Media Kit

James B. Beam Institute for Kentucky Spirits

Research, teaching and outreach driven by economic sustainability, environmental stewardship and responsible consumption.

Institute Timeline

October 2014: UK Distillation, Wine and Brewing Studies (DWBS) certificate is proposed
Fall 2015: DWBS certificate is launched with Dr. Seth Debolt serving as certificate director; Debolt has remained director since its inception
April 2019: $5 million partnership with Beam Suntory is announced and the James B. Beam Institute for Kentucky Spirits is formally organized
Feb 2020: Institute hosts inaugural James B. Beam Institute Industry Conference
March 2020: Independent Stave Company and Boswell Family give $1 million for maturation warehouse
November 2020: Koetter Construction announces donation of K-RAX System
March 2021: Vendome Copper and Brass Works announces gift of 30' copper still
March 2023: 4th Annual James B. Beam Institute Industry Conference attracts more than 800 attendees from around the world
April 2023: Vendome Copper & Brass Works delivers and installs 30' tall / 12" copper still
March 2024: $9.3 million gift from Beam Suntory continues Beam and UK partnership

Details on New Facilities:

Distillery: Largest teaching distillery in the world; 30-foot tall, 12 in. column still; Capacity to produce a barrel a day
Maturation Warehouse: 600-barrel capacity; includes K-RAX System for safe, top quality barrel storage

Media Contacts

Grace Sowards, Agriculture Communications and Media Specialist
UK Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment
(859) 257-7707
grace.sowards@uky.edu

Jenny Wells-Hosley, Deputy Director
UK Public Relations and Marketing
(859) 257-5343
jenny.wells@uky.edu

Learn More

Our Research Our Teaching

Photos for Media

Beneath each thumbnail below is a hyperlink where the image may be downloaded in high-resolution. Suggested cutlines/captions are also included for each photo.

Please credit as "photo provided by the UK Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment."

outside photo of newly opened University of Kentucky Beam Institute

Beam(1).jpeg

The result of a $5 million partnership with Beam Suntory first announced in 2019, the University of Kentucky hosted a ribbon cutting for its on-campus research and teaching distillery on August 7.

Beam(2).jpeg

Steps away from the distillery is a maturation facility with a 600-barrel capacity made possible by a $1 million gift from the Independent Stave Company and the Boswell family.

Beam(3).jpeg

Inside the maturation house is a K-RAX storage system donated by Koetter Construction. This proprietary equipment ranks among the industry's safest and best engineered.

Beam (4).jpeg

Scene from the Institute's distillation room where researchers and students will have the capacity to produce a barrel a day thanks to Louisville company Vendome Copper & Brass Works.