Behind the Pursuit: From Bourbon to Brand

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Behind the Pursuit: From Bourbon to Brand episodes

July 31, 2024068 - The Easy Button
Today's question comes from listener Richard C. Richard had a series of questions looming from the recent Bourbon Roundtable Live Q&A during Pursuit Palooza, and we thought they'd made for a great episode for Ryan while Kenny was out. Kenny & Ryan used to joke that they should have gone the "easy route" to a brand and just bottled MGP instead of doing their own thing. Now, MGP brands are truly everywhere, the bourbon market is undergoing a correction, and bottles are sitting on the shelf for longer.
We hit on:
How do you feel looking back on your original decision to forge a different path? Did you feel you missed out on something by doing that?
Do you feel you are better positioned now for the current market, and for the future, than if you had bottled MGP?
Where do you think you'd be currently if you had gone with MGP instead of creating the Pursuit United brand as we know it?
What would you do differently if you could do it all over again? What would you tell the 2018 versions of Kenny & Ryan?

and much more.
Be sure to visit pursuitspirits.com and click on Visit Us to book a tasting or barrel selection experience. For questions or topic requests on upcoming episodes, email us at [email protected].
36 min
July 17, 2024067 - New & Old
We have a rare treat today. Not only is Ryan back, but he’s rocking a solo episode with Brian while Kenny is taking a staycation. With so many products in the works, we figured we’d talk about some of the projects currently cooking in the Pursuit lab. From old recipes to new SKUs, we have a lot to dive into with this one.
We hit on:
Mashbills presently available for blends
Different experimental oak finishing
New SKUs in the pipeline
Differentiating from other products on the market by taking chapters from the wine and Scotch worlds

and much more.
Be sure to visit pursuitspirits.com and click on Visit Us to book a tasting or barrel selection experience. For questions or topic requests on upcoming episodes, email us at [email protected].
39 min
July 03, 2024066 - The History of Mellwood
Our Pursuit Spirits Distillery here on Mellwood Ave sits on hallowed ground, being the original site of the Mellwood Distillery, and later, General Distillers Corporation of Kentucky. The Mellwood Distillery has a rich history dating back to 1865, and with the help of several folks in the industry, we've learned a bit about it and it's various ownership changes over the years. It produced brands like Mellwood Whisky, Kentucky Nectar, Derby Town, and Old Rampart, just to name a few. In today's episode, Kenny discusses the architecture, operations, and historical significance of the distillery, highlighting the importance of preserving and sharing bourbon history as we bring whiskey back to Mellwood Ave.
We hit on:
The origin of our site at 1700 Mellwood Ave
Uncovering the history, maps, & research
Mellwood Distillery and it's various labels
Preserving and sharing the bourbon history

and much more.
Be sure to visit pursuitspirits.com and click on Visit Us to book a tasting or barrel selection experience. For questions or topic requests on upcoming episodes, email us at [email protected].
40 min
June 19, 2024 065 - PursuitPalooza Recap 2024
Another PursuitPalooza is in the books! Each year, the guys host a unique and immersive experience here in town for their listeners and fans. The event includes distillery tours, barrel picks, tastings, and social gatherings from relationships they’ve built over the years of running the podcast. This year, the event featured visits to Jim Beam, Four Roses, Copper & Kings, and Preservation distilleries. Participants had the opportunity to taste rare and limited-edition whiskies, learn about the distillation process, and connect with fellow bourbon enthusiasts. The event also included a live Q&A podcast recording during a special single barrel selection of Pursuit United Double Oaked. On today’s episode, we recap it all.
Be sure to visit pursuitspirits.com and click on Visit Us to book a tasting or barrel selection experience. For questions or topic requests on upcoming episodes, email us at [email protected].
38 min
June 05, 2024064 - Distillery Management Systems
How do you organize all your barrels? How do you know what is going to be going into bottling? How do you know how to prepare for dry goods? Finished goods? When you have 18 barrels lined up to bottle, how do you know you have enough materials to be able to cover it? For the longest time we’ve used a giant spreadsheet, but we’ve switched over to a solution called Whiskey Systems. Kenny puts on his big tech hat today and dives in to this distillery management software and how it works for Pursuit.
We hit on:
What’s the biggest strength you’ve noticed from using Whiskey Systems?
Can you use it for handling barrel forecasting?
Do a lot of brands use this or do they stick to their home built systems?
How could you utilize the software better than you are?
How difficult would it be to pivot to a different system if forced to again in the future?

and much more.
Be sure to visit pursuitspirits.com and click on Visit Us to book a tasting or barrel selection experience. For questions or topic requests on upcoming episodes, email us at [email protected].
35 min
May 22, 2024063 - Inconsistencies and Frustrations of Code Interpretations
In this episode, Kenny discusses the challenges and frustrations faced by small brands and distilleries when it comes to building codes and regulations, especially here in Kentucky. He explains the different classifications for beverage/alcohol facilities and the high costs associated with meeting the requirements for H3 occupancy. Kenny also highlights the discrepancies between the international building codes and the interpretations, which can vary from state to state. Will we see Kentucky adopt the updated building codes, and what will that continue to mean for smaller brands either way?
We hit on:
Small distilleries face challenges and high costs when it comes to meeting building codes and regulations.
The classification of H3 occupancy requires significant investment in infrastructure, while F1 occupancy allows for more flexibility.
Kentucky is lagging behind in adopting the updated international building codes that provide more favorable conditions for distilleries.
Why would it matter to the Big 6 if other small local brands have an easier road to building codes if others in different states are already able to break into the local market?
Are there any additional benefits to which classification you fall under?
The interpretation of codes by local authorities can vary, leading to inconsistencies and frustrations for distilleries.
Why not just move the Pursuit HQ outside of the city limits?
Does drilling into or tasting through barrels make them included in your total volume quota?
There is a need for advocacy and collaboration within the industry to address the barriers faced by small distilleries.

