By Richard Thomas
Amongst bourbon nerds, Jeptha Creed Distillery is finest often called the craft-scale farm distillery that was an early revivalist of the Bloody Butcher pressure of corn. The distillery is constructed across the Nethery household’s farm properties in Shelbyville, and since a part of the issue with utilizing unique grain varietals is persuading a farmer to develop them, takes benefit of that farm entry by rising a few of their very own grain for making spirits.
From the purpose of a view of a bourbon vacationer, Jeptha Creed’s standing as a relative newcomer working on a a lot smaller scale than the “Kentucky Majors” makes them comparatively obscure. I think about many a traveler plying the Kentucky Bourbon Path solely turned conscious of Jeptha Creed due to a drive alongside Interstate 64 between Lexington and Louisville, as a result of the distillery is positioned in plain sight of that freeway close to Shelbyville.
However Jeptha Creed has some options that few or not one of the different distilleries in Kentucky share: a spacious indoor and out of doors veranda bar, a rolling garden extending off that again veranda, and an occasions stage throughout from that veranda. This mix of parts clearly makes the distillery a rental venue, however 4 occasions a yr it provides them the technique of throwing their very own festivals. It’s the latter that must be on the agenda of anybody aspiring to ply the Bourbon Path subsequent yr.
(Credit score: Jeptha Creed Distillery)
In Summer season 2024, Jeptha Creed held three live shows as a part of its Jammin at Jeptha collection. Then got here their Fall Harvest Competition in early October, which mixed the live performance and distributors of the summer season collection with a corn maze. Occasions like these add a spark to the same old bourbon itinerary, which is so typically restricted to distillery excursions and tastings plus perhaps some bar hopping and bottle looking, in addition to making bourbon tourism somewhat extra approachable for the non-enthusiast. Any of the live performance occasions can embrace a daily tour of the distillery and tasting, however these construct on that by including some dwell leisure and a festive environment.
When it comes to bourbon, Jeptha Creed’s flagship is their Bottled in Bond Bourbon, made with 75% bloody butcher corn, 20% malted rye and 5% malted barley. In addition they have a 6 yr previous wheated bourbon and a straight four-grain bourbon of their commonplace stock.
