Take a tour for close encounter with jelly beans, cookies or beer

To get a behind-the-scenes look at some of your favorite fun foods and drinks, Lodi and the surrounding area have much to offer.

The Jelly Belly Factory in Fairfield and Spaans Cookie Company in Galt should satisfy the sweet tooth, while beer enthusiasts may enjoy a tour of the Anheuser-Busch Company in Fairfield, as well as samples of the sudsy brew.

People will go nuts about the selection at the Lodi Nut Company.

Craving chocolate? Then head to Clements and tour the Chocoholics Divine Desserts plant or make a trip to Oakdale to see the Hershey Visitor’s Center and Gift Shoppe. And why go to Oakdale again? It’s the cheese. Visit Oakdale Cheese and Specialties.

At the Jelly Belly Factory, visitors can go on tours that leave every 15 minutes. They will receive a special Jelly Belly hat. Visitors can see jelly bean mosaic pictures, the most famous of which are portraits of late President Ronald Reagan, who enjoyed jelly beans.

Aromas of cinnamon and bubble gum may waft through the hallways as visitors look down and see the colored candies in various stages of development on racks, in containers and in machines below. Visitors will also see the process for how large 100-pound blocks of taffy are made into the small swirl sweets.

The visitor center includes a sampling bar, a gift and candy shop, and a cafe open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The factory is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. except for certain holidays. No reservations are required.

Tours last about 40 minutes. On weekends, the machines don’t operate, but visitors can view the process on video monitors.

The Jelly Belly Candy Company is located at One Jelly Belly Lane in Fairfield. For more information, call (800) 9-JellyBean, or visit www.jellybelly.com.

The Spaans Cookie Company in Galt is a family tradition that began in the late 1800s. The Spaans family started baking in 1896 and came to Galt in the mid-1900s, according to the company’s Web site.

Cookie varieties seem endless and include sugar-free and low-fat varieties. Sugar-free include lemon chiffon, fudge ’n’ chips and chocolate cherry jubilee. Other cookies include classic chewy chocolate chip, fruit ’n’ honey, spiced windmill and soft oatmeal.

Visitors can browse through the cookies, candies and gifts in the store and may get a glimpse of the 100-foot oven, which can produce 64,000 cookies an hour.

Spaans Cookie Company is located at 465 C St., Galt. For information, call 745-1974, or visit www.spaanscookie.com.

Those who enjoy a Budweiser beer on a hot afternoon — or any afternoon — and are curious about how all that beer is made can take a trip to the Anheuser-Busch Company plant, also in nearby Fairfield.

Adolphus Busch and his father-in-law Eberhard Anheuser started the Anheuser-Busch company in the mid-1800s. Budweiser beer was created in the late 1800s and took off from there, according to the Web site. The beer begins with barley malt, milled rice and water.

Visitors to the plant can see the whole process and taste beer as well (if you’re 21 or older). Themed merchandise is available in the gift shop.

Tours are available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday during the months of September through May; tours are Monday through Saturday during the months of June through August. The store is open until 5 p.m.

Anheuser-Busch is located at 3101 Busch Drive, Fairfield. For more information, call (707) 429-7595, or visit www.budweisertours.com.

The Lodi Nut Company gift shop offers a variety of flavored and candy-covered nuts. Each season, gift-wrapped nuts are available to go with the holiday, whether it’s Valentine’s Day, Easter or Christmas. The nuts can make great gifts, party favors and refreshments. Gift baskets are also available.

Lodi Nut Company began as Stone Nut Company in 1919, according to the Web site. Theodore Hochhalter bought the company in 1949, and his family remains in charge of the operation. Production departments include retail packaging, macadamia processing, custom dicing and sizing, roasting and shell grinding.

The gift shop is open 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday during the holiday seasons; it is open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. the rest of the months.

Lodi Nut Company is located at 1230 S. Fairmont Ave., Lodi. For more information, call (800) WAL-NUTS or 334-4888, or visit www.lodinut.com.

Chocolate lovers can visit the Chocoholics Divine Dessert factory in Clements. Visitors can take a self-guided tour of the 20,000 square foot factory, which comes complete with an observation hall, a glass windowed deck that runs the length of the factory so you can see the chocolate manufacturing process first hand.

Four television monitors also provide an animated look at where chocolate comes from, chocolate trivia and facts as well as the history of the Chocoholics company. Finish the tour in the retail store where you can get chocolate samples or buy some of their handmade chocolates, espresso drinks, ice cream and fresh baked goods.

Arrive on a weekend if you want to try the factory’s chocolate and wine pairings, a free event pairing Chocoholics chocolate with wines from Ironstone Vineyards, Borra Winery and Miramount Estates.

The plant is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

Chocoholics Divine Desserts is located at 18819 E. Highway 88, Clements. For more information, call 759-3340.

And if you still want more chocolate, head to Hershey Visitor’s Center and Gift Shoppe in Oakdale. Tours of the factory are no longer available, but the chocolate-making process can be seen in pictures. The gift shop includes an array of Hershey products such as T-shirts accessories and candy.

The shop is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The Hershey Visitor’s Center and Gift Shoppe is located at 120 S. Sierra Ave., Oakdale. For more information, call (209) 848-8126, or visit www.hersheys.com/discover/oakdale.

For the perfect picnic food item or party hor d’oeuvre, visit the Oakdale Cheese and Specialties to see how cheese is made. The factory is known for its gouda cheese, and tours of the old-fashioned cheese-making process are available.

The store offers deli foods including 30 varieties of cheeses, meats, spreads, curd and more. A bakery offers cheesecakes, brownies, cheese truffles and more. Gifts include cheese graters, Dutch specialties, fondue pots and more.

The store is open every day from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oakdale Cheese and Specialties is located at 10040 Highway 120, Oakdale. For more information, call (209) 848-3139 or visit www.oakdalecheese.com.

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