James B. Beam Institute for Kentucky Spirits has opened a new distillery and maturation facility at the University of Kentucky.
The maturation facility will allow the Beam Institute to experiment with barrel-ageing spirits produced in its research distillery.
It will elevate the institute’s impact on research, workforce development, education and outreach.
It features a research distillery building, with a 30-foot column as the centre piece, and the Independent Stave Company – Boswell Family Barrel Warehouse, Beam Suntory noted.
"This is the largest teaching distillery in the United States and the world," said Seth DeBolt, institute director and professor at UK Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.
"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."
Beam Institute
A part of the University of Kentucky, the Beam Institute has served as the industry’s research and development vehicle since 2019, pursuing its mission to ensure the welfare and prosperity of Kentucky’s spirits industry.
It promotes economic sustainability, environmental stewardship and responsible consumption through teaching, research and outreach.
"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 the needs of the spirits industry in sustainable agriculture, research and development, among others.
