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Last month we visited Denver Distillery. It was our second or third time. We absolutely love their house made gin. They also make an incredible coffee liqueur, from coffee extracts of the local Kaladi Coffee roasters. Located near the intersection of Broadway and Alameda, it is right across the street from Lil’ Devils. Their bartenders are amazing! The menu has some very interesting house specialties, but they are also willing to craft any custom desire. We happened to luck-out, and got there in time to join a free tour of the distillery, which is mostly in the basement. Tours are available almost every day, but must be pretty early in the evening, before 6pm. Our guide was one of the master distillers, who had a very impressive beard. The history of the building, the process involved to open a distillery in Denver, and learning about the actual distilling process was very informative and free… and of course you get to enjoy the tour with a cocktail in hand! Definitely a tour for all five senses. This would be a great way to start an evening out on the town, especially impressing out of town guests.

Island Distillers – Menu with Prices – 577 Pakala St, Honolulu

It’s always fun to try something new, even when it’s so close by. After a birthday lunch at Kona Brewing in Hawaii-Kai, I thought it was the perfect time to drive a little farther and stop by Island Distillers for a free tasting and look around the facility. Island Distillers is located in Hawaii-Kai; very close to everything, yet feels so far away. It’s located at the end of a cul-du-sac with free street parking and marked spots just off the road. The gate is welcoming with painted yellow slippahs to guide your way. The main building is the actual distillery; you can peek inside and see where all the work is done. They do offer tours, but you have to schedule ahead of time (this would be a great activity to plan for visitors). The next building is the store and tasting room. It’s well lit with natural sky lights. The bar is along the back, here you can try all their liquors. As of this writing, they have Coconut Vodka, Hibiscus Vodka, and the only known Hawaiian spirit known as Okolehao (this was my favorite). In the coming months they will also offer different varieties of rum. The owner was very friendly and ready to talk about their products and story of the location. He had fresh bananas hanging to enjoy as well as a large selection of bottles to buy to-go and clothing items with their well designed logos. Be sure to check in on Yelp for a free shot glass! The outdoor lanai has a number of tables all shaded next to a pond, waterfall, and garden. On the hill is sugarcane. He will be serving free pizzas to compliment the alcohols; be sure to keep an eye out for updates. This is a wonderful stop for anyone that enjoys locally made goods and wants to get away from town for an hour or so.

Kiepersol Vineyards, Winery, Distillery, The Grand Room & Salt Kitchen – Menu with Prices – 21558-A Merlot Ln, Tyler

Had a fabulous time at Vine Day. Was our first outing to Kiepersol Winery. Wine was wonderful the Winery was gorgeous, the staff was very friendly. Only downside to our outing was I called during the week to inquire about the tours of the Winery and Distillery. Was given information about times and cost along with tastings. Drove 2 hours and the tours were altered because of their event. What would have been the same price for both tours turned into 1/2 a tour with no tastings offered. That would have been something the staff should have needed to know when guest inquired before hand. We would have chosen another day to come for a visit. We really wanted to see the Distillery as well. Another couple in our group had called in advance also and was misinformed too. The lady brought that to our guides attention and our guide did offer us one tasting, thank you. I would highly recommend the Winery as a must see. Beautiful grounds. �

Deschutes Brewery Bend Tasting Room Menu with Prices 901 SW Simpson Ave, Bend

The tours and beer here are fantastic. They have a bunch of beer that you can only get here, kind of “exclusive” beer. Tour includes 1 free beer and lasts around 45 minutes. Our guide was awesome. Definitely knew his stuff, mixed in a few jokes, and overall was just really nice. You get to see quite a bit of the facility, and learn how the brewing, packaging, etc. take place. History lesson also included. Oh yeah, and the tour is $5. What? Honestly who authorized that. Probably a great idea as people come for the tour and buy beer and gifts to take back as the tour itself was so affordable. It worked for me. I bought a glass and almost bought some other stuff. They tell you to be there 15 minutes before the tour starts, but your fine showing up at start time. I would recommend getting there early as they give you some free taste beers, but don’t sweat it if you show up 2 minutes before your tour. Overall, awesome experience. A must for anyone visiting. Only thing I regret is not getting a taste of the Black Mirror. It’s one of the beers they only serve at the brewery. Grrr.

