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Bourbon is rooted in Louisville Water’s history. When the company started in 1860, distillers had been producing bourbon for nearly 100 years. The addition of a water supplier helped distillers scale from small batches to a global industry.
It was even featured on Louisville Water’s facility tour beginning in the 1860s. On at least one tour of the Water Works, the founders served a shot “of ancient and accepted Bourbon!”
Our records show the first reported distilleries with metered water connections date back to 1869.
Originally, distilleries used Louisville Water mostly for fire protection, cooling during the distillation process, and cleaning purposes.
In the 19th century, most distilleries didn’t have a meter to measure water usage – the bill was calculated by the amount of barrels produced. Distillers paid 10 cents per barrel of bourbon produced in the late 1800s, which equates to about $4 today.
From 1870 to 1900, the bourbon industry’s demand for water grew exponentially. The average size of metered service grew by 170% in those 30 years. The uses of water broadened, too. In 1895, Elk Run Distillery used Louisville Water to power a hydraulic elevator, automatic sprinklers, and produce steam heat.
By 1901, 27 distilleries used Louisville Water.
We’ve always put a premium on taste, too. Like our bourbon partners, we’ve had a master distiller on staff since the 1930s. Back then, a man named Chester Tilford was responsible for swishing and spitting Ohio River water 30 times a day!
Today, nearly 20 distilleries use Louisville Pure Tap® in their recipes and we consider our scientists our chief tasters or master distillers, performing an average of 200 tests a day for quality. And yes, one of those is a taste test of the finished product!
Our shared history is one reason why we partnered with the Kentucky Bourbon Country Auction for its inaugural event, February 13 through 15. Louisville Water will have a seat at the table all weekend long.
The events kick off at the Frazier History Museum, the official start of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®, for rare pours, curated tastings, and bottle sales. Louisville Water will be serving a shot of Pure Tap® in between tastings!
The live auction takes place on Saturday, February 14 at the Omni Louisville Downtown, which sits at the site of the former Louisville Water office building.
The weekend ends at the Louisville Water Tower and WaterWorks Museum for the “Final Pour,” a guided tour through Louisville Water’s history and an immersive water tasting.
“Louisville Water Company is a big part of the experience,” said Andrew Varga, founder of KBCA and former Brown-Forman marketing executive. “They’re part of 20 distilleries with their Pure Tap brand and just a great example of how all this is connected together in a fantastic way.”
Yes, it’s a weekend to celebrate bourbon, one of America’s few distinctive products, but it’s also a weekend to give back to those who have served in the military. All benefits from the weekend will support the Bob Woodruff Foundation, an organization providing mental health support, housing, and employment services to the military community and first responders.
The goal for this inaugural event is to support over 500 veteran families with access to critical resources.
Louisville Water is proud to be bourbon’s best friend. Events like these are a great way to highlight the strong bond. Remember: 95% of bourbon is produced in Kentucky, but the best bourbon is made with Louisville Pure Tap®.
To learn more about the event, purchase tickets, or view the full auction catalogue, visit http://www.KYBCA.com.
