KBF - Frankfort?

[Rughi]

I was at Woodford Reserve on the Sunday of the Festival. I asked why they, or Brown-Forman in Shively, hadn't participated in the really cool barrel rolling contest and was told that they chose not to participate because the KBF has become such a Bardstown-centric event. Apparently, some of the Frankfort-area distillers had originally thought that the KBF was to circulate through the major bourbon areas (I guess Frankfort/Versailles/Lawrenceburg and Louisville being the other 2 venues), but that it had settled in as a Bardstown-only thing.

It got me to thinking that my biggest surprise when we went out to the remains of Taylor/Crow had been that noone else was there. It seemed like a pilgrimage location to me, but I guess it would be predictable that I would say that.

There is so much history in the Frankfort area, I wonder why it shouldn't get a turn, too. Does anyone know more about this story?

I know that if the KBF were to rotate, I'd hate to see less of the Bardstown locals, and who knows if there's a gazebo in Frankfort? An urban festival in Louisville could be cool, but are any of the distilleries there receiving visitors (I don't believe Bernheim or Early Times are set up for it)?

Maybe Bardstown is just too perfect as a base for any and all activities to make it a good idea to move the KBF around.

Roger

[kbuzbee]

We stopped by Frankfort on the way down. It's a charming town and we had a great time. Bardstown is as well, and, just for cohesion, I would not think moving the festival every year would be a good thing. It also doesn't seem very far for folks from Frankfort to go.... Interesting they would say that. I wonder if there's something else really going on....

Ken

[MDV]

Yeah, Bardstown is probably the best permanent place for the big KBF and it is only a little over an hour away from Frankfort/Versailles/Lawrenceburg. Or even Louisville.. However, I would really like to see Buffalo Trace, Wild Turkey, Four Roses, and Woodford (B-F) take a lead role in a more elaborate Sampler Event. The KBF organizers put on a Sampler event in Frankfort in June(ish), but it is only a 2 hour affair. It would be nice to have at least a "Bluegrass Region Bourbon Day" or something - a mini festival, if you will. Something with a little combined distillery muscle behind it... It would be a good PR thing... Just one day with afternoon activities, several music acts, etc, all capped off by the Sampler. A "Gazebo" equivilent in the Frankfort/Lawrenceburg/Versailles area doesn't come to mind right away, but I'm sure a suitable place could be found....

Hmmm...Wouldn't it be glorious if Colonel Taylor's gardens and springhouse were restored at Old Taylor? That would make a tremenouds place for a post-Sampler event until the wee hours... And if some of the rumors are true about the new owners of Old Taylor preserving and restoring the castle building as a B&B, then who knows... ahhh dare to dream....

[bobbyc]

On the aside, they did this year, have a Bourbon sampler in Frankfort about a month after the one in Bardstown. It was a few dollars more, the justification being that better resturants would provide the food from Lexington and Frankfort. I choose not to go, but thought about it awhile as well. Brown-Forman stays out of the sampler at Bardstown, If location is all that's holding them up then this venue in Frankfort should be up their alley.

[Rughi]

Hey MDV,

I clicked on your homepage and found...the pilgrimage site itself! Where streams of whiskey were indeed flowing, but now only the occasional Beam truck.

Good on ya.