>> African Americans have contributed to the bourbon industry since they were enslaved.

The Kentucky Block Bourbon Guild founded by a Lexington entrepreneur 6 to elevate that history and broaden the diversity in one of Kentucky's signature industries.

We raise a glass to bourbon and the efforts to broaden its appeal to and involvement of people of color.

That's now on connections.

♪ ♪ ♪ >> Thanks so much for joining us for connections today.

I'm Renee Shaw, the Kentucky Block Bourbon Guild was founded in 2018 by LAX and Tony and Rob 80.

>> He recognized during a distillery tour that the contributions of African-Americans had long been ignored.

Bourbon is a more than 9 billion dollar industry in Kentucky.

But only one percent of people in the industry are Buck Beatty is seeking to change that with the guild that educates its members about the spirits industry while promoting more diversity within it.

I talked to him and a young researcher, Kayla Bush, who was awarded an academic prize to further her scholarship in the industry.

♪ >> Robin Kaler, it's good to see you all.

Thank you for being here.

Thank you for having us.

So it's not National Bourbon Month, but there's never a bad time, particularly as we approach the holidays to celebrate bourbon and the contributions of African-Americans in the history and the future of the bourbon industry.

And Robin, want to get from you why you wanted to get involved in this because you're already an entrepreneur.

But what was it about bourbon that drew you in and said, OK, I want to start the Kentucky Black Bourbon Guild.

That's a great question.

So actually, I started out wanting to start a touring company.

And so I took a group down to.

>> The bar stout capital, Bartman Capital, the world.

And we took a tour of the Oscar gets museum.

And so that's what gets It's all the speckles of African Americans on the wall.

There was no tag is no Untold stories.

And so I asked the curators, said, hey, what was to history on these on these people?

She said, sir, you have to do your homework.

>> Oh, wow.

Wow.

It's actually are subtle Yeah, it really was.

So Left out of there fire.

I learned very quickly.

I do not want to start touring company while and a lot hours, but I did learn that I wanted to actually get involved with the bourbon industry and uncover the stories of after the Americas along this wall and get some history, came back to Lexington, put a group together.

That was some people who actually KET they would get the blessing from other societies that the blessing from Freddie Johnson.

>> Here's the big bourbon, a story.

And I mean, he is the one who knows Riley.

>> His bus went a long way.

And so we actually within 3 months to put a group together, had a focal point of education, educating minorities in the industry.

And we launched in December of 2018.

>> And so really, the African-American population is an untapped market when it comes to the bourbon industry, not just in terms of the history and acknowledging the contributions that have helped make that industry successful.

But in terms of new consumers, right?

Yeah.

So you all do a lot of educational things to to help people refined their palate.

And I understand and appreciate what bourbon has to offer, shall we say, rightly so.

>> So the call that this the Kentucky Black Barbourville Institute, a pallet rainy and we do that once a month we bring in an actual instructor and we teach our members how to knows how to pair and we teach them century as well.

Sprinkle in some history.

And then we ended with a cocktail making classes right?

>> So how much research did you do in order to know what to do to get the community involved and what they needed to be educated and also to have a good time doing it.

>> I work with The Miz elects to work with the Dayton board and he was instrumental in helping me kind of develop a an actual member profile.

We were looking for newbies.

We were looking for people who didn't have any idea what bourbon was not even maybe even like it was a little.

And that's the first that was the challenge so that we I will never drink bourbon.

So that was the challenge for me that not to really to convert, but we also wanted them to now the sweat equity to African-Americans had in the industry along with that.

This is in our backyard.

So we wanted them to understand, hey, tonight, backyard.

It's a it's a, you know, America's native spirit.

And we want you to know more about the issue and bourbon is what is the saying >> Not all whiskeys are bourbon that they had.

just was calm.

But yeah, and Kayla and someone who's researched the contributions of African-Americans in the bourbon industry.

Tell us how you got involved and the and the big award that you got it while you are Kentucky State University.

Yes.

it's kind of odd how I got involved.

Honestly, my undergrad degree was in communications.

I was looking to be in >> but I received a scholarship at Kentucky State University >> the criteria to meet that scholarship and to be able to receive it in for was that I would have to take an agriculture course and that course just had it.

