Augusta Distillery plans $23m Kentucky site

Bourbon producer Augusta Distillery will invest more than US$23 million in the build of its first facility in Kentucky, which is expected to open by 2024.

Augusta Distillery’s first full-scale operation in Kentucky will be located in an existing 40,000-square-foot building across 1.8 acres in the city of Augusta in Bracken County. The planned site is located near Augusta Distillery’s restaurant and tasting centre Beehive Augusta Tavern.

Construction of the ‘state-of-the-art’ site is expected to begin this summer with the facility operational by summer 2024.

Judd Weis, co-founder and board vice-chairman of Augusta Distillery, said: “Over the next few years, we will be committing over US$23 million to create an extraordinary distillery, guest experience and event centre.

“Our hope is that, by delighting our consumers, this investment will create a spike in local tourism and additional economic opportunity for our neighbours in Augusta and Bracken County.”

The project aims to create 14 local jobs.

The Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority has preliminarily approved Augusta Distillery for up to US$200,000 in tax incentives through the Kentucky Enterprise Initiative Act.

Headquartered in Augusta, Kentucky, Augusta Distillery was founded in July 2018.

The company’s inaugural expression, Buckner’s 13-year-old single barrel cask strength Bourbon, is distributed nationally and available in Kentucky and Ohio retailers. Augusta Distillery is planning its next release for later in 2022.

Today, roughly 60 spirits facilities in Kentucky employ more than 5,300 people. Since the start of 2020, the state’s spirits industry has seen more than 40 new location or expansion announcements with more than US$69m in planned investments and approximately 600 full-time jobs.

Kentucky-based Bardstown Bourbon Company recently revealed a US$28.7m expansion to boost distilling capacity by 50% by 2024.