Glenns Creek Distillery

Overview of the Distillery

Glenns Creek Distillery is located in Frankfort, Kentucky, and produces pot-distilled, handcrafted bourbon in single-barrel and barrel-strength variants. Owner David Meier builds and operates the distillery's equipment himself, and the place combines craftsmanship with a practical, straightforward approach: there are no polished tours, but opportunities to sit with the distillers, taste unaged and aged spirit samples, and get close to both the production and the history surrounding the Old Crow Distillery.

History

From Old Crow to Glenns Creek

David Meier, owner of Glenns Creek Distilling, found and studied the old buildings from Old Crow Distillery and was inspired to recreate a bourbon in Dr. Crow's style. His interest in how things are made and his background in production underpin the distillery's focus on craftsmanship. Glenns Creek continuously works to restore and preserve the old buildings, and the team tells the story of the famous brand that was distilled at the site for over 100 years.

Building Their Own Equipment and Team

The distillery builds and operates its own stills and other equipment. David and John are named as the central people who have been with it since the start, and they both serve as distillers in production and in guest experiences.

Raw Materials and Production

Production is centered around pot distillation, and Glenns Creek builds and operates its own stills and accompanying equipment. All staff are referred to as distillers, underscoring a small, craft-oriented team with deep technical knowledge. Both unaged distillates and aged bourbons are produced; visitors are often given explanations of the still operation itself and can discuss steps such as boiling, fermentation, and distillation directly with the staff. The distillery practices sampling of individual casks to determine when a cask is ready for bottling, and offers single-barrel releases and barrel-strength bottles as well as occasional, limited editions. It is clear that the focus is on handmade equipment, direct involvement from the distillers, and small-scale, quality-oriented production.

Aging and Barrel Types

Glenns Creek works with the single-barrel concept and produces barrel-strength editions, while clearly emphasizing the ability to demonstrate what the barrel adds to a distillate. The Unoaked Experience shows unaged spirit against its aged counterpart, and the distillery samples casks on an ongoing basis to assess bottling readiness. There is mention of limited releases selected from casks, but concrete cask types, previous contents, or new oak details are not given.

Whiskies

The range is primarily pot-distilled bourbon in single-barrel and barrel-strength editions, supplemented by unaged distillates used in educational comparisons. Limited releases are also mentioned, which are occasionally tasted and selected from casks. Overall, Glenns Creek presents itself as a small producer with a focus on craftsmanship, cask evaluation, and direct, unfiltered contact between the distiller and the customer, rather than a broad, standardized core lineup.

Visiting the Distillery

The distillery is open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas: Monday–Saturday 10:00–17:00 and Sunday 11:00–17:00. Guests can drop in without advance booking for a short walk-in tasting (15–20 minutes) and pay on arrival, or book one of several experiences via Book Now. Visitor’s Experience (1 hour) offers a seated tasting of five distillates with a distiller. Unoaked Experience (1 hour) compares unaged spirit with aged samples. Private Experience (1.5–2 hours) with David or John can be tailored and includes a deep dive into the process and a tasting of cask/limited releases. The visit takes place inside the distillery; please use Duncan Road to reach the site, not Hanley Lane, and the distillery is dog-friendly.

The stated hours are Sunday 11:00–17:00; Monday–Saturday 10:00–17:00. Open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Philosophy and Craft

Glenns Creek operates from a direct, craft-oriented philosophy: no superfluous marketing, but a focus on pot distillation, small-scale single-barrel production, and honest communication. Preservation of the historic buildings and building their own equipment are central elements. The motto "Bourbon without the BS" sums up a desire for authenticity, technical self-understanding, and respect for tradition while rejecting excessive polishing.