What Actually Happens on a Rambling Beer Co. Tour

You’re probably curious what a Rambling Beer Co. Tour looks like — maybe you’re a lucky voucher recipient and want to know what to expect on your beer adventure.

Maybe you’re a curious tourist, looking for a fun way to experience the city, not just sightsee.

Or maybe beer tour accessibility is important in a practical sense, and you need to know how we can accommodate your needs.

Whatever brought you here, we’ve got you covered — read on to find out more!

Email us for more information on any of the below: info@ramblingbeerco.com

The pace

Tours run for roughly four hours, split across four stops. Between stops there’s always a walk — usually 10 to 15 minutes in Liverpool and 2-10 minutes in Manchester and London.

The walks are on flat city pavements, nothing strenuous, and we can always find places with dipped curbs if you need them.

The walking time is often the quietest part of the tour — time to enjoy some fresh air and hopefully some sunshine (not guaranteed, obviously!). If you need a social reset, this is the perfect time to take a breather.

The noise

This varies from stop to stop and depends on the time of year. The taproom may have a special event on, or if your tour is in Manchester or Liverpool, things can get particularly busy on match days. As we visit the venues early in the afternoon, they are generally not at their busiest.

If the taproom is noisy, your guide will do their best to ensure you can hear them. If you are having trouble hearing the guide or have hearing issues, please let your guide know, and they will make time to talk to you one-on-one to make sure you don’t miss out on anything.

Match days

The “brewery quarter” in Manchester is a stop-off point for pre- and post-match drinks for Manchester City home games – there might be more people in the taproom than usual.

Similarly, in Liverpool, Everton at home can affect our stops at The Denbigh Castle and Azvex. Match schedules can change over the season, but if you would like to avoid the football crowds, please let us know, and we will endeavour to move you to a tour without that level of disruption.

Email us at info@ramblingbeerco.com

No queuing, no faff

We do our best to make the tour seamless for our guests.

We have tables reserved at every venue. When we arrive, we lead you to the table. Your guide goes to the bar, makes the drink selections, and delivers the drinks right to you.

There’s no need to leave your seat, except of course, if you need the bathroom!

Toilets

Toilet accessibility isn’t the same at every stop — most venues have an accessible toilet, but a few don’t.

If having one along the route matters to you, let us know when you book, and we’ll tell you exactly what’s available at each stop on your tour, so there are no surprises on the day.

Email us at info@ramblingbeerco.com

Dietary requirements

We don’t serve food on the tour — it’s beer all the way — but we’ll ask about any dietary and allergy requirements when you book, whether that’s through the voucher redemption portal or buying your ticket directly. You can also email us – address below.

The main dietary requirements we get asked about are 0% ABV and vegan, and we’re happy to help with both. Worth knowing: some beers contain lactose (milk stouts, for example), and we sometimes pour traditional cask ale, which some vegans choose to avoid.

If you have any allergies or intolerances — including gluten — please let us know.

Gluten-free options are gluten-removed (brewed with barley, then treated to reduce gluten) rather than made from naturally gluten-free grains — great for gluten sensitivity, but if you have coeliac disease, please check with us so we can talk through what’s safe for you specifically.

Email us at info@ramblingbeerco.com

Sensory support

We understand everyone’s tolerance for noise is different. If you need to wear ear defenders or earplugs, that’s no problem, and we’re happy to sit with you one-to-one to go through the beers.

Come and go as you please

You are free to come and go as you please at every venue. If a room’s noisy, there’s almost always a quieter corner or an outdoor seating area nearby, and we’ll show you the best spots without a fuss.

The group

Public tour group sizes can run as small as 6 people, or as large as 26 depending on the time of year.

Nobody’s expected to perform for the group — no games, no put-on-the-spot moments.

We usually go round at the very start of the tour and get everyone’s name, where they’re from, and what beer styles they enjoy, so we can steer you toward something new or point you at great examples of the styles you already love.

Our tour groups are a friendly bunch, and everyone is welcome, whoever you are. We believe beer is for everyone, and it always heartens us to see how much people bond by the end of the tour.

What actually happens, step by step

The order of stops looks different in Manchester versus Liverpool, but the rhythm at each venue is the same wherever you are:

1. You’re led to your table — your guide takes you straight to your booked spot, no waiting around or working out where to go.
2. Your first drink is brought over — your guide fetches the first pour of your flight while you settle in.
3. The guide talks you through it — the beer’s style, a bit of history, something about the brewery, how to taste it, sometimes a focus on a specific ingredient. What gets covered shifts depending on what’s on the beer board that day and what the host picks out for you.
4. You’ve got about an hour at each stop — plenty of time, no clock-watching. As it’s nearly time to move on, your host will give you a heads-up and a bit of time to use the loo and get ready before you head to the next stop.
5. At some venues, you get a talk from a member of staff from the taproom or brewery, so you’ll learn all about their beers first-hand. There’s always plenty of time to ask any burning questions you may have, or to buy beers to take away if you’d like.

Asking for adjustments

You can ask for anything, at any point — we love to make our beer tours accessible for everyone. You can:

• Message ahead to let us know your accessibility and sensory needs. We can flag quieter spots on the route, send timings in advance, check accessible toilets, or double-check the route accessibility if you have physical access needs.
• On the day, feel free to tell us if you need anything adjusted. That could mean skipping an alcoholic pour (happy to get you a 0% beer or a soft drink instead), or just taking a quiet five minutes outside.
• Headphones, fidget tools, stepping out for a stretch or walk, standing slightly apart from the group — all completely fine, no explanation needed.

Email us at: info@ramblingbeerco.com

The bit we really want you to know

You don’t need to know anything about beer to join our beer adventure! You don’t need to try every pour, finish every glass, or make conversation with strangers. There’s no test at the end. Come as you are, take what you want, skip what you don’t. Beer is for everyone.

Cheers!

Email us at info@ramblingbeerco.com