Whiskey aged in barge on river in Ballard County, KY – KFVS12

BALLARD COUNTY, Ky. (KFVS) – A new whiskey is hitting the shelves in Kentucky after a unique aging process.

It’s called “O.H. Ingram River-Aged Whiskey” and the company, Brown Water Spirits, said they are the only ones aging their latest creation on a floating rickhouse on the Mississippi River. It’s moored in Ballard County.

CEO Hank Ingram explained the relationship between the river and aging whiskey.

“The great part about aging bourbon on the river is, really, the science behind it on the river,” Ingram said. “You get a lot of motion, so these barrels in here are constantly in motion, which causes the whiskey to churn. It works differently with wood than your traditional brick houses in Kentucky, for instance. And then the humidity keeps these barrels moist, keeps that sugar from really crystallized and keeps it good and wet so the whiskey is able to penetrate deep into the wood and work with this real act of sugar to pull out some great flavors.”

The barge they use to make the whiskey can hold up to 2,000 barrels.

Ingram’s family has been in the marine transportation business for more than 75 years.

The first expression in the series, Ingram River Aged Straight Whiskey, formally launched in October 2020 and was followed by Ingram River Aged Straight Rye in December. The third in the series, Ingram River Aged Wheated Bourbon, is expected to release in late 2021.