A sudsy new tour is now offering hop heads an inside look at San Antonio’s beer scene — without having to peddle around in 100-degree weather. City Brew Tours, a Vermont-based franchise, offers a guided experience with planned tastings, snacks, and air-conditioned transportation.

Entrepreneur Chad Brodsky started the company in 2008 after taking a beermaking 101 class. Although he didn’t have a knack for creating quaffable ales, he did fall in love with the brewery community and began toting tourists around in a former church van.

Local franchise owner Michael Lerch shares the founder’s passion for local craft beer scenes. San Antonio guests don’t just pull up for a pint; they get to meet the people responsible for some of their favorite (or soon-to-be-favorite) IPAs.

“San Antonio's brewing scene deserves a bigger spotlight, and that’s really the intention behind these tours,” says Lerch. “We've got incredible breweries and a tight community that really supports each other and carries on the legacy of San Antonio as a premier brewing city.”

The easily bookable tours might also be a lifeline to Alamo City’s struggling craft brewery scene, which is, like the rest of the nation, weathering a downturn.

Tours begin at Hotel Indigo on the River Walk (830 N. St. Mary's St.) and then travel through three selected sites. Although the exact breweries visited depend on the booking, most are near the central core of the city. The company lists Alamo Beer Company, Idle Beer, Breakaway Brewing, Kunstler Brewing, Back Unturned Brewing Co., and Longtab Brewing as possible stops.

Times vary by day, but daytime tours generally kick off at noon and evening trips start at either 5 pm or 6 pm. The public tour ticket prices are $89 per guest, but private tours are available for engagement parties, corporate retreats, and other special groups.