If you’re looking for a drinking experience that’s out of the ordinary, how does a private tasting with a spirits expert sound? Or how about attending an up-close demonstration on tiki cocktail making by a well-known bartender? These are just some of the experiences a new start-up called SideTour has started offering in Philadelphia.
 

SideTour started in New York City and has since expanded to Chicago, D.C. and now Philadelphia. The founders call SideTour a “curation company” — representatives find the best events in the city and package them as experiences for individuals or groups. The mission is to connect people with creative hosts who want to share their passions. Anyone can apply to host an experience, but the hosts’ credentials are carefully vetted before an experience is planned.
 

Each lasts between two or three hours and gives guests an opportunity to do something a bit out of the ordinary while also getting to know some new people. In an interview with the New York Times, Founder Mark Webster describes SideTour as a social-networking site that operates offline. His goal for the service is to give people a higher-quality and more intimate experience than they would get at a regular tour or class.
 

On the upcoming Philly calendar are three interesting drinking-related SideTours:
 

Mix Tiki Cocktails at the Apartment of Franklin Mortgage's Mike Treffehn: This will be a fun hands-on experience with Mike at his home bar. He’ll give guests a historical rundown of tiki drinks and culture, and explain the many different rums, flavored syrups, liquors and techniques inherent to crafting these unique cocktails. You’ll taste his classic daiquiris, zombies and Mai Tais — and learn how to replicate them at home ($65; 7–9 PM, Wednesday, March 27 and April 16).
 

Taste Mezcal and Tequila with David Suro, Owner of Tequilas and Siembra Azul Tequila Founder: Learn about the process of making agave spirits, from the care in the selection of the plants, to the distillation, aging and bottling, all while sipping on a hand selected flight of David’s favorite picks ($65; 1:30–3 PM, Sunday, April 7).
 

Historic Tavern Crawl and Craft Beer Tasting with Beer Historian Rich Wagner: Play the role of time traveler and learn about the taverns and beers that ushered in the founding of our nation. The experience begins at City Tavern, where guests can sample beers that recreate colonial-era brewing styles. Rich will then lead guests on a tour of the locations of where the most iconic Philadelphia taverns once stood. The tour will also make pit stops at selected locations to sample more brews ($50; 2–5 PM, Saturday, April 27 and May 18).

 Photos via Tequilas Restaurant

Event Date: 03/27,04/07,04/17,04/27,05/18
Event Time: 7-9 PM
Location: Various Bars
Price: Varies
Website: www.sidetour.com/philly/experiences/category/drink