Wood, Whiskey & the Magic of the River
The Mississippi River has long served as inspiration to those who know it. O.H. Ingram River Aged Whiskey was born from this love – coupling an affinity for the river with the innovation and entrepreneurship needed to bring our whiskey to life.
Five generations ago, O.H. Ingram began his own American success story with two things — oak trees and a rushing river. Now, more than 150 years later, Hank Ingram is carrying on the spirit by mastering the combination of wood, whiskey, and the magic of the river to create O.H. Ingram River Aged Whiskey.
Through the Years
-
1830
Birth of the Ingram Patriarch
Orrin Henry “O.H.” Ingram is born, the great-great-great-grandfather of Hank Ingram, founder of O.H. Ingram River Aged Whiskey.
-
1840
Legitimate Spirit
Bourbon is officially recognized. Although bourbon whiskey had been distilled in the Old Bourbon County area for decades, it was not until 1840 that it officially became known as Bourbon.
-
1857
Wood on the Water
O.H. settles in Eau Claire, WI and forms the Empire Lumber Company, later part of Weyerhaeuser Company. This forges the Ingram family connection with river transportation, moving lumber products down the Chippewa and Mississippi rivers.
-
1946
Barge Right In
O.H.’s grandson, Orrin Henry “Hank” Ingram, Sr., founds The Wood River Oil Barge Company, expanding the family business into river barge transportation.
-
1990
A New Branch on the Ingram Family Tree
The founder of O.H. Ingram River Aged Whiskey, Orrin Henry “Hank” Ingram III, is born in Nashville, TN.
-
2014
Entrepreneurial Spirit
While pursuing his MBA at Vanderbilt University, Hank cultivates an idea to bring another business to the river’s edge. With his knowledge of the river, passion for history, and penchant for a bourbon nightcap, he develops the idea for the unique river aging process.
-
2015
Concept to Creation
Fresh off a 1st place win in a business pitch competition, Hank decides to found Brown Water Spirits to bring the idea to life. We’ve certainly come a long way since the first bottle design!
-
2016
Testing the Waters
Brown Water Spirits is granted an experimental permit to test the effects of aging whiskey on a river.
-
2019
Patent-Pending: Floating Barrelhouse
Brown Water Spirits receives the first ever DSP Issued for a floating barrelhouse. With its patent-pending design, the team set out to make a whiskey unlike any before.
-
2020
For Public Consumption
O.H. Ingram River Aged Whiskey is born – marking six generations of Ingram dedication to innovation. A straight whiskey aged in new, charred oak barrels with a rich, smooth taste mature beyond its age.
Meet the Team
Hank Ingram
Founder
Hank Ingram comes from a long line of entrepreneurs who for more than five generations have built businesses with the river at their core. He is the latest in his family to bring a great idea to the river’s edge.
With an intimate knowledge of the river and an appreciation for good bourbon, he developed the idea for O.H. Ingram River Aged while in business school, and started the company in 2015 to bring the idea to life. The goal today is the same as it was then: use the river to mature whiskey for a superior depth and character.
Hank is a graduate of Washington and Lee University and received his MBA from the Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University. He is an active volunteer in a number of Nashville organizations and serves on boards for the Boy Scouts of Middle Tennessee and the Nashville Symphony. In his spare time, Hank enjoys golf, guitar, cycling, and of course, a glass of bourbon.
Scott Beyer
Master Blender
At OH Ingram, Scott Beyer is responsible for curating the flavor profile for each expressions and operations related to warehousing and production.
Growing up on a small farm in Pennsylvania, Scott understood the value of hard work from a young age. At 15, Scott’s family moved to Florida to live and work on Escape Ranch, where he served as a ranch hand. It was there at the ranch where Scott and Hank Ingram first met. Connecting over their common interests, the two men became quick friends.
Scott’s love of whiskey and spirits led him to pursue a career in the industry, eventually leading to his current role at O.H. Ingram. Scott is fascinated by the countless ways to make a whiskey uniquely modern. He believes that each bottle has a story to tell, and though hard work and long days are a given in the industry, Scott has never shied away from the challenge of making a great product.
Scott is a graduate of Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. When he’s not working, he enjoys reading, traveling, listening to podcasts and is always in the mood to try new spirits.