A while back I reviewed Yellowhead Premium Lager for this very website. I am very, very fond of this beer and will drink it any chance I get. Today I had the pleasure of touring the brewery. Yellowhead is located in downtown Edmonton in the Shaw building. It’s a beautiful old brick building built in 1912 that once housed the Nabob coffee company, a cigar factory and a biscuit maker. The tour was entertaining  as well as educational. Our tour guide Ido Grapendale, who is Yellowhead’s special events manager, is quite knowledgeable even though he claims to only be parroting back what the brewmaster told him. I don’t buy it Ido! I think you know more than you give yourself credit for. Or perhaps that’s why he starts you off with a pint of their crisp, refreshing brew, to make you more suggestible. Regardless the tour is well worth the time and the $10 it costs. After touring the facility from grain room to brewery to bottling line the tour ends up back in their tasting room for another pint of beer.  The cherry on top is that  the glass that’s yours to keep!

I used to like Yellowhead but now after taking this tour and seeing a bit of their brewing process I love them! Yellowhead really seems to care about making a fine, consistent product, I have a whole new respect for them. I will definitely drink Yellowhead lager again and I will certainly take this tour again. You should too! Call me if you do, I wouldn’t mind tagging along.

Currently Yellowhead gives tours on a booking basis only so call ahead and give them 24 hours notice. Details for booking their tours can be found on their website here. Please go and support this excellent Edmonton brewer. Tell Ido drinkagain.ca sent you, he won’t know what you’re talking about and it won’t get you a deal or anything, but do it anyway!