Craft Brewery Tours – Day Sippin’

The Hill Country Craft Beer Trail covers a wider swath of territory than most people would want to travel in a day—and with 15 breweries, you need to pace yourself, anyway!

The map is broken into easily navigated segments, but a more convenient way to get a taste is to let someone else do the driving. Two companies offer shuttle bus tours from New Braunfels, including Rockin ‘R’ River Rides which also organizes rafting and tubing trips, and the beer-dedicated OffRhodes Craft Beer Tours.

OffRhodes offers two alternating, Saturday tours—The Hill Country Brew Tour and The Bee Hoppy Brew Tour—from 11 a.m.-6 p.m., that begin with lunch at Underground Pizza. The Hill Country Brew Tour will take you to the New Braunfels Brewing Co., Middleton Brewing Co. and finally the Guadalupe Brewing Co. The Bee Hoppy Brew Tour visits Seguin Brewing Co., Texas Mead Works/Blue Lotus Winery and B.S. Brewing Co.

Not a drinker? You don’t have to imbibe to enjoy! Non-beer drinkers pay $59 for the ride, lunch, snacks and downloadable photos; an $89 ticket will get you all that plus a taster glass and tastings at all three breweries.

Of course, if you’re looking for something more local, you don’t have to leave San Marcos to check out Middletown Brewing Co. Founded in 2011 by California transplants Kim and Dennis Middleton, the ten-barrel brewpub features a tap wall with 15 different styles of beer. The owners’ enthusiasm also goes beyond the ales—food and beer pairings, crawfish boils and other special events are often on tap, too.

So, enjoy local, and drink up!

Photo Credit: New Braunfels Convention & Visitors Bureau