Whether it was a certificate or mine or what?

What made what many m. But I ended up going into fermentation and distillation.

Wow.

So I want to that is my certificate.

And that fulfilled my scholarship.

And I started off learning yeast and wine and the production of beer and things like that.

And then we came up on bourbon.

Doctor prom for he starts talking about bourbon.

And I'm just like, wow, like this.

History runs deep and you know, my family had they're they're really into history.

They're really into preserving the African American history and things like that.

And so, yeah, that really intrigued me.

And he spoke about the Kentucky by Bourbon Guild, which Lexington based.

And that's where I was living at the time.

Even dollars school and so I wanted to become part of that society just to see, you know, what is it about like, how can I fit into this a society that, well, this industry that's been around for so long, you know, like now as a student, I am learning how to make it on learning.

You know, the back story behind why it says billion dollar industry and things like that.

But well, in what ways can I insert myself and a change in the industry to kinda push it forward.

Right?

And my community and said, yeah, and you're like what a 7th generation generation Woodford County in Suburban is so steeped there.

And then that community in that county that it would it was natural, right, right, right.

Yeah.

So how did you connect them with Rob and the Kentucky brought Bourbon Guild so through class, I heard about.

>> The Kentucky bourbon.

Gail Dines Tonigh signed a ban.

was being honored with the problem.

So should I reached out.

I was like, hey, I'm kind of join the killed on the student and >> he got me in right away.

And I was the first student member and from there kind of just took office, started attending Powell, Trainings and I got the email that he received from a foot The internship read from an archaeologist snake.

I was able to get there and get up under Nick Sweeney and really take a dive into recess and we should say for those who are curious, you were 21 when you started all yes.

Haha.

>> He looks so young.

People may think issue of age to legally but now your contributions and your participation, the Kentucky but Bourbon Guild go beyond just being a student member.

You are actually contributing in a very significant way to a project that the Rob you started with Caslin Key and I want to pick up with you there about this untold story.

These chapters of whiskey that are being released every year.

Tell us about that partnership and then we'll have Kayla talk about what she's been doing.

Sure.

>> In during the pandemic, there was a I got a phone call from Castle in Keene.

It was it was doing the George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and then in right in the heat of it and Catholic, he felt really compelled to be a part something that could get back to the community.

And so they gave me a call and we had our first meeting and they had they had the idea to say, hey, let's too a bottle that honors your your statement.

Your mission statement to honor African American contribution to bourbon.

And so from that point, we you know, we put our put our heads together and we came up with a concept that would have an annual or 5 5 chapter initial.

And so first chapter we launched in November of the governor was there.

The mayor's their dignitaries there you were So we actually had a very successful event.

The key to the event was dead.

The money in the proceeds that are race from the bottle actually, those who are neutral scholarships or scholarships to Freddie Johnson, minority scholarship.

And Kayla is one of the recipients of our >> And we have to say, I remember because I emceed that particular event and we had the tasting and Kayla every hair in mind.

110 per something I was.

it's it's good.

Yeah, yeah, it's packs pot.

Yeah.

Haha.

They?

Yeah.

So you're going to have several years of bees.

And every year you release a chapter.

But what is so interesting that that tells the untold story.

And so Aaron Wiggins, I Gilliam, this was one of the historians who wrote to the first chapter that and there's been a chapter 2.

And now Kayla, you are the author's historian for Chapter 3, right?

So tell us what this looks like and what you actually displayed and wrote about on the bottle.

So leading up to Chapter 3, chapter one and chapter 2, both We're like the opening to the story like setting >> the tone of what the story should be.

And then here come the chapter 3 like strike of Lightning with names and we name people that are actually contributors to the bourbon industry that are African-American.

Chapter 3 is based around Bragg.

Beverly, who was also a part of the Union Army he was in the child's camp Nelson, Heavy artillery and it speaks about his as he started working and distillery in distilleries as didn't slave person.

And continued throughout up until his death.

And this was in the Woodford County region as well as Frank for somewhat because he's buried at Green Hill Cemetery.