Old Forester Distilling Co. – Menu with Prices – 119 W Main St, Louisville

I very much enjoyed my time at the Old Forester Distillery. You walk into tall glass doors and welcomed by their VERY friendly staff at the front desk. I was a bit early, but they made me aware of who my guide was going to be and that the bar was available if I wanted to have a drink or two before the tour. I chose to explore the gift shop which I will discuss in a bit. My tour time arrived and there was about 18 of us that were taken downstairs and introduced to our tour guide who was previously a bourbon distiller who after 8 years needed a break and started working for Old Forester. Who better to get a tour from than a person who used to make it, right? The tour started off with a quick introduction and then a video talking about the history of Old Forester and its roots all the way back to before the Prohibition era. I won’t go too much into the history, because I feel you need to hear it and see it yourself to get the full experience. We continued on into the fermentation room, to the barrel making room, where they char it, pressure test it right to the room where the stills are and the bottling line. We ended the tour in a nice room where we go to sample 3 of the bourbons. Each with its own unique flavor and you have to test it the correct way which they will explain to you how that works. Overall, I found this to be a great start to my vacation and a great tour that you must see when in Louisville. I didn’t go into great detail on purpose, as I want you experience the tour first-hand and not through my eyes since we all see things differently. That staff is SUPER friendly and all walk around with a smile which is always nice to see. No, they have not been drinking all day, but some would question it. They just love what they do and it shows how well they are treated by their employer. So get off your couch, come to Louisville and take this Elite’s word that Old Forester Distillery is a place you need to stop by and check out.

Magoffin Home State Historic Site – Menu with Prices – 1120 Magoffin Ave, El Paso

As much as the architectural beauty of the Magoffin Home, the value this attraction brings is compounded because it is a crash course into the history of the city of El Paso. The visitor center, located opposite to the home, is where to get the tour tickets. The property is managed by the Texas Historical Commission. Tours are on every hour. There is a short video which should be watched before embarking on the tour.The construction of the property happened before the arrival of railroad to El Paso. The design and construction of the house is impressive and provides a lot of historic insights.A special shout out to the charming lady who was my tour guide, she made the visit all the more memorable with her patient explanations and thorough chronicling of the historical significance of Magoffin family and Magoffin Home. She explained that the family members had served in American Civil War and the World War along with other wars. Apologies I missed out on her name.

Taste of Kansas City Food Tours – Menu with Prices – 3104 W 154th St, Overland Park

Because I was visiting KC during the week and at a time (fall) when most of the City Tours and Hop-On-Hop-Off buses had packed it in for the season, I was a little bit desperate for a good tour, which I was fortunate to discover in this Taste of Kansas City foodie tour. But first a disclaimer: since it was just me, I asked the lovely Rebecca, who runs the tour company, if I could do a hybrid tour, for a special price. I was looking to see the city, learn some KC history, drive into Kansas to see what that looked like and eat and drink my way through this great mid-western metropolis. What a tour I got! I agreed to meet Rebecca downtown and off we went! Since I was in need of a good strong cup of coffee, we immediately headed off to the Arts District, where a run into Thou Mayest Coffee Shop was perfect. Since we were near Art Alley, Rebecca took me right through this 2-block long guerrilla art project, which I LOVED! Driving around town, I enjoyed the Plaza District, with it’s sister city of Seville, Spain’s architectural influence. I was fascinated driving along Stateline Street and learning from Rebecca how the local Indian tribes were pushed out of Kansas City, Missouri and forced onto tribal land in Kansas after the Indian Wars. I never realized how strong the Mob influence was in this town. Union Station was really interesting & I learned it was haunted. About this time, I was getting hungry. I decided on Joe’s BBQ– what else can a tourist eat in KC, if not BBQ? Rebecca and I got lucky: if wasn’t too crowded AND IT WAS FULL OF LOCALS, which is something I always enjoy in my travels–hanging with the town folk. Rebecca said to order the burnt ends but they weren’t available until later. So I ordered a combo BBQ Plate which was delicious! Then it was time for dessert, so we stopped at Bizz & Weezy. OMG–candied bacon chocolate? Coffee-infused caramels? Oh yes! There was a tour through the historical Westport District and then back to downtown where Rebecca was gracious enough to stop at a wonderful deli and treat me to a great Ruben sandwich to take back to the hotel for dinner. This was not the standard KC FoodieTour, because, at my request, it also included elements of an art tour, church tour, architecture tour, Kansas tour, prohibition tour, ghost tour and all of that equaled ONE EXCELLENT ADVENTURE! If you are in Kansas City, I highly recommend the Foodie Tour with wonderful guide Rebecca. Or any of her other specialized tours.

