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Welcome to the Miller Brewery Tour, Where It's always Miller time!

Here in Miller Valley we define hospitality in a whole new way. From your personal tour guide to the ghost of Frederick Miller, you will experience over 160 years of brewing history with a modern-day twist.

International visitors and local guests alike experience something new with every tour. Gift shop keepsakes and an unforgettable exploration of the Milwaukee Brewery awaits you! More importantly, you will end every tour with our famous hospitality and what everyone is waiting for – ice cold beer! Relax and enjoy your brews in our Visitor Center, Bavarian-style Miller Inn or outdoor Beer Garden (seasonally) with friends and family at this historic Milwaukee landmark.

We hope to see you for your Miller Time soon!

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Miller Brewery Tour

4251 W. State St. Milwaukee, WI 53208

414-931-BEER (2337)

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Miller Brewery Tour

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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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From Miller to Lakefront, here are 5 brewery tours to check out in Milwaukee

Milwaukee is known as Brew City for a reason. Once home to some of the country’s largest breweries — Pabst, Miller, Schlitz and Blatz — today the city builds on that legacy with a burgeoning craft beer scene.

Many breweries in the city offer a chance to get a closer look at their history and brewing process through brewery tours.

We set out to go on some of Milwaukee’s best known tours and see what makes them great.

For this list we considered breweries that hold weekly public tours. Many smaller breweries in Milwaukee host tours a few times a year, or allow groups to set up private tours.

From the best brewery tours for families (yes, families, because this is Wisconsin) to where you can learn the most about beer, here are five brewery tours to check out in Milwaukee.

Best for comedy: Lakefront Brewery

Our tour guide Sergio "Serg" Sepulveda provided brewery information and well-delivered jokes on our Lakefront Brewery tour, as is the norm for this spot. Every Lakefront Brewery tour I've been on has a guide who easily pulls laughs from the crowd and keeps everyone engaged.

The tour started in a private taproom where attendees grabbed a beer, one of four 6-ounce pours that were included on the tour, delivered via beer token. Serg gave a history lesson on brewing from its origins in Mesopotamia to when Lakefront's co-owner, Jim Klisch, made his first batch of Riverwest Stein. Serg followed that with the history of Lakefront, one of Milwaukee’s largest craft breweries.

Weekend tours go through the production facility and lead to the historic Bernie Brewer's chalet that was in the Brewers' old home, Milwaukee County Stadium. Since we were on a weekday tour, it skipped that portion and went straight to the brewery's new canning area.

While canning was a worthwhile shift from bottling for the brewery — cans are infinitely recyclable and are helping the brewery boost shipping efficiency by 50%, cutting down on carbon emissions — it did take away a cherished "Laverne and Shirley" bit from the tour. Previously, tour guides turned on the bottling line and would pick an attendee who would put a glove on a bottle as it moved down the line, like in the show's opening credits.

While the guide still played the show's theme song and got our group to sing and dance along, the bit no longer includes the glove part because the canning line does not turn on as fast. Sometimes the tour attendee who most enthusiastically sings and dances along gets an extra beer token.

The tour did still include the bung hole bit. Go on one yourself to find out what that is all about.

• Cost: $12 on weekdays, $15 on weekends; advance online purchase required; age 21 and older only unless supervised by a parent or legal guardian
• Hours: Starts on the hour noon to 3 p.m. Sunday and 4 to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and on the half hour noon to 7 p.m. Friday and noon to 6 p.m. Saturday
• What you get: Four 6-ounce pours, Lakefront pint glass or key chain, and a coupon for a free Lakefront beer to be used at nearby bars within three days
• Accessibility: The tour includes stairs, but there are ramps into the tour room and to the lower level for accessibility.
• Location: 1872 N. Commerce St.
• More information : lakefrontbrewery.com

Best mix of past and present: Miller Brewery Tour

I got to the Miller Brewery tour a little before 10:30 a.m., with the next available tour at 11 a.m. They are offered first-come, first-served on every half hour from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily.

While waiting, I checked out the connected gift shop and grabbed a complimentary bag of pretzels. I also learned about the history of the brewery from 1855 to today from a timeline that spans two full walls in the waiting area.

The tour started with the guides handing out a taster of Miller Lite while sharing information about the brewery in a theater room. It then moved outside for a three-block walk through the W. State St. campus to the brewing facility.