Be sure to visit pursuitspirits.com and click on Visit Us to book a tasting or barrel selection experience. For questions or topic requests on upcoming episodes, email us at [email protected].
35 min
May 08, 2024062 - Starting from Scratch
Blending for the PUPS program has been incredibly insightful. Micro-blending 3-5 barrels at a time and then putting that blend back into the very barrels they came from seems to add a lot of interesting nuance from barrel to barrel, instead of just letting the blend rest in totes until bottling. So much so that Kenny and Ryan have decided to start from scratch and standardize this process for all blends moving forward. Today, we talk about how that will fold into the production of the core products.
We hit on:
The micro-blending process for PUPS
What marrying the blends in the casks offers versus marrying in a tote
Would this process have been feasible if you were still working out of BBC instead of your own facility?
Presumably this will make a better product moving forward, but do you think it will be noticeable?
Will this throw off the blend breakdown and balance we are used to in Pursuit United flagship?
Does this change anything about inventory allotment for PUPS vs flagship blends?
What do you think draws people to the PUPS program seemingly over the flagship?
Is this a sustainable direction to take?

Be sure to visit pursuitspirits.com and click on Visit Us to book a tasting or barrel selection experience. For questions or topic requests on upcoming episodes, email us at [email protected].
37 min
April 26, 2024061 - Will People Get Tired of Kentucky Bourbon?
Will consumers become tired of Kentucky bourbon? With the rise of non-Kentucky brands gaining recognition for their quality whiskey, Kentucky bourbon still holds a strong position in the market due to its long-established reputation and consumer perception of safety and acceptance.
While Kentucky will likely continue to hold the cache of consumer preferences, today we debate whether consumers will move past the big six Kentucky brands, or Kentucky in general, and latch on or explore other options. We'd love to hear from you on this!
We hit on:
Non-Kentucky brands like Ben Holladay, JT Meleck, Still Austin and Frey Ranch gaining recognition for their quality whiskey.
Kentucky bourbon still holds a strong position in the market due to its long-established reputation and consumer perception of safety and acceptance
Consumers may be hesitant to move past the big six Kentucky brands due to familiarity and brand recognition
The cache of Kentucky will likely continue due to marketing and consumer preferences
Are there Kentucky Bourbons being made that are still riding the 'Kentucky Badge of Honor' that aren't very good?
As a blender, why does Kentucky matter as a point of inclusion if that isn’t a focus of the product (or even on the label)?

and much more.
Be sure to visit pursuitspirits.com and click on Visit Us to book a tasting or barrel selection experience. For questions or topic requests on upcoming episodes, email us at [email protected].
35 min
April 10, 2024060 - Taking Time Away
You know what they say about all work and no play. Today, Kenny and Ryan are back in the studio after a week off. We break down their trips, discuss the access to bourbon outside of our Kentucky bubble, and the importance of stepping away from time to time.
We hit on:
Taking time off for vacation being important for mental and physical health
Bourbons popularity to other spirits at outside of Kentucky
The challenges of being a whiskey-focused company in a market dominated by mass-market liquors
Meeting demand and planning for future growth being ongoing challenges for the company

and much more.
Be sure to visit pursuitspirits.com and click on Visit Us to book a tasting or barrel selection experience. For questions or topic requests on upcoming episodes, email us at [email protected].
43 min
March 28, 2024059 - The Hype Factor
Everyone has seen it play out: there's a bottle you cant get, really want to get, or you see someone else get it... and now you gotta have it. We saw it ourselves with the positive reception to the Pursuit United Double Oaked release, but what made it more hyped than our other offerings? In today's episode, we talk about what drives hype for certain brands and bottles, and explore the playbook for building and maintaining it.
We hit on:
In a world of Double Oaked products, what was it about Pursuit United Double Oaked that has so many talking about it?
Hype in the whiskey industry being driven by factors such as scarcity, limited availability, and the desire for status.
The innate human condition that has us wanting to fit in with the masses.
Seeing hype play out involving a buzz through press releases, influencers, and social media.
Balancing the needs of the mass market and whiskey enthusiasts being important for brand success.
Is playing into the hype game really in the best interest of the consumer, or for the brand, or can it be both?

and much more.
Be sure to visit pursuitspirits.com and click on Visit Us to book a tasting or barrel selection experience. For questions or topic requests on upcoming episodes, email us at [email protected].
39 min

About Behind the Pursuit: From Bourbon to Brand

From the publisher's feed

Take part in a journey to build a bourbon brand. Brian Beyke sits down with the founders of the top whiskey podcast, Kenny and Ryan of Bourbon Pursuit, to figure out what it takes to bring their…