DINING:Shirley Mae's Cafe: From Friday afternoon until the end of the weekend, Shirley Mae Beard cooks soul food, as late as 4 a.m. Allegedly a dangerous neighbourhood, Beard hosts an annual "trick or treat safe zone" on the block. The locals are nothing but friendly, here and at Beard's bar across the street (Smoketown Liquors, 801 S. Clay St.), where the bar top, held together with tape, rattles to the dominating sound of southern hip-hop. $8 per meal. 802 S. Clay St., Louisville, Ky., 502-589-5295 Woodford Reserve:A variety of tours range from $5 to $10. Reservations are suggested for groups of 10 or more. The visitor's centre, perched on the hill above, has good food and a great view. The facility hosts a variety of events - guest chefs, fly fishing classes ($146 with brunch), bourbon academy (an appreciation society that meets quarterly, $146) - that, combined with [Woodford]'s small size and pastoral setting, make it an ideal encapsulation of the Kentucky bourbon experience. Consult site for schedule. 7855 McCracken Pike, Versailles, Ky., 859-879-1812, www.woodfordreserve.com Maker's Mark: The visitor's centre features creepy talking portraits and Soviet-style oil paintings of toiling labourers. The tour includes the bottling facility, a mesmerizing series of Rube Goldberg-esque machines that sanitize each bottle, fill it with bourbon, label and cap it, before it's hand dipped in wax. Kitschy but fun, guests can di...

Kentucky pours on the spirits JUST THE FACTS ON KENTUCKY'S WHISKEY TRAIL: Distillery tours reveal the secrets to making the bluegrass state's famous bourbons