happened to be their art guy - who did all of the 6 pack holders, bottle art, etc. He knew about the beer and did a great tour. Afterwards I started chewing his ear off about different things. I mentioned that their Tripel that they hadn't made in a few years at that point, was one of my favorites and I wished they could bring it back. He actually took me back to his cubicle afterwards and printed out the old 6 pack holder that listed some of the ingredients on it so I could brew it. I think I was there an hour after the tour, just asking questions of this guy - he was really nice about everything, but probably more than sick of me at that point.

 

[bkboiler]

lol, these storied are awesome!
some years ago during "science week" i was touring ballast point and one of the head brewers was giving the tour. he had a degree in brewing science and one guy in the audiene started asking REALLY in depth questions to where everybody's eyes glazed over as if to say, "will you shut up so we can get back to the tasting room!?"

 

[wyowolf]

While on a distillery tour in Scotland. At the end of the tour they let you sample a shot or so of scotch. We were all sitting around the big table and she was patiently explaining about the scotch. One dude was clearly pissed about something, I don't know what. She finally said after everyone got their scotch IF you want you can put a drop or two of water in it to bring out the flavor... this dude grabbed the pitcher and POURED at least a cup of water in the glass... the lady was speechless... I can still remember that like it was yesterday. I mean if he didn't like scotch why were you there?? still makes me laugh...

 

[GHBWNY]

...it was the coolest brewery. They chill their beer in an open vat with the windows open so the air blows through. Crazy.

I know I'm but, that sounds vaguely similar to how the original steam beer was made in the late 1800s in San Francisco: open vats on the rooftop of the brewery which would be cooled by the breeze coming in off the ocean.

 

[bkboiler]

"the coldest winter i ever spent was a summer in San Francisco" -Mark Twain
Sounds perfect for brewing!

 

[theowlman16]

The tour guide at Front Street in Milwaukee said the word "bunghole" at least ten times. And he laughed at himself every single time.

 

[DoD_Ales]

The tour guide at Front Street in Milwaukee said the word "bunghole" at least ten times. And he laughed at himself every single time.

Lakefront brewery? That sounds like Josh. Great guide.
Schlameal Schlamazel Hazzen Pfeffer Incorporated...

 

[JediJoel]

I was "that guy" once. I was at Firestone Walker taking a tour about 4 years ago when they were growing and hiring a lot! At the beginning the tour guide said "does any one here homebrew?" so I raised my hand. He kind of chuckled and said "oh, you might know more than I do cause this is my second day." The poor guy, not the most reassuring thing to say to your audience. He knew the basics but just wasn't the best tour guide in general.

I quietly pointed out a few things to my brother in law who was with me like "oh this is cool cause normally a brewery would..." or "This tower brewing setup is cool and a little different for an American brewery." A few people overhead these remarks and when the tour guide would finish his spiel they would give me the side eye as if to ask "Is that true?" I tried to reaffirm them that he was being truthful, but I think they were looking for something a little more.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

While on a distillery tour in Scotland. At the end of the tour they let you sample a shot or so of scotch. We were all sitting around the big table and she was patiently explaining about the scotch. One dude was clearly pissed about something, I don't know what. She finally said after everyone got their scotch IF you want you can put a drop or two of water in it to bring out the flavor... this dude grabbed the pitcher and POURED at least a cup of water in the glass... the lady was speechless... I can still remember that like it was yesterday. I mean if he didn't like scotch why were you there?? still makes me laugh...

I can't stand any true whiskey. No matter if it is scotch, single malt, kentucky straight, whatever. I don't care if you serve it from the nipples of virgin princesses. Still nasty.

It's the wood, I think. Take away the wood and I might love it. I do very much like CatDaddy Carolina Moonshine. Spiced corn whiskey, no wood.

I'd still go on a distillery tour. I would however skip the tasting and just get a glass of ice water.

 

[kev211]

I had some friends in from out of town so took them to Ballast Point and went on the tour. Well at one stop on the tour was by the boil kettle. Near the stopping point was the giant copper vent stack with the giant sign on it that said "caution hot". Well... "that guy" wanted to lean in over the chain for a better look and planted his hand straight on the pipe for support. That was until he realized his hand was touching a pipe directly over boiling water. He learned pretty quickly not to do that again

 

[bleme]

I'm usually very behaved. But I was at a brewery, getting a tour from the owner, and he was talking a lot about their yeast. Big secret. Locked up in a vault. Etc.

I've only been on one brewery tour. My homebrew club of about 30 people went to a neighboring county to have a joint meeting with their club (about 80 brewers). The owner of the brewery we met at offered a tour and most of them had already been-there-done-that but about 15 of us toured. Each fermentor had a clipboard attached with the whole recipe right there, so this super-secret stuff several of you experienced strikes me as really odd. I guess I had just assumed they were all as open about everything as this one.

BTW, there was one guy in the group that kept asking "newbie" questions, that the rest of us took turns answering, and a few turned into pretty good discussions. I guess we were all "that guy"...

 

[Stillraining]

I have to confess, *on occasion*, on a tour, I suddenly turn into "That [Self-Appointed-Semi-Obnoxious-Comedian-Type] Guy". Whenever I am in a group of people and the atmosphere becomes too serious --- or worse yet, boring --- an irrepressible urge inside me wells up to counteract the starchiness with [what I consider] "humor". It's a gift. I become committed to the fact it is warranted, if not absolutely necessary, which, according to my wife is absolutely never necessary, and that I SHOULD be committed! It's especially evident when I subtly offer what I consider a well-timed, unsolicited one-liner. Deliver, pause, and with the usual self-aggrandizing smirk on my face, turn to my wife, expecting at the very least a sliver of a smile of approval, only to find her glaring straight ahead, jaw firmly locked, gritting her teeth and without lips moving, growling under her breath something to the effect, "If you don't STOP that, I'm going to the car!!"

I don't like tours that much anyway; they give me bruised ribs.

We must be related, and our wife's must be sisters.

 

[woo_pig]

We must be related, and our wife's must be sisters.

We must of be related too. I cant stand when people are too serious for no reason. Life is to short to worry about the bull crap. And to drink crapy beer.