Kick-off for construction of Old Forester Distillery
Brown-Forman to invest $45 mio in new home of the famous Bourbon
In September 2014 plans of Brown-Forman were announced to build a new distillery for the Old Forester Bourbon, but recently it looked as if the project was endangered: A fire broke out next to the building site. Fire Department was successful in getting the fire under control before it could reach the historical building in which the distillery will be situated. So the construction could be kicked off by Brown-Forman on July 22 as it had been planned. Only drop of bitterness is that there will be delays following because of the damages of the adjacent buildings and they have to postpone the opening into the year 2017.
A historical place for the Old Forester Distillery
The chosen place for the new Old Forester Distillery is predestinated for this project as no other: Here in Main Street, Louisville KY, the history of Brown-Forman and its founding brand started when in 1870 George Garvin Brown founded the company. Bourbon saw a big boom at that time and the road where more than 19 Whisky Companies were located was soon known as the “Whiskey Row”. The decreasing interest in Bourbon in the 70s and 80s take their toll and the glory of the Whiskey Row soon was a thing of the past. But now things are going upwards because demands for Bourbon are rising rapidly on international markets as well as in its home country.
From grain to bottle
$45 mio not $30 million as announced when planning begun will be invested in the construction of the distillery. From fermentation, distillation, making and filling of barrels to bottling the whole process of the bourbon production will take place here. A big visitor center will complete the plant that will enable Brown-Froman to double the production of Old Forester Whiskey. Until the completion of the new distillery the Old Forester will further on be produced in the Brown-Forman Distillery in Louisville.
Family company in the 5th generation
The festive ceremony that marked the kick-off of the construction was joined by three generations of the Brown family. Since this year Campbell Brown is President of the company. Board of Directors Chairman is Garvin Brown who belongs to the 5th generation of Browns since the foundation of the company. Brown-Forman is also holder of whiskey labels as Jack Daniels, Woodford Reserve or Canadian Mist.
Media credit: Courtesy of Brown-Forman. Photo by Jacob Zimmer
