Limestone Branch

Kentucky


Members of the Beam family – as in the folks who make mega selling Jim Beam – own Limestone Branch. The micro-distillery looks like a western lodge, all thick-cut stone and timber, which makes sense considering its main brand is Yellowstone, a bourbon named after the national park. Hour-long tours delve into the family history via old photographs and artifacts, take you up close to the copper stills and aging barrels, and end with a tasting. Or pop in for a 25-minute tasting only ($5).

It’s a great informal vibe where you’ll likely cross paths with the owners. A bar and patio allow you to stay and soak up country vistas. Tours and tastings happen every hour on the hour (every half hour on Sundays).


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Kentucky attractions

1. Maker's Mark

6.28 MILES

Touring Maker's is like visiting a historic theme park, in a good way. You'll see the old gristmill, the 1840s master distiller's house and the old…

2. Willett

17.46 MILES

Micro-distiller Willett offers a terrific tour of its vintage 120-acre property, including a prolonged look into the refurbished chalet distillery where…

3. Lux Row Distillers

17.97 MILES

The entrance to Lux Row via a long, tree-shaded driveway sets the idyllic scene. The distillery sprawls across a 90-acre farm where peacocks roam and the…

4. Heaven Hill

18.11 MILES

The largest producer in Kentucky, Heaven Hill makes Evan Williams, Elijah Craig and Larceny. There are two ways to immerse in the scene. The Mashbill Tour…

5. Barton 1792

19.22 MILES

While Barton has some cool old buildings, it’s more of a straightforward, working distillery than a scenic, museum-y one. The hour-long traditional tour…

7. Abraham Lincoln Birthplace

25.8 MILES

Lincoln's birthplace has a replica of the single-room log cabin where he was born, enshrined in a neoclassical building that mimics his famed memorial in…