Distilling bourbon whiskey takes limestone rich water, yeast, at least 51% corn, aging in a new charred oak barrel and 116 years. Well, maybe not exactly 116 years but that’s how the math works out according to University of Kentucky Dr. Seth DeBolt.
The University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment has been engrained in the fabric of the school since the mid-1800s. In 2014 the school began offering a Distillation, Wine, and Brewing Studies (DWBS) certificate. The certificate is tailored to allow students to obtain introductory education in three distinct tracks: distillation, wine, and brewing. The certificate complements students’ interest in another major field or provides training to supplement other work experience.
The effort to create the certification began with Professor DeBolt and a small (but mighty) team who believed that Kentucky, the home to 95% of the world’s bourbon, should offer hands-on distilling at the state’s official University.
In 2019 that effort began to pay off with the creation of the James B. Beam Institute for Kentucky Spirits. The new Institute was made possible by a generous $5 million donation by Beam Suntory, owners of the James B. Beam Distilling Co. along with support from the Kentucky Distillers’ Association, its members and many of the providers of products and services to the distilling industry.
In the Works for More Than a Century
100 + 10 + 6 = 116 Years
In spearheading the effort for a hands-on craft distillery DeBolt says the project is, “probably 100 years overdue.” Add to that the 10 years since the program began in 2014, the filling of the first 53-gallon of barrel of bourbon in 2024 plus an additional 6 years for the barrel to mature and you have 116 years.
“This is just a canvas that’s a hundred years overdue to serve our industry stakeholders here in the state.” ~ Professor Seth DeBolt
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Filling the 1st Barrel Isn’t the End,
It’s Just the Beginning
The week of March 13 has been a busy week for the distilled spirits industry at the University of Kentucky. For the fifth year in a row the University held The James B. Beam Institute of Kentucky Spirits Industry Conference. And what better way to cap off this year’s conference and trade show than to celebrate the filling of the first barrel of Kentucky bourbon to come off the still. If you have been following this story the University cut the ribbon on the distillery in August of 2023, but it took until just a few weeks ago to get the official TTB license to distill. If you own a distillery, you know how long it takes to check off all the boxes required for local, state, and federal licenses. Toss into that mix being part of a state university and its kind of like attempting to turn around a giant ship, it ain’t easy!
A Dream Come True – Time to Produce the Best ‘Students’ in the World
“This has been 10-years in the making, and this has been a dream come true,” said DeBolt. “Now that the students can come in and learn, we want to produce the best students in the world for this industry and to have that practical knowledge, to experience things in a working environment. We now have the opportunity to do that.”
Now that the distillery is up and running on campus this is going to be a game changer for the University, the companies that will benefit from the pipeline of talent coming out of the program and most importantly the students that will graduate from with a Distillation, Wine and Brewing Certificate from the University of Kentucky.
Related Stories
- The James B. Beam Institute of Kentucky Spirits Celebrates Opening the Nation’s Premier Distilled Spirits Hands-on Classroom
- 10 Questions: A Q&A with ‘James B. Beam Institute of Kentucky Spirits’ Program Director Seth DeBolt [VIDEO]
- 30’ Column Still Arrives at University of Kentucky as School Preps to Be Nations 1st Grain to Glass Teaching Distillery
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Project Partners
- Brooks Grain
- Independent Stave Company
- James B. Beam Distilling Co.
- Joseph & Joseph Architects
- Shrout Taste Wilson
- The Koetter Group
- Vendome Copper & Brass Works
- VITOK Engineers
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