The only optional part of the tour was to climb 56 steps to view the tanks in the brewing facility where Molson Coors, Miller's parent company, makes beer for a 10-state region. The modern facility is across the street from the original brewhouse, visible from outside the brewing facility or after climbing the steps. The building was not part of the tour.

To cool off after walking in the brewing facility, which was hot in the upper level, the tour went underground to the historic caves that were created in the 1800s and sealed off in 1906. Frederick C. Miller, grandson of Miller founder Frederick J. Miller, reopened the caves in 1953, and they have been part of the tour ever since.

The caves were a unique view into how brewing was possible before electrical refrigeration, with tools that would have been used by brewers in the past.

The tour then went to a historical inn on campus that once sold Miller beer and had rooms for overnight guests; today it's used mostly for events. Fredrick C. Miller imported stained glass windows from Germany along with antique steins for the inn that are still there. It's also home to letters written by Fredrick J. Miller and a diorama of the current campus.

The tour wrapped up with stops at the bottling facility where 600,000 items are bottled daily and the warehouse where about 1 million cans and bottles of product are stored.

The tour ended at an outdoor beer garden where visitors could try various Molson Coors products for free.

• Cost: $10; free for ages 20 and under (no beer samples)
• Hours: Walk-ins only with limited space, running on the half hour from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday and Friday
• What you get: Four 4-ounce pours and a Miller glass
• Accessibility: The tour includes stairs, but accessible tours are available by calling (414) 931-3552 at least 24 hours in advance.
• Location: 4251 W. State St.
• More information : millerbrewerytour.com

5 breweries that made Milwaukee famous: Miller, Schlitz, Pabst, Gettelman and Blatz

Best for history: The Best Place at Pabst Brewing

This historic brewery doesn't actually brew in Milwaukee anymore, but the site where Pabst Brewery was founded is still worth checking out. Beer enthusiasts who take multiple tours on this list will also see Pabst’s influence in almost every one.

The tour stared in the historic brewing complex's Blue Ribbon Hall with a presentation on the history of the brewery and the option to enjoy a pint of Pabst or Schlitz, which is included in the ticket price.

The tour guide talked about how Pabst started as Jacob Best Brewery in 1844. Their original building on a historic plank road, today’s State Street, was sold to Fredrick J. Miller who started Miller Brewing.

The history lesson continued with a tour guide explaining how the brewery moved to the current campus, and how Captain Fredrick Pabst took over and grew the brewery to be the largest lager brewery in the world at one time.

From the main floor of the hall the tour moved to the balcony, while passing a section of the building that is being refurbished. Paystubs and letters on the wall on the way up showed the brewery's more recent history before it left Milwaukee in 1996.

The tour was peppered with interesting facts about the nearly 170-year-old brewery, like how Pabst did not want his name on the beer, and that the employee's union successfully bargained to get a free pint of beer per shift.

Next the tour moved to the Great Hall, which is not often open to the public but is popular as a wedding and event space.

It has stained glass, ornate wood finishes and Fredrick Pabst's original office. Below that is a speakeasy with a jail cell. According to our tour guide, it was for Pabst employees who may have had more than their single free beer during their shift and became drunk and unruly.

The tour then passed the courtyard which has a statue of King Gambrinus, the patron saint of beer, and ended in the guest center that has German saying along its walls.

• Cost: $14 for adults, $12 for students, military and seniors (age 60 and older); free for kids 13 and under
• Hours: On the hour at noon, 2 and 4 p.m. Monday, Thursday and Sunday; noon through 4 p.m. Friday; 12, 2 and 4 p.m. Saturday
• What is included: A pint of Pabst or Schlitz beer or soda, with $4 refills
• Accessibility : The tour includes stairs with elevators available for those who need assistance.
• Location: 917 W. Juneau Ave.
• More information : bestplacemilwaukee.com/tours

Best for learning about brewing: Pilot Project

This new Milwaukee brewery tour might not be on many people's radars yet. My co-worker and I went on a Friday at 6 p.m. and were the only ones on the tour. Regardless, our guide gave an informative and entertaining tour.

Chicago-based Pilot Project is new to Milwaukee after they moved into the former Milwaukee Brewing Company space in late 2022 . They are a brewery incubator, meaning they help start-up breweries get to market, assisting them with supplies, marketing, canning and more.  

I'm not sure if it was because there were only two of us, or because they don’t push a singular brand, but I learned the most about brewing on this tour.

The tour started at the back bar where we could sample one of the five breweries that are currently their partners. We then moved to the balcony of the back space for a slideshow of their current partners and more insight into their diverse lineup.