Boulevard Brewing Tours & Recreation Center – Menu with Prices – 2534 Madison Ave, Kansas City

This was one of the best brewery tours I’ve taken. Boulevard knows how to make the experience a great one! We arrived early on a busy Saturday afternoon and were able to get tickets to their last tour of the day at 4pm. That gave us a couple of hours to kill. The first floor of their downtown building has some historical information/museum-type items in the front and the large gift shop is in the back. Head upstairs and grab a drink or two! I ordered the Produce Aisle flight, and it was delicious. I already knew that JamBand was one of my favorites, so this was a good choice! They do have a side window for food. This space is a large and opened up with long tables resembling a German brew haus, as well as being lined with smaller tables for a more intimate setting. If you want to play some shuffle board, etc, head on up another flight of stairs. Bartenders await you there as well. When it was time for the tour, we met up on the first floor inside the entrance. (Be prepared to show your ID if you haven’t already had your hand stamped.) We headed across the way where it all began. Our tour guide was fun and informative. At the beginning of the tour while getting the early history of the brewery, they give you a tasting glass of their Pale Ale (the first beer they brewed). We moved into another building that is set-up for events and learned more about the brewery. We were able to go outside on a balcony, take a fun picture with the Boulevard sign behind us, and learn more before we continued to our last stop, which was a private tasting room where we were given two more tasting glasses of whichever Boulevard beers we wanted to try. That’s where I became a fan of the KC Pils. This was a highlight to our visit to KC and I highly recommend it!

Dread River Distilling Company Menu with Prices 2400 7th Ave S, Birmingham

I’ve been wanting to check out this place before they even officially opened for business to the public. I had a opportunity to go to the friends and family open house , but I didn’t make it out . A few weeks ago on a random Saturday afternoon, a friend and I decided to do the $10 tour of the distilling facility . The tour lasted for about 45 mins and it was a really hot day so it may have been cut a little short! Lol We were shown around the distillery and educated on all that does into the products and how it all got started . They seem to have a unique process that shrinks the production time all while still being able to produce a complete, successful product. Smart! This part of the tour was about 20 mins . The remainder of the tour was sampling their unique, original products. We tried rum, vodka, gin, whisky. I believe this was all. Now , I must say that I’m not a fan of any normally but of them all, I preferred the whisky . It was really smooth , not overpowering in taste at all. In general , I do think the addition of this distillery is great for the Birmingham. Also, the building’s structure is beautiful inside and outside! The quick glimpse of the taproom was breathtaking – so warm and inviting!! Such a great use of the space overall! I can’t wait to go back to check out the food menu and take in more of the atmosphere! I really enjoyed the tour and it was well worth the $10. Fun times!

Cowtown Winery – Menu with Prices – 112 W Exchange Ave, Fort Worth

We went out tonight because my wife found their Ghost Tour on Groupon and we thought it’d be a fun way to end our Halloween season. Well, the free glass of wine was good, but the tour was a joke. We are pretty sure our tour guide was either drunk or pretending to be drunk, but she referenced her nickname being Party-On and used it as a catchphrase multiple times throughout the 60-minute tour. The tour was pretty uninformative and mostly focused on the Stars on the sidewalk – several of which were for people that are still alive. Not really interesting stories to accompany them either and was more so just saying their name and their “title”. Heh. Weird and most people in our tour couldn’t have cared less. I know this because I talked to several of them when our guide took a bathroom break. The stories that actually pertained to ghost followed a pattern that sounded something like this, “People often see a ghost in the bathroom. The ghost will pull on people’s hair a little because they have a sense of humor. I talked to the owner and he said he heard people say they saw something. All good. Moving on.” Repeat. And repeat. And repeat again at the next place. Uh… what? That was the general story for almost every location on the tour, aside from two locations where she told us about who actually died and how. Part of the appeal of ghost tours are hearing the stories about who they were when they were alive, how they died, and then tell us some of the local, paranormal legend of their afterlife. This was a lot of hearsay with no backstory aside from “My neighbor swears she felt a breeze in that building over there. All good. Moving on.” Honestly, the whole Ghost Tour feels like cheap marketing for their winery. And it obviously worked because we wouldn’t have gone otherwise and still ended up spending $30 in addition to the $25 we spent on the tour. The winery is fine on its own, but the tour is laughably bad.

