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WHAT ’ S NEW AT THE TOP KENTUCKY BOURBON DISTILLERIES IN 2023
Kentucky bourbon remains one of the hottest alcohol categories , helping American whiskey gain 10.5 % in revenue last year , according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States . Our modern brown spirits boom is far from finished .
Top distilleries have planned accordingly . During this February ’ s media tour as part of Bourbon Classic 2023 — a multiday , Louisville-based festival that celebrates the best of Kentucky whiskey and cuisine — we visited a number of the most prominent local producers .
BUFFALO TRACE DISTILLERY Mecca for most bourbon fans , Buffalo Trace is in the final stages of a $ 1.8-billion expansion . This includes the recent completion of a second , duplicate still , seven feet wide , and mirroring the existing still down to minute modifications . Eventually , this will double production .
But not yet . At most , the two stills overlap for only eight hours at a time , according to Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley . How come ? The new still went up faster than the construction of additional storage facilities .
To that end , Buffalo Trace continues to erect rickhouses at a brisk rate . Along green hills overlooking the famous campus , the company for years now has built a brand-new warehouse every two months . Problem : They ran out of room up there . Solution : Buffalo Trace recently bought a farm seven miles from their cooperage , where they plan to put seventeen more rickhouses . Still , they need more resting space for the increase in barrels filled , Wheatley says . If you have a farm to sell in north central Kentucky , you know who to call .
With more stills and warehouses comes other production additions , including a dozen three-story fermenters , doubling that total number . Eight more fermenters are planned for the future . In the meantime , whiskey fans flocks to this historic campus off the Kentucky River in Frankfort . Buffalo Trace anticipates more than half a million people will make the pilgrimage in 2023 .
JAMES B . BEAM DISTILLING CO . The distillery behind Jim Beam continues to expand their Clermont campus with modern construction that complements centuries of whiskey history . This includes the 2021 open-
ing of the Fred B . Noe Distillery , named after the gregarious , seventh-generation master distiller , who now shares his title with his son , Freddie Noe .
At this state-of-the-art facility , Freddie will oversee production of premium products . Booker ’ s , Baker ’ s and Little Book all have a new home , which will also house the company ’ s whiskey experimentations . The new distillery is not yet open for public tours . That date remains TBD .
One other tidbit : A batch of the muchsought-after Booker ’ s Rye , with production overseen by Freddie , is currently at rest . Release schedule : Anyone ’ s guess .
ANGEL ’ S ENVY DISTILLERY Like other distilleries , Angel ’ s Envy reacted to the bourbon boom and Covid slowdown by expanding their visitor center during the pandemic . That $ 8.2-million project is now finished . It grew this Louisville location by 3,000 square feet , including a new event space and bar , a larger retail shop and several new tasting rooms . Annual guest capacity went up by 64,000 . Altogether , these new additions have the look and feel of the finest guest experiences in Napa or Sonoma .
Also new at Angel ’ s Envy : The master distiller . The company recently hired
www . beveragedynamics . com April 2023 • Beverage Dynamics 5