June 1 - 14 - Old Fashioned Fortnight

Venue: Downtown Louisville

Facebook Event

“Old Fashioned Fortnight” a two week Social Media promotion in Downtown Louisville for the Official drink of Louisville.Join us in promoting Louisville’s official drink the Old Fashioned for a fortnight! The event will commence on June 1st, the kick off to coincide with the Republic Bank First Friday Hop and celebrate through June 14th, on National Bourbon Day. As part of the celebration we invite local bars, restaurants and Downtown shops to show us their favorite “Old Fashioned” recipes by posting photos, videos and reviews of their favorite Bourbon district cocktails.

Old Fashioned Contest: Take a few minutes to help us find the best Old Fashioned in Downtown Louisville by posting pictures of your favorite Old Fashioned and where you got it along with the hashtag #bourbondistrict. Be sure to share your favorite Old Fashioned as a public post for a chance to win an Old Fashioned themed prize or gift basket featuring items from a few of Downtown Louisville’s favorite Distilleries; Evan Williams, Angel’s Envy and the Jim Beam Urban Stillhouse. Contest will run until June 14th National Bourbon Day and winners will be selected at random from posts to Twitter, Facebook and Instagram that feature a favorite Old Fashioned and the hashtag #bourbondistrict. To ensure we receive your submission please be sure to tag Downtown Louisville in your post. Top posts will be reshared and credited.

What: Old Fashioned Fortnight

Where: Downtown Louisville, multiple locations

When: Kick off on June 1st with the Republic Bank First Friday Hop through June 14th.

Details: For two weeks, a “fortnight” will be under way and Louisville will shine a spotlight on Louisville’s official cocktail, the Kentucky Bourbon Old Fashioned with bourbon-related events and promotions from June 1st until June 14th.

Get featured on our social media pages!

We will be stepping into bars and restaurants to capture and share (both live and produced) videos of Old Fashioned making at Downtown Louisville’s top bars, pubs and dives both leading up to and during the event as an opportunity to promote both local business and the Urban Bourbon trail in Downtown Louisville.

Article Text:

Join us for the an Old Fashioned Fortnight in Downtown Louisville! We will be celebrating the best places to taste your way along the Urban Bourbon trail in the Bourbon District right here in Downtown Louisville. The feature drink will be none other than the official drink of Louisville, Kentucky, the Old Fashioned, a drink as versatile and yet wholly traditional as the county seat itself. Named the official drink of Louisville in 2015, we kick off every June with a fortnight of bourbon heritage and happenings for the two weeks leading up to National Bourbon Day on the 14th.

What is an “Old Fashioned?”

Technically an Old Fashioned is any variation on the blend of a spirit, namely bourbon, sugar, water and bitters and optionally garnished with orange and/or a cherry but there are as many variations out there as there are barrels in Kentucky so the recipe can vary wildly and wonderfully.

Featured locations open throughout the event:

• Evan Williams Bourbon Experience (Tours)
  Step back in time to 1783 and experience life and distilling as it was in the early days of the Republic.
  Mon – Thurs, 11 am – 5:30 pm
  Fri – Sat, 10 am – 6 pm
  Sun, 1 pm – 5:30 pm
• Angel’s Envy Distillery Tours
  $20 tours on the hour during the week and on the half hour over the weekend. Reservations strongly suggested and footwear appropriate in a real working distillery on this comprehensive modern distillery tour.
  Monday | 10am – 5pm EDT
  Tuesday | No public tours offered; Retail store open 10am – 5pm EDT
  Wednesday – Saturday | 10am – 5pm EDT
  First Friday | 10am – 6pm (3 additional tours for the HOP June 1st, starting at 4:30pm, 5pm & 5:30pm!)
  Sunday | 1pm – 5pm EDT
• Jim Beam Urban Stillhouse and Visitor Center
  Monday – Saturday 1:00PM-9:00PM
  Last experience begins at 8:00PM
  Front Desk Phone: (502) 855-8392
  $8 Taste of History – Offered every 30 minutes
  Experience duration: approximately 20 minutes
  $18 Tableside Cocktail Experience- Offered at 3:00PM, 5:00PM, 7:00PM (Reservations strongly suggested due to availability) Experience duration: approximately 45 minutes
  Prices vary based on the cocktail selected – Cocktails By The Drink. Prices vary based on the item selected.
  Create the perfect souvenir by customizing your bottle, barrel head, or glass with a personalized laser etched message or approved logo.
  $29.99 – 375ml
  $45.99 – 750ml
  Bottle Your Own Bottle Experience
  This is a great opportunity hand bottle your own Jim Beam Urban Stillhouse Bourbon. This is a 100 proof, non-chill filtered Bourbon for any occasion.
• Louisville Convention and Visitor Bureau
  Pick up your Urban Bourbon Passport between the hours of:
  Monday – Saturday 10AM – 5PM
  Sunday 12–5PM
• Mint Julep Tours
  8 tour options running every day from short tours to extended and multi day itinerary tours all the local Kentucky distilleries.
  Departs from the Galt House hotel.
  All public bourbon tours depart from the Galt House Hotel in downtown Louisville. Departure times and destinations vary. Thursday, Friday and Saturday tours are $149 per person.
  Public bourbon tours include transportation with an expert guide, distillery admissions for two tours and three tastings, lunch at a local restaurant, and bottled water.
• Rabbit Hole Distillery Tour
  (Scheduled to open for tours in late June but worth stopping by to see the gorgeous modern building, garden and unique signage.)
• Vendome Copper and Brass Works
  Building custom stills and distillery equipment since 1879 in the heart of Downtown Louisville.
• Kentucky Peerless
  Urban distillery with a vast family history with tours featuring an up close look at how they craft the finest spirits, from grain to bottle.
  Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Saturday 10:00 – 5:00
  (Tours at: 10:30 | 11:30 | 12:30 | 1:30 | 2:30 | 3:30)
  Thursday & Friday 10:00 – 7:00
  (Tours at: 10:30 | 11:30 | 12:30 | 1:30 | 2:30 | 3:30 | 4:30 | 5:30)

