Stephen Beam Limestone Branch Distillery lebanon Ky

Stephen Beam is a seventh-generation distiller and the founder of Limestone Branch Distillery in Lebanon, Kentucky. He comes from a long line of distillers on both sides of his family, with his great-great-grandfather being the bourbon pioneer Joseph Washington Dant and his great-grandfather being Minor Case Beam, the eldest son of James Beam.

Stephen's interest in distilling began at a young age, as he grew up surrounded by distillery memorabilia and family stories. He had an early dream of opening a distillery, but the time wasn't right in the 1980s. He initially pursued a career in horticulture and was a landscape architect, but the idea of distilling never left him.

In 2010, along with his brother Paul, he decided to carry on the family tradition and started Limestone Branch Distillery. Their goal was to resurrect their family's distilling heritage and bring back well-known family brands like Yellowstone Bourbon, which had a history with both the Beam and Dant families. To generate cash flow while their bourbon aged, they initially produced products like "moonshine."

Stephen is known for his hands-on approach and commitment to tradition. He uses heirloom white corn and ferments and distills "on the grain," a method passed down through his family. He has also developed new products like a rye whiskey named "Minor Case" in honor of his great-grandfather and an American Single Malt. The distillery itself is designed to be inviting, bright, and airy, allowing visitors to see every step of the process.