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Discover the Avery’s Beverages Factory Tour in Connecticut

The Avery’s Beverages Factory Tour in New Britain, Connecticut offers visitors a nostalgic look at one of America’s oldest continuously operating soda bottlers. This guided factory tour takes guests inside a working bottling plant where small-batch craft sodas are produced using traditional methods and real cane sugar. Known for its creative flavors and throwback glass bottles, Avery’s Beverages provides a hands-on, family-friendly factory experience rooted in New England history.

Why it’s special:
Founded in 1904, Avery’s Beverages is one of the last remaining independent soda bottlers in the United States. Visitors get to see authentic, small-scale bottling equipment in action and experience a piece of American beverage history that’s still very much alive.

History & Story of Avery’s Beverages

Avery’s Beverages was established in 1904 and has remained family-owned for generations. Based in New Britain, the company built its reputation on classic sodas made with cane sugar, creative seasonal flavors, and playful novelty varieties. Over the decades, Avery’s has survived Prohibition, industry consolidation, and changing tastes, emerging as a cult favorite for craft soda enthusiasts and nostalgic soda lovers alike.

What You’ll See & Do on the Avery’s Beverages Factory Tour

Tour the active soda bottling line and see bottles filled and capped
Learn how syrups are mixed and carbonated
Discover how Avery’s develops classic and novelty soda flavors
See vintage bottling equipment still in use today
Sample select sodas during the tour
Visit the on-site soda shop featuring hundreds of flavors

Hands-On Elements: Soda tastings included during the guided tour.
Photo/Video Policy: Photography allowed throughout the factory and retail areas.
Souvenirs & Extras: Retail soda shop with classic flavors, novelty sodas, and build-your-own soda packs.

Pricing of the Avery’s Beverages Factory Tour

Guided factory tour with tastings
Adult price: $5 per adult

Reservations are required due to limited group sizes.

Visiting information

Tours typically last 30–45 minutes and are conducted as guided group tours. The experience is suitable for all ages, making it popular with families and school groups. Most public areas are wheelchair accessible, though some factory pathways may be narrow.

Exact Tour & Soda Shop Hours:
Monday–Friday: 9:00 AM–4:00 PM
Closed: Saturday & Sunday

Tours are offered on weekdays by advance reservation.

Nearby

New Britain Museum of American Art
Walnut Hill Park
Central Connecticut State University

FAQs About Visiting the Avery’s Beverages Factory Tour

What makes Avery’s Beverages unique compared to other soda factories?
Avery’s is one of the oldest independent soda bottlers in the country and still uses traditional bottling methods. The factory operates on a small scale, allowing visitors to see real production rather than a large, automated industrial process.

Will I see soda being bottled during the tour?
Yes. Tours are scheduled during active production hours, so visitors usually see bottles being filled, capped, and labeled. The exact flavors being bottled may change from day to day.

Are soda samples included in the tour?
Yes. Guests typically sample several Avery’s sodas during the tour, including classic and seasonal flavors. Sampling is included in the ticket price.

Is the tour suitable for children and school groups?
Absolutely. The tour is family-friendly and educational, explaining carbonation, bottling, and flavor creation in a way that’s easy for children to understand.

Can I buy sodas directly from the factory?
Yes. The on-site soda shop is a major highlight, offering hundreds of flavors, novelty sodas, and custom mix-and-match packs that are difficult to find elsewhere.