Walking the walk: Three UofL alums start the city's only bourbon-tasting walking tour

April 22, 2019

What started off as an experiment has turned into a second full-time job for Danielle Huenefeld ’10. Huenefeld, her husband, Andy Huenefeld ’06, and friend Dillon Miles ’10, have dedicated almost all of their free time and energy recently to Sour Mash Tours, Louisville’s only guided, walking bourbon-tasting experience.

After a Denver brewery tour, Andy realized there was nothing in Louisville tailored for tourists wanting to walk to and sample the city’s numerous bourbon establishments.

“You can take a bus to bourbon country and you can go to these distilleries which are beautiful,” Danielle said. “But we wanted to offer something a little more personal and a little more local.”

The group created a guided walking tour during which visitors can sample a variety of bourbons available from different bars and restaurants.

“It has been a lot of work. We are not so busy that we are going to quit our [other] jobs and work full time, but we are also busy enough that it takes up a lot of our time. Right now, it’s in a good spot where we can have the best of both worlds,” Danielle said.

Danielle adds that she enjoys every aspect of her side hustle, from the bourbon tasting to showing off Louisville, and especially the people she meets.

“We love the groups we have," she said. "When they ask us to have a drink with them after, or they book another tour, that is truly the best compliment we can receive.”

Standard tours are offered on Saturday afternoons at 2 p.m., but the group can customize group tours at additional times. The three-stop walking tour typically lasts 1.5 to 2 hours. Mini tours and special events are also offered. Check out the Sour Mash Tours website for additional information.