A beer tour can feel chaotic, but this one has a plan. You hop between five Puerto Vallarta stops for 15 tastings, plus food samples built into the ride. It’s a smart way to compare micro-breweries without spending your night bouncing from place to place.

What I like most is the combo of craft beer and real meals: you get dinner-style tastings and not just tiny sips. The tour guides you might get—people like Chris, Gio, or Louis—tend to bring energy and a clear, easy-to-follow story of Mexico’s beer scene as you go. One thing to keep in mind: there’s no pickup or drop-off, and at Monzón Brewing Co the admission ticket isn’t included, so you’ll want a little flexibility in your budget.

Key things to know before you go

• Five stops in about four hours: paced so you can taste, eat, and still enjoy the evening
• 15 beer tastings plus 5 food tastings: enough to make it a full night out, not just a quick sampler
• Craft plus cocktails at El Tasting Room Bar & Liquor Store, including a big craft beer selection
• Stop 1 at Monzón Brewing Co includes food but not admission: plan for a possible extra charge
• Small group size with a maximum of 15 people, so it’s easier to ask questions
• Start at 3:30 pm and end back at the meeting point, which helps you keep your plans tidy

Brewery Bus Tour from Mexico: a 3:30 pm beer crawl with structure

This is the kind of tour I like for Puerto Vallarta: a set schedule, real time at each stop, and enough tastings to feel like you did something substantial. Starting at 3:30 pm means you’re not scrambling for dinner later—you’re basically working your way toward it.

The format also helps you avoid the most common beer-tour problem: ordering random beers at random times. Here, you’re guided through different breweries and bar concepts, so you can actually compare styles and flavors without doing extra homework.

And because the group is capped at 15, it’s not a loud stampede. You’ll have a better chance to hear the explanations, ask quick questions, and keep the evening fun instead of exhausting.

Price and value: what the $85 gets you (and what it doesn’t)

At $85 per person, the headline is the amount of tastings: 15 beer tastings plus 5 food tastings (listed as dinner/food tastings). If you’ve ever paid for a “drinks tour” where the food is an afterthought, this avoids that. You’re not just sampling liquids; you’re also getting a meal plan in bite-sized form.

You also get:

• Bottled water
• Alcoholic beverages as part of the tastings
• A local guide
• A mobile ticket in English

What’s not included is just as important:

• Gratuity (tips) are not included
• Pickup and drop-off are not included
• And Monzón Brewing Co admission ticket isn’t included (with other stops listed as free or included)

In plain terms: this price works best if you’d otherwise spend a lot of the same night paying separately for multiple beers and food. If you’re the type who only wants one or two drinks, you may feel it’s more tour than you need.

Meeting point and timing: plan your evening around the schedule

You meet at Vallarta Food Tours, Av México 1193-A, 5 de Diciembre, 48350 Puerto Vallarta. The tour starts at 3:30 pm and ends back at the meeting point. That “back where you started” detail matters more than it sounds: you don’t have to rearrange plans later, hunt for rides, or worry about where everyone disperses.

The tour is listed at about 4 hours, and each stop is slotted for a short visit (around 20–30 minutes). That’s deliberate. You get enough time to sample and settle in, but not so much that you’re trapped in one venue while the group waits.

Also note that the tour is offered in English, and it’s set up for people who can participate without special requirements. Service animals are allowed, and it’s described as near public transportation—handy if you want to come early or go back on your own.

Stop 1: Monzón Brewing Co and the food pairing that sets the tone

This first stop is Monzón Brewing Co, with about 20 minutes to start the evening right. The highlight here is the pairing: you’ll enjoy elote with savory pork belly while you taste some of the local favorite brews.

That matters because food helps you taste beer better. Salty, smoky, and creamy flavors from pork belly and elote can make hop bitterness seem cleaner, and it can also help strong flavors feel less heavy. It’s a smart way to make your first sips more enjoyable than a straight-up pint-by-pint start.

One practical caution: the stop’s note says admission ticket not included. The tour is still set up with tastings and food, but you should be ready for any extra entry charge that might apply at this specific brewery.

Stop 2: El Granero for pizza, a Vallarta twist, and a breezy tempo

Next is El Granero, the first brewer in the bay, and the vibe here is quick and food-focused. You’ll have about 30 minutes and try a pizza with a Vallarta twist.

This stop is marked as free admission, so you’re less likely to run into extra costs mid-tour. It also acts like a reset: after the heavier first pairing, pizza gives you comfort-food energy and something filling that keeps you from getting overwhelmed by alcohol later.

The pacing also helps. Two stops down, you’re not exhausted, and you’ve still got time for the more cocktail-leaning and taproom-style experiences that come next.

Stop 3: YamBak Puerto Vallarta and beer with Sayulita roots

Then you head to YamBak Puerto Vallarta, originally from Sayulita. The stop runs about 30 minutes, and admission is listed as free.

This is a good moment in the tour to pay attention to differences between breweries. When one place comes from a different town (Sayulita, in this case), you often get different influences in the beer—maybe how they balance malt and hops, or how they aim for drinkability. Even if you’re not a beer nerd, you’ll notice it by comparing flavors as you go.

If you like variety, this stop scratches that itch without slowing the day down. You get to sample, take notes in your head, and keep moving.

