For the second year in a row, Bell's Brewery is up for a USA Today award, for "Best Brewery Tour.". And they are hoping to get locals to vote in the contest. Last year, Bell's placed second, giving them both hope and incentive to win this year.

“We pride ourselves on storytelling and immersing all guests, no matter their experience level, into the world of craft beer,” said Shelly Claflin, Bell’s Tour Manager. “Our tours are always free, fun and open to all.”  - Bell's releae

Bell’s Eccentric Café and original brewery in downtown Kalamazoo, along with its main brewery seven miles east in nearby Comstock, have become destinations for craft beer fans.

Here's the link to vote, which also shows the current leaderboard. Bell's is currently third behind a brewery in Pennsylvania, and a Guiness brewery in Baltimore. However it is leading some other well know craft brewers including Sierra Nevada. Voting ends March 17th.

The tour has become a bit of a mix of both working brewery and historical museum.

“Placing second in 2019 was an incredible reflection of the experiences our guests have had, but that didn’t not mean we were going continue with the status quo,” Claflin said.

Some enhancements this year include the addition of a 50-foot timeline detailing Bell’s history, a selfie station and a pop-up retail shop where guests can purchase Bell’s merchandise. Many of those items can only be purchased at Bell’s Comstock Brewery. Visitors can also see the original 15-gallon soup pot Larry Bell, president and founder of Bell’s, used when he began brewing in 1985. It is a remarkable contrast to the 200-barrel brewhouse that sits nearby...

 

 

 

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