cowdery Posted October 2, 2006 Share Posted October 2, 2006 What do you think makes a good tour of a distillery? Let's assume that we all want a knowledgeable tour guide. Be specific, please. Also, do you think what you as an enthusiast might want to see is different from what a general tourist who thinks it "might be interesting to see a distillery" would want to see?A lot of a distillery looks like a big plumbing experiment. If all I can see are tanks and pipes, it really doesn't matter to me all that much what each tank does and where each pipe goes.The things I think people enjoy seeing are the fermenters (especially open ones), the spirit safe, a barrel house and a bottling line. Each gives the guide a good chance to talk about the process. The stills and cookers aren't much to see. One thing I think an enthusiast tour should include is the yeast room. In most descriptions of the process, you "follow" the grain. Then, suddenly, yeast appears, but the way the yeast gets there is pretty interesting too (and more interesting in some places than in others).What is it for you that "makes" a tour? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pappy's Friend Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 Well, you've pretty well nailed a good tour for me. So far, I've done Jim Beam, Heaven Hill, Maker's Mark, Woodford Reserve, and Buffalo Trace. Heaven HIll was no tour, but the tasting in their visitor center was exceptional. The Maker's Mark and Woodford Reserve were the closest to all-inclusive. Curious as I am, I'd like to follow the entire process from receipt of the grain to distribution of the bottles.That said, my favorite part of any tour is the barrel warehouse. I think I could just curl up and take a nap in there! Ah, to be an angel and get the angel's share! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepcycle Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 The Best Tour I've ever been on was the "we don't do tours" tour at Barton. No BS. No marketing Hype. No video of horses running through a field. A walk through an operational factory, yes factory. No pretensions. Best part: Talking with the dude who runs the column still who knows by feel when to fire up the thumper or throw chunks of copper pipe into the still. I learned more in 20 minutes at that still station than I have in 10 other tours. The second best part of that tour was a barrel sample of whiskey that would be mingled to become 1792. BARTON: Just sell that stuff!!!!! Conclusion: Organized tours are too "theatric" for me. Give me the real stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdery Posted October 4, 2006 Author Share Posted October 4, 2006 "...throw chunks of copper pipe into the still."Oh really?While there is something called a "packed still," which can involve random chunks of copper pipe, the obstacle I see to doing that in a column still while it's running is how do you open it up to introduce said pipe without radically changing the internal temperature and pressure of the still?Also, I believe Barton uses a conventional doubler, not a thumper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TNbourbon Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 ...Also, I believe Barton uses a conventional doubler, not a thumper.Reputedly, Chuck, they weren't using anything that day!:shocked: I heard what Ed heard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdery Posted October 4, 2006 Author Share Posted October 4, 2006 Is is possible your legs were being pulled? Not on the doubler/thumper but on the "...throw chunks of copper pipe..."? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moses Posted October 26, 2006 Share Posted October 26, 2006 Jack Daniel was a fun tour and the town is cute. But this has been my only tour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chasking Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 An "enthusiast" tour at least should focus on what makes a given distillery different from other distilleries (and answers involving "our people" or "tradition" are unacceptable). Inasmuch as the basic process is similar everywhere, focusing on the differences, even if subtle, can help avoid a "seen one, seen 'em all" feeling.I should say by way of full disclosure that I have not yet toured a bourbon distillery, but on a trip to Scotland we toured a bunch of distilleries in a relatively short time, and they all explained the basic process, i.e., "Here's the grain mill. Here's the fermenter. Here's the mash tun." But they didn't put as much emphasis on how their process or facility is different from the distillery down the road. I suppose if you generally get bus tours of people with only a vague sense of how whiskey is made, focusing on the basics is important, but...Maybe one of the good things distilleries could do to improve tours is to offer an "enthusiast" tour by appointment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BourbonJoe Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 But they didn't put as much emphasis on how their process or facility is different from the distillery down the road. Maybe it's that 200 year old rope that hangs above the mash tun. :bigeyes: Joe :usflag: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chasking Posted October 29, 2006 Share Posted October 29, 2006 Maybe it's that 200 year old rope that hangs above the mash tun. :bigeyes: Joe :usflag:I suppose it could have been a "unique contribution" from the birds I saw flitting about in the rafters of the fermenter room at one prominent distillery, whose products are popular with folks on this forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nebraska Posted October 29, 2006 Share Posted October 29, 2006 I suppose it could have been a "unique contribution" from the birds I saw flitting about in the rafters of the fermenter room at one prominent distillery, whose products are popular with folks on this forum! That was the one of the grin moments for me on the tour. Someone commented that they thought it was odd that the fermenting barrels were open like that with the birds flying around. The guide smiled and made the comment that the birds don't always make it over the tank and frequently drop in and drown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nebraska Posted October 29, 2006 Share Posted October 29, 2006 :slappin: :slappin: I also find it appropriate that the little tag below my name changed to "Connoisseur" while I'm posting about bird droppings and carcasses going into fermenting tanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdery Posted October 31, 2006 Author Share Posted October 31, 2006 That's the beauty of distillation. It kills everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigthom Posted January 19, 2007 Share Posted January 19, 2007 In the past two weeks I've toured Buffalo Trace, Four Roses, Woodford Reserve, Maker's Mark, Heaven Hill (heritage center), and Jim Beam. I've stopped by Wild Turkey but the timing was off, and several years ago I took the tour.My favorite so far was the Wild Turkey, which did go from Grain to bottle. Unfortunately, they've moved their bottling out of state, so the tour isn't as complete as it once was.I agree that the Heaven Hill tasting was the most interesting. I really liked Four Roses, too, even though the aging is offsite (I drove by there on the way to Jim Beam but didn't stop).Woodford Reserve and Maker's Mark were the most polished. There's nothing wrong with that, but I prefer the grittier tours. It's worth noting that the largest crowds were at those two sites.Buffalo Trace and Four Roses were solo tours, just me and the guide.While Heaven Hill and Jim Beam didn't include any real production in their tours (other than the warehouse in Bardstown), they did break out some good bourbon for tasting.Only Wild Turkey and Maker's Mark don't do any tasting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HighTower Posted January 19, 2007 Share Posted January 19, 2007 In the past two weeks I've toured Buffalo Trace, Four Roses, Woodford Reserve, Maker's Mark, Heaven Hill (heritage center), and Jim Beam. I've stopped by Wild Turkey but the timing was off, and several years ago I took the tour. Happy New Year!! I wish my New Year's Resolution was as good as yours! Scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HighTower Posted January 19, 2007 Share Posted January 19, 2007 I suppose it could have been a "unique contribution" from the birds I saw flitting about in the rafters of the fermenter room at one prominent distillery, whose products are popular with folks on this forum! Here I was thinking that was barrel char in my bottle of Stagg!! Scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jinenjo Posted January 28, 2007 Share Posted January 28, 2007 Only Wild Turkey and Maker's Mark don't do any tasting.WT: No tasting? Bummer.I'm hoping to get out there and that would be one I'd be up for hitting.I like to tour and taste.-Lear Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigthom Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 WT: No tasting? Bummer.I'm hoping to get out there and that would be one I'd be up for hitting.I like to tour and taste.-LearThe women in the gift shop said it was a liability issue, but that doesn't stop Four Roses just down the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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