City Brew Tours offers unforgettable all-inclusive tours and beer-focused experiences in some of the best beer cities throughout North America. With over a decade of experience, City Brew Tours has created the ultimate craft beer experience that blends history, beer knowledge, transportation, and great food with unrivaled access to an area’s top breweries and their beer.
Our mission is to be the leading curator of craft beer experiences for visitors, locals, and the community as both an ambassador and an advocate for the brewing industry.
Where we began
City Brew Tours was founded in Burlington, Vermont in 2008 by Chad Brodsky, a college kid who had fallen in love with craft beer while studying in Vienna. Thirsting for more, he returned home and enrolled in the University of Vermont’s “Beer Making 101” class. Fortunately, Chad quickly realized he wasn’t cut out to brew beer. Instead he bought a used church van, put on his lederhosen, and set off to spread the gospel of craft beer.
Burlington Brew Tours became well known for its unique tours led by beer geeks who doubled as designated drivers. By 2012 Chad had perfected his business model. He left his full-time job in finance and opened a second location in Boston. With tours running in two cities, Chad changed the company’s name to “City Brew Tours” and set off to add more locations.
By the end of 2017, Chad was juggling operations in five cities and needed help. Enter Barry Hansen, Jr., a professional brewer and part time City Brew Tours beer guide who was instrumental in launching operations in Washington, DC a couple years prior. Barry grew into the role of COO, became co-owner and used his background in leadership, biotechnology and the brewing industry to streamline logistics and expand the company.
As of June, 2020, City Brew Tours operates in 11 cities and continues to expand. In April, the company began offering educational craft beer experiences online for the first time, allowing anyone, anywhere to enjoy a cold beer in good company.City Brew Tours jumped to the West Coast in November, 2019, when it acquired a majority stake in BREWVANA, a brewery tour company in Portland, Oregon. BREWVANA’s acquisition made City Brew Tours the only brewery tour franchisor to operate on both U.S. coasts and in Canada.
Team
Chad Brodsky
Founder & CEO – Certified Cicerone®
Chad believes the best way for a person to learn is through experiential education, which is what City Brew Tours is all about! Chad is always brainstorming new ideas on how to spread the gospel of craft beer to masses.
Favorite Beers: Duchess de Bourgogne, Samuel Adams Boston Lager, Lost Nation Brewing – Gose, and any delicious Lactose IPA.
Barry Hansen – Chief Operating Officer
Favorite Beers: Firestone Walker – Wookey Jack, Port City Brewing – Ways and Means, Jack’s Abby – Hoponius Union, and pretty much anything made by RaR.
Isaac Bell – Business Development Manager
Favorite Beers: Hellbender – Double Chazzwazzer, Green Man Brewery – Trickster IPA, Oliver Brewing Company – Burn the Candle & Creator/Destroyer.
Chris Johnson – Customer Success Manager
Favorite Beers: Tree House – Julius, Greater Good – Pulp, and Cold Harbor – Indian Summer.
Corrie Purvis – Private Sales Coordinator
Favorite beers: Love City – Eraserhood, Avery – White Rascal, Herzoglich Bayerisches Brauhaus Tegernsee – Tegernseer Hell
Julie Walker – Tour Operations Coordinator
Favorite Beers: Ommegang Hennepin Saison, Heavy Seas Winter Storm ESB, 21st Amendment Blood Orange IPA, and anything that tastes like a campfire.
Thom Roholt – Tour Operations Coordinator
Emily Izer – Private Events Coordinator
Favorite Beers: Brasserie Cantillon – Vigneronne, Night Shift – Matisse, Trillium – Covered in Puppies
Brian Hatheway – Chief Personnel Officer
Favorite Beers: Hill Farmstead Poetica #3, Strange Roots Concord Koel-Aid, Eleventh Hour Archer, and Black Project Habu
Kalimah Mustafa – Customer Service Specialist
Favorite Beers: Night Shift – Awake, Fishtown – The Pepper in the Rye, and pretty much everything by Dogfish Head.
Taylor McCune – Marketing Coordinator
Favorite Beers: Fishtowne Brew House – Gose Down Easy, Lagunitas – Super Cluster Imperial IPA and Highland – Oatmeal Porter
Matt LaRosa – Private Sales Coordinator
Favorite Beers: Foam – Experimental Jet Set, Allagash – White, Founders – Breakfast Stout
Brendan Creecy – Customer Service Associate
Favorite Beers: Cascade Brewing – Kriek, Stone – Ruination, Julian Beer Co. – Cherry Bomb