Stoudt’s Brewing Company, located in Adamstown, PA, is home to a few of my favorite beers. Offering tours on Saturdays at 3pm and Sundays at 1pm, we decided to embark to the brewery for a tour this past Saturday.

Myself and Nick (staff writer), along with my girlfriend Caitlyn and our friends Steve and Dave went along to check out their brewery. We arrived a few minutes early and were invited to sit at their bar and have a drink while we waited. The first thing that was impressive was their awesome draft selection. They had almost their entire collection of beers (despite some seasonals) available. Personally, I had their Double IPA (review to come) and their Pils. Both great beers. Others had their Barleywine, Stout and Tripel.

Dave, Caitlyn, Shane, Steve

The tour was pretty impressive, due to the fact that the tour guide was Ed Stoudt himself! He has been in the business since the 60’s and has a wealth of knowledge, expected as a brewery tour guide. As the owner, Ed was able to share a lot of the history behind Stoudt’s which made the experience that much better. See below for a picture of Nick and I with the man, the myth, the legend.

Ed Stoudt, Nick, Shane

A lot of the tour dealt with the history starting in the Renaissance, moving to Prohibition and then into the modern brewery they have today. It was impressive to see how much investment was put into the brewery and the philosophy Ed adheres to. He wants to remain small and remain a craft brewery. Unlike the big guys that are always finding new ways to make their beer cheaper by using adjuncts like corn and rice, Ed believes firmly in brewing beer how it’s been done for centuries. And you can definitely taste it in the crafts they produce.

This is what it comes down to, support the craft breweries. I cannot stress it enough and visiting a place like this reassures my belief is good. The time, history and passion these people put into their beer is incredible. Head up to Adamstown on Saturday or Sunday afternoon, enjoy a pint of their delicious brews and learn the history from the man himself.