Jim Beam American Stillhouse Opens
Guests can customize their own bottle of Jim Beam’s new bourbon offering at the Jim Beam American Stillhouse. Located in downtown Louisville, the interactive bourbon site lies 25 miles from Jim Beam’s flagship distillery in Clermont.
The world leader in bourbon opened the distillery in October 2015 for guests to tour a small working distillery and bottling line; it also offers a tasting experience and a variety of branded merchandise. The distiller’s first visitors’ destination outside of the main distillery offers a hands-on experience, such as the chance to label, fill and customize bottles of the site’s exclusive Jim Beam Urban Stillhouse Select.
Groups can also see the distillation system up close at the site’s small copper pot still with a see-through glass vapor condenser. Other interactive displays and decor educate visitors on the art of whiskey-making. One original artwork on display depicts a sculptural American oak tree built from barrel staves.
At the end of the tour, guests can sample Jim Beam flavors at a tasting bar crafted from reclaimed wood and designed to mimic barrel staves and flowing bourbon.
www.jimbeam.com
First Eastern Kentucky Distillery to Open
Eastern Kentucky will welcome its first distillery and brewery in spring 2017 with the opening of Dueling Barrels Brewing and Distilling Company in Pikeville. Owned by Alltech, the distillery’s design, spirits and even name will celebrate the area. Named for the Hatfield and McCoy feud, Dueling Barrels Distillery will offer moonshine, bourbon, beer and ale with ingredients inspired by eastern Kentucky.
Alltech broke ground on the distillery on July 30. Kentucky craftsmen will create copper pot stills that can be viewed from the street, and local stonemasons will incorporate Kentucky fieldstone into the building’s interior and exterior.
Once the distillery is open, groups will be able to tour the site beginning with an introductory video. During the subsequent tour, guests will learn about Dueling Barrels’ distilling process with a sampling in the tasting room at the end.
Dueling Barrels is part of Alltech Beverage Division’s global expansion, which extends to Ireland and the United Kingdom. What started as a single brewery in Lexington expanded 10 years later with the opening of Town Branch Distillery, a member of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.
www.duelingbarrels.com
