Whiskey House of Kentucky completed construction of the first, seven-story state-of-the-art rickhouse utilizing innovative K-RAX barrel storage technology. 

This is the first of 12 warehouses that Whiskey House will build over the next decade with The Koetter Group, which reached construction completion one month ahead of schedule. Constructed on Whiskey House’s property in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, each warehouse will hold 48,048 barrels and is designed to improve barrel maturation performance, enhance worker and contractor safety, reduce maintenance needs, and strengthen structural integrity and longevity. 

“As the leader in custom whiskey production, we are proud to introduce the most innovative and