Bourbon Women "Sip-osium" Conference to Feature Workshops, Distillery Tours & Tastings

The Bourbon Women are having their 2nd Annual Sip-Osium. The three day event runs Friday, August 21 through Sunday August 23, 2015. The organization is for women who are passionate about exploring bourbon and the culture that surrounds it. It’s not just a man’s drink anymore.

“You don’t have to have a certain anatomy to enjoy a good whisky!” says President of Bourbon Women, Susan Reigler.

Following its debut last summer, this year’s Bourbon Women Sip-osium will feature bourbon tastings and tours as it draws bourbon-loving women to the historic Brown Hotel and Pendennis Club in Louisville, Ky.

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The three day event will feature a mix of entertainment and education opportunities including workshops, distillery tours, select bourbon tastings and more.

Workshops

Bourbon Mindfulness: Learn how to connect your memories with bourbon’s tastes and aromas. This workshop will be hosted by Fred Minnick, author of “Whiskey Women: The Untold Story of How Women Saved Bourbon, Scotch & Irish Whiskey .”

Bourbon Is Whisky, But Not All Whisk(e)y Is Bourbon: Learn how to make and enjoy Bourbon, Rye and Moonshine. This workshop will be hosted by Kentucky’s first Female Master Distiller since before Prohibition, Marianne Barnes, Master Distiller for the historic Old Taylor Distillery. You can hear from Marianne in the video below.

All You Ever Wanted to Know About Your Inner Aroma Aficionado (But Were Afraid to Ask): Learn how each one of us is already equipped to have a profound sensory experience with whisky. This workshop is hosted by Whisky Magazine Editor, Liza Weisstuch.

Distillery Tours – Guests will have a choice of multiple distillery tours

The Evan Williams Bourbon Experience
Kentucky Peerless Distillery
Jim Beam Distillery
Four Roses Distillery
Copper & Kings

“If you’re interested in learning more about bourbon, meeting other fascinating, fearless women and touring some of the world’s most famous distilleries, you won’t want to miss the Bourbon Women Sip-osium,” said Susan Reigler.

The member rate for the conference is $200 and the non-member rate is $275 (also includes a one-year Bourbon Women membership.) For more information and a complete schedule, visit BourbonWomen.org.

Dinner at the Pendennis Club

The Pendennis Club - Louisville Kentucky

The Friday night dinner will take place at the historic Pendennis Club. Construction on the clube started way back in 1927 under the leadership of Club President Owsley Brown. It was designed to be “one of the finest club buildings in the country” and “entirely fireproof throughout,” the one-million dollar project commenced in 1927. Nevin, who would serve as the Club’s President in 1939-1941, “met with the directors and helped plan the building,” and he emphasized to a newspaper reporter “that the very best material and equipment will go into the structure.” Like many of the fine bourbons created in Louisville, this “work of genius” was “almost in its entirety the product of Louisville craftsmanship,” and it was a sign of Louisville’s growth and prosperity, according to historic newspaper reports. The clubhouse opened in December 10, 1928. In 2003, it was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Brown Hotel

The conference itself, will take place at the historic, Brown Hotel. The hotel was built by wealthy Louisville businessman J. Graham Brown, the Brown Hotel opened in downtown Louisville on October 25, 1923. That year, Louisville was the 34th largest city in the country with a population of 235,000. Only 10 months after construction began, at the cost of four million dollars. David Lloyd George, former Prime Minister of Great Britain, became the first person to sign the guest register. The 16-story concrete and steel hotel was built in the Georgian Revival style, faced in brick and trimmed in stone and terra cotta. The interior design of the Brown is primarily of the English Renaissance style with Adams period detail.

Bourbon Women Association

Bourbon Women was founded in 2011 to promote the history, heritage, culture and lifestyle of Bourbon. The association now has more than 600 members in 23 states and three countries and official branches in Indianapolis and Chicago.