Tower Brewery

The moment you walk into Tower Brewery, you clock the serious brewing kit behind glass - copper vessels catching the light, pipes snaking everywhere. It's proper industrial, the sort of place that makes you understand why people get obsessed with beer. Based just outside Burton-on-Trent, this is micro-brewery territory done right, and the owners clearly know what they're doing.

You can watch the brewing process if you time it right, though it's worth checking ahead on their website for tour availability. The shop stocks their own ales and ciders, and they'll happily chat through what makes each one different. It's not a massive operation - you won't spend four hours here - but forty minutes to an hour is realistic if you're genuinely interested in how the thing works. The taproom's small and often buzzy with locals, which is always a good sign.

Families with older kids will enjoy it more than those with toddlers, since it's fundamentally a working brewery rather than a theme park. If you're staying at one of the nearby glamping spots - Peake's Retreats or Broadleaves are both five-star rated and within easy reach - it makes for a decent afternoon excursion. Pair it with a walk around the Burton breweries trail and you've got a proper beer-focused day sorted.

Head here if you actually care about craft beer. If you're just after somewhere to sit with a pint, plenty of pubs do that better.