CEDARBURG — A Cedarburg whiskey shop is using artificial intelligence to solve one of the most common frustrations in the spirits industry: Buying a bottle you end up not liking.
Barrels on Bridge, which opened in 2024, has introduced an AI agent called BOB to help customers navigate its inventory and find bottles tailored to their individual palates.
Watch: How a Cedarburg whiskey shop is using AI and a human touch to help customers find their perfect bottle.
Co-owner Brendan Ryan, a former attorney who opened the shop with his wife Tierra, says the tool was born out of two converging trends: People are drinking less overall, and when they do drink, they are more selective than ever.
"We all hate it when we go to a shop, and we buy something, hoping we'll like it. Take it home. We end up not liking it, and it just sits on the shelf and gets dusty," Ryan said.
BOB is pre-loaded with the store's full inventory and Ryan's personal tasting notes. Customers can type in preferences — or even describe who they are shopping for — and the tool generates tailored recommendations, based on tasting notes and personality.
"It really helps people take a deeper dive into their own palate as well as save money," Ryan said.
After receiving recommendations, customers can sample suggested bottles in store — many of which are rare finds — before committing to a purchase.
"How we will weather any ups and downs is because we put the customer first," Ryan said.
That philosophy has resonated with shoppers. Solomon Gatton, a customer who attended TMJ4's Let's Talk Cedarburg community event earlier this week, says the shop stands apart from others.
"There are so many shops that you could go into that could care less about you, and he does. That's what kept me coming back," Gatton said. "It's nice to be able to find something unique that I can go grab right now."
Ryan says the goal is to bring the bourbon trail experience of Kentucky and Tennessee to Wisconsin — using technology to make that possible without losing the human element.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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