But it just chapter 3 is based on telling Brack who BRAC is and then we hope to build on that each year by introducing new African-American names, New African American stories.

But they're all kind of tied in and what makes it so special with hesselink.

He is these people are people that worked either at Castle in Key when it was before Old Taylor Distillery, right?

Or in the distilleries and within that region of Melville said.

>> Well, so how did you find him?

been archive at Buffalo, But Philip Treacy wonderful archives department and when you start going through some of the family letters and photos and things you just find the fun things you come across.

Things that I came across a photo of a the one that you always see like Rob spoke about with the 5 people in the background learning.

But this one has someone's name listed and his name start at a started searching the name on ancestry and genealogy and things like ancestry and genealogy, has started to ending the elegy on this person.

And it just says name is Dallas Peters just unveiled that so many other people were connected to him in such a way and to the distilleries in that region.

And they were all African-American.

Wow.

so for you, if you could write chapter he, you do have some involvement and input in that.

What would it be?

What some suggestions you give to Robin, the team.

>> Some suggestions I would give them with Tippy to continue to build on telling the names of It will be lovely to have maybe a little picture of someone maybe because I think that really brings more life to the story and it makes the more true and a sense.

Yeah.

So I think that might be the next maybe a little snippet of a pitch or something on the bottlenecks time of the name.

I think that would be pretty.

>> And we should make clear for folks that this history in that, you know, you've shared with us is simply written on the bottle on the label that's on the front and maybe the back of the bottle.

So to be able to have mean, that's a collector's item.

Is that right?

I mean, you don't want to just dispense with the bottle when you're dying now.

Not all.

Yeah, we want you to.

We want you to enjoy.

Some means need about more.

The wind.

>> And they did by more than a year.

And so for you, as you think about next year, because I know you're already thinking about next year.

Do you already have ideas for what?

Chapter 4 should be?

No, Kayla is going to be a part of Chapter 4.

Okay.

So Kayla building the momentum alive.

She said it.

It opened up with just a, you know, just a an ice breaker because it's the it's the first time this is the first bottle that's ever been.

>> Dundas honoring the African-American contributions.

So it's a very project for us.

But the wood is going continue to build on a narrative.

And the fire behind this is still that visit to Moscow that I walked out of there with no stories.

And so now we're coming full circle.

And now we're not just telling a story we're actually building with names.

And so Payless done extensive work.

So she has a lot of information.

And so we can continue to write the narrative on and on and on.

But this is where we're going to honor the African American contribution and in the past and the present and even a future.

>> So for somebody who started off being a communications major, wanted to go into PR, did you ever think that you're going to be historian?

>> thinking that.

You consider yourself that now is a bourbon historian.

The imposter syndrome a little bit.

Yeah, because you don't really want to think of a story and a growing up.

They have his story and I don't think of myself.

>> And so to hear someone say, oh, yeah, she's a historian.

I'm like, am right?

Well, you want to reopen away, right?

You know, great storytellers always start out that.

And then may evolve into being.

>> You know, history riders and making those drafts of our history.

So you can climb that right.

And you're getting your master's right now.

Right at the University of Kentucky.

So I am I'm going that way.

and you're at the Institute for Black Studies, right?

Yeah.

So I think you're already on on that past toward historian nature.

So we thank you for being with us and sharing your contribution will check in with you next year to say about Chapter 4 and beyond.

And I even think there could be a book at all this, right?

Absolutely.

Have you thought about a salute actually come Palin information and working with the out of Atlanta too.

>> Pull the stories together so that we can document it.

But if there's anything that that I ever wanted to achieve from this organizations to continue to honor the African American contribution, educate the community and also changed a rewrite, the history books because we need to right to end the Mister Beverly's in the Mister Peters in the these gentlemen who are actually we're the the workers in the industry.

And so we want to contend honest with their on their special spirits.

And yeah, absolutely.

Our ancestors are still speaking to a spatter.

Well, we want people to stick around because you're going to be joined by one of the master be, I guess, master blender.

>> At Castle, One k Mister Broad Connors.

He's going to be with us.

Stay with us.

We cannot now with Castle and key Master Blender.

