Alcohol Can Do More for an Event than Inebriate Its Guests
It’s known as home brew, firewater, hooch, moonshine—even rotgut, for obvious reasons. Religious and societal groups have challenged its very morality for centuries. Indeed, alcohol ranks as one of history’s most controversial subjects. But imagine tonight’s networking event without it.
A slight lowering of inhibitions can facilitate conversation, even among that smattering of wallflowers hovering near the exit. Drink choices serve as great conversation starters, and embarrassing college “incidents” make great stories—as long as a suitable amount of time has passed.
So, for the most part, alcohol + networking = good. But what if the event actually focuses on alcohol? Say alcohol is the point. Paul McLean of tour company McLean Scotland has organized dozens of corporate whisky excursions as part of his robust offerings, which include golf, garden and Masonic adventures.
“Scotland is renowned for tourism and whisky,” he said. “We like to combine the two. Each whisky has a different taste and nose. From the east to the west, north to south—all are different.”
McLean says he helps coordinate efforts with dozens of local Scotch whisky distilleries, some of which also boast conference facilities and meeting space.
“The Famous Grouse in Crieff [near Perth] offers a nine-course meal with a drink complement for each course,” he said. “There are also distilleries that offer our groups the chance to blend their own whisky or have a party after closing. We can even hire distilleries for an evening.”
At the Glengoyne Distillery near Glasgow, groups can take a master class that features tastings of a 17-year-old single malt whisky at the foot of a waterfall as well as in-depth guided tours, nosing of two whiskies and blending sessions in the state-of-the-art Sample Room. And that’s just one of the country’s dozens of facilities. According to McLean, Scotch whisky distilleries offer ideal offsite options for attendees (and planners) who need to escape from the conference center for the evening.
“It’s time to relax without the stresses of working life,” he said. “Nothing beats the taste of a dram in great scenery and surroundings—a true taste of Scotland.”
States-side, the Jack Daniel Distillery in Lynchburg, Tenn., not only offers tours for corporate groups, but also boasts five unique meeting spaces, the largest of which accommodates 400.
“Most groups that experience the charm and authentic flavor of Lynchburg leave with a new appreciation for the brand and this place, nestled in the Tennessee hills,” said Heather MacDonald, Jack Daniel Distillery vice president and senior account supervisor. “We like to call it ‘being dipped in Jack.’ With more than 250,000 visitors a year from all over the world, we get lots of feedback. The prevailing sentiment seems to be amazement that every drop of Jack Daniel’s whiskey is made right here in the hollow.”
MacDonald says the distillery tends to act as a cornerstone for meetings and conferences in the Lynchburg area.
“Some groups take the tour before any of the scheduled meetings, while other groups use the tour to break up their day a bit,” she said. “It really depends on how the meeting planner envisions the flow of the day. Our visitor program specialist will always make suggestions and assist with the planning to ensure a one-of-a-kind visit.”
The Ritz-Carlton Golf & Spa Resort, Rose Hall in Montego Bay, Jamaica, doesn’t have an onsite distillery, but that doesn’t stop the property from exploiting local rum Appleton. And with more than 25,000 square feet of meeting space, outdoor gardens and lawns, an executive business center, the 600-acre White Witch Golf Course and a luxury spa, The Ritz-Carlton offers ample meetings opportunities.
“In almost all our events we use Appleton rum in some way or other,” Banquets Bartender Robert Goodwill said. “It is always a part of our bar, and we have rum tastings and lessons. These rummier sessions typically last one hour. Basically, they involve extensive information on how the rum is made and aged and a tasting of the different rums.”
The sessions can accommodate up to 50 attendees, and Goodwill says he tries to instill a sense-of-place experience for meeting attendees.
“It is one way of sharing our culture and history with our guests,” he said. “They are told stories of the plantation era, how sugarcane was grinded with the use of a donkey to make rum and molasses as well as sugar. Guests like to taste the rum and try to compare the taste to other rums from around the world that they have tasted. They also feel closer to the local environment.”
Even if the alcohol isn’t a local specialty, a little liquor can spice up any special occasion—even if it’s breakfast. During a familiarization (FAM) tour for meeting planners, Meg Kennedy of the Silver Legacy Resort Casino in Reno, Nev., used a splash of rum to turn her sleepy group around.