Next, the tour moved to the tanks where we got an up-close view of the hot water tanks used to make beer, including a peek into the mash tuns where ingredients are brewed.

From there we moved to the fermenting tanks where we got a better view of the warehouse and brewing equipment.

One interesting artifact hanging there is a large neon Pabst Brewery sign that was found in the building. Pilot Project's space was the last building Pabst Brewery constructed before they left in 1996. The large sign was once used at the Pabst-sponsored stage at Summerfest.

The tour then went through the canning facility and ended in cold storage where beer is stored along with a variety of supplies. There the tour guide spoke more about those supplies and the different varieties of yeast, hops and malts that go into making beers.

• Cost: $18, for ages 21 and up only
• Hours: 6 and 7:30 p.m. Friday; 1, 2:30 and 4 p.m. Saturday
• What's included: Five 5-ounce pours and tasting glass
• Accessibility : The tour includes stairs, with elevators available for those who need assistance.
• Location: 1128 N. Ninth St.
• More information : pilotprojectbrewing.com/milwaukee

Best for families: Sprecher Brewing

Sprecher Brewing is popular not only for its local brews, but also its non-alcoholic root beer and cream ale. While there are limits on the beers included in the tour, there is unlimited soda for all. Children on our tour excitedly cycled through the new sodas on tap at the bar. They even had flights of soda, like ones that are usually used for beer.

The beers and sodas were poured in the main hall where tour-goers waited.

The tour started with the guide giving a history of the brewery as it moved into a hallway with photos and trophies from the brewery's various awards. Randy Sprecher opened the brewery in 1985 after being a brewing operator at Pabst.

The guide explained how Sprecher was hesitant to get into soda production, which began with root beer in 1989. It was a good business move as root beer alone makes up 75% of their sales and beer only 10%.

The tour then went through the production facility. Our tour was on Thursday, which is the only day the tour goes through the facility while it is operating. Because of the loud machinery, it was sometimes hard to hear the tour guide. It was interesting, though, to see brewing in production and people moving ingredients from trucks to tanks.

The tour then returned to the main hall where people could resume drinking while learning about the bottling process. There was also the option to walk single-file into the canning facility to get a more up-close view, before returning the main hall to enjoy the rest of the free beer and soda.

• Cost: $12 for adults, $5 for ages 20 and under, free for ages 5 and under
• Hours: 2, 3 and 5 p.m. Thursday; 2, 3, 5 and 6 p.m. Friday; noon, 1 p.m. and on the hour 3 through 6 p.m. Saturday; on the hour noon through 4 p.m. Sunday
• What you get: Four 8-ounce pours, Sprecher pint glass, unlimited soda
• Accessibility : The tour does not include stairs and has space for wheelchair accessibility.
• Location: 701 W. Glendale Ave.
• More information : sprecherbrewery.com

Beer Near A guide to Wisconsin breweries

13 Brewery Tours You Have to Try In Milwaukee

Table of Contents

In 1912, The Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company invented the brown glass beer bottle, making mass distribution possible by canceling out the sun’s damaging rays. In tandem with the industrial revolution, Milwaukee quickly became the world’s leader in beer production, hence why there are so many breweries. With that said, here are the best Milwaukee brewery tours worth your time.

Miller, The Brewery

Part of West Milwaukee’s Miller Valley, the official brewery tour for Miller takes guests through the iconic brand’s 165-year-old history. The building is so old in fact, that some say to have seen the ghost of Frederick Miller.

Lakefront Brewery

A hip chain of pale ales and hops, Lakefront Brewery has been operating out of Wisconsin since the late ‘80s. They offer a 45-minute tour of their brewery in Milwaukee filled with jokes and beer samples. You can also participate in a virtual tour on their website .

City Lights Brewing, Co.

Another Menomonee Valley favorite, City Lights Brewing is a compact but insightful tour perfect for those looking to brewery-hop for the afternoon. A crowd favorite is the Coconut Porter, while their attached restaurant offers iconic fish tacos.

Captain Pabst Pilot House

Experts of spirits & ales will love Captain Pabst Pilot House , an extension of the larger Pabst Brewery. Tours of this Milwaukee brewery are held every day and run for about half an hour. This is an especially popular choice due to its cheap price – not to mention a savory fish fry.

Sprecher Brewing Co, Inc.