Stop 4: El Tasting Room Bar & Liquor Store for cocktails and a big craft selection

Stop four is El Tasting Room Bar & Liquor Store, and it’s where the tour broadens beyond straight beer. You get about 30 minutes at a spot known for hand-crafted cocktails and a large craft beer selection.

Even if you don’t plan to drink cocktails, the reason I like this stop is simple: it gives you context. Beer flavors don’t live in a vacuum. Seeing how bartenders build drinks—and how the same bar stocks a wide craft range—helps you understand what the scene values right now.

Admission here is listed as free, so this is another stop where you’re less likely to face extra charges. The trade-off is that a bar can feel busier or more “showroom” than a brewery. If you’re looking for pure brewing tech, you might treat this stop as a tasting-and-sample atmosphere rather than a full-on factory visit.

Stop 5: Los Cuentos Taproom for flavor and culture

The final stop is Los Cuentos Taproom, listed as about 30 minutes and marked with admission included.

This is described as a favorite among locals for unique flavors, with an emphasis on flavor and culture. That wording is basically a promise: you’re more likely to find something here that tastes different from the simpler “easy crowd-pleasers.” A taproom like this is usually where you get more experimental brews or combinations you wouldn’t think to order on your own.

It also works emotionally. By the last stop, you’ve tried multiple breweries, and now you can decide what you genuinely like. Use the final minutes to reorder something that matches your preferences from earlier tastings, or ask your guide what they think you should try next after the tour.

The guides: why Chris, Gio, or Louis can make the ride feel personal

The tour runs with a local guide, and the quality of that guide really shapes how fun the night feels. In the feedback around this experience, guides like Chris, Gio, and Louis come up for a few consistent reasons: friendly delivery, good English, and a conversational tone.

Gio is specifically highlighted for talking about Mexico’s beer scene and how newer craft breweries are emerging. Chris is highlighted for making the stops feel like a real exploration—plus solid recommendations for what to do after the tour. And Louis is noted for delivering a strong lineup of beer selection and food.

Even if you’re not looking for a lecture, this matters. Beer tastes better when you understand what you’re tasting—at least the basics. You’ll probably remember the beers more, and you’ll feel more confident ordering the next one back in a bar.

How to pace yourself: beer tastings + food tastings = easier night

This tour is built around 15 tastings, which is a lot more than a casual first-timer might expect. The good news is you’re also getting 5 food tastings, plus water. That food-to-beer ratio makes a big difference.

Here’s how I’d plan your own mindset:

• Expect to slow down between sips so you can actually taste
• Use the pizza and elote/pork belly to keep your palate steady
• Save your strongest opinions for later stops (once you’ve compared a few styles)

Also, remember it’s a 4-hour outing starting at 3:30 pm. If you’re the kind of person who drinks fast and then regrets it, this structure can still work—but you’ll need to go at a human pace. The small group size helps because your guide can often steer you toward what you’ll enjoy.

What to pack and how to make it smoother

The tour details don’t list special gear requirements, but you’ll still want to show up prepared.

I’d plan for:

• Comfortable shoes for moving between venues
• A light layer, since late afternoon/evening can feel different than midday
• A little cash or card backup in case Monzón Brewing Co’s admission ends up being an extra charge for you

If you’re coming from the rest of your day, consider eating something light before the tour starts. You’ll get food tastings, but arriving hungry can make tastings feel like they’re happening too fast.

Who this Puerto Vallarta brewery bus tour is best for

This tour is a strong match if you:

• Love craft beer and want to compare several places without doing research
• Want your night to include food, not just alcohol
• Prefer a small-group experience (maximum of 15)
• Like guides who talk through the scene as you go (English is included)

It may not be ideal if you:

• Only want one or two drinks
• Don’t want to handle the possibility of extra admission at Monzón Brewing Co
• Need a tour with pickup/drop-off (this one doesn’t include it)

Should you book this Brewery Bus Tour from Mexico?

I’d book this if you want a structured beer night that feels local, tastes varied, and includes real food. The best part is the math: $85 buys a guide, 15 beer tastings, and 5 food tastings across five stops—so you’re paying for a complete experience, not random bar time.

If you hate the idea of possible extra entry at the first brewery, or you’re planning your night around a strict budget, double-check that Monzón’s admission isn’t a surprise for you. And if you’re all about cocktails more than beer, you’ll still get something fun at El Tasting Room, but the core of the tour is definitely beer.

FAQ

What time does the Puerto Vallarta brewery bus tour start, and how long is it?

It starts at 3:30 pm and runs for about 4 hours, ending back at the meeting point.

How much does the tour cost and what’s included in the price?

The price is $85.00 per person. It includes bottled water, alcoholic beverages with 15 beer tastings, 5 food tastings (dinner), and a local guide.

Are admissions included at each stop?

Monzón Brewing Co lists admission ticket not included. El Granero, YamBak Puerto Vallarta, and El Tasting Room Bar & Liquor Store list admission as free. Los Cuentos Taproom lists admission as included.

Where is the meeting point?

The meeting point is Vallarta Food Tours, Av México 1193-A, 5 de Diciembre, 48350 Puerto Vallarta, Jal., Mexico.

Is pickup and drop-off provided?

No. Pickup and drop-off are not included, and the tour ends back at the meeting point.

What’s the cancellation policy if weather is poor?

Cancellation is free if you cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. The tour requires good weather; if it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.