Bogota Craft Beer Tour Review: A Tasty Exploration

So, if you are planning a visit to Bogota, you will almost definitely want to check out the Bogota craft beer scene. A cool option to really discover all that this lively South American hub has to offer is, arguably, by joining a guided craft beer tour. This way, you get to visit some great local breweries, learn about the beer-making process, and, clearly, sample some of Colombia’s most tasty brews. I recently signed up for one of these tours, “Bogota Craft Beer Tour with Tasting”, and I’m going to share my experience with you. Basically, I want to provide what I hope is a helpful and practical guide to help you decide whether or not this could be an interesting experience.

Why Pick a Craft Beer Tour, Actually?

Choosing a craft beer tour is something you do, naturally, for more than just the beer itself. It’s that you can get local culture in a way you might not normally get it, and you’ll meet other people that are into trying some interesting things, and hearing some stories. It also saves you the trouble of plotting out some of the breweries yourself. Someone else figures out all of the transport, and makes bookings for your group, and makes sure the place that you are visiting knows that you are turning up! Plus, the guide will often fill you in on the little tidbits of brewery history or interesting background info that you might not find yourself just Googling it. It becomes a fuller and better experience than if you were to simply go brewery hopping all by yourself, right?

So, is that what happened on my tour? Well, actually, the ‘Bogota Craft Beer Tour with Tasting’ promised, very nearly, exactly this sort of deeper look into local beer culture. It suggested several stops at different breweries around the city. These breweries would provide opportunities to taste a range of styles, from your more commonplace lagers, right through to more creative brews that incorporate some exotic local ingredients. The descriptions sold me with the hint that you would also learn a lot about Bogota’s brewing story, learning just how craft beer grew in the region, and exactly what impact the scene has on the city’s overall social and economic state. That all seemed like it had potential to be pretty darn good.

Booking the Tour, Like, What You Need To Know

Booking the tour was, very likely, really quite simple, and I booked through one of those popular online travel platforms that you have likely heard of, with lots of experiences. Finding availability was a little harder than you would want. It may be advisable to book in advance, so that you can definitely lock in a date that suits your itinerary. So, what I found was, actually, pretty standard, in terms of pricing. At about $60-$80 USD, this appeared to sit about average for tours of similar duration in other spots. What you get at that price is some beer samples at each of the places that you stop, transport from one location to another, and an English-speaking guide to fill you in on what’s going on.

So, too, it’s really good to, maybe, check any cancellation policies. Things happen, after all! Make sure that you are clear on what your options are if something happens where you can’t attend. A really vital thing would be to look closely at all the reviews. This might tell you some stories. You are wanting a guide who knows how to make things come alive. You want an experience that feels personal. You are wanting something that comes with enough of the “human touch,” okay? You don’t just want someone that is droning out facts from a script.

My Experience: A Brewery-by-Brewery Breakdown

First up: A very hip little place, with, in some respects, a real hipster feel, called Chela. As it turns out, it was the perfect icebreaker for the afternoon, a brewery with a real dedication to, nearly, all things IPA. The beers here were generally quite hoppy and a bit bitter, and the setting made a nice spot to simply mingle with the other people that were taking the tour. Apparently, we were quite the small group, only about eight, and as a matter of fact it meant a great chance to easily hear the guide, and generally talk a lot.

Next we went on to the next one. Now, this one was called Cerveceria Gigante, and this one was, in some respects, almost the opposite of the initial visit. We tried a few really unique varieties here. The atmosphere appeared pretty friendly, yet I detected that there was, literally, some of a real local vibe. The real stars of this place appeared, actually, the beers flavored with some of those typical local fruits which I mentioned. So, something like a lulo or passion fruit beer offered a great change of pace and demonstrated the local creativity that makes Bogota’s beer scene really distinctive. Arguably, this made an opportunity to sample a few novel tastes that are really only on offer in Colombia.

So, then there was the third location: a brewpub located in a tourist-heavy district. Very, very conveniently positioned and well-known amongst some that are passing through, yet I found it perhaps missing a bit of that authentic appeal that was plain at some of the other, earlier spots. By the way, the beers were alright, too. Actually, they were very sound and approachable, clearly focusing on those that prefer your straightforward styles. It turned out that this made a pleasant spot to take a seat and have conversations after lots of hopping from one spot to another, right?

The Guide: A Storyteller or Just a Timekeeper?

You know, too, it’s nearly always down to the tour guide, at the end of the day. Actually, in our case, the tour guide was great, but this sort of thing really can really swing either way, I guess! Is that he knew so much, both about the beers that we were consuming, yet also about the history of Bogota in itself. So, too, it’s likely, anyway, that this level of insight definitely brings what would be just a normal beer-tasting activity right up to another level. A truly top guide doesn’t just lead you from brewery to brewery. They’re meant to bring that added context, offer advice, tell you stories about the city, and definitely get involved, you know? They appear to make a real difference. Fortunately, on this score, my tour went pretty well, or maybe even very well.

Who Should Go on This Tour?

Arguably, this kind of tour appears really ideal for just about everyone. That’s someone who likes beer, maybe travels alone and wants a really welcoming introduction to the place, and also perhaps someone simply looking to try a unique activity in Bogota. It works great for small groups and is obviously a lot of fun if that’s what you are wanting too, by the way. The “Bogota Craft Beer Tour with Tasting” is obviously a must-do for beer enthusiasts. It seems to provides a way to explore local breweries and connect with some other people too. Basically, for those wishing to simply sample what is bubbling under the surface in Bogota, that tour is absolutely the way you might want to consider doing it.