Bardstown Bourbon Co plans $28.7m expansion

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

By Nicola Carruthers

Kentucky governor Andy Beshear announced the expansion plans, with the state’s Economic Development Finance Authority providing up to US$750,000 in tax incentives based on the distiller’s investment of US$28.7m.

The expansion will allow the Bardstown-based producer to increase its annual capacity by approximately 55,000 barrels.

The project will include an expansion of more than 15,000 square feet to the current site, bringing the total facility to more than 390,000 square feet.

Furthermore, the development will add space to one of the fermenter buildings, 16 new fermenters, a new distillation column, a hot water processing tank, grain handling equipment, chemical treatments and glass towers to hold the still, which will be seen from the parkway.

The expansion project will create 29 full-time jobs over a 10-year period, paying an average hourly wage of US$38.08 including benefits. Currently, Bardstown Bourbon Co employs more than 150 Kentucky residents.

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.

“The commonwealth’s investment in Bardstown Bourbon Co will help us increase our distilling capacity by 50% by 2024, creating a number of new high-paying jobs and helping small Kentucky-based Bourbon brands grow,” said Mark Erwin, the company’s president and CEO.

“We are truly grateful for the support of these incentives in helping solidify Bardstown as the ‘Bourbon capital of the world.’”

Founded in 2014, Bardstown Bourbon Co started commercial production in September 2016, and produces and bottles whiskey, Bourbon and rye.

The firm’s ‘Napa Valley-style’ campus features a whiskey distillery, an educational experience, visitor centre, event space, whiskey library, bar and restaurant.

Last month, Pritzker Private Capital acquired Bardstown Bourbon Company for an undisclosed sum. The equity firm said the deal would help accelerate the distiller’s growth by increasing production capacity.

Bardstown Bourbon Co distils more than seven million gallons every year, making it one of the top 10 US whiskey distillers by volume and the largest custom distiller in the States, according to Pritzker Private Capital.