Online, Live Bourbon Auction to Benefit Wesstern Ky. Tornado Victims

Posted on December 14, 2021 by Joel Whitaker

The Kentucky Bourbon Benefit will feature an online and live auction of exclusive private barrel selection experiences, rare and vintage spirits, and unique tasting and tourism offerings from Kentucky’s signature distilling industry and hospitality and charitable partners.

The event is being put together by Kentucky Distillers’ Association, the Bourbon Crusaders charitable organization and Bourbon curator Fred Minnick.

“Kentuckians are hurting,” said KDA President Eric Gregory. “They’ve lost their homes, loved ones and their livelihoods. It’s our obligation as a signature industry – and duty as fellow Kentuckians – to help each other in times of crisis.  There is a real urgency here. These are our friends and neighbors, and they need help now.”

Offerings include more than 20 private barrel experiences, where Bourbon enthusiasts can personally taste and select their own one-of-a-kind barrel under the tutelage of the brand’s Master Distiller. Each barrel usually yields 150-200 bottles depending on age and proof.

Companies along the KDA’s world-famous Kentucky Bourbon Trail® tour have donated overnight stays at charming bed and breakfast stops, transportation and tourism packages, a six-foot tall Christmas tree made out of barrel staves and much more.

In addition to the auction, there will be a dedicated “buy it now” section where people can purchase bottles and other items without breaking the bank. Due to COVID and space restrictions, the live auction is not open to the public. Items will be available for viewing online and streaming.

The online auction will begin Thursday, Dec. 16, at 5 p.m. EST and run until Tuesday, Dec. 21, at 10 p.m. A live-streamed auction will be held on Dec. 21 starting at 7 p.m. at Westport Whiskey & Wine in Louisville and will feature elite and immersive items from Kentucky’s legendary distillers.

Go to www.kybourbonbenefit.com to view all the auction items and bid.

All proceeds will go directly to the state’s official Team Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund to assist those impacted by the tornados and severe storms of Dec. 11. The website to learn more or make a donation is https://secure.kentucky.gov/formservices/Finance/WKYRelief.

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Who & What —

Posted on December 14, 2021 by Joel Whitaker

Beer Industry Environmental Roundtable (BIER) names Dan Pierce interim executive director succeeding Nick Martin, who is joining Post Holdings Inc., best known as a cereal company, as senior director, ESG.

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No Significant Tornado Damage at Kentucky Distilleries

Posted on December 13, 2021 by Joel Whitaker

That’s according to Eric Gregory, president, Kentucky Distillers Association, which is working on a huge bourbon benefit to aid tornado victims.

Many distilleries did lost power and had trees down, Gregory told us, but nothing to impact production otherwise.

While there were no reports of lost lives among distillery workers, several Western Kentucky distilleries reported that some of their employees had property damage and a few lost their homes.

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A-B Sends 50,000 Cans of Drinking Water to Kentucky

Posted on December 13, 2021 by Joel Whitaker

Anheuser-Busch said it will send more than 50,000 cans of fresh drinking water to Kentucky to help those who have been impacted by the storms.

“The donation of emergency drinking water will be delivered to Anheuser-Busch wholesaler partner, Golden Eagle Distributing in Paducah, KY who will work alongside the American Red Cross to distribute the resources to those in need at their Calvert City, Ky., relief operations,” the company said in a news release.

“This year alone, Anheuser-Busch donated more than 4 million cans of emergency drinking water to communities and volunteer fire departments across 49 states in support of ongoing relief efforts – including 100,000 cans of water to support Kentucky communities impacted by severe flooding earlier this spring.”

Kentucky was the worst-hit state as tornadoes barreled through the Mid-South.

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Molson Coors Tops Bev/Al Stocks in WSJ’s Best Managed Companies List

Posted on December 13, 2021 by Joel Whitaker

If Brown-Forman execs want to grumble about Molson Coors Beverage Co. ranking higher than them in The Wall Street Journal‘s 250 Bet-Managed Companies list, we don’t blame them. The list was developed by Claremont Graduate University’s Drucker Institute and focused on customer satisfaction, employee engagement and development, innovation, social responsibility, and financial strength.

Molson Coors was ranked No. 160 out of 250 companies on the list. Brown-Forman came in second among bev/al stocks, at No. 175.

But here’s the thing:  Brown-Forman had four stars in three of five categories — customer satisfaction, employee engagement and development, social responsibility and financial strength — while Molson Coors had four start in only two categories, customer satisfaction, and social responsibility.

Where B-F had four stars for employee engagement and development, Molson Coors had 3.  Both companies had three stars for innovation.  As for financial strength, Brown-Forman had three stars while Molson Coors had only two — and was given a red flag for financial strength, meaning it was in the bottom 25% of the 846 companies examined for the rankings.

Add up all the stars, and Brown-Forman is clearly ahead with 16 stars compared to Molson Coors’ 14 stars.  And not only did Brown-Forman’s financial strength earn it three stars compared to Molson Coors’ two stars, the Louisville distilled wasn’t flagged for being in the bottom 25% of all companies evaluated for the rankings.

The only reason we can see that Molson Coors was ranked higher than Brown-Forman was that the guys at Claremont Graduate University were drinking beer, perhaps laced with a bit of cannabis, while doing the computations.

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Pernod Ricard USA Donates $200,000 to Restaurant Workers Community Foundation

Posted on December 13, 2021 by Joel Whitaker

Pernod Ricard USA announced a $200,000 donation to Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation (RWCF), an organization whose mission is to help strengthen opportunities in the workforce and increase professional career advancement by addressing quality-of-life issues that disproportionately affect restaurant workers, 40 percent of whom live on poverty-level wages. This is the second consecutive year that Pernod Ricard USA has made a holiday donation to support the important work of RWCF.

“At Pernod Ricard, we exist to unlock the magic of human connection, and because of that we see responsibility as going far beyond responsible consumption. It includes a responsibility to support the professionals who introduce our brands to consumers and create the convivial atmospheres in which our brands can be enjoyed,” said John Barrett, Chief Commercial Officer of Pernod Ricard USA. “Our decision to make a second donation to the Restaurant Worker’s Community Fund this year recognizes the systematic challenges workers throughout the hospitality industry continue to face due to the pandemic. We know that the industry as a whole is only as resilient as the professionals who make each and every establishment thrive.”

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