The Independent Stave Company and the Boswell family have donated $1 million to the University of Kentucky to further spirits research at its James B. Beam Institute for Kentucky Spirits. The gift will fund the creation of a new maturation facility for barrel aging spirits produced in its research distillery.
Matt Barton
Brad Boswell
Brad Boswell, CEO Independent Stave Company, announced collaboration with UK for a 600-barrel maturation facility.
“The creation of the James B. Beam Institute at the University of Kentucky speaks volumes about the bright future of the spirits industry,” said Brad Boswell, CEO at Independent Stave Company. “My family is honored to be a part of this groundbreaking commitment to distilling education in the great commonwealth of Kentucky. Independent Stave Company – Boswell Family Barrel Warehouse will be an unparalleled, hands-on experience for students to increase their understanding of the relationship between oak barrels and spirits. We’re excited to see how this knowledge drives innovation in our industry as graduates of this program eventually become the next generation of distillers.”
The proposed UK campus location for the maturation facility is near the corner of Cooper and Nicholasville Road, said Seth DeBolt, director of the Beam Institute. Site preparation for the project is expected to begin in the next few months, Bolt said, with the facility projected for completion roughly 18 months after the groundbreaking.
Since 1912, Independent Stave Company has crafted quality cooperage products for the wine and spirits industry. The company now exists on six continents and continues to evolve with a commitment to safety, quality and innovation as it meets the growing demand for oak worldwide.
The barrel imparts a huge amount of the flavor on the finished product, DeBolt said, and having a maturation facility on campus will allow the institute to take its teaching and its research projects for the industry full-circle -- from the soil to the bottle.
“Independent Stave Company is the industry leader in American white oak barrel manufacturing, sustainability and innovation,” DeBolt said. “This generous investment by the Boswell family will greatly enhance the reach of the James B. Beam Institute for Kentucky Spirits at the University of Kentucky and is an investment in Kentucky’s future.”
The Independent Stave Company – Boswell Family Barrel Warehouse will provide a modern facility to research bourbon whiskey production and maturation science.
“Kentucky’s bourbon industry is critically important to the state’s economy, and we are certainly excited and appreciative of the Boswell family’s confidence in this new spirits initiative at UK. The bourbon industry is an important component of our land-grant mission to enhance Kentucky,” said Nancy Cox, dean of the UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, where the institute resides.
The only one of its kind in the United States, the warehouse will have a 600-barrel capacity and become an interactive classroom and laboratory where students and scientists can tackle real-life industry issues.
“As the University of, for and with Kentucky, we are grateful for the Boswell family’s generosity,” said UK President Eli Capilouto. “This gift further strengthens our commitment to research and workforce development in an industry inextricably linked to Kentucky’s economy.”