Marston’s has been at the heart of Britain’s brewing mecca, Burton, for nearly 170 years. It sustains its reputation as an upholder of tradition with energy, being the only brewer still to employ coopers and to use Burton Union sets to ferment its beers – opposing regiments of casks connected with shiny pipes to a long, open-topped fermenting trough. In recognition of the respect they are held in, the room holding six pairs is known as the “cathedral”. 

But Marston’s isn’t stuck in the past, and the highly informative tour illustrates this well. Friendly guides fill visitors in on the area’s extensive brewing history and the pivotal role of Burton’s water before taking groups into the iconic tower brewery.

While traversing the vast brewhouse, the intricacies of said brewing reactions are deftly explained before entering the bottling hall. To finish, generous samples are provided in the convivial Visitor’s Centre, with a fun selection of memorabilia to take a look at.

Visited: Spring 2010