Woodford Reserve and the Ram

 

Meet Chris Morris. He's the Master Distiller at Woodford Reserve who came up to the Ram last night to host a Bourbon Dinner. Butternut squash & Bourbon soup, pork loin (brined in Woodford Reserve Barrel Aged Strong Harvest Ale), Profiteroles with peaches and Woodford Reserve Bourbon Cream.

The First Frost Strong Ale aged all this year was made with oats, wheat, rye, chocolate malts, and English hops by the previous administration. 7.25%. Mild oak and vanilla and a lot of alcohol sting.
Woodford Reserve is the newest distillery in the Brown-Forman family. The rebuilt an old facility with new Scottish pot stills (the only Bourbon manufacturer to use pot stills). The limestone water from on-site wells (the only ... to use well water) gives the soft character. The triple distillation (the only...) makes it very clean but since fermentation is stopped at a very low 110 proof it's still rich. Think Auchentoshan if it were a Scotch.

Ram's beer is available at Colts games – Section 108 off the Main Plaza & Section 135 at the bank entrance. If you stop at the brewpub, welcome Ross Katz, the new manager, to Indianapolis. He's just moved down from Chicago's Ram.
Woodford Reserve has a unique buy-your-own-barrel offer. Unlike most places where you buy a barrel before aging, at WR you go to the distillery and taste many many barrels with Chris (he CAN drink you under the table), then choose up to 4 barrels to blend into 180 bottles for $8,000.
You can also tour the Brown-Foreman cooperage in Louisville.