Cartagena Craft Brews: Honest Tasting Tour Review
Thinking about checking out a craft tasting experience during your visit to Cartagena? So you’re probably trying to figure out if it is, very, actually worth your time and money. This review gets down to it, and covers what to expect, the highlights, and whether it offers good worth for your Cartagena experience. Let’s discover it, very, honestly.
First Impressions: The Heart of Getsemaní
My Cartagena experience started in the super popular Getsemaní, and specifically that’s where the tasting meetup spot was. Right away, so it’s easy to get into the vibe of Getsemaní with its art everywhere, and the lively atmosphere gets you feeling something, you know? The location itself made a great impression and had it’s own charisma. Getting everyone assembled was very fast and organized which is kind of something you hope for. This bit had me feeling like it was potentially going to be a fun and educational experience, as I walked in with the rest of our small group to our brewery for the first experience.
Brewery Number One: Apologizing for the Beer
The thing that surprised me the most from the first stop on the tasting, was the first sample they gave us! Almost immediately we started getting insights into how craft is being made, in Cartagena. And yet, the initial taste was very underwhelming which was kind of sad for me, basically. That initial sample needed a bit of help in taste which really shocked me for that part. This stop was a good lesson as they explained how a lot of the breweries outsource and rebrand beers which is certainly shocking. So maybe my expectations are getting recalibrated at this initial spot.
Stop Two: Making a lot of noise
Brewery stop number two provided very good entertainment and laughs. That spot made all of us happy and enjoying their hospitality very much so. What might be more? This brewery seemed to show they really did love and enjoy what they brewed and wanted you to taste their enjoyment. From a taste standpoint it had so much character from what was just sampled. And they seemed very transparent and not hiding anything to worry about. I feel, you, like you could have hung out with those people all night. Also the music selection and crowd really just brought some vibes from Colombia. In that case, the dancing might have been something to remember.
The Finale: What it boils down to
By this point, or the end stop in the tour it did dawn on me just how different brews are being handled in Cartagena, Colombia. In some respects, seeing how dedicated the brewers were, and being able to connect and hang out makes you feel better about Colombia. Basically you could experience their way of life as a foreigner. Of course, just like other reviews for experiences it will depend. By the way, if you are a brew expert this tasting may come off lackluster if your tastes have evolved far past their offerings, anyway.
Was It Worth It? The Lowdown
Alright, that big question you’ve probably been wondering. Basically, it really relies upon what you’re wanting to get out of it. What is awesome is that you can experience various parts of Getsemaní which many visitors rave about. It tends to be an opportunity that can offer something cultural if you let it. A little food sample would probably really have had this stand out as a good bang for your buck instead of a small lackluster amount of beer. Actually a chance to mingle with fellow tourists gives it some more worth at least!
Extra considerations before you go!
When you think you might like to pursue this you want to kind of look out for extra fees or costs!
- Extra money – you, like your group could stay somewhere, but most will leave and checkout some other places on their own.
Be ready to meet up at the designated spots or you might lose them and not get into other tours! You might have to rush if that happens as a matter of fact.
These experiences will typically provide:
- Guided insight on some breweries and the way people do it in Cartagena
- Samples from local beers which are not usually served outside of Colombia
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