Brett Connors is partnering with the Kentucky Black Bourbon Guild on a special series Whiskey project with proceeds dedicated to promoting diversity in the distilling industry.

>> Rob ad also hangs around to talk about the partnership and what inspired it.

♪ Well, thanks for sticking with us.

We're joined now still bar Rob Baby who is the founder and president of the Kentucky Block Bourbon Guild and the Master Blender, which will get a definition of read Conners with Catholic.

He's good to have you start with you.

Mister Brett.

As a master blender, what does that mean?

>> Yeah.

So I think I had the fortune ability to highlight all the hard work.

The rest of our team does a castle in key.

So they produce really high quality bourbon, the edge.

It all I do at the end of the job is I get have the opportunity to taste it along with the blending team and we try to collaborate those barrels in their best opportunity, producing some really wonderful small batch bourbon.

>> That's a tough day at the office.

Is it not >> it's a very fortunate.

I like I got to KET myself humble.

It's a very fortunate day at the office.

Yeah, I'm I'm very, very spoiled that I work with a great team and I get a drink.

Whiskey for in moderation, of course, in my family and safely and safely.

So let's talk about this collaboration with.

>> The Kentucky Black Bourbon Guild and the fact that you now have these whiskey chapters, the untold story up to Chapter 3 as far as taste is concerned because we've talked about the history and and what the labels represent on the bottle but tasted the how does that match?

Maybe what the history is trying to relay to the consumer.

Well, so I think it the answer's probably kind of two-fold.

I think with this project we've adjusted and always use that as a way to highlight something we've never released before.

>> So the first iteration of this is actually the first single barrel bourbon was bound with a barrel rise.

So that was the first bourbon that cast like he had released under and labels.

And that would have been the first time that was the still to cast on Ken over 50 So I think it warned it kind of shows the intentionality to the project and you know it for it to be so important that we put the first of anything into it.

Yeah, I think tells a lot about our team's perspective of it.

I think from a flavor perspective, the idea is also to highlight our best whiskeys.

You know, we take a lot of pride in this good and we want to make sure that we're not only sharing a story that's both impactful but also sharing a product that we're very proud And I think with this 6, this specific iteration of it, the focus being on the agricultural components.

I think it shows the contribution that heirloom grains of had to our industry.

So this is a blend of 2 separate barrels where the predominant corn, Houston is creaking as an airline white corn that was ground throughout central Kentucky dating all the way back in the 18.

100's often by African American people of color.

So I think that's the story that Kayla kind of tied to it was that quality of grain was so high.

And as our industry has grown over the years, we've become a lot on a cultural, both in the greens that were utilizing, but also in our static some, you know, I think that says highlight of the project as well as that.

Historically, we've had a very diverse industry.

And now the question mark is how do we get back to that diversity in both the quality of grains, diversity of greens are using along with what our staffs represent.

So I'm staying yes.

>> And we were just talking a lot of the members of the Kentucky Black Bourbon Guild are female.

So we think about from a market perspective here, Brad, about what this kind of partnership and you being involved in helping to diversify the bourbon industry, not just from the consumer perspective, but those who are even in the industry and may be working alongside you.

I mean, talk to us a little bit about that.

I mean, I think.

>> When you're having the opportunity to share profits with consumers, especially to diversify consumer perspective, I think you're going to get.

A good reality check in some ways.

I think often if you're making a product that's just for yourself, you can lose the opportunity for because you really just like if I only made whiskey for myself.

I'm only one So having the opportunity to showcase your work to a larger consumer set is only going to make your brand stronger.

You know, the reality, too, is that, you know, I get teased over it, but my wife has much better taste tonight.

>> What it's like in life, but also from a health I think a lot of women and Herat Lee have a better advantage on since or education or go out to work without training their natively going to be generally better than most men.

So when you have a group such as KET B G, that's very female, predominant that all have not only and education whiskey, but also a preference for bourbon.

I think you're going to get some really good feedback on the whiskeys you're producing.

>> Right?

Yeah.

And so I'm curious no, I want to ask Rob about the fact that you do have a lot of women, more women, that man, perhaps who are members like.

