Bourbon Food Tour

Beyond the Barrel: Walking Bourbon Tour with Food Pairings

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Uncover the secrets of Kentucky bourbon.

Go beyond the barrel to dive into bourbon’s storied history – and learn all the stories they won’t tell you on a Kentucky Bourbon Trail distillery tour! As the sun sets over the vibrant NuLu neighborhood, you’ll visit award-winning restaurants, hidden speakeasies, rooftop terraces, and cozy tasting rooms.

  • Trace the origins of bourbon whiskey from its roots in the Appalachian foothills to today’s thriving bourbon scene
  • Unlock bourbon’s versatility and depth through paired bites, pours, and cocktails
  • Enjoy modern takes on two classic Louisville bourbon cocktails, the Old Fashioned and the Mint Julep
  • Land a few coveted tables at some of the most celebrated restaurants in town, including award-winning Nami by Chef Edward Lee

QUICK DETAILS

  • Distance: 1.5 miles
  • Duration: 3 hours
  • Food Stops: 4 stops
  • Capacity: 12
  • Time: 5 – 8 PM, Wed-Fri
  • Accessibility: 21+, wheelchair friendly
Cocktail and food at Nami on Bourbon Food Tour in NuLu with Louisville Food Tours in Louisville Kentucky
Gerties Speakeasy in NuLu Louisville Kentucky
Twilight over the skyline in Louisville, Kentucky from a rooftop bar
Food at Nami on the Bourbon Food Tour in NuLu with Louisville Food Tours Louisville Kentucky
Mint cocktail at Bar Genevieve in Louisville Kentucky on a bourbon food tour
Chef Ed Lee with Jeremy Garcia in NuLu with Louisville Food Tours Louisville Kentucky
Bourbon and cheese pairing in NuLu, Louisville, Kentucky
Bourbon Bottles at Taste Fine Wines on the Bourbon Food Tour in NuLu with Louisville Food Tours in Louisville Kentucky
Bread Pudding Dessert at High Stakes in NuLu on Louisville Food Tours bourbon food tour

The World’s Only Walking Bourbon & Food Tour

Perfect for both bourbon newcomers and seasoned enthusiasts, this guided walking tour offers an experience that you won’t find at any bourbon distillery.

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

  • Bourbon tastings & cocktails
  • Delicious paired bites, comprising a full dinner
  • The unfiltered history of bourbon in Kentucky
  • Fun & knowledgeable guides
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Tour Reviews

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Twilight over the skyline in Louisville, Kentucky from a rooftop bar
Bike rider in Nulu at dusk on the Bourbon Food Tour in NuLu with Louisville Food Tours Louisville Kentucky
Bourbon tasting in NuLu, Louisville, Kentucky
Bourbon cocktail at Bar Genevieve in Louisville Kentucky on a bourbon food tour
Food at Nami on the Bourbon Food Tour in NuLu with Louisville Food Tours Louisville Kentucky
Guide and guests on the sidewalk in NuLu on a food tour with Louisville Food Tours
Old Fashioned in a speakeasy in NuLu, Louisville, Kentucky
Tour guide and group at Taste Fine Wine and Bourbons on the Bourbon Food Tour in NuLu with Louisville Food Tours Louisville Kentucky
Bread Pudding Dessert at High Stakes in NuLu on Louisville Food Tours bourbon food tour

Explore NuLu at Night

As the sun sets over the vibrant NuLu neighborhood – lauded as one of “The Best Food Neighborhoods in the USA” – you’ll visit award-winning restaurants, hidden speakeasies, rooftop terraces, and cozy tasting rooms.

Where

Meet at the Last Refuge in NuLu

When​

Wednesdays – Fridays, 5-8 PM

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What to Expect

This tour includes 4 stops for libations, as well as an assortment of small bites. Here’s what else to expect:

5-Star Experience

Enjoy an expert guide, 4 of the best restaurants in town, and a special gift at the end of your journey.

Bourbon

From cocktails to tastings, you’ll explore bourbon’s versatility.

Small Group

Our public tours max out at 12 people for a more personalized experience.

Audio Headset​

To help hear your expert guide, even from a distance or in a noisy bar.

Walking

1.5 Miles. Wear comfy shoes!

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FAQ’s About This Tour

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

We will not be visiting bourbon distilleries on this tour! Distilleries close early, and we’ll be venturing out around dinnertime. Plus, we’re going beyond the barrel to explore bourbon outside of the distillery – and diving into the stories they don’t tell you on distillery tours. Our guided bourbon food tour is a perfect complement to a Kentucky bourbon trail distillery visit!

If you’d like to plan a distillery visit before your tour, both Rabbit Hole and Angel’s Envy distilleries are within walking distance of the tour’s starting point, and close at 5PM.

We’re all bourbon nerds here at Louisville Food Tours, and we LOVE bourbon experts – and beginners, too! Our tour is the perfect accompaniment to visiting distilleries along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.

Unlike bourbon distilleries, which focus on the specific brands they craft and the process of making bourbon, along with the occasional morsel of history (usually about Prohibition, which is represented the exact same way on every distillery tour we’ve taken – and we’ve taken most of them), our tour is a more well-rounded approach to bourbon’s history and cultural impact.

We uncover the history of bourbon starting with its humble origins in the Appalachian foothills, trace its growth and impact on Kentucky and Louisville, and dive into the stories the distilleries won’t tell you about Prohibition – like why it was such a popular policy to begin with (and the answers may surprise you).

Along the way, you’ll taste a wide variety of bourbons, bourbon cocktails, and paired bites that we’ve hand-picked for their ability to pair with bourbon in surprising and delicious ways. Not to mention, you’ll land a few coveted tables at some of the most hard-to-book restaurants in town, including award-winning Nami (and you just might meet our local celebrity Chef Ed Lee, as well.)

It’s truly an experience that goes beyond the barrel to truly expand on what you might have already learned on bourbon distillery tours!

You’ll be eating 5 paired bites that will leave you feeling satisfied, but not overly stuffed. You may still have a little room after your tour – and we’ll be leaving you at a fantastic place to continue your evening!

We’ve designed the portions and food pairings to give you a nice warm “Kentucky Hug” without leaving you feeling overly intoxicated. In total, you will be drinking 3 delicious half-sized cocktails and 2 half-pours of bourbon.

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

You’ll end your tour about a block 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 award-winning 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 some of the year, your tour might begin while it’s still bright out. In the middle of summer, it may even end before the sun begins to set. Oh, 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:

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Premium Bourbon Upgrade

Louisville Food Tours Premium Bourbon Package

Elevate your experience with 3 hard-to-find, top-shelf bourbon pours! You’ll also take home a custom rocks glass, sleek slate coaster, and a set of engraved whiskey stones. The perfect tour enhancement for bourbon enthusiasts and a memorable gift for birthdays, anniversaries, and special occasions.

This upgrade package includes:

  • 3 Rare, premium bourbon pours
  • Customized rocks glass
  • Engraved whiskey stones
  • Slate coaster

Learn more about how you can elevate your tour.

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