With whiskey tourism in the U.S. hitting unprecedented attendance levels, distilleries around the country are adding unique and immersive experiences to engage visitors beyond typical tours and tastings. Casey Jones Distillery is launching the first-of-its-kind Mash Maker’s Experience on Saturday, August 31 in preparation for Bourbon Heritage Month in September. Available exclusively at the distillery in Hopkinsville, this hands-on, guided tour invites guests to help build an all new, crowd sourced, custom mash bill. Each handcrafted batch will be first offered in a very limited run as new make distillate before being stored in premium Kelvin Cooperage barrels. After aging, the spirits will be bottled and sold as part of Casey Jones Distillery’s award-winning portfolio.
The Mash Maker’s Experience focuses on the primary bourbon grains and how they affect the taste profile of the bourbon from grain to glass. Participants will learn from knowledgeable and welcoming staff about the unique characteristics that corn, rye, wheat, and malted barley deliver and how the individual grains impact the production process.
Guests will be guided by master distiller Arlon 'AJ' Casey Jones to create a crowd sourced mash bill and will become an official ‘Casey Jones Distillery Mash Maker’. Participants will first scoop up to three raw grains out of barrels in the same still room where AJ has made authentic Kentucky spirits for years. Mirroring his exact process, guests will then pour their grain into the distillery’s original mill to prepare the grain for production. Afterwards, guests will add their milled grains into designated barrels. Grains will be collected throughout the month from all participants. The final recipe will feature AJ’s personal touch and will be announced on the distillery’s social media and email newsletter before it is distilled.
Participants can follow every step of the journey through email updates, watching as their grain becomes bourbon. Each batch will yield roughly around two and a half barrels: two barrels will be stored for aging and the remaining half barrel will be sold as unaged white dog, giving participants the chance to experience both the unaged spirit and the finished bourbon.
AJ Jones commented: “Mash bills are the cornerstone of any great whiskey and understanding that the grains are the secret sauce is something master distillers have held close to the vest since bourbon became America’s Native spirit. As we head into Bourbon Heritage Month here in Kentucky, the team at Casey Jones is opening the doors to the bourbon development process by asking guests to help us design the next great bourbon mash bill that we’ll eventually sell. This gives our guests a unique chance to be part of this essential step in whiskey-making while creating a real connection to the final product.”
With tickets at $10 per guest, the family-friendly and handicap-accessible Mash Maker’s Experience is offered at Casey Jones Distillery daily, Monday through Sunday every half hour on the hour (daily hours may vary). While walk-ins are welcome, reservations are recommended and may be secured on the Casey Jones website via the Mash Maker’s Experience page. Each tour runs approximately 45 minutes and can accommodate up to 20 guests per group. To commemorate the experience, Casey Jones Distillery will also offer limited-edition Mash Maker’s merchandise, including t-shirts, hats and cups.
