Kentucky Bourbon Trail - Day 2
We started Saturday in downtown Louisville. Before our tour at Old Forester, we made a quick breakfast stop at White Castle. Once at Old Forester our guide, Logan, did a fantastic job. He was very well-versed in the history of the distillery and the whisky (there is no e in Old Forester whisky) making process, and he was very engaging and entertaining. On this tour, you get up close to the entire process, from fermentation to bottling and barrel making. You also get to tour a rickhouse with a couple thousand barrels. You enter near high in the rickhouse and take a gently sloping walkway to the exit which brings you right to Big Penny, the copper still that is the centerpiece of the giftshop. This tour is accessible for those with mobility challenges, including the rickhouse. The tour ends with a tasting, and Logan did a great job explaining the various whiskeys.
“Big Penny”
"Big Penny" is the name of the famous 44-foot-tall copper column still located at the Old Forester Distillery on Whiskey Row in Louisville, Kentucky.
After yet another (very fruitful) gift shop visit, we headed down Main Street to Michter’s. Word of advice, make reservations. Since we did not have reservations, and the bar was a 2.5 hour wait, we decided to head back toward Shelbyville for an unplanned stop.
Jayne and I had seen a sign for Jeptha Creed Distillery and then passed it on the highway. And since Henry Jew said he was friends with the owners and it was worth a stop, we decided to spend some time there before dinner. And we were all glad that we did. The staff was great and so we the drinks, particularly Jayne’s Bloody Mary with Jeptha Creed Hot Pepper Vodka. And yes, we brought a bottle home. One of my samples led to jokes for the rest of the weekend. We had already had fun with tastings, trying to identify the tasting notes in various whiskeys. I pointed out that one specific whiskey gave me nothing but corn silk flavor, and that comment stuck for the next two days. Anyway, we stopped for a drink and stayed for two because the atmosphere was great. And the folks at Jeptha Creed are stronger supports of the Military and First Responders. We even had the chance to sign a barrel of Red, White, and Blue Bourbon that will be opened on Veterans Day, which they do every year. Bobby found an unused spot for his signature. For the record, this is the whiskey that started the corn silk joke, but I truly enjoyed their Four Grain Bourdon Mash, and I came home with a bottle.
We even had the chance to sign a barrel of Red, White, and Blue Bourbon that will be opened on Veterans Day, which they do every year.
For the record, this is the whiskey that started the corn silk joke, but I truly enjoyed their Four Grain Bourdon Mash, and I came home with a bottle.
After two rounds of drinks and plenty of laughs, we headed back to the VRBO to get ready for dinner. We walked two blocks down Main to Bellhouse Restaurant. This is a great little restaurant in a historic home. Our server, Abby, was great. Very welcoming, knowledgeable of the menu, and on top of service. I was not impressed by the prime rib, although the twice baked potato was fantastic. Everyone else was very happy with their food which included fried green tomatoes and seared sea scallop appetizers, and Filet Mignon Beef Tips with a Mushroom Demi-Glace, Classic Kentucky Hot Brown, and the seasonal apple crisp dessert. After dinner we went back to the VRBO for a nightcap and some rest. Day 3 was going to be another busy one.