They say that beer is a universal language. Oh wait…that’s love right? Oh well, close enough. After all, it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea (not sure how accurate that statement is since I read it on Wikipedia but it sounds about right to me!)

Opened in 1988, the Great Lakes Brewery was the first microbrewery in Ohio. Word has it that many, many years before, before it turned into a brewpub, it was a bar. It was a bar that Eliot Ness used to frequent. That’s the reason why I love going on brewery tours. Yes, you’ll learn about the process, which is pretty similar across the board. But what’s different about each brewery is the history behind it.

Tours last about an hour and they run Fridays and Saturdays from 12PM to 8PM. It’s $5 a ticket, which includes four 5 oz. beer samples. Depending on when you go, they have different brews on tap. You can buy tickets on their site ahead of time to reserve your spot. I bought mine the day of the tour, and saw people walk in and buy it, so that’s not really an issue.

If you’re hungry afterwards, you definitely want to check out their restaurant afterwards, right next door. Even if you’re not, you should still give it a try!