Medium & Craft Distillery Founders
The Bluegrass Region
(NOTE: FOUNDERS ARE LISTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)
1
Shane Baker,
Wilderness Trail
Shane has a familial lineage in the distilling industry starting in the 1940s when his future grandparents, Doris and Hubert Ballard, met at the Kentucky River Distillery at the young ages of 14 and 16. Doris later retired from the famed Stitzel-Weller distillery after more than 50 years in the bourbon industry.
2
Mark Coffman,
Town Branch
THIS FOUNDERS HISTORY WILL BE PUBLISHED SOON
3
Marianne Eaves,
Castle & Key
Although Marianne Eaves was raised in Kentucky, she grew up in a dry county; furthermore, her parents never drank alcohol much, so she wasn’t really exposed to the whiskey culture that is pervasive in that state. A tomboy who enjoyed auto shop, Marianne eventually obtained her dream car - a 1972 Oldsmobile.
4
Dr. Patrick Heist,
Wilderness Trail
In February 2013, Dr. Heist once again partnered with Shane Baker, this time to found Wilderness Trail Distillery, which has become one of the fastest-growing bourbon distilleries in the world. Wilderness Trail distillery produces numerous bourbons, including both high rye and wheated bourbons, and rye whiskey using their own proprietary yeast strains. They also use an infusion mashing process, which is proprietary to Wilderness Trail.
5
Wes Henderson,
Angels Envy
Wes Henderson is the co-founder of Louisville Distilling Company, the producer of Angel’s Envy. In 2010, Wes convinced his late father, Master Distiller Lincoln Henderson, to come out of retirement and collaborate on a long-time idea that Lincoln had never had the chance to explore previously. The father and son team worked together to create Angel’s Envy. Wes’ son Kyle joined shortly after to learn side-by-side with his grandfather.
6
Greg Keeley,
Larrikin Distillery
THIS FOUNDERS HISTORY WILL BE PUBLISHED SOON
7
David Meier,
Glenns Creek
THIS FOUNDERS HISTORY WILL BE PUBLISHED SOON
8
Amir Peay,
James E. Pepper
Quoting the Grateful Dead, Amir describes his journey as an entrepreneur to owning and restoring The James E. Pepper Distillery - “What a long, strange trip it’s been.”
Born in Marin County, California, Amir’s family moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico, when he was 3 years old and later to the Washington, DC area.
9
Dr. Pearse Lyons,
Town Branch
Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co. is the producer of award-winning beer and spirits and one of the few joint brewing and distilling operations in the world. It was founded in 1999 by Irish entrepreneur Pearse Lyons, founder of Alltech. Dr. Thomas Pearse Lyons hails from five generations of barrel-making coopers and was the first Irishman to earn a formal degree from the British School of Malting and Brewing.
10
Elijah Pepper,
Labrot & Graham
Elijah Pepper was born in 1760 in Culpeper, Virginia, and started the generational distilling tradition of the Pepper family around 1780. In 1786, Elijah married 16-year-old Sarah Neville O’Bannon. Around 1790, the Pepper clan along with John, traveled to Kentucky, ultimately settling around the area known today as Versailles.
11
Oscar Pepper,
Labrot & Graham
When Elijah died in 1831, his son Oscar took over the business, and soon it became known as the Oscar Pepper Distillery. While working for Oscar, Crow continued his work, and the two refined the sour mash fermentation technique while using Crow’s scientific and medical training to perfect the art of managing temperature for the purification of the final product.
12
Jim Rutledge,
Four Roses
Jim Rutledge was born in 1943 and began working for the Seagram’s Company in 1966. He worked in the R&D department in Louisville, KY, and in 1975 was the head of Industrial Engineering and Budgets. By 1994, Jim Rutledge was named Master Distiller of Four Roses
Jim Rutledge was born in 1943 and began working for the Seagram’s Company in 1966. He worked in the R&D department in Louisville,KY and in 1975 was the head of Industrial Engineering and Budgets. By 1994 Jim Rutledge was named Master Distiller of Four Roses.