Bourbon Food Tour

Beyond the Barrel Bourbon Food Tour

Explore the taste, history, and impact of bourbon on this bourbon food tour. Experience bourbon like never before through expertly paired bites and cocktails that highlight the surprising versatility of Kentucky’s beloved amber spirit. As you explore the vibrant NuLu neighborhood, you’ll discover hidden speakeasies, rooftop terraces, and cozy tasting rooms. This tour is both a fantastic introduction to bourbon for the uninitiated, and a master class in bourbon and food pairing for experienced aficionados!

QUICK DETAILS

  • Distance: 1.5 miles, flat
  • Duration: 3 hours
  • Food Stops: 5 stops for bourbon drinks & bite-sized pairings
  • Capacity: 12 per tour
  • Time: Evenings, Tuesdays-Fridays
  • Accessibility: 21+, wheelchair friendly with advance notice

What to Expect

Each curated stop on this tour offers a unique experience, from sipping straight bourbon to expertly crafted bourbon cocktails paired with a variety of small bites. Here’s what else to expect:

Bourbon

From cocktails to tastings, you’ll be exploring bourbon’s surprising versatility!

Audio Headset​

To help you hear us from a distance.

Small Group

Our tours max out at 12 people.

Walking

1-1.5 Miles. Wear comfy shoes!

Explore NuLu

As the sun dips below the horizon, you’ll explore the trendy NuLu neighborhood and discover hidden speakeasies, rooftop terraces, and cozy tasting rooms handpicked for their expertise and dedication to crafting bourbon tastings and cocktails.

Where

Meet at 216 S Shelby St, Louisville, KY 40202

When​

Tuesdays – Friday, 5-8 PM

Smoked bourbon cocktail at a speakeasy in Louisville, Kentucky

Your Bourbon Food Tour Includes…

This curated experience combines the complex notes of bourbon with cuisine that defines Kentucky, through expertly paired bites and cocktails that highlight the surprising versatility of Kentucky’s beloved amber spirit. From food pairings that unlock notes of oak, amber and vanilla to surprising cocktails that you’d never guess were made with whiskey, get ready to experience Kentucky bourbon in a whole new way!

Over the 3 hours you’ll spend with us, you’ll get …

  • 4 Bourbon cocktails showcasing bourbon’s versatility
  • 5 Delicious paired bites
  • Guided Bourbon tasting on the Urban Bourbon Trail
  • The unfiltered history of bourbon in Kentucky
  • Jokes that we proof-tested on other people first, probably
  • Audio headset (the better to hear those jokes)

Tour Reviews

Read some of our many 5-star reviews from guests.

FAQ’s About This Tour

Take a look at the Frequently Asked Questions about the Bourbon Food Tour:

You’ll be eating 5 small pairings that will leave you feeling satisfied but not stuffed. That said, you may still have room for dinner after your tour – and we’ll be leaving you at a fantastic place to continue your evening.

While this is a bourbon tour, we’ve designed the portions and food pairings to give you a nice warm “Kentucky Hug” without leaving you intoxicated. In total, you will be drinking 4 delicious half-sized cocktails 2 small pours of bourbon.

Yes! You will enjoy refreshing non-alcoholic mocktails paired with delicious food and fascinating history. Please note that all participants on this tour must be 21+, even if you won’t be partaking.

You’ll end your tour a short walk from where you began. Since you will be drinking, we encourage you to take an UBER or Lyft to and from this tour!

Because we’ll be visiting some of Louisville’s most popular bars and restaurants, our tour starts early to ensure there’s plenty of room for us at each stop. During the colder months, this means you’ll enjoy twilight and twinkling city lights after dark. But for most of the year, your tour will likely begin while it’s still bright out and may end before the sun begins to set, depending on the season. (And we’ll be leaving you at an absolutely stunning place to catch the sunset.)

Have more questions about what to expect on our food tours? Browse the FAQ’s about all of our tours:

Browse All Tours

Curious about our other offerings? Take a look at our other Louisville tours!