​Should You Take Kids on Brewery Tours?

We have, we still do, and here's why.






























By Janet Wolfe
Posted March 2, 2026


     We’ve taken our kids on brewery tours ever since our very first road trip in 2018.  I don’t think twice about it now, now that they’re older, but I did feel guilty the first time or two.  After all, what kind of parents would expose their young children to the beer-making process?

     As it turns out, this kind.


Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 2018

     Our first brewery tour just kind of happened.  We had plotted out a route from Chicago, Illinois, to Green Bay, Wisconsin.  The question was, was there anything between the two cities that we wanted to do?

     A quick online search of our options up I-94 W and I-43 N, along the backbone of Lake Michigan, pointed us toward Milwaukee.  A little more research turned up three possibilities: the Harley-Davidson Museum, the SafeHouse spy restaurant, and Miller Brewing Co.

     I’m not a beer drinker, but my husband is.  He was also a big Rusty Wallace fan when Wallace drove the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford for Penske Racing.  We added a tour of Miller Brewing to our plans.

     I was a little nervous about taking our kids, then 5 and 7, on the tour.  They knew my husband drank “daddy drinks,” but they didn’t know anything about beer.  Would they suddenly become interested in what he drank if they learned about it?  Would they go to school and tell their teachers that Mom and Dad took them to drink beer?  Would other adults on the tour judge us for bringing our kids?

     We didn’t know it at the time, but none of those fears would materialize.  Both kids listened politely to our tour guide, but the words “barley” and “hops” and “fermentation” didn’t interest them.  They did like looking at the copper-colored lauter tuns and the shiny, silver, brew kettles, and they did like sitting in the courtyard, sipping lemonade and munching on pretzels.

     But they did not tell their teachers or their friends about their experience.  We did too many other, more fun, things on our trip for that to even cross their minds.

     And, we didn’t get looks from any of the other visitors.  There were other kids taking the tour with their parents, and Miller Brewing happily collected $15 for every one of them.  Adults paid $20.  


2019 and Beyond

     My husband does all of the heavy work when it comes to our road trips.  He spends weeks, sometimes months, researching routes, destinations, accommodations, and travel times so that we can put together a full and fulfilling trip that we’ll all enjoy.

     He also does all of the driving.  All of it.

     So, when we’re looking for places to visit and he spots a brewery that he’d like to tour, the rest of us don’t bat an eyelash.  We know what to expect now.  The beer-making process is generally the same everywhere, and most of the tours that we’ve been on take visitors on similar routes through their facilities.  The only thing that changes is the personality of the brewery and the presentation.


     Our kids are older now, too.  Even though you'd think they'd become more interested in this "forbidden beverage," the opposite has happened.  They (at least our daughter) actually find these tours boring.

     Plus, continuing to tour breweries has taught our kids something important: it’s not always about them.  Sometimes we do things that don’t appeal to our own interests but to the interests of those we love.  Like when we visit train museums (that’s our son’s thing), check out a beach (that’s our daughter’s thing) or stop at a Polish store or restaurant (that’s my thing).  It’s just part of being a family.  


Seven in Eight

    In the past eight years, we’ve taken the kids to seven different adult-beverage facilities for tours.  Never once has it felt like a mistake.  Here’s why:

  • The tours are informational, not promotional.  No one’s pushing beer on anyone or claiming that life without beer is incomplete.

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  • Tours often highlight the history or the unique feature of an area. In Pottsville, PA, we walked through a small part of the underground caves that once stored beer for Yuengling.  In Lynchburg, TN, we caught a glimpse of where the Jack Daniel’s company draws its limestone spring water.  

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  • Some tours include viewing access to the bottling or packaging departments.  This is particularly exciting for anyone (like me) who’s ever watched the opening credits of LaVerne and Shirley in fascination.

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  • Unlike the first hotel we took our son to when he was a toddler, breweries are very clean places.   

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  • All of the facilities we’ve gone to have included samples for adults, as expected, but they’ve also included non-alcoholic drinks for kids and non-beer-drinkers.

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  • These tours show our kids that some jobs are physically hard or uncomfortable.  

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  • Some of them have great food.  We’ve eaten toasted ravioli, a St. Louis tradition, at Annheuser-Busch and amazing sandwiches and salads at Troeg’s in Hershey, PA (oddly, however, we’ve never taken the tour there). 

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  • Some breweries have outside seating and game areas that are perfect for entertaining kids.



Why People Object

     Not everyone thinks that kids belong on brewery tours.  They consider breweries, even casual ones, “adult” zones.  I get it.  Sometimes adults just want to be surrounded by other adults.  They don’t want to think twice about the words they’re going to say before they say them.  And no one wants to hear or see kids having meltdowns, running around out-of-control, putting themselves in danger, preventing workers from doing their jobs, or potentially breaking laws by being in places that they don’t belong.

     All that said, I do believe that parents with kids have a right to socialize and engage in activities they enjoy—including those that involve alcohol—as long as they do them responsibly.  If you decide to take your kids on a brewery tour or to a brewery restaurant (indoor seating or outdoor), it is your job to keep your kids close and under control.  If you can’t, then it’s important to respect the rights of those around you—and those of the establishment—and take your kids home.  Better yet, if you aren’t confident in your child’s ability to behave appropriately, then wait until you are.  


Before You Book Your Tour Tickets

     We’ve never had a problem taking our kids on a brewery tour, but that doesn’t mean that all breweries accept children or can accommodate all the paraphernalia required for taking kids, particularly very young ones.  If you’re thinking about touring a facility, do your research beforehand.

     First, check the website.  Make sure children are welcome.  Some breweries may not permit them at all, and some may have age restrictions.  

     Then, look into tour options.  Tours vary by length, facility access, and topic.  Basic tours are usually good options for families in terms of length and information.  However, they tend to require walking and often include stairs.  If your child requires a stroller or wouldn’t like being on his/her feet and walking for 45 minutes or more, you may want to reconsider.  

     Finally, review the marketing.  If the brewery makes a point of calling it “family friendly” and includes positive reviews from parents, then go for it.  If none of the photos show children, you may need to reach out to the brewery or keep looking.

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