Wilderness Trail Distillery increasing daily bourbon production

Wilderness Trail Distillery in Danville is adding three 4,000-gallon fermenters and three 20,000-gallon fermenters so it can increase daily production. (Emily Toadvine Photo)

Wilderness Trail Distillery plans to increase its daily production of Bourbon and rye whiskey with an expansion of its fermentation operations. The distillery will add six fermenters, made by Vendome Copper & Brass Works in Louisville.

“We are excited to add these fermenters for additional capacity and expanded fermentation times. The expansion will allow us to increase the number of barrels we produce per day and provide a lot more flexibility in our overall operations as we continue to grow,” says the distillery’s co-founder and President Shane Baker.

Half of the fermenters, 4,000-gallons each, will be installed within the original distillery. Construction for the new ferm-house and the other three 20,000-gallon fermenters will begin at the first of the year.

The fermentation expansion is not the only area where Wilderness Trail is expanding. The distillery’s eighth warehouse, visible from Ky. 34, is almost complete. Warehouse K will house 24,624-barrels.

Buzick Construction of Bardstown will build five more warehouses on the property’s southern ridge.

“We have been in constant construction since 2011 and we have a few more years of building to go before we begin rotating our larger warehouses with space of our new production each year. We produce 24/7, 350 days a year and soon will have produced a quarter million barrels and we are just blessed to be able to do what we do.” Baker says.  

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Wilderness Trail Distillery is a proud member of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® and Kentucky Distillers Association Heritage member. Wilderness Trail is recognized as the 14th largest Bourbon Distillery with award-winning Kentucky Bourbon and rye Whiskey brands known as Wilderness Trail Single Barrel, Small Batch, six-year Bourbons, and Settlers Select rye Whiskey, made from the genuine sweet mash process.

— Emily Toadvine