FRANKFORT, Ky. — Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort is known for its bourbons, but the oldest continuously operating distillery in the country makes more than alcoholic sprits on its campus. Warehouse J on the Frankfort campus has become a woodshop where used barrels get a new lease on life.
While for bourbon, a barrel can only be used once, Jon Hartman aims to give a second life to all parts of the barrel’s wood. Whether it’s the stave, bunghole or head itself, Hartman can make almost anything.
“One of the gifts we offer the guests are these hand-turned cocktail muddlers. They really are turned by hand, one-by-one here at Warehouse J,” Hartman said…