Independent Stave Company is launching daily tours at Kentucky Cooperage in historic downtown Lebanon, Ky., to showcase the crafting of new American white oak barrels, responsible for aging renowned Kentucky bourbon.
Starting Thursday, Sept. 17, visitors can get “All Fired Up About Bourbon” by taking a free 45-minute tour, which includes a video presentation and guided walking tour of the cooperage.
“It’s our pleasure to welcome visitors to the cooperage and offer this tour free of charge,” said Brad Boswell, president and fourth-generation cooper. “Crafting bourbon barrels is an art we’ve developed for almost a century now and we want to share that heritage.”
Independent Stave Company’s decision to open Kentucky Cooperage to visitors is a direct response to the enthusiastic requests of their Kentucky distillery customers and, ultimately, a way to give back to the bourbon industry.
“It is very important to us to support the industry however we can,” Mr. Boswell said. “When our customers asked us to enhance their distillery tours for bourbon customers by telling the story of our barrels, we, of course, made the commitment to open our cooperage. We’ve timed the launch to coincide with the 2009 Kentucky Bourbon Festival so our tours can serve as an added attraction during the celebration.”
Tours will be offered Monday-Friday, at 9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Groups of more than 15 people should call ahead to schedule their tour by contacting Doris Mattingly at 270 692-4518, or doris.mattingly@kentuckycooperage.com.
For more information, e-mail VisitLebanonKy@windstream.net.
Independent Stave Company is a fourth-generation, family-owned cooperage. The company’s white oak staves and barrels have been aging fine Kentucky bourbons since 1912. Nearly a century after the its founding, Independent Stave Company still embraces the core values of family, innovation, community and hard work.