Registration is open for the sixth annual James B. Beam Institute for Kentucky Spirits Industry Conference. The event is scheduled for March 17-19, 2025, on the University of Kentucky Campus in Lexington.
The University of Kentucky James B. Beam Institute for Kentucky Spirits (JBBI) partners with the Kentucky Distillers’ Association (KDA) to host the conference. JBBI said the annual event “brings together distillers, researchers and many other industry personnel to connect and share their passion for bourbon.”
This year’s keynote speaker will be Ouita Michel, chef-in-residence at Woodford Reserve Distillery and owner of several farm-to-table restaurants in the Lexington area. Organizers said, “Conference sessions will be led by industry leaders and cover current and emerging topics related to spirit production, business, new technology and agriculture, as well as consumer-focused topics like branding and sales.”
“This conference brings together minds from all over the globe to collaborate and move the needle forward for our signature industry,” said Kentucky Distillers’ Association President Eric Gregory said. “Kentucky is the place, and this is the conference for world-class research and discussion.”
Registration for James B. Beam Institute Conference March 17-19, 2025
- Early bird registration is $400 for the full conference and
$200 for one-day passes through Jan. 21, 2025. - Beginning Jan. 22, full-conference registration will increase to $500 and day passes to $250.
- Discounted tickets will be available for students, faculty and staff.
“I cannot wait to welcome everyone back to campus. Spring break week here on campus is a wonderful time to run the conference, as the incredible facilities at the Gatton Student Center and Champions kitchen are all ours. There is just something about a university environment too—the world class facilities and overall spirit of learning make it ideal for networking, exchanging ideas, or checking out our industry leading vendors.”
About James B. Beam Institute for Kentucky Spirits
(From JBBI) The James B. Beam Institute for Kentucky Spirits resides within the UK Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment via the university’s partnership with Suntory Global Spirits. For more information, visit https://beaminstitute.ca.uky.edu/. The Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment is an Equal Opportunity Organization with respect to education and employment and authorization to provide research, education information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function without regard to economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, physical or mental disability or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
