James B. Beam Institute for Kentucky Spirits opens distillery and maturation facility on University of Kentucky campus
James B. Beam Institute for Kentucky Spirits opens distillery and maturation facility on University of Kentucky campus
LEXINGTON, KY. (Aug 7,2023) - The University of Kentucky’s James B. Beam Institute for Kentucky Spirits officially opened its doors, elevating the institute’s impact on research, workforce development, education and outreach.
Since 2019, the institute has served as the industry’s research and development vehicle, pursuing its mission to ensure the welfare and prosperity of Kentucky’s spirits industry. Through teaching, research and outreach, the institute promotes economic sustainability, environmental stewardship and responsible consumption.
The new UK campus facilities include a research distillery building, with a 30-foot column still as the centerpiece, and the Independent Stave Company – Boswell Family Barrel Warehouse. The maturation facility allows the Beam Institute to experiment with barrel aging spirits produced in its research distillery.
“This is the largest teaching distillery in the United States and in the world,” said Seth DeBolt, institute director and UK Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment professor. “It will allow us to train the next generation of distillers and researchers, and to conduct cutting-edge research on the science of spirits production.”
As the first major gift partner to the Beam Institute, global spirits leader Beam Suntory made a long-lasting commitment to the Institute’s vision of excellent hands-on distillation, wine and brewing. The company, known for its iconic brand portfolio that includes Jim Beam, has continued to be a broad-interest partner, adding workforce education to its list of priorities through a one-of-a-kind apprenticeship. The Whisky Apprentice Program delivers a robust curriculum that includes safety, bourbon grains, bourbon engineering, fermentation, public speaking, customer relations, sensory, maturation and distillery science.
“When Beam Suntory first partnered with the University of Kentucky to create the James B. Beam Institute for Kentucky Spirits, we did so as an investment in the future of bourbon and the future of Kentucky’s workforce,” said Alex Alvarez, Chief Supply Chain Officer at Beam Suntory. “The institute has firmly established itself as a forum for continuing education and research, as well as collaboration across the industry to tackle some of our toughest challenges together. We’re proud to be an active partner in this work, pushing our industry toward a bright future.”
The Beam Institute offers engineering, chemistry, business, law, horticulture, forestry, food science, and entomology courses to address spirits industry needs in sustainable agriculture, research and development, and more. DeBolt said students will begin learning in the new facilities this fall.
The Beam Institute is a multidisciplinary effort of experts from the UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, College of Engineering, College of Arts and Sciences and Gatton College of Business and Economics. For more information, visit the Beam Institute website at https://beaminstitute.ca.uky.edu/.
About Beam Suntory
As a world leader in premium spirits, Beam Suntory inspires the brilliance of life by delivering great consumer experiences through its world-class portfolio of brands. Known for its craftsmanship of premium whiskies, including Jim Beam®, Maker’s Mark®, Basil Hayden® and Knob Creek® bourbons; Japanese whiskies, including Yamazaki®, Hakushu®, Hibiki® and Toki™; and leading Scotch brands including Teacher’s, Laphroaig® and Bowmore®, Beam Suntory also produces leading brands such as Courvoisier® cognac, Tres Generaciones®, El Tesoro® and Hornitos® tequila, Roku™ and Sipsmith® gin, Canadian Club® whisky, and is a world leader in ready-to-drink cocktails, with brands like -196 and On The Rocks™ Premium Cocktails.
A global company with approximately 6,000 employees in more than 30 countries, one of Beam Suntory’s core values is Growing for Good and through its Proof Positive sustainability strategy, the company has committed to ambitious goals and investments to promote environmental sustainability in its operations, ensure the company has a positive impact on the communities where employees live and work, and programs to educate and inform consumers to make the right personal choices about drinking. Headquartered in New York City, Beam Suntory is a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings Limited of Japan. For more information on Beam Suntory, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, please visit https://www.beamsuntory.com/ and https://www.drinksmart.com/.
About Jim Beam® Bourbon
Jim Beam is the world's best-selling bourbon, crafted by seven generations of family distillers since 1795. Fred Noe, Jim Beam's 7th Generation Master Distiller, has stayed true to the family recipe that's been passed down through generations. The Jim Beam portfolio of products includes Jim Beam Bourbon, Jim Beam Black, Jim Beam Double Oak, Jim Beam Devil's Cut, Jim Beam Flavors, and Jim Beam Rye among other offerings. For more information, go to https://www.jimbeam.com/en @jimbeamofficial on Instagram and @jimbeam on Twitter.
Contact
Seth DeBolt, sdebo2@uky.edu
Ilka Balk, ilka.balk@uky.edu