I’d been meaning to go on the Cains brewery tour for ages, and finally made the trip around the majestic old Terracotta tower on Stanhope Street, Liverpool 8, with my dad and a couple of his mates last week. It was well worth the wait.

Cains has a long and proud history of brewing in Liverpool that dates back to 1850. I won’t go in to too much detail as it will spoil your tour of the Stanhope Street brewery. Robert Cain, an Irish immigrant who came to Liverpool in the mid nineteenth century, was an ambitious and shrewd man. He married incredibly well, receiving the brewery as a wedding present from his already wealthy wife. Life surely does not get any better than that!   

Our tour took around 90 minutes and was made a fascinating experience, not just because of the Victorian architecture and history that surrounded us, but because of the witty storytelling of John, our guide for the evening. The tour began and ended in the The Brewery Tap, the Cains pub that is attached to the brewery, which was the perfect place to sample the product of the brewery. Included in the price of the tour were 2 pint tokens. Take your pick from the tremendous selection behind the bar, and you will be served by the friendliest barmaids in Liverpool. The sandwiches weren’t bad either.

Cains is now owned by the Dusanj brothers, who bought the business in the early 1990’s. Their aim was to grow the brand of the beer in conjunction with the brand of the city of Liverpool. Their hard work and expertise seems to be paying off as Cains is again beginning to flourish, as is the city of LIverpool.

The main reason?

The beer! Cains produces a fine selection of sensational ales and is the official beer of Liverpool’s 2008 European Capital of Culture.

To name just a few of the beers produced here:

-          Cains finest lager. Described by GQ magazine as the “greatest bottled lager in the world” and winner of many awards around the world. The label on this bottle has been designed by Peter Blake, who became famous as the sleeve designer for the Beatles “Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”.

-          Cains dark Mild. Described by my dad as “chocolatey and smooth”. He like his Mild, my dad.

-          Dragon Heart Brown ale; organic wheat beer; creamy stout; Fine raisin beer and Victorian Beer are just a few of the seasonally crafted beers that you can enjoy.

Are you thinking of planning a short break in Liverpool? If you are I would thoroughly recommend including the Cains brewery tour on your list of “Things to do in Liverpool”.  To book your tour, go to www.cains.co.uk or call 0151 709 8734.

When you plan your visit to Liverpool, you will of course need somewhere to stay. Should you stay in a hotel or serviced apartment? The choice between the two is a relatively new one for Liverpool’s visitor.

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