Schedule Of Associated Events:

• June 1st
  Kick off date coincides with the Republic Bank First Friday Hop
  Urban Bourbon Trail
  Pick up your free passport at the Louisville Visitors Center to be taken on a self-guided tour through the history of Louisville’s bourbon heritage and the world’s most celebrated bourbon bars with a printed booklet style passport including discounts and best kept secrets of Downtown Louisville and the bourbon district. Just collect a stamp from six of the many stops along the Urban Bourbon Trail and you’ll earn the rank of official Bourbon County Citizen which could earn you a special Urban Bourbon Trailblazer t-shirt and official Citizen of Bourbon Country certificate if you turn it in when you are done.
• June 2nd
  WHISKY LIVE LOUISVILLE
  WHISKY LIVE LOUISVILLE offers a fantastic evening of the finest whisky, incredible whisky cocktails, great food and entertainment – making enjoying whisky part of a lifestyle! Tell your friends! After all, fine whiskey is best enjoyed with great company.
  Join us and sample from over 150 whiskies from around the world along with a special display of craft spirits
• June 5-10th
  The fifth annual Kentucky Bourbon Affair™
  The fifth annual Kentucky Bourbon Affair™ a travel event operated by the Kentucky Distillers’ Association, which promotes, protects and elevates Kentucky’s signature Bourbon and distilled spirits industry.
  Follow here: https://www.facebook.com/bourbonaffair/
  Kentucky Frontier Feast
  Frazier History Museum
• June 6th
  Angel’s Envy Cask Portfolio Dinner
  Angel’s Envy Distillery
  Ranked the Best Spirit in the World by Spirit Journal, Angel’s Envy Cask Strength Bourbon Finished in Port Barrels is unlike any whiskey you’ve ever tried. Angel’s Envy is releasing fewer than 10,000 bottles of the award-winning Cask Strength this year, so don’t miss your chance to taste and pick up a bottle of this rare and delicious spirit.
  Each year, Angel’s Envy has released an uncommonly rare and distinct Cask Strength Bourbon Finished in Port Barrels. These releases, each distinctly delicious, are only available once per year, making previous years selections almost impossible to find. Until now. Guests to the Angel’s Envy 2018 Bourbon Affair will have the opportunity to purchase a single bottle of Cask Strength from one of the following years: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, or 2017. Were pulling these from our own limited collection, and this represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for collectors.
  To help you decide on your purchase, we are thrilled to share a tasting of those five Angel’s Envy Cask Strength releases from 2013 through 2017. This is an incredible opportunity to learn and taste the unique flavor of Angel’s Envy Cask Strength Bourbon Finished in Port Barrels. In addition to the unique one-of-a-kind tasting, Co-founder Wes Henderson and Master Blender Kyle Henderson will lead guests through our full production distillery for an in-depth tour. Afterwards, guests will enjoy a multi-course dinner highlighted by Angel’s Envy pairings in our distillery courtyard, accompanied by live music. This is a can’t miss event for serious bourbon fans, and an opportunity that only comes along once. We hope to see you there!
  Tickets are $250
• June 6th – June 8th
  Bondaroo: 120 Years of Bottled-in-Bonds at Evan Williams Bourbon Experience.
  Celebrate all bonded whiskeys with a look at the history, regulations and variations of American Bottled-In-Bond Straight Whiskey. Join Heaven Hill Master Distiller Denny Potter and Brand Ambassador, author and champion of bonded whiskeys, Bernie Lubbers, as they celebrate 120 years of Bottled-in-Bond history with tastings of several of our favorite bonded whiskeys, bespoke cocktails, and an exclusive insider tasting.
  From the birth of BIBs, to Prohibition, to the first golden age of American Whiskey, and finally to modern times, Denny and Bernie will inform, entertain, and keep your palate in bond-age. Plus, you will enjoy a special catered lunch and take home a unique gift to commemorate this special KBA event.
• June 6th – June 7th
  Cooking at Millie’s with Town Branch