What are they telling you about this experience of connecting to the industry from historical perspective, but also is maybe people who didn't quite appreciate even the taste of bourbon before they got involved with the organization.

>> It's a great question.

I think what they realize is that the case is way better than they KET so our palate training really develops that.

And so we here in the big in N, you know, we don't know what we're tasting win over smaller.

So we're going to our training.

We have actual she did find.

And that gives them the flavor And so now Tucson Sala G their training, their olfactory glands, unreleased just happened.

Breach happened back into their olfactory glands, realize that all I I do know what that is.

I remember that no one not Meghan's now.

So now I remember Bird cherries and I remembered, you know, just different flavors.

So our group is is very much needed an industry because we're actually able to give really good feedback.

And so one we partner up with cast McKean and they come and say, guys, we have some, you know, some some models that we want you to test and kind of give us, you know, your feedback on a wave to give them solid feedback because we're developing these consumers into the training is just really more profound out because they're able to give positive feedback to the brands.

>> So we know that in Kentucky at last count, I think in 2022 numbers, it's a 9 billion dollar industry.

The economic impact overall more more than 22,000 jobs and and billions and payroll.

I mean, it is a it is.

>> Kentucky's signature industry, perhaps I don't know if we can take over the horses, but in terms of the economic impact, certainly it's nothing to sneeze at.

And you think about the ways that bourbon is just trying to make a name for itself in Kentucky connected to that.

I mean, beyond just dollars, Brad.

I mean, this says a lot about Kentucky culture as well.

>> I think that's a great way to frame it.

I mean, I think I saw him originally from Winchester, Virginia over in the valley.

And I I think a lot of people often have a misperception of what Kentucky is or what can And then the second you have the time to actually experience Kentucky and the meat, Kentucky.

And I think you're often that perceptions automatically flipped on its head.

Yeah, because we're so much more than I think what the larger country as a whole views us.

And I love that to our Heritage Industries were able to share our passion through both horse racing and bourbon.

Too much larger community.

You know, 90 over 90% of the bourbon that's made in the United States has made here.

Which is wild.

When you actually look at distillery, demographics are more distilleries in other states right now.

California has more distilleries in Kentucky.

Does we bourbon?

Really, really What other spears well, too, and I think that's what's exciting about that Kentucky cultural point is that.

If you come for the bourbon trailer for bourbon tourism, we have a really good shot at keeping you here because it I think it's frankly, obviously were by us now.

But it's one of the prettiest states.

There's a ton of a wonderful act.

Outdoor activity, the arts and culture scenes and central Kentucky, our unparalleled.

There's just a lot of great people in food here and the way that I don't think people is realized.

So you get Laird and you're like I'm gonna come drink suburban on the bourbon And then you meet one person and you're hooked.

>> And without that Bourbon Trail, you do you think that the profile of Kentucky has a bourbon manufacturer would be so elevated >> I think we've always been respected for the quality of our spirits.

I think what the bourbon trails allowed us to do is to better share and to better connect on a human level.

Yeah, you know, because when you're just putting a bow on the shelf, you're hoping that you're marketing team and your ad campaigns to all that heavy work for you.

But when you come here and you experience what bourbon is, I think you become a fan for life, right?

And not a fan because you're walking through the store.

Yeah.

I think that's something that's just a it's a really amazing opportunity for the state of Kentuckyian also bourbon distillers.

All.

>> I have to say having done a couple of those distillery tours, I mean, it is so educational and so delightful actually to the senses.

And just to be there to see all the effort that goes into it, you just you have no idea until you see it.

And certainly we thank all the good people like you who are making Kentucky look good.

I mean, the spirits, unbridled spirits, What used to be a slogan for Kentucky.

>> That's some of the objects that not to save Lake Tahoe.

still on.

But on the license plate.

Yeah.

I think we're gonna try mark that.

Well, thank you so much.

It was good to have you both here and Kayla as well.

Continued success to you.

Thank you for that.

Thank you.

Yes or joy?

Yeah.

Thanks so much for joining us for this spirited episode of Connections Today.

Stay engaged with me on the social media channels you see on your screen until I see you again.

Real soon.

Take really good care.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