Most of us enjoy alcohol and have our fair share of memories attached to it. But ever wondered how they are made or what goes on inside a distillery? If you are curious, you can always check out tours that they offer to the general public of their facility. Since most tours like the Denver distillery tour operators tweak their spirit according to them to maintain their identity, every tour is unique essentially. But there are certain unspoken rules and etiquettes that should be followed when on a tour, have a look below to find out

 

• Name dropping won’t get you anywhere

 

It is best to call ahead when in search for a distillery tour. Name dropping and telling people you know the owners or someone of importance will get you nowhere and just spoil things around the place. This also upsets the flow of any tours that are being conducted at the time and even when the sampling and tasting is underway. Showing up unannounced asking for a private tour is rude, inconsiderate and downright wrong and the distillery employees will not be kind to your cause as well.

 

• Do not touch the equipment

 

There are loads of equipment used in the production of spirits and you will see them all while on the tour. Now one may feel the impulse to touch these big shiny pieces but unless you are instructed or allowed to touch them, it is best to keep your hand away from them because  you might end up touching a still that is used for heating the fermented mixture and these things get very hot. So to avoid any injury of any kind, always follow the tour guide’s instructions to the letter and enjoy your tour.

 

• Stay away from bringing up bad experiences from alcohol

 

Most of us have thrown up for drinking a bit too much at some point in our lives. One or more bad experiences from a particular spirit that you might have encountered do not need to come up while on a tour. Other people do not need to be put off from a particular spirit because of your misfortune. Plus it is a good chance that the spirit would be of a different brand and since most distillers tweak the product according to them, there is a good chance you might change your mindset about that particular spirit.

 

• This is a tasting of sorts, not a party

 

While on the tour, you will be offered a comprehensive tasting of the products the distillery offers and some rare on demand ones as well, depending on the distillery. Keep in mind this will essentially be a tasting of sorts and hence to sip and not shoot is the ideal way to go. You will be offered small minute portions to get your palette going and experience different flavors and ingredients to help you understand and realise how one is different from the other. Hence, always keep it classy.

 

• Diplomacy prevails when tasting

 

We all have our preferences when it comes to alcohol. And even though you may not be fond of a particular spirit, it best to not say no or be unprofessional. Since it is merely a tasting, you can always just take a small sip and be done with it. In case that is not possible you can politely say no and wait for the next tasting. This way the distillers who work hard on these spirits and put their all in them don;t feel disrespected or bad and will respect your choice and reasons for tasting it. 

 

• Keep your knowledge to yourself

 

Now you might know quite a bit about distillation, its process and other things but unless you work in a distillery too, you will not know everything there is about a distillery. It is good to know things and have adequate and relatable information on hand, but the tour guide on your Denver distillery tour  or any other tour for that matter, knows more than you and it is best to listen rather than blab. Not to mention the other people on the tour are there to see around the distillery and listen to what the tour guide has to say and not you. Constantly bringing up stuff will be off putting for the other people and dull the excitement that people have.

 

• No room for bargaining

 

Remember that this is not a fish market where you can bargain and negotiate the price with the vendor. Prices are set for a reason and they are non-negotiable. Do no haggle or bargain with the staff and spare yourself any embarrassment and trouble.