Bogotá: Craft Beer Tour with Tasting

Bogotá’s beer story begins in an old house where the first beer brewed by a Colombian was made. From there, this small-group tour moves through craft breweries, local bars, and a final beer stop with one of the city’s broadest selections. It is a smart way to connect a drink with Colombia’s Colonial, Republican, and Modern periods.

I like the mix of beer tasting and local culture, especially the opening game of Tapazo and the chance to try drinks such as chicha or aguardiente. I also like the small group, capped at 10, and the guides, including Melissa, Cristian, Andrea, and others, who add practical tips about Bogotá along the way.

The main thing to consider is the amount of alcohol. Five pints or glasses, a bottle, and samples can catch up with you, and several stops may not offer much for non-beer drinkers. The start can also feel early if you want busy bar atmosphere from the first pour.

Key points at a glance

• Start with Tapazo: A traditional Colombian game helps break the ice before the first tastings.
• Follow three eras of beer: The guide explains how Colonial, Republican, and Modern Colombia shaped brewing and drinking.
• Visit several local venues: Huitaca, Manigua, Medellin, a bar with its own brewing setup, and a final large beer hall or bar form the core route.
• Try more than beer: Chicha and aguardiente may appear alongside local craft pours, adding a Colombian angle to the tasting.
• Small and social: The group limit of 10 makes it easier to meet people, ask questions, and stay together at night.
• Plan for a full drinking session: The $58 price includes a bottle, five pints or glasses, and samples, but it is not a light tasting.

Why Bogotá beer is a good way to learn the city

Bogotá’s beer culture is more interesting than a quick look at the standard national lagers suggests. This tour uses beer to explain how Colombia changed over time, beginning with the Colonial period, moving through the Republican era, and ending with modern craft brewing.

That structure gives the afternoon a clear purpose. You are not simply moving from bar to bar. You are hearing why brewing developed as it did, how local ingredients enter modern recipes, and how older Colombian drinks fit beside newer craft beer.

I especially like that the experience includes drinks beyond beer. Chicha, an older fermented drink associated with Indigenous communities, has appeared on tours, sometimes at a participant’s request. Aguardiente may also be offered. These additions help you understand that Colombian drinking culture is not limited to pilsner or pale ale.

The guide leads in English, and the best guides make the history easy to follow rather than turning it into a lecture. Melissa has led several departures, while Cristian, Andrea, Alejandra, Camila, Maria, Yuly, and others have also guided the route. The exact guide can vary, but the format depends heavily on having someone who can explain both the drinks and the city.

Meeting at Cranky Croc and getting acquainted

The tour begins at Cranky Croc hostel, at Cl. 12d #346 in Bogotá. Arrive ready to walk between venues and meet a mixed group of up to 10 people.

Tapazo is used as the opener. It gives the group something to do with their hands while names and travel plans begin to circulate. This matters because the social side is one of the tour’s strongest features. If you are on your own, the first game makes it easier to join the conversation without forcing small talk over a noisy bar.

Some past departures have also included tejo, another Colombian game, but Tapazo is the activity described for the standard start. Do not book expecting tejo every time. The exact games and stops can change.

The small-group size is a real advantage. Ten people is large enough for a lively evening, but still manageable when the guide explains a beer or keeps the group together on foot. It also gives you a fair chance to ask questions, which is harder on a large pub crawl.

The old house and Colombia’s three beer eras

The historical opening takes place at an old house connected with the first beer brewed by a Colombian. This is the point where the tour becomes more than a tasting.

The guide explains the Colonial, Republican, and Modern periods, then links each era to beer production and drinking habits. You get a basic timeline for understanding how imported brewing traditions, local tastes, and newer craft methods fit together.

I find this useful because beer styles can otherwise seem random. A tropical beer, a coffee-infused recipe, or a more familiar pale ale becomes easier to place when you understand the country’s changing food and drink culture.

The historic stop is not presented as a long museum visit. It is an introduction before the tasting begins. If you want a detailed brewery science course, this is not that kind of tour. If you want enough context to make the later drinks more meaningful, it does the job well.

Huitaca brings in tropical flavor

The next major stop is Huitaca, a local brewery where you receive a pint of tropical beer. This is an early chance to see how Colombian ingredients and climate can shape craft brewing.

The tropical pour gives the group something distinctive to discuss. You may find it fruit-forward or noticeably different from the standard beer served in many Bogotá bars. The point is not simply to identify a style. It is to see how brewers make a beer that feels tied to its setting.

You will want to pace yourself here. A full pint early in a three-hour tour is not a sample, and several more drinks are still ahead. Eat before the tour or make sure you are comfortable drinking at this rate.

Manigua and Medellin: comparing local craft pours

After Huitaca, the route continues to Manigua and Medellin. These stops let you compare different local approaches instead of placing all the attention on one brewery.

The names may sound like a simple list, but the value comes from contrast. A beer can taste different because of the grain bill, fruit, coffee, chocolate, or brewing method. Past tastings have included beers using local flavors such as passion fruit, coffee, and chocolate.

Your guide can explain what is in the glass and how it fits Colombian craft beer. Guides such as Luis have been praised for connecting beer origins with the country’s culture and development. That connection is useful for first-time visitors who want more than a menu description.

The exact beer selection depends on what each venue has available. One departure has had to change the route because a stop was out of beer. Treat the listed breweries as the intended shape of the tour, not a guarantee that every label or venue will be identical on your date.

A Bogotá bar with its own mini-brewery

The next stop shifts the mood from specialist brewery to a trendy Bogotá bar that makes its own beer. Here you can see a small brewing setup while local customers come in for an after-work drink.

