Whiskey House of Kentucky has partnered with The Koetter Group to build 12 state-of-the-art rickhouses utilizing innovative K-RAX barrel storage technology over the next six years. Constructed on Whiskey House of Kentucky’s property in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, each warehouse will be seven stories high, hold 48,048 barrels, and is designed to improve barrel maturation performance, enhance worker and contractor safety, reduce maintenance, and strengthen structural integrity and longevity.
“As the leader in custom whiskey production, we want the most innovative and advanced rickhouses in the industry for our exclusive customers,” said Whiskey House co-founder and CEO David Mandell. “The Koetter Group provides us with an incredible product that delivers significant improvements in warehouse maturation, air flow, safety, and durability.”
The K-RAX warehouse design increases maturation performance and airflow by using a full-length vented cupola in conjunction with their continuous floor vents around the entire perimeter of the building. In addition to air flow, the floor vents allow alcohol vapors — which are heavier than air — to exit the building for lower vapor build up, which reduces barrel and structural damage. The K-RAX warehouse improves worker and contractor safety with its full width walk boards, wire mesh fall protection next to walkways, elimination of pinch points throughout the warehouse, and stronger dunnage that provides improved worker safety and smoother barrel rolling.
K-RAX warehouses are constructed using Southern yellow pine that is glue laminated, heat treated, and kiln dried. As a result, the material is stronger and prevents powder post beetles from damaging the wood. Moreover, the Computer Numerical Control machined connections create a very tight fit for very little movement. This eliminates the need for a plumb bob and enables unbalanced loading so that barrels can be loaded and unloaded from any floor or side of the building without jeopardizing its structural integrity.
Bob Koetter, owner and CEO of The Koetter Group, added: “The Koetter Group could not be more excited to partner with Whiskey House. Over the years we have been asked by multiple distilleries to help innovate barrel-storage warehouses. We are very thankful that Whiskey House is giving us the opportunity to bring our innovation and advanced warehouse solutions to the bourbon industry.”
Civil work for the construction of warehouses five and six began in March 2025 with Phillips Brothers Construction. K-RAX mobilized on the Whiskey House property the week of May 26 and begins construction on warehouse five on June 16.
For more information, visit Whiskey House of Kentucky’s website.
