Your ticket includes paired food tastings comprising a full dinner, bourbon tastings and cocktails, a knowledgeable local guide for 3 hours, a lightweight audio headset so you can hear every story clearly, and a 20% gratuity for the front of house staff at every restaurant and bar we visit, so you do not need to tip at any of the stops we visit on the tour. Guide gratuity is not included but is appreciated.

You’ll enjoy multiple paired dishes comprising a full dinner. The tour is designed to leave you feeling satisfied; think dinner out at a great restaurant, just spread across several incredible stops rather than one place.

We’ve carefully designed the portions and food pairings to give you a nice warm “Kentucky Hug” without leaving you feeling overly intoxicated. You’ll enjoy a selection of half-sized cocktails and half-pours of bourbon across the evening, thoughtfully paced and paired with food at each stop.

We can accommodate vegetarian, gluten-free (not celiac), and dairy-free guests with advance notice. Unfortunately, Beyond the Barrel tour CANNOT accommodate a vegan menu, so vegan guests should plan to eat in advance. Due to set menus and individual venue policies, some preferences and allergies may not be fully accommodated at every stop. Please indicate your dietary needs when booking (you will also get a text reminder to send us your allergies). We cannot accommodate food restrictions without advance notice.

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

No, this is not a bourbon distillery tour. We may visit bottle shops or tasting rooms, but not bourbon distilleries. Most distilleries close early, and we head out around dinnertime. More importantly, this tour is designed to go beyond the barrel and explore bourbon outside the distillery experience, uncovering the history, culture, and culinary impact of bourbon in ways a distillery tour simply can’t. Think of it as the perfect complement to any distillery visits you’ve already done or have planned!

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 in NuLu. If your liver is up to the task, you could even squeeze in a Bourbon Trolley tour before the Beyond the Barrel tour, as they start and end within 30 minutes and 1 block of each other!

We’re all bourbon nerds here at Louisville Food Tours, and we love both experts and beginners! Distillery tours focus on the brands they craft and the process of making bourbon, with a somewhat predictable telling of history that centers the specific brand. Our tour takes a completely different approach.

We uncover the history of bourbon starting with its humble origins in the Appalachian foothills, trace its growth and cultural impact on Kentucky and Louisville, and dive into the stories the distilleries won’t tell you – including a much more nuanced and surprising telling of Prohibition, and why it was such a popular policy to begin with (though not as much Prohibition history as our Prohibition themed cocktail tour. Just a taste!). Along the way, you’ll taste a wide variety of bourbons, bourbon cocktails, and paired bites hand-picked for their ability to complement bourbon in surprising and delicious ways. It truly is an experience that goes beyond the barrel.

The tour starts early to ensure there’s plenty of room for our group at each stop. In the colder months, you’ll enjoy twilight and city lights after dark. In summer, your tour may begin while it’s still light out and the sun may still be setting by the time you finish. Either way, we’ll leave you at a stunning spot to soak in the NuLu neighborhood at the end of your evening.

Think of it as dinner, drinks, a bourbon tour, and a show all in one ticket. Your ticket includes a full dinner and drinks at some of the best bars and restaurants in Louisville, along with 3 hours of fun and information from an expert local guide.

The restaurants and tasting rooms on this tour are among the most celebrated in Louisville, and the bourbon pours and cocktails are higher-shelf selections. Our pricing reflects fair compensation for our guides, full menu price to our local restaurant partners, and a 20% gratuity for the staff at every stop. We’re proud of what we’ve built and confident it’s worth every penny.

The tour meets at Last Refuge in NuLu, 600 E Market St, Louisville, KY 40202. Please arrive 5–10 minutes before your tour’s start time. Your guide will be there to greet you.

The Beyond the Barrel tour runs Wednesdays through Fridays with departures at 5:00 PM and 5:30 PM. The tour lasts approximately 3 hours. Check current availability at our booking page — we recommend booking at least 1–2 weeks in advance, especially during peak season.

You’ll end your tour about a block from where you began. Since you’ll be drinking throughout the evening, we strongly encourage taking an Uber or Lyft to and from the tour — it makes for a much more relaxed experience.

The tour lasts approximately 3 hours and covers about 1 mile of flat sidewalks through NuLu at a relaxed evening pace with frequent stops. Wear comfortable shoes. The tour is 21+ and wheelchair accessible.

Yes, all participants must be 21 or older, even if they are not drinking. Valid ID is required. The tour is fully wheelchair accessible, following flat NuLu sidewalks throughout. All guests receive a lightweight audio headset so they can hear their guide clearly from any distance or in a noisy bar. Restrooms are available at every stop.

Guide gratuity is not included in the ticket price but is deeply appreciated. For your guide, most guests tip between 5–20%. You can pre-tip during booking, or at the end of your tour. Note that your ticket already covers a 20% gratuity for the staff at every restaurant and bar we visit, so you do not need to tip at any of the stops on the tour.

We recommend booking at least 1–2 weeks in advance. The tour is capped at 12 guests per departure and can sell out, especially during peak season from spring through fall and during major Louisville events like Kentucky Derby week. Check real-time availability at louisvillefoodtours.com/schedule.

Refundable tickets can be rescheduled or cancelled for a full refund up to 48 hours before the tour. Non-refundable tickets cannot be cancelled or rescheduled for any reason. To cancel or reschedule, call or text (502) 591-6155, email [email protected], or submit a contact form.

Yes! Beyond the Barrel is available as a private experience for groups and is perfect for corporate events, birthday celebrations, anniversary dinners, and bachelorette parties. Private tours can be customized for your group. Visit our private tours page to learn more, or contact us for a custom quote.