The oldest operating steamboat in the United States, The Belle of Louisville is teaming up with Evan Williams and the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience to create an evening cruise with food, live music and of course distilled spirits on the Ohio River in Louisville, KY.
Jodie Filiatreau, Assistant Artisanal Distiller along with Ally Sauer, Tourism Manager will lead the evenings educational bourbon tastings and share in a Q and A session to answer attendee’s questions throughout the cruise.
Guests will have the opportunity to sample four different Evan Williams spirits including,
- Evan Williams Black Label
- Evan Williams Single Barrel
- Elijah Craig 12 Yr Small Batch
- and Larceny
Live music and entertainment will be provided by Bernie Lubbers, Brand Ambassador for Heaven Hill and author of “Bourbon Whiskey – Our Native Spirit” and Hickory Vaught. You can see the duo’s bourbon loving song below. See if you can pick out all 16 bourbon brands.
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The Belle and bourbon are a natural match-up. Kentucky is known as the birthplace of Bourbon, and steamboats began the commerce of bourbon as they carried many a barrel to river ports up and down the inland waterways. These days, the city of Louisville is returning to its Bourbon roots as more and more distilleries are moving to Main Streets “Whiskey Row”.
The Bourbon Cruise takes is happening Saturday, August 8th, 2015. The Belle of Louisville cruise boards at 7:30pm and cruises from 8 – 10pm. Tickets for the event are $43. You can visit The Belle of Louisville website here for more information and tickets.
History of The Belle of Louisville
The Belle of Louisville is the oldest operating Mississippi River-style steamboat in the world. Though she’s known today as the Belle of Louisville, she was originally named the Idlewild when she was built in 1914 at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She was designed to be a ferry and day packet vessel (for freight work), and was also outfitted for her later career as an excursion boat. Completely paddlewheel-driven with a steel hull that draws only 5′ of water, she’s able to travel on virtually every navigable inland waterway, earning her the distinction of being the most widely traveled river steamboat in the nation. The Belle was named a National Historic Landmark on June 30, 1989.
The History of Bourbon Whiskey as Told Through Bluegrass Music by Bernie Lubbers and Hickory Vaught
See if you can pick out the 16 Bourbon references from the song as well as five common terms used for Bourbon making.
