Black Bourbon Society partnered with Jim Beam to create The Open-Door Tour. This tour seeks to spotlight black-owned bars and restaurants that serve as cultural pillars in their communities. Black Bourbon Society is an organization open to everyone who enjoys premium spirits and is interested in gaining a deeper appreciation for America’s Native Spirit. The Black Bourbon Society seeks to bridge the gap between the spirits industry and African-American bourbon enthusiasts through brand-partnered events, social media platforms, and exclusive distillery excursions.
“We are beyond thrilled to partner with Jim Beam to produce the Open-Door Tour,” said Samara Davis, Founder of Black Bourbon Society. “This campaign further pushes our mission of increasing diversity and inclusion within the spirits industry, and we are honored to work alongside our partners to highlight black-owned bars and restaurant owners within their communities through our virtual and in-person activations.”
The tour began on National Bourbon Day, June 14th. The Open-Door Tour kicked off in Atlanta and made its Chicago stop this past weekend. The Open-Door Tour held events in Chicago at Taste 222, Frontier, and Eleven Eleven. Specially curated cocktails made with Jim Bean exclusively for the Open-Door Tour flowed freely as guests and bourbon enthusiasts enjoyed the ambiance and hospitality of some of Chicago’s hottest and trendiest restaurants and bars.
Each weekend-long series hosts the following events:
Highball Happy Hour – a welcoming social event highlighting black bartenders and their unique spin on a Jim Beam Highball and cocktails featuring Jim Beam Black®.
The Bourbon-Q Paired Tasting– an educational Jim Beam flight tasting paired with items traditionally found at the family barbeque. Jim Beam Black, Jim Beam Bottled in Bond, Jim Beam Double Oaked, and Jim Beam Devil’s Cut will be featured.
Rhythm and Beam Brunch – will feature Jim Beam’s newest expression, Jim Beam Orange, through light and bright brunch cocktails at a ‘come as you are’ bourbon-paired brunch with live entertainment.
The Open-Door Tour heads to New York City July 16-18th, Washington D.C. July 23-25th, and Dallas August 6-8th. The National Black Chamber of Commerce will host its virtual events on June 23rd, July 14th, August 4th, and August 18th.
Jim Beam is ecstatic to participate in the Open-Door Tour to continue to support the importance of diversity within the spirits industry.
“At Jim Beam, our door is always open for bourbon lovers. It’s why we’re thrilled to be working with the Black Bourbon Society and the National Black Chamber of Commerce to host the Open Door Tour this summer,” said Albert Baladi, President, and CEO at Beam Suntory. “After the past year, it’s more important than ever to support our black-owned restaurants and bars across the country, and we look forward to welcoming new friends into our Beam family along the way.”
In 2020, the National Black Chamber of Commerce alongside Jim Beam and Humble Ventures created a financial relief assistance program that resulted in distributing $150,000 to Black-owned bars & restaurants and is eager to partner as a host for the Open Door Tour this year. “We are happy to be involved in the Open-Door Tour as a natural extension of our 2020 program,” said Ajit Verghese, Founder and General Partner at Humble Ventures. “We are excited to convene a series of virtual events that help businesses leverage learnings from across their community and industry in partnership with BBS and Jim Beam.”
Information about events, locations, and times can be found on the Open-Door Tour microsite: www.BBSOpenDoor.com.
Danielle Sanders is a journalist and writer living in Chicago. Find her on social media @DanieSanders20 or @DanieSandersOfficial.
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