Disclaimer: We were invited to tour Brewpoint and the tour and drinks were provided free of charge. However, all the views in this article are our own.
Bedford and Breweries go together like fish and chips or having a child and relying on coffee! The name Brewpoint might be relatively recent, but Wells & Co and the family behind it have been brewing beer in Bedford since 1876 when Charles Wells bought the old Horne Lane brewery along with 36 pubs and set out to change the face of Bedford’s beer seen forever
We were delighted to be invited to come along on what turned out to be their 500th Brewpoint tour to see how they brew their beer and learn about the history of the company which so many in Bedford hold so dearly in their hearts.
The Brewpoint Tour
We spend a fantastic 45 minutes touring the facility and learning all about the brewing process. Tim, our superb Brewpoint tour guide, explained everything from the time it takes to brew the perfect pint to the number they can produce in a year!
The Tasting
After the tour comes the tasting… and this was one of the highlights for us. Not only do you get to have 6 x 1/3 pints, but you find out all about the different flavours and comparative beers on the market. Tim explained what gives them their unique flavours and what makes them so special.
The Beer
I’m not sure we could review a Brewpoint Tour without mentioning the beer. At any given point, they have their four signature brews and as many as 15 beers as part of their “extended range”. These raise from the 0.5% Nil Point (a low alcohol hoppy larger) to a whopping 9% Hop Scotch traditional Scotch Ale.
I cannot recommend the tour of Brewpoint enough. Compared to some of the major breweries (you know, all those supermarket brand names) it’s cheap as chips and our tour guide was knowledge, funny and got the perfect balance between history, facts and time to taste the good stuff.
