When I'm at an RV show I may have time in the morning or middle of the day to do some exploring. I started looking for things to do and found I was not all that far from Golden, CO and the Miller Coors Brewery. They offer free tours. That should be fun!
The brewery stretches for 5 miles and sits on 55 acres. It's an imposing sight. Visitor parking is at Ford and 13th where a shuttle bus takes you to the start of the tour. The bus makes a quick tour through Golden, mentioning some of the history of the town and the brewery. Adolph Coors apprenticed in Prussia and opened his brewery here in 1873.
After a photo with an optional Coors hat and signing in, displays show older photos and paraphernalia. Now all tours are audio tours. You push a number on your phone-like device to hear information about each station.
Displays and videos explain the process. On the right is a photo of mature hops plants. I had never stopped to think what a hop was but I would never have pictured it like this!
The most imposing sight is where huge brew kettles are used to process the grains and hops. A sign above the kettles on the left say they are brew kettles while the ones on the right are "mash tuns," which mix the grain and water and heat it to break down the enzymes in the grain. Coors beer is known for its pristine Rocky Mountain water, giving it a special taste. This is the third ingredient in brewing beer.
The next area was the packaging and shipping area. Coors and Keystone beers whizzed by on conveyer belts.
The last stop - no, the next to last - was the tasting room. Each guest 21 and over could taste three beers. The full line of Miller and Coors was available so it was a popular place. In fact most of the people who rode over on the bus with me were in their 20s. I wonder how often they come? And, you could also purchase your photo with a choice of backgrounds in photo format or on a keyring. I decided that $15 for one or $20 for two of me with a Coors cowboy hat in front of the brewing kettles was not worth the price!
And the very last stop, of course, was the gift shop. Lots of choices here too. I did pick up a gift and some postcards. If you come to Golden I do recommend the tour, even if you are not a beer drinker- and especially if you are. It was quite informative.
Golden looks like a nice town. You receive a "Golden" buck when you take the tour. You present this to a participating store or restaurant and get a 15 or 20 percent discount. You rub off a circle to find out the discount when you pay. I had a tasty bison burger at the Buffalo Rose Saloon, but had to head back without exploring more.
There is room to park RVs on the Miller Coors visitor lot. You are a block from Washington Street, the main street, so could probably leave it there while you explore if the lot wasn't full. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak
Visited Golden several times over the past years for dining and see the changes in downtown. However, had not been to the brewery in a couple of decades. Sounds like a revisit is in order just to refresh my memory how beer is made. Not to worry. No beer for me. Gluten is a problem.
Posted by: Wandrin Lloyd | March 05, 2013 at 06:02 AM
I have found a gluten-free beer (Red Bridge) but it's not made by Miller Coors. Yes, the tour was interesting.
Jaimie
Posted by: Jaimie Hall Bruzenak | March 05, 2013 at 06:03 AM