Sideshow Spirits Distillery, and Showroom — Local services in Lincoln

I hate to leave a bad review for a local small business, but this place needs improvement in terms of their whiskey tasting tour.

Friday, we went to a whiskey tasting which was lead by a guy with a big beard and gauge earrings (nothing wrong with that, I just don't recall his name). It was a group of probably 35 people.

"Now I've been accused of being long-winded," said the tour guide. Boy, was that an under-statement.

We also learned a lot of information about the business that frankly, was none of our business.

Did you know the company bought the building for 40 cents on the dollar? Or that they used to sell hot dogs as a way of getting around COVID -19 lockdown restrictions? Or that three other alcohol businesses had failed at that location? Or that they initially catered to college students to survive during COVID, when they made 90% of their revenue between 10:00pm and 2:00am?

I don't know why we're being reminded about COVID on a whiskey tasting tour. Don't forget people died during COVID. They're not coming out to re-litigate pandemic response; they're here to try whiskey.

I'll tell you one other thing--that information doesn't sell whiskey. During the 1.5 hours we we're on the "whiskey tasting tour," we sure weren't buying drinks at the bar. The "history of whiskey" tunnel was all information about whiskey we could've read on Wikipedia.

I understand the front bar and the back bar have different menus. It would be nice if the front bar at least had ice and could serve more than whiskey neat.

Otherwise, the staff was nice and the place was well put together. But 1.5 hours of "whiskey tasting" was far too much time to cover so little content, and to provide so little whiskey.

I would consider going back, but not for the...

Sideshow Spirits is definitely not a sideshow, they are the main attraction! They've combined the skill of brilliant distilling with the vibe of the circus underworld and the uncanny draw of a speakeasy to create an unforgettable experience! As a distillery, their spirits are beautifully crafted, bottled and presented to highlight their unique flavors. The cocktails created with the spirits are very well balanced and dare I say sexy! The staff is impeccable, all exuding a passion for not only the spirits but also enhancing each guests experience. Morgan's tour was fun and informative and Caden and Tom's drinks at the bar were extraordinary! We'll be back.......

It’s been a while since my wife and I made it back to Sideshow Spirits, but we will definitely be back again soon! We had a really fun evening last night. Tom took exceptional care of us, including an incredible 4 cocktail for $50 deal that they do where they literally make the drinks in front of you at your table over the evening and show you how to make them. The evening was personable, fun, and informative. Then there’s that Millions of Peaches Old Fashioned… it’s fantastic! I highly recommend this experience when looking for a fun evening with those...