Saturday in New York are for new activities. The Brooklyn Brewery in Williamsburg offers free tours on the weekends and opens at 12 noon (limited to 40 people every half hour).

We turned up about 11:45 to see some people already gathered around the entrance. They opened the doors at 12 on the dot and we all filtered in. 

As you enter you are given a ticket with your tour time on it. We were at 1pm, which was fine by us as we could enjoy the bar before hand.

The bar area itself is large, with big wooden benches and lots of lights and rustic decor….and a christmas tree made from beer (probably seasonal).

They don’t deal in money at the bar, only beer tokens. 5 tokens for $20 is pretty cheap, so that’s the best way to go if you’re with a group – or just thirsty.

We exchanged our tokens for beer and sat down to enjoy the bar. They have quite a few choices on the menu, so it’s a good opportunity to try something new.

I felt like a figure skater in my backless black top, red velvet skirt and fur headband, so I took a cheeky bathroom selfie.

The tour itself was really interesting. The brewery is small, but the tour guide was knowledgeable and engaging, which can be difficult with such a big group. You learn about how they make the beer, the machinery and the history of the company.

I really recommend it as a weekend activity if you have not been. It’s free for everyone, and you don’t have to buy beer if you don’t want to. You can also book tours during the week, but they are $15 for a smaller group.

http://brooklynbrewery.com/verify