Whiskey House of Kentucky and the Koetter Group Announce Long-Term Partnership to Build State-of-the Art Rickhouses

Press Release

Whiskey House of Kentucky and the Koetter Group Announce Long-Term Partnership to Build State-of-the Art Rickhouses

New barrel warehouses provide major advancements in whiskey maturation, worker safety, and structural integrity

ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky., June 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Whiskey House of Kentucky, the most advanced custom whiskey distillery in the country, 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 designed to improve barrel maturation performance, enhance worker and contractor safety, reduce maintenance, and strengthen structural integrity and longevity. For more information, visit WhiskeyHouse.com.

“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.”

K-RAX Design Enhances Safety, Ventilation, and Maturation

The pioneering 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 CNC 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.

Construction Timeline and Industry Impact

“The Koetter Group could not be more excited to partner with Whiskey House,” said Bob Koetter, owner and CEO of the Koetter Group. “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.

Whiskey House of Kentucky: Scaling Modern Whiskey Manufacturing

Today’s announcement further bolsters Whiskey House’s transformative position in the contract whiskey manufacturing industry. Since the start of operations on July 1, 2024, Whiskey House has produced more than 97,000 barrels, 56 unique mashbills, and 59 different recipes for its exclusive custom whiskey production customers. The 110,000 square foot distillery boasts a highly sophisticated manufacturing system that is fully automated and runs on proprietary software 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

About Whiskey House of Kentucky:
Whiskey House of Kentucky is the most advanced distillery in the world, designed from the ground up to provide the highest-quality, customized American whiskey for the most discerning brands in the industry. By incorporating best practices, programs, and state-of-the art technology from advanced food manufacturing, and applying them to distilling, Whiskey House delivers unparalleled quality, unmatched flexibility in customization, and the ability to test and scale innovation projects for the best spirits companies in the world. Whiskey House has no brands of its own and a campus closed to the public, removing all potential conflicts of interest between the company and its customers. The team is hyper-focused on providing superior custom whiskey production, innovative liquid design, and exceptional customer service for its exclusive branded clients. For more information, visit WhiskeyHouse.com.

About The Koetter Group:
Family-owned and operated since 1954, The Koetter Group is one of the region’s leading full-service commercial contractors and developers, serving Southern Indiana and the Greater Louisville area. With four divisions — Koetter Construction, Koetter Real Estate Services, Koetter Building Services, and K-RAX Premium Spirits Barrel Storage Systems — providing a wide range of services including design-build construction, land development, real estate services, facility repairs and maintenance, fall protection inspections and installation, and premium barrel storage solutions. Built on a foundation of quality, integrity, and strong relationships, The Koetter Group takes pride in treating every client and team member like family. Learn more at thekoettergroup.com.

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