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Goose Island Clybourn Brewery Tour
Friday Jun 29, 2007.
By Kate Rockwood
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 photo: Kate Rockwood
So when my friend invited me on the Goose Island Brewery Tour, where the science of brewing meets a tasting of beers, I couldn't get in line fast enough. Sign me up: At this brewery five bucks will buy you a tour of the facility, a thorough explanation of the brewing process, a generous beer tasting and a Goose Island beer stein. Tours are held every Sunday at 3 and 4:30 p.m. and generally last 60 to 90 minutes. Reservations are recommended, as tours tend to top out at around 30 people. Sites you'll see: The very first site you're likely to see is the face of the bartender. Visitors are allowed to bring beer along with them on the tour, and even our tour guide was merrily sipping a glass of IPA as he led us into the chilly, lower-level brewing facility. Inside you'll get an up-close view of the stainless steel vats and tanks while you learn all the German words for the various stages of making beer (anyone up for a glass of wort?). You'll also get to touch and smell sample ingredients, such as barley and hops (and for most people, you'll get to find out just what the hell a hop is, anyway). The beer tasting is held in a mellow room crowded with long wooden tables; its walls are lined with photos of the generations of beer scholars who drank before you. It's the perfect setting for quietly sipping beer samples and reading through the beer primer that helps you pinpoint the aroma, appearance, body, flavor and aftertaste of each drink. Golden nugget: Hands down, the free beer was the highlight of the tour. But this isn't some open keg at a frat party—it's six pours of Goose Island's best beers, with full descriptions of each to guide you through the tasting. Rarely will you find yourself facing six different kinds of quality brew with the chance to sniff, sip and swallow back and forth to compare and contrast flavors. An added bonus: the tour guides aren't shy about refilling glasses if you want a second sip to seal the deal on your favorite. Who's da guide: It's hard to find someone more passionate about beer than the brewers themselves, so Goose Island puts the brewers front and center as tour guides. This not only means you'll be able to ask super-sciencey questions and get spot-on answers, but if you're curious about a particular recipe, odds are strong that your tour guide had a hand in its creation. Of course, beer plus brewers plus a curious crowd means the tour can be a bit meandering, but tour participants are usually quick to urge the guide toward the tasting when things linger too long. Fuel your tank: If you like your fuel in the form of beer, Goose Island's got you covered. However, with no solid food on hand, you'd be smart to take a few wobbly steps toward the brewpub tables to balance your beer with a burger, sandwich or monster salad. Snooze-fest or eye-opener: I spent the first half-hour of the tour opening my eyes to the art and science of brewing beer and the second half letting my taste buds learn the lessons. Of course, an hour after giggling to my friend that I'd found a bottle or two that I wouldn't mind sipping again, I was ready for a lightweight's nap. Even locals will learn: Even those who've set up semi-permanent residence in the land of beer-love have probably never laid hands on an actual hop. Hops are the aromatic flower of the hop vine, which is a member of the hemp family and cousin to cannabis. They lend spice and bitterness to the beer and prevent a certain bacteria from growing that can spoil the brew. On the tour you'll be able to handle and smell hops samples and discuss how hops varieties are cultivated to create new flavors. Check out www.gooseisland.com for more information.
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