Duluth’s craft brewing scene is now the focus of the city’s newest tour company. The Duluth Experience Brewery Tours is introducing visitors to craft breweries in the Arrowhead Region of Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin.
“Our mission is to promote Duluth and the region as the destination to visit, to do business, and to live” said co-founder and Duluth native Dave Grandmaison. “People want to experience the sense of place that makes this part of the country so special. The Duluth Experience Brewery Tours are designed to help make that happen.”
Each of the five weekly tour options includes a 5-hour brewery adventure with stops at three breweries where tourists get behind-the-scenes access to the breweries and the brewers developing the delicious concoctions of water, yeast, malt, and hops that give the region’s beer its unique flavors.
“When I moved to Duluth from San Francisco 15 years ago,” recounts Fitger’s Brewhouse Master Brewer Dave Hoops, “there wasn’t much of a craft beer scene. Fast forward to today with ten breweries, educated patrons, and great beer variety – the need for The Duluth Experience is huge. This group of beer lovers will provide a tremendous Duluth Experience.”
Tourists on The Duluth Experience get to enjoy samples of the diverse selection of craft beers being created at the breweries, and each tour culminates with a stop to enjoy the local cuisine. Along the way, tour guides provide historical vignettes of the city and its ecological context.
As the company launches its brewery tours, they’re also in planning stages for incorporating adventure tours to capitalize on the excitement being generated by the development of regional mountain biking and hiking trails. “The City of Duluth has been making significant investments in outdoor recreation infrastructure and volunteer organizations like the Cyclists of Gitchee Gumee Shores are facilitating the development of a world class mountain biking network,” explains Grandmaison. “Duluth is a fabulous town and we’re here to showcase everything that Duluth has to offer.”