“The choice to serve alcohol in the morning was a given, as we wanted to make the breakfast lively. Rum smoothies fit with the tropical theme,” Kennedy said. “We try to make FAM trips fun, since everyone is on a grueling schedule of seeing so many properties and area attractions in such a short time.”
Of course, breakfast can be a daunting event to plan, much less make festive. After all, not everyone is a morning person.
“Our tropical-themed rum bar seemed the perfect venue to get everyone to wake up,” Kennedy said. “The decor was already there, so we just played on that with flowered linens and fishbowl centerpieces atop sand with colored starfish. Entertainment was a must. Our piano player incorporated a dialog about Reno’s special events with music that matched each event. He kept everyone laughing.”
Then again, it could have been the liquor. The Silver Legacy team used colorful ceramic parrot glasses to serve rum-filled (and non-alcoholic) smoothies.
“They were a huge hit. Everyone got to carry their parrot home,” Kennedy added. “Sipping a piña colada or strawberry smoothie while listening to Jimmy Buffet tunes was a huge hit and a perfect start to a fun-filled day for our clients.”
Then again, not every attendee enjoys—or is up for—alcohol before 8 a.m. A traditional vineyard tour may prove a less controversial move, though no less enjoyable. Aside from such obvious options as California’s Napa Valley (see “Golden Gatherings” on Page 112 in the April 2007 issue of The Meeting Professional), Australia’s Mornington Peninsula offers planners a plethora of meetings options with the added benefit of dozens of vineyard and estate tours.
Several of the area’s venues offer meeting and event space in addition to fine dining, award-winning wines, vineyard tours and overnight accommodations. Paringa Estate in Red Hill boasts a seasonal menu of estate- and local-grown produce in addition to panoramic vineyard views and function space. Its neighbor Peridot Lakes near small town Main Ridge also offers meeting rooms in addition to its spring-fed and trout-stocked lake, double-sided stone fireplace and Greek/Mediterranean cuisine.
Meanwhile, Kris Moe of Kris Moe Golf has plans to cultivate a heightened vineyard experience for his corporate groups. His company currently focuses primarily on golf outings—but not for long. Moe has a few wine-induced dreams, and he’s already working to ensure their reality.
“I can take the entire process of making wine and concentrate two years into seven hours,” he said. “This can include the grape’s harvest, crush and de-stem, press, bottling, corking and labeling. Participants can take home a bottle or two from the vineyard from another year or wait a year for their grape juice to turn into wine in the barrel. We’d bottle and ship the company their wine.”
Moe says events can focus on any or all of winemaking’s many aspects and can last a few hours or a whole day. The process itself has corporate connotations, he adds.
“Making wine can be seen as a microcosm of any business,” Moe said. “You create a product, try to create a consistently good product, package and sell the product and finally establish a loyal customer base. Getting outside to make wine is not only a pleasant way to spend a day but a way to earn a deeper appreciation of wine and understand why people have been loving it for thousands of years.”
For Visit Wales and the Venue Cymru convention center in Llandudno, serving alcohol at the upcoming Showcase Wales event in October is more about cultural pride than about throwing a fun party. Adrian La Trobe, Venue Cymru conference and events manager, has determined to highlight local beers and wines at the meeting’s networking events.
“We will be offering guests—amongst other drinks—a selection of Conwy Brewery beers and cask-conditioned ales brewed just three miles from Venue Cymru,” La Trobe said. “Although possible to purchase worldwide over the Internet, drinks like this—especially on draught—are only available in a few dozen bars outside of North Wales. The objective of this particular event is to allow delegates to experience that unique Welsh identity. We want to demonstrate a sustainable product that can only be sourced from the local Welsh economy.”
And the options for future similar events showcasing Welsh alcohol are vast. La Trobe says every new local supplier he finds adds to the experience Venue Cymru offers its clients—giving attendees a hint of North Wales’ enticing spirit and culture.
“One of the unique selling points for a destination like Wales is its different cultural identity from that of other parts of the U.K.,” La Trobe said. “This identity is personified as much through aspects such as food and drink as it is through the Welsh language and heritage. By providing a taste of that food and drink, you are adding to the experience that delegates only gain by visiting Wales.”
Jessie States is assistant editor of The Meeting Professional.