A nostalgic Bavarian choice, this is perfect for lovers of live music and beer garden vibes. Their tour is one of few that allows children into the brewery, alongside four taste samples of your choice.

Eagle Park Brewing

Founded by two brothers with a passion for beer and music, Eagle Park Brewing began in their garage and grew to be a staple of the Lower East Side. The tours of their brewery in Milwaukee are friendly, and the locals love their burgers paired with a signature vegan strawberry milkshake IPA.

Third Space Brewing

Founded by Milwaukee natives, Third Space Brewing offers a small rustic venue in the Menominee Valley, select tours through their microbrew hosted on Saturdays at 2 PM. At a cheap price, you get to take a signature brewing pint, with two complimentary fill-ups.

MobCraft Beer Brewery and Taproom

An intimate brewery, Mobcraft is a small space that packs a big punch – offering an attached restaurant with games and a dog-friendly courtyard, this is a great choice for lovers of sour & wild flavors.

Good City Brewing

With two locations, the North Farewell Avenue site offers fun tours that double as an innovative social gathering. There is a live music hall and rooftop hangout, in addition to unmatched appetizers to pair with your pale ale.

Black Husky Brewing

An artisanal choice in the Riverwest neighborhood, Black Husky Brewing offers 2 PM tours every day. Though they don’t serve food, they are dog-friendly and make a mean honey wheat beer.

Urban Harvest Brewing Company

Moments away from Harbor View’s Cermak Fresh Market, Urban Brewing Company is an exquisite pedestrian’s choice, their tour comedic and rich in history.

Milwaukee Ale House

Host to dozens of in-house brews, Milwaukee Ale House is a favorite for locals due to their tremendous deal. Their tour includes an hour and a half of open taps, a free pint glass, and a token for a pint at any local pub.

Great Lakes Distillery

Last but certainly not least on this list, Great Lakes Distillery rests in the Walker’s Point neighborhood, their tour offering a range of organic-centric spirits. Interesting drinks include Chocolate Covered Cherry Hot Cocoa, and Still & Oak Bourbon Hot Toddy!

About Author

Leo Gonzales

Born and raised in Texas, Leo Gonzales works as a copywriter and creative editor. He is editor-in-chief of The Sea Letter, a journal that publishes original poetry, and short fiction.

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🔒 What to know about Michigan’s ‘popular barbecue beverage’: Touring the Miller Brewery

Elizabeth Washington , Digital News Editor

MILWAUKEE – A recent study from the Cook Out News released that Miller Lite is the ultimate barbecue beverage for Michigan.

Miller has been brewing staple beers in the Midwest for over 100 years. Miller Lite was first rolled out in the 1970s giving an American standard to pilsners.

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So why Miller Lite? What about Budweiser or Bud Light? Well, Miller is based in Milwaukee, and as Michiganders, we are always proud of our Midwestern roots.

Flavor profile

Miller Lite is one of the original light beers. With a light hop flavor and a clean finish, it makes sense why this beverage is considered a popular barbecue beer.

Click here to tell us what you like to sip on while manning the grill.

Checking out the Miller Brewery

A couple of summers back, I visited Milwaukee and had the chance to check out the Miller Brewery.

The tour was sensational. The Miller Brewery satisfied so many senses. From the smell of the yeast within their production facility, to the free beer tastings, the tour really transported you through the timeline of how the now-household beer company came to be.

Miller Brewing Company started operations in the mid-1800s, which is when Frederick J. Miller established the brewery in Milwaukee. The tour takes you through Miller’s underground caves where barrels were aged, and through a historical Bavarian-style inn with a saloon.

Starting in the 1800s and surviving prohibition, this beer company out of Wisconsin has remarkably stood the test of time.

Within the tour, you get an inside look at the dairy farms that Miller, as well as Pabst Brewing Company, had to use to survive the illegal drinking times. From milk to cheese, and even cheese curds, these companies utilized their resources to stay afloat during difficult financial times.

For those interested in learning more about Pabst Brewing Company, Fredrick Pabst’s mansion is roughly five minutes away from Miller.

Grand Rapids is known as “Beer City” for 10 years now, and is a popular Midwestern destination for beer lovers. But without the staples that came out of Wisconsin, the beer scene would most likely look very different.

If you are a history buff and enjoy a cold brew, Milwaukee is rich in history and not very far from Metro Detroit. About a six-hour drive, a weekend trip to Milwaukee won’t disappoint.

Click here to learn more about the history of the Miller Brewing Company .

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