LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Distilled Spirits Epicenter, an educational, training and craft distillery, announced today it is has joined the Kentucky Distillers’ Association as the group’s first-ever Educational Distillery member.
“We are pleased to be joining such a legendary organization that shares our commitment to innovation,” said Marty Snyder, CEO of Distilled Spirits Epicenter and its sister company, Flavorman. “Just as KDA and its Kentucky Bourbon Trail adventure has fueled global interest in the Bourbon phenomenon, our content-rich distilling courses will highlight the artisanship of spirits production.”
Kevin Hall, operations manager at Distilled Spirits Epicenter, said the company has positioned itself as a one-stop-shop for distilling needs and resources at its downtown Louisville headquarters.
“Every bourbon brand has its own recipe, taste and history, and every project at the Epicenter is unique,” Hall said. “Our resources enable us to provide a customized experience for each client, no matter how big or small.”
“Education is a core principle of the KDA’s mission to promote and protect our signature industry, from legislative advocacy to economic and tourism development to the responsible consumption of spirits,” said Jeff Conder, chairman of KDA’s Board of Directors.
“Now, with the creation of an Educational Distillery membership, the KDA adds a vital component through research and training opportunities to develop the next generation of our iconic industry,” said Conder, vice president, global supply chain, for Beam Inc. “We proudly welcome Distilled Spirits Epicenter as a partner in this goal.”
The KDA, a non-profit trade association founded in 1880, is the state’s leading voice on spirits issues. The board unanimously approved Distilled Spirits Epicenter’s membership at its 2012 annual meeting last week at the Jim Beam Distillery in Clermont, Ky.
Distilled Spirit Epicenter resources include:
• Grease Monkey Distillery, an artisan distillery furnished with state-of-the-art Vendome equipment that may be rented for full scale spirits production or to run small test batches;
• Challenge Bottling, an on-site bottling line designed to accommodate smaller production runs and various packaging requirements;
• Moonshine University, an educational resource and training facility that provides expert instruction on everything from technical operations to business planning.
The first Moonshine University distilling course, scheduled for Jan. 14-18, will provide hands-on instruction on distillate production and business management.
The third day of the course will be dedicated to whiskey production, with presentations from Master Distillers and industry experts from several of the KDA’s member distilleries. Registration is underway at www.ds-epicenter.com.
Distilled Spirits Epicenter is the KDA’s 15th member and sixth new member in 2012.
KDA regular members include Beam Inc. (Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark); Brown-Forman Corp.; Diageo North America; Four Roses Distillery; Heaven Hill Distilleries Inc.; and Wild Turkey Distillery. Craft Distillery members include Alltech’s Town Branch Distillery, Barrel House Distilling Co., Corsair Artisan Distillery, Limestone Branch Distillery, MB Roland Distillery, The Old Pogue Distillery, Silver Trail Distillery and Willett Distillery.
KDA President Eric Gregory said he has been impressed with Distilled Spirits Epicenter’s vision, dedication and camaraderie in exploring partnerships to keep Kentucky’s distilling tradition alive and to secure the integrity of the industry.
“Kentucky truly is a bourbon epicenter, and we look forward to working with the professional team at Distilled Spirits Epicenter to promote our rich heritage, to advocate fair treatment of our industry and to continue our commitment to responsible drinking.”
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