Getting out there

For the past two months I've been going to every event I can, to get the word out about Uncorked Tours. In addition, I've been trying to participate in tourism kick-off events to get a better understanding of the industry that I now find myself in. In the process, I've had the pleasure of meeting many people from the Saint John community.

I thought that now might be a good opportunity to share some exciting news, both from Uncorked Tours and from the industry as a whole.

A week ago I participated in an event in Fredericton at The Station on York St. This event brought together some of the wineries in the province with local food producers. The purpose of the event was to promote local NB food and drink. A government partnership was announced by the Minister of Tourism, Heritage, and Culture that will include a roadshow or sorts, promoting the benefits of the Buy Local movement.

The fact that our government sees the value in what is being called agri-tourism is a good sign for food and drink producers, as well as tour operators like Uncorked Tours. If you visit the Tourism NB website, you will now find a section on Food & Drink that was sorely lacking in the past. NB is getting on board to promote what many of us have known for a long time, we have wonderful farmers producing delicious products that we can all be proud of.

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The big news for Uncorked Tours is the creation of a couple key events this summer, so get ready to mark your calendars.

On July 20th, the inaugural Uncorked River Cruise will sail from the Saint John Marina. This cruise on the Saint John River will be an opportunity to sample NB beer from Shiretown, Picaroons, Pump House, and Big Tide. The Saint John River has been a major connecting route since long before Europeans settled in NB. Is there any better place to bring these breweries together?? If beer's not your thing, don't worry. A wine tasting cruise is scheduled for September 7. Both events leave the marina at 1:30pm for a 3-hour cruise with tastings of 5-6 different beers/wines. 

Many people have asked about a wine and beer tour, and I've put one together for you. This tour, rightly named Bees, Wine and Beer, follows the movement of some key ingredients in the wine and beer making process. 

We begin with a honey tasting of Kingston Peninsula honey which is the main ingredient in Dunhams Grog. Then we enjoy a wine tasting of Dunhams Run meads and wines. Dunhams Run grows some of the hops used in Big Tide's beers, so our final stop is Big Tide Brewing in Uptown Saint John. Big Tide also gets some of their honey from the same honey source.

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Finally, I want to thank everyone for your ongoing support as I get this business off the ground. It's been a long process, and summer is just around the corner, so go ahead and book a tour if you're in Saint John. It's a ton of fun and you'll be able to try some new things and get a real taste of New Brunswick.

Cheers,
Gilliane