Real Ale Brewery Tour

I hate to go places by myself. And since all my beer buddies are in other cities and have more predictable work schedules, I couldn't manage to drive forty miles to take the Real Ale tour. Until a couple weeks ago. I sweet talked/cajoled/conned a friend to close her office and go with me to take the tour. Since the tour started at 4 pm, she suggested we leave here at 3 pm. "But the tasting room opens at two," I whined to no avail.

We got to the brewery a little before four, thanks to my somewhat less than perfect navigation skills. There was a small crowd already enjoying free samples.

Why is it that people go to a bar, order their drink, turn around and form a knot of people at the serving line? I see it at Oktoberfest every year, and at every bar I have ever been in. The crown of people at the sample bar was four deep, all with their back to the bar talking to their friends. We had to fight our through the crowd and get to the bar. I ordered a Shade Grown Organic Coffee Porter. It is my new favorite beer. We drank, and waited for the tour to start. Eric, his work shirt said "Tyrant", was our tour guide, and by the time he was ready to begin there were 40 people there. Eric let us refill out glasses and started the tour.

Eric pointed out the mash tun and explained the process. Moved us ten feet forward and showed us the kettle and explained the process. Then he moved us ten feet forward among the fermentation tanks and explained the process. Then, twenty feet further he explained the packaging process. To say that the brewery is small is an understatement.

In the picture above, taken from the kegging station, you can see past the fermentation tanks to the kettle.

After the tour we had another beer, and went off to find BBQ. It was a great tour. I told Satan we had to go, but he moaned that he had to work. I tried to explain the concept of sick days to him, but I think he was just being stubborn.