This is one of the more useful transitions in the route. The earlier venues focus on tasting and craft production. The bar shows you how beer fits into ordinary city life, not just into a tour designed for visitors.

It is also a chance to speak with locals and watch the evening build. One practical issue is timing. If the tour begins too early, the first bars may be quiet, and the social atmosphere can feel thin. A later start would bring more after-work energy, but a later finish could make the evening less convenient.

Most departures run for about three hours, but the pace can stretch if the group connects well. Some groups have continued drinking with the guide afterward. That is not part of the guaranteed three-hour schedule, so plan your dinner and transport with the official duration in mind.

The final stop and Bogotá’s widest beer choice

The last destination is meant to offer one of the largest craft beer selections in Bogotá. This is where you can move from guided tasting to personal choice.

Earlier stops give you a particular beer chosen for the venue. The final stop gives you a menu with enough range for different tastes. If you have discovered that you prefer a fruit beer, a darker pour, or something more familiar, this is the place to follow that preference.

Food and atmosphere can also make this a strong ending. Casa Magola has been part of at least one especially well-liked finish, with food and a relaxed setting rounding out the afternoon. The venue may vary, so do not treat Casa Magola as a fixed promise, but expect the final stop to function as the tour’s broadest tasting point.

This is also a sensible place to slow down. By now, you may have had a bottle, several glasses, and samples. You do not need to treat every pour as a race. Ask the guide how much remains and decide how much you want to drink.

What the $58 price really includes

At $58 per person, the price is fair if you use the full package. It includes one bottle of beer, five pints or glasses, and samples. You are also paying for a guide, historical explanation, group coordination, and access to places you might not find easily on your own.

The value is strongest for solo visitors and people who want an organized evening. Finding several craft beer venues independently can take time, and ordering at each stop without context gives you less insight into Colombian brewing. The tour also handles the social side, which is often the hardest part of going out alone.

The value is less clear if you drink very little or only want one favorite beer. Five pours plus a bottle is a substantial amount, and one participant found that alternatives were limited at several stops. A non-drinker in a group has received help finding other drinks, but this is primarily a beer tour.

Food is not listed as included. Since the drinking starts early, have a meal beforehand or budget separately for food at the final venue. Do not assume that tastings will replace dinner.

Guides, language, and the social side

The tour is conducted in English. The guide quality matters because the route crosses from history to brewing to nightlife, and the best leaders keep all three parts connected.

Melissa has been especially effective at making the experience both informative and social. Cristian has been praised for explaining not only beer but also the wider area and Colombian life. Andrea has helped groups feel safe and welcome, even when the planned route needed to change. Other guides, including Camila, Alejandra, Yuly, Luciani, and Maria, have also led departures.

Those names do not guarantee who will lead your tour. They do show the range of the guide team and the kind of experience you can expect: conversation, local context, and practical help rather than a formal lecture.

The group setting is ideal if you want to meet people. Solo participants have made friends, and couples have found it easy to join in. The evening can become quite social, especially when the group plays a game or continues chatting between venues.

Practical concerns before you book

Wear comfortable shoes. The experience involves moving between several places, and you should not arrive in footwear suited only to sitting at a bar.

Leave luggage and large bags behind. Pets are not allowed. The tour is listed as wheelchair accessible, but the information provided does not describe the exact surfaces, distances, or restroom setup at each stop, so contact the operator if you need details for your particular requirements.

Pregnant women should not book this experience because of the alcohol tastings. The same advice applies to anyone who must avoid alcohol for medical or personal reasons, especially since alternatives may not be available at every venue.

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. The reserve-now, pay-later option is useful if your plans are still moving, though you should still check the available start time before committing.

Who will enjoy this Bogotá beer tour?

I would choose this for:

• Solo visitors who want an easy way to meet people
• Couples who enjoy beer but also want Colombian history and culture
• Craft beer drinkers interested in tropical fruit, coffee, chocolate, and passion fruit recipes
• First-time Bogotá visitors who want a guided evening in local bars
• People who prefer a small group to a large pub crawl

I would be more cautious if you want a quiet tasting, a late-night party from the first stop, or many non-alcoholic choices. It can begin before the bars are lively, and the total alcohol allowance is generous.

The tour is also a good fit if you are nervous about walking around Bogotá at night. One participant chose it for that reason and found the group format worthwhile. That does not remove the need for ordinary city awareness, but staying with a guide and a small group can make the evening feel easier to manage.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want beer to be your route into Bogotá’s culture, not just a series of drinks. The old-house history, Indigenous-linked drinks such as chicha, local craft breweries, and conversations with a guide give the evening more substance than a standard bar crawl.

At $58, it offers solid value for a drinker who will use the included pours and enjoys meeting people. Just eat first, wear comfortable shoes, expect some changes in the venue lineup, and pace yourself. If you do not drink beer, or if you want a highly controlled tasting with equal alternatives at every stop, choose another activity.

FAQ

How long does the Bogotá craft beer tour last?

The scheduled duration is three hours. Some groups may continue socializing afterward, but that extra time is not part of the stated tour duration.

How much does the tour cost?

The price is $58 per person.

What drinks are included?

You receive one bottle of beer, five pints or glasses of beer, and samples. Some departures have also included Colombian drinks such as chicha and aguardiente.

Where does the tour meet?

The meeting point is Cranky Croc hostel at Cl. 12d #346, Bogotá, Colombia.

Is the tour conducted in English?

Yes. The live guide leads the activity in English.

How large is the group?

It is a small-group tour limited to 10 participants.

Can I cancel the booking?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. A reserve-now, pay-later option is also available.