Brewery and distillery search engine launches

A new internet search engine, dedicated to helping put beer and whisky drinkers in touch with some of the best breweries and distilleries in Scotland, will debut this week.

Simplifying booking tours and visits

The search engine, named Sip Seekers, sets out to simplify the process of connecting breweries and distilleries with customers whilst also helping visitors access drinks information more effortlessly.

More than 50 partner breweries and distilleries have already come on board, according to the Scottish Daily Express

The search engine is the creation of Edinburgh-based entrepreneur Victoria Miller, Sip Seekers who has said she hopes to revolutionise the booking process for distillery and brewery visits by allowing guests to search based on availability, geographical proximity, and drinks category.

Hinting at identifying a gap in the market that led to the plans for the search engine, Miller highlighted that the drinks sector often encountered a “problem” because it doesn’t “make it easy for our guests to find and book tours”.

Miller explained: “Scotland has world-class distilleries and alcohol producers, they deliver great experiences for customers but finding and booking these is often quite challenging. It really shouldn’t require opening multiple tabs or making multiple phone calls to decide on best options and due to this, the industry is almost certainly losing out on bookings.”

But, being an advocate of the trade, Miller pointed out that the industry is “a really special one. One we should all be proud of. It is one where companies do genuinely align for the common good in areas such as legals and provenance protection”.

Miller, who has already established 14 years’ experience of working within the whisky sector, joined forces with a colleague from the tech world in a bid to tackle the challenge of linking drinks businesses with customers.

The ‘Skyscanner’ of drinks locations

Sip Seekers, which has already been dubbed as a ‘Skyscanner’ style search platform, will also offer its users tracking insights to help broaden their understanding of the market.

Miller revealed that the industry’s response to the venture has been “overwhelmingly positive” and “while a few of the more conservative voices have taken a wait-and-see approach, there is unanimous agreement that this is a much-needed opportunity for the sector.”

Miller assured that more than “50 distilleries and breweries have already joined the platform, with more coming onboard every week. There has been real support from those who recognise the potential of Sip Seekers to amplify their stories and reach new audiences.”

The time is now

George McNeil, former chairman of The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, admitted that the scheme “arrives at exactly the right moment for Scotland’s drinks tourism”.

McNeil explained: “By making the visitor decision-making process smoother and more intuitive, it opens the door for distilleries to reach new audiences, while shining a light on the rich stories to be shared and told within the industry.”

Miller added: “Scotland is bursting with brilliant distilleries, from the new and innovative to the historic and world-famous, each offering experiences that genuinely deserve to be shared with the world. Every site has its own story, its own people and its own sense of place. Sip Seekers is all about making that discovery effortless and celebratory. With just a few clicks, travellers can compare options and book directly with the distilleries that suit them best. We hope this simplicity will appeal to whisky, gin and beer lovers both locally and from further afield.”

Related news

Som Distilleries and Breweries in hot water over child labour investigation

NV Distilleries and Breweries hopes to expand to Zimbabwe halted

10 breweries and distilleries around the world making hand sanitiser