If you don't drink alcohol, then going on a bourbon tour may not be something you normally consider doing. But what if all of your friends or family members — who do drink — decide to go on a bourbon tour? Is it worth you tagging along, even though you won't be sampling the bourbon? That's really up to you, but if you do decide to participate, you'll likely find that bourbon tours offer more than you'd think for non-drinkers.
Facility Tours
When you visit various distilleries on a bourbon tour, you generally get to tour those facilities. Even if you don't drink bourbon, the history of these distilleries is quite interesting. You'll learn how each one came to be, what changes have been made over the years, and how the distillers create facilities that serve their needs. The biggest, oldest distilleries in bourbon country are staples of the region. They're part of the culture and the economy. It is a lot of fun to tour them and learn about them from this perspective.
Mixing Recommendations
You don't drink bourbon, but do you ever play bartender for your friends and family members who do drink? If so, going on a bourbon tour is a great way to expand your repertoire. Some of the tours include mixing tips and instructions. You may be able to watch an employee mix a certain bourbon cocktail, take notes, and then reference those notes later the next time you make drinks for your friends. It will also be fun to say, "I learned to make this drink on a bourbon tour!"
Food Samples
Some of the distilleries pair food with their bourbons or provide snacks for their visitors. You can enjoy these treats even if you aren't drinking the bourbon. Foods that pair well with bourbon include salmon, cheese, chocolate, and fatty ham — so the snacks can be worth it in their own regard.
Bourbon Culture
Observing the culture around tasting and drinking bourbon can be really fun, even as a non-drinker. You definitely get to see and learn about this on a bourbon tour. You'll learn about the etiquette surrounding the drink and come to appreciate it.
Bourbon tours are generally better suited to drinkers than non-drinkers. However, if you are a non-drinker who has been invited on a bourbon tour, it's still worth going. There's so much more to do than just sample whiskey.