Old Glory Distilling Co. – Menu with Prices – 451 Alfred Thun Rd, Clarksville

So, I am not one to really write a review about my experiences, but I had to for this particular occasion. Just a little background, if you’re in the area (Clarksville/Hopkinsville) some of the local distilleries have partnered up to provide a “Whiskey Tour” between Old Glory, MB Roland, and Casey Jones where if you visit all three at the end of the last destination they give you this really neat stave for all of the tours that you go on to display their shot glasses. Well, Old Glory was the last distillery we went to on our “Whiskey Tour,” and compared to the previously mentioned (Mb Roland & Casey Jones)…the atmosphere and the customer service were severely lacking, which of course was such a shame and let down because we had nothing but praise for the first two we went to. The main reason why I knocked off two stars was because of two lackluster/lazy employees (two younger girls probably in their early 20s). I did not get their names, but they were…not hospitable at all. They were rigid and unwelcoming. The distillery was not busy when we came so I do not understand why I was not greeted warmly or met with any customer service when purchasing merchandise while I waited for the tour. Which brings me to my next point…thank God for Diane because if she was not there we would have left in a heartbeat. Diane was the sweetest employee and was extremely forthcoming and knowledgeable. PLEASE REQUEST HER FOR YOUR TOUR/TASTING. She alone did a PHENOMENAL job. Lastly, the flavored moonshine was delightful (Blueberry Lemonade and Apple), but unfortunately they had run out of their bourbon when we were there. Overall, I left Old Glory with high spirits because of Diane. The facility was new and clean (they have a cute cat Martin who roams in the production portion of the distillery) and the design of the building was really nice. Do go if you get the chance, but beware of the youngins who may give you poor customer service. Cheers friends.

Edwards Ridge Distillery – Menu with Prices – 16104 University Oak, San Antonio

If you’re a fan of rum you won’t want to miss this amazing little gem tucked away in a random corner near the Stone Oak area. It’s a tad inconspicuous and in an industrial business park area and we accidentally drove by the building at first but the large ‘Tasting Room’ sign out front steered us to the right place. We walked in with just enough time to order a round of mojitos and hop onto a tour that was just beginning. Our awesome bartender brought our mojitos out to us mid-tour so that we could enjoy them while learning about the history of the business and the rum-making process. This place truly is a mom-and-pop shop when compared to some of the larger distilleries in the area and it’s great to be able to witness his organization from its start as its being built from the ground up. Everything is still literally being hand-made in the shop, from the bottling to the application of the labels. Our guide was extremely informative and I can’t wait to come back in a few months to try their new label that’s currently being aged in former bourbon barrels. After the tour was over we came back in to sample a variety of tastings (which come with the nominal tour fee) in the tasting room and ordered a flight. Everything we tried was tasty (and potent) although I preferred their silver rum over the gold. I definitely left this place a little tipsier than when I entered but fortunately I wasn’t driving ? This place is amazing and deserves to be checked out by rum (or just alcohol in general) fans and aficionados. I expect great things from them and can’t wait to see what else they cook up in their distillery in the future!

Celestial Seasonings – Menu with Prices – 4600 Sleepytime Dr, Boulder

This was my first time at a tea estate tour. Celestial is one of the famous brands of tea. You would have seen their boxes of teas in various stores. We googled things to do around boulder and we came across this place. They have various time slots for their free tour. They do not have online tickets so you have to arrive at least half an hour early to get your tickets. While you wait for your turn to tour their estate, you can check out their amazing tea store that has various collections of teas, and other accessories. Definitely worth buying a memorabilia for tea lovers. They also have free tea tasting area from where you get your ticket. Check out their menu and order any type of tea that interests you. So after tasting various free teas it was time for us to tour their factory. We were handed hair covers and facial hair covers. Instructions were pretty clear for what we would expect out of our tour. Tour guide was extremely knowledgeable. Unfortunately, since this was a Sunday, none of the machines were running. So we just had to walk through and listen to our tour guide. My favorite was the mint room. The entire tour takes around half an hour. They plenty of parking spots available. We had a great time and I hope you have a great time too.