  Cooking at Millie’s, Join Town Branch Bourbon and Master Distiller Mark Coffman for an afternoon of bourbon, beer and some culinary adventure! If you like to have fun, enjoy a great meal, and love to cook, this class is right up your alley. Town Branch will be partnering with Cooking at Millie’s, Louisville’s newest and most exciting educators of cuisine, for a three course meal designed by local chefs and all about bourbon. The best part, participants will get to experience the hands on preparation, learn new recipes and enjoy the final product!
  Cooking at Millies is a brand new, hands on culinary institute in the heart of downtown Louisville that focuses on good food and having fun. We will also have Master Distiller, Mark Coffman onsite to help with tastings and hang out with guests. All guests will receive a signed bottle of Town Branch Single Barrel, a very limited release product.
  Tickets are $150 – Reservations required
• June 9th
  Higher Proof Expo
  Omni Hotel
  Introduced as part of the Kentucky Bourbon Affair in 2017, the Higher Proof Expo was one of the highest rated experiences of the week. Attendees were treated to Bourbon-centric educational and tasting sessions led by top industry professionals. Between sessions, they were invited to peruse pop-up shops to sample and experience what Louisville has to offer. A ticket to the Higher Proof Expo includes access to 4 sessions throughout the day and is the perfect way to segue into the evenings activities.
  The 2018 session schedule and descriptions are listed here. A few classes are full, but there are plenty of great programs remaining. Once you purchase your ticket to HPEX, you’ll receive an email invitation from the SCHED program to make your selections.
  Vendors that will be displaying and offering extras to our HPEX guests:
  21c Museum Hotel
  Ale-8-One
  Art Eatables
  Drunkwood
  Louisville Convention & Visitors Bureau
  Horse Country Tours
  Louisville Water
  Mint Julep Tours
  New Orleans Bourbon Festival
  Steurer & Jacoby/Firebird
  Sweet Mash Boutique
  Westport Whiskey & Wine
  Angel’s Fare
  Omni Hotel
  Join us at the brand new Omni Louisville Hotel for an evening of fine Kentucky fare and rare whiskeys as Kentucky Bourbon Affair presents Angel’s Fare to cap off our week-long celebration of Bourbon.
  Angel’s Fare showcases the heart and soul of Kentucky’s legendary Bourbon culture with renowned chefs serving up their delectable cuisine alongside exclusive selections from revered distilleries and vintage whiskey collectors to delight your palate. All come together to raise money for Kentucky charities.
  Award-winning chefs Newman Miller (Star Hill Provisions/Harrison-Smith House), Todd Stein (The Bar at Willett/Formento’s, Chicago), and the Omni’s own Steve Gustafson will provide culinary provisions featuring the best Kentucky Proud ingredients, while guests peruse and experience rare and one-of-a-kind whiskey selections.
  Be there as we debut the first-ever KY Bourbon Affair Release BAR 18 Legends’ Select Series single barrel selections chosen by a panel of Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame Legends. These Hall of Famers embarked on a road trip to select exceptional barrels at Jim Beam, Maker’s Mark, Old Forester, Willett, and Wild Turkey distilleries. These barrels will be bottled to be released exclusively at Angel’s Fare.
  The BAR 18 Legends’ Select Series includes:
  Willett Family Reserve 6 Year Single Barrel Bourbon
  Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style Bourbon Exclusive Single Barrel
  Russell’s Reserve 10 Year Single Barrel
  Knob Creek Rye Single Barrel
  Maker’s Mark Private Select
• June 10th
  Bourbon Bada$$ Brunch
  Whiskey Chicks – What better way to unwind after an event-filled week at the Kentucky Bourbon Affair than by discovering your inner badass over brunch and Bourbon?
  The Whisky Chicks are all about making the experience of Bourbon fun and approachable, so come mix, mingle and unwind with fellow Bourbon Badasses!
  Enjoy tastings and Bourbon-infused recipes, served family-style, from How to be a Bourbon Badass, written by Whisky Chicks founder, Linda Ruffenach. Guests can also use their bartending skills at our mimosa, bloody mary and coffee cocktail bars.
  As a final send off from KBA week, each guest will receive a signed copy of How to be a Bourbon Badass.
  At The Henry Clay, 10a-12p, Tickets are $100
• June 14th
  National Bourbon Day – June 14
  Celebrate America’s “Native Spirit” on National Bourbon Day – June 14
  Follow here: https://www.facebook.com/AllThingsBourbon
  Online reservations available now starting June 14th.

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