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    The Rise Of Bourbon: New Distilleries
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    New distilleries in Kentucky are quickly becoming the norm.  New Riff opened up in Northern Kentucky last winter and became the Northern trail head of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.  The Gentleman Distillery made the first legal whiskey in Bourbon County since Prohibition just a few months ago.  Even larger distilleries are jumping on board and expanding their operations.  Diageo has begun work on the Bulleit distillery in Shelby County and is opening an artisanal distillery at Stitzel-Weller on Derby Day of 2015.  Maker’s Mark is expanding as well.  The economic impact of bourbon has been studied and measured, and alcohol production is now said to be bigger than coal in Kentucky.

    Boundary Oak distillery launched bourbon production on November 13, bringing the first legal bourbon production to Hardin County in over 100 years.  To support their growing business they auctioned off the first few barrels of bourbon to sponsors and are selling new make as moonshine. 

    It’s important to remember that when a distillery first gets started they have two options: they can either become an NDP (non-distilling producer) and purchase barrels from other distilleries to blend and bottle or they can sell new make “moonshine” or vodka until they have enough aged barrels of bourbon to blend and bottle.  Even resurrecting an historic bourbon brand takes considerable time and money.  Bourbon doesn’t just fall out of the sky, folks.

    Another interesting approach to resurrecting a new distillery is to fund it with a Kickstarter.  Crowd funding has been a popular way to start many businesses in recent years, and it’s neat to finally see it applied to a bourbon distillery, as in the case of Old Dunbar.  Jason Girard is a chef and spirits consultant, as well as a Desert Storm Veteran.  He’s trying to raise enough money to resurrect the name Old Dunbar in a Henderson, Kentucky distillery.  You can contribute by clicking here.

    No matter how these distilleries get their start, the end result is bourbon.  More bourbon production means more jobs and tourism for Kentucky, which makes a significant impact on each and every one of us.  Coal may be under fire, but bourbon is rising to take its place.  It’s a great time to be in Kentucky.

    Photos Courtesy of Boundary Oak, Gentleman, and Old Dunbar

    Maggie Kimberl's picture

    About Maggie Kimberl

    I'm a Louisville native with a passion for traveling and homegrown tomatoes. I write the bourbon news, which keeps me plenty busy since Louisville is the center of the bourbon universe. See bourbon news happening? Contact me on Twitter @LouGirl502!

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