THRIVEBOWLING GREEN/SOUTHCENTRAL KENTUCKY A proile of a growing, vibrant community Fun What to do, where to go and how to relax in southcentral Kentucky •Booze biz boon for tourism industry in region. PAGE 2 •Area ofers plenty of options for sports fans. PAGE 5 Last in a four-part series 2 Sunday, April 30, 2017 Thrive Daily News, Bowling Green, Kentucky BAC TOTRONG/[email protected] Thousands of people sample bourbon and beer during the 2016 Bourbon and Brewfest at Bowling Green Ballpark. FUN BY THE GLASS Ballpark and Nivens said he “Me and one of the other the wine industry. New laws help grow businesses of has high expectations for the owners are originally from Kentucky was once a third annual Bourbon and Louisville and we see all thriving state for winemak- local brewers, vintners, distillers Brewfest this October at the kinds of festivals like this ers – the Kentucky Vineyard ballpark. up there, and Nashville Society was founded in 1798 By JUSTIN STORY raised production limits for and Brewfest, has seen the “We expect to have any- is the same way,” Nivens by Jean-Jacques Dufour, [email protected] licensed microbrewers and daylong event mushroom where between 2,500 and said. “We want to bring that who planted his grapes in small farm wineries to dis- in popularity in a very short 3,000 visitors this year,” kind of big-city event into a Jessamine County. If you’re planning a night tilleries now being allowed time. Nivens said. smaller town and hopefully According to the Kentucky on the town, a bustling local to sell drinks by the glass – In the festival’s first year The three co-founders start other towns to do things Grape and Wine Council, the industry of brewers, vintners has created what is hoped in 2015, about 850 people and operators of the festi- like crawfish boils and other state was the third-largest and distillers is looking to to be a welcoming environ- came to Circus Square Park val saw festivals of a simi- fun events throughout the grape and wine producer in figure into your plans, craft- ment for visitors who wish to sample dozens of craft lar nature in larger cities and year.” the U.S. by the late 1800s, ing beverages and events to sample local beer, wine beers and bourbons made believed the circumstances In recent years, a number but Prohibition in the early that are receiving acclaim and spirits. locally and around the state. were favorable for Bowling of wineries have cropped 20th century forced farm- from near and far. Joel Nivens, one of the Attendance doubled last Green to host a successful up on farms in the region as ers to turn to other crops to A bevy of state laws three co-owners of the year when the festival was event highlighting the bev- part of a larger effort by the enacted last year – from Bowling Green Bourbon moved to Bowling Green erage industry. state to regain a toehold in See DRINK, 3 F am ily Ow ned & Operated For Over 5 3 years. Choosing a funeral home is a decision that many families face at some point, for their own pre-arrangements or on behalf of deceased family members. This can be a very emotional process as choosing a funeral home often provides the final closure for those left behind. When loved ones are in 832 Broadway a state of shock and grief, the task can become even more challenging. Funeral homes are often selected because they are close to home, have provided service to the family in the past or have been recommended by a trusted friend. 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W e are a unique hom etow n funeral hom e that cares about p r oviding our c om m unity w ith the best quality funeral and cremation services! K aytlynn K irby C lark, K evin & Lynn K irby. 270-843-3111 www.jckirbyandson.com 820 Lovers Lane Bowling Green, KY Daily News, Bowling Green, Kentucky Thrive Sunday, April 30, 2017 3 From Page 2 DRINK sustain their livelihoods. Wineries weren’t allowed to operate in the state until 1976, but local vintners seem to be making up for lost time. Recent local-option elec- tions have helped Carriage House Vineyards in Auburn and Bluegrass Vineyard in Smiths Grove to sell their drinks on-site, an important step in attracting tourists. At Park Mammoth Resort near Park City, Cave Valley Winery harvested its first crop last year, and this year’s grapevines are in the ground. The winery opened in 2011, and visitors have had the opportunity to see the progress of the grapevines and sample other Kentucky- made wines in the tasting room. Cave Valley co-owner Nick Noble said that Jim Wight, an award-winning vintner from Shepherdsville, will be on hand to make Cave Valley’s first wines. The vineyards at Cave Valley have produced cham- bourcin grapes for dry red wines and diamond grapes, DAILY NEWS FILE PHOTOS which go into making sweet- Above: Roger Pruitt (right) and Zach Dossett pour some White Squirrel beer Oct. 15 during the second annual Bourbon and Brewfest at Bowling Green Ballpark. er white wines. Below: Used barrels are stacked in the tasting tour room in 2013 at Corsair Artisan Distillery. “We’re having a lot of success in our current way ence,” Stevens said. “As far We never could have distiller in Bowling Green. of doing things and getting as these new communities dreamed being so accepted “Weekend foot traffic is our own grapes and our own allowing alcohol sales, that’s by the community.” strong as usual and basical- label,” Noble said. “You get a new demographic for us to Of all the locally pro- ly through the summer until a nice taste of Kentucky target.” duced beer, wine and spir- right around Thanksgiving when you come visit us.” White Squirrel’s kolsch its, Corsair Artisan Distillery we’ll see heavy numbers.” Cave Valley figures promi- and nut brown ale are the has perhaps the broadest State laws went into effect nently in the Park Mammoth company’s only beers dis- reach, with its small-batch last year that increased the experience, where visitors tributed outside its Bowling whiskeys and other drinks limit of free samples allowed can play at the resort’s golf Green restaurant, though distributed international- to visitors from 1 ounce to course, eat at the restaurant, other varieties are popular at ly in Germany, the United 1.75 ounces a day. Licensed marvel at vistas that allow the taproom. Kingdom and elsewhere. distilleries are also allowed you to see for 20 miles The brewery endeavors Corsair’s Artisan Gin and to obtain a license to sell out and where competitive to branch out, having met its Triple Smoke, a bourbon their product by the drink. along with other Kentucky so named because its three shooting events are held. “We’re seeing an indus- beermakers with officials at fractions of malted barley “For a certain demograph- trial boom as different ic (the winery) is a main especially since successful nation but more than dou- Lake Barkley State Resort are smoked by a different states are changing laws, draw, and when we’re host- wet-dry elections in Barren bling the number of brewer- Park. fuel, have become the com- ing national and internation- County, Plum Springs, ies in the state just four years There are 17 lodges in pany’s flagship drinks. similar to the beer industry al-level shooting competi- Morgantown, Auburn, earlier. Kentucky’s 49 state parks, The downtown distillery seeing booms,” Marcum tions, the winery is a really Adairville, Woodbury and Kentucky’s microbrewer- and 12 of them have newly where makers experiment said. “We’re always try- nice amenity to have,” Noble Rochester have opened up ies have an economic impact opened bars, Stevens said, with different flavors in the ing, if nothing else, just to said. “It’s complemented all more avenues for White of $495 million, 27th in the making for a ripe distribu- gin-making process is a pop- expand our own learning. our businesses and being Squirrel to get out its prod- nation, and produce 87,156 tion opportunity. ular tourist destination for We’re always tinkering and a stand-alone business by uct. barrels of beer annually, “People want to know travelers from around the we have a few gins that are itself is very exciting.” The Brewers Association, according to the Brewers where their food comes world. in the early developmental Sean Stevens, one of the which advocates for craft Association. from, where their beer “We’re hitting that time stages.” co-owners of White Squirrel breweries in the U.S., report- “We’re focusing on towns comes from,” Stevens said.