Old Forester Distillery
Old Forester Distillery - Street View
Reception Dest - Old Forester Distillery
Tour Introduction - Old Forester Distillery
Mash Bill - Old Forester Distillery
Fermenters - Old Forester Distillery
Fermenter -Old Forester Distillery
The Still - Old Forester Distillery
The Still - Old Forester Distillery
Cooperage - Old Forester Distillery
Charring a Barrel - Old Forester Distillery
Cooperage - Old Forester Distillery
Barrel Warehouse - Old Forester Distillery
Bottling Line - Old Forester Distillery
Tasting Room -Old Forester Distillery
Bourbon Tasting - Old Forester Distillery
George's Bar - Old Forester Distillery
George's Bar Seating Area - Old Forester Distillery
Gift Shop - Old Forester Distillery
Old Forester Distillery Plaque
Old Forester Distillery - Street View
Reception Dest - Old Forester Distillery
Tour Introduction - Old Forester Distillery
Mash Bill - Old Forester Distillery
Fermenters - Old Forester Distillery
Fermenter -Old Forester Distillery
The Still - Old Forester Distillery
The Still - Old Forester Distillery
Cooperage - Old Forester Distillery
Charring a Barrel - Old Forester Distillery
Cooperage - Old Forester Distillery
Barrel Warehouse - Old Forester Distillery
Bottling Line - Old Forester Distillery
Tasting Room -Old Forester Distillery
Bourbon Tasting - Old Forester Distillery
George's Bar - Old Forester Distillery
George's Bar Seating Area - Old Forester Distillery
Gift Shop - Old Forester Distillery
Old Forester Distillery Plaque
119 West Main Street
Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 779-2222
“Home again, home again, jiggety-jig” and it only took 100 years. Old Forester Distilling CO. (the founding brand of Brown-Forman) is finally back in its original Whiskey Row home at 119 West Main St. in Louisville, KY. This is quite a feat given the fact that originally, the entire block of buildings had been scheduled for demolition. A fire in 2015 also threatened the distillery’s home, however Brown-Forman refused to abandon the project and in June of 2018 the Old Forester Distilling Company and Visitors Center opened to the public. The 2018 space is a stylish mix of old and new. Original looking brick walls and exposed wooden beams are complimented by interior glass partitions and ample lighting. All together they provide the perfect venue for showcasing the distillery’s beautiful 44 foot Vendome copper column still which is uniquely located at the back of the gift shop.
The new home was designed with tours in mind allowing Old Forester the capability to offer their standard distillery tour every 15 minutes. Online reservations can be made and are encouraged so your optimal tour time can be reserved, however walk-ins are welcome. Visitors enter the building on the first floor where they are quickly greeted by Old Forester staff. Check in for your tour at the desk, or inquire about tour time availability. The standard tour is $18. It is important to note that tours on Sunday are only $14 as the distillery is not fully functioning. We signed up online for the standard tour. Several other types of tours are offered, but these are on a very limited basis and best explored at 
oldforester.com/book-a-tour/.
oldforester.com/book-a-tour/.
The tour assembles at the stairs leading to the basement. Tickets are checked here and then we proceed down to the basement where the story begins. If you’re a little early for your tour, spend some time at the display wall by the aforementioned stairs. Great old photographs and bottles are neatly displayed, as well as some early history of the brand. Our guide, Sarah, begins the tour with a history lesson. There is a considerable amount of interesting history with this brand which began back in 1870. Old Forester was the first to sell their product in glass bottles, and the first to put a seal over the top of those glass bottles. The distillery also continued its operation through prohibition, and once prohibition ended, Old Forester bourbon was left standing as the only bourbon sold by the same company before, during, and after the repeal of the 21st amendment. The company was no doubt an impressive pioneer in its earliest days.
With some essential history covered, the tour then moves into the fermentation area. One of the interesting facets of Old Forester’s return to Whiskey Row, is that it did so without a mash cooker. According to our tour guide, Sarah, the issue was space. Instead, the mash is trucked to the distillery from the very nearby Brown-Forman Distillery in Shively, KY. In the fermentation area there are four open fermenters, each with a capacity of 4500 gallons. While the massive fermenters are indeed eye-catching, equally so are the enormous wall graphics that accompany the line of fermenters. For those visual learners, the graphics are a great method to help explain a few of the specifics of the fermentation process.
After fermentation comes distillation. Next we proceed up the elevator to the second floor. It’s an engaging ride up because the elevator has a glass front and is directly behind the beautiful Big Penny This is the distillery’s affectionate name for the previously mentioned 44 foot copper column still. It’s quite the treat to see the still in action from its top section. Immediately outside the elevator is a wall of Old Forester print ads along with a few photos from the original time period of Old Forester’s home on Main St. A quick look here, and then it’s off around the corner to view distillation in action. On the right is the spirits safe and to the left is Big Penny. Sarah gives a quick tutorial on distillation and then we head into a very exciting yet very unusual stop on the tour, the cooperage. Exciting, because barrel making is showcased step by step, and highly unusual as Old Forester is the only Kentucky distillery to have its own operational cooperage on site. Whether it’s proper stave selection, barrel toasting and charring, or checking the new barrel for leaks, this stop on the tour offers a rarely seen part of the bourbon making process. Yet it is the barrel that performs a most crucial role in the final product. This is a must see.
Having been schooled in barrel making 101, the next stop on the tour is through the barrel aging warehouse. This eye-catching area is unique due to a slanted walkway that was built along side of the ricks. Visitors get a bird’s eye view of the barrels from beginning to end as the tour meanders down the walkway. Another rare feature, is that there are no seasonal temperatures here. The warehouse, which can house 900 barrels, is climate controlled, ranging in temperature from 65-85 degrees fahrenheit. When at capacity, remaining barrels are aged at the Brown-Forman Distillery. The warehouse area wraps up with a brief discussion of the angel’s share. The final stop before the tasting, is the bottling line. With just a capacity of 2400 bottles a day, this line bottles the four different Old Forester’s Whiskey Row series bourbons. Makes perfect sense given the distillery’s return to the historic Whiskey Row. With the quick walk through the bottling line complete, the final destination is the tasting area.
The tasting is held in a classroom style event space. Three bourbons are offered on our tour: the Old Forester 100, the Old Forester 1910, and the Old Forester Prohibition Style 1920. Water is provided both for drinking/clearing the palate, and in small eye dropper bottles in order to proof down each sample if desired. With the tasting finished, the tour then disbands into the gift shop. On the way down, visitors are afforded a second good look at Big Penny. And of course there are ample purchase opportunities in the gift shop from bourbon to baseball caps. As a quick final note, George’s Bar is just past the front desk toward the back of the building, and can be visited for cocktails and/or tastings. It’s open to the public, whether you are taking a tour or not. Seasonal cocktails are offered as well as the opportunity to do a tasting. Hours are a little different than the distillery’s hours so be sure to call or check online ahead of your visit.
A tour of Old Forester is time and money well spent. From the charm of its original historic home to its carefully planned visitor experience, this newcomer to Louisville’s historic Whiskey Row hits its mark. Old Forester ensures its visitors a unique citified distillery tour. Still a pioneer after 150 years.
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Please note that due to COVID Distillery Hours and Tour/Tasting Availability may vary. Please contact the distillery or check their web page or social media for details before you go.
| Days of operation | Closed Monday Tues-Thur 10am-6pm Fri-Sat 10am-7pm Sunday 12-5pm |
Paved Drive / Lot | Parking is Louisville street parking or various surrounding parking garages |
Motorcycle Parking | No |
| Motorcycle unfriendly features | N/A |
Number of tours per day | Tours run every 15 minutes. Last tour usually 1 hour before closing. Check the online reservations page |
Length of Tour(s) | 1 hour including the tasting |
Advanced topic tours? | Yes |
Advanced topic tour names | Taste Through History Tour Nothing Better in the Market Tour Old Forester VIP Tour |
Tours by owners /distillers available? | Yes. President and 5th generation Campbell Brown will give special tours. These are generally listed under special events. |
Number of different types of tours | 4 |
On-Line Tour Reservations Available | Yes |
Advanced Reservations Recommended/Required | Most Definitely |
| Cost for tour(s) in $ | Standard Tour $18/$14 Check online for advanced tours cost |
Tasting Included? | Yes |
| Number of samples included in tasting | 3 |
| Tasting Only Option? | Yes, in George's Bar |
| Tasting Only Option Cost |
$14 for 3 1/2oz samples |
High-end tasting option? | Not on the standard tour. May be available in George’s Bar |
High-end tasting option cost? | N/A |
Designated Driver Option | No. George’s Bar does have several mocktails available |
Handicapped Accessible? | Yes |
| Souvenirs included with tour? | No |
Gift shop | Yes |
On-Site bottle sales? | Yes |
| On-site food: Restaurant/Cafe/Snacks | No |
| On-site Cocktail bar |
Yes - George’s Bar |
| On-site event space | Yes |
| Should I visit? (Yes, Perhaps, No) | Indeed |
| Unique Features | On site temperature controlled barrel warehouse, cooperage, and a distillery that doesn’t have a mash tun. Hmm? |
Website | https://www.oldforester.com |
| Date Visited | November 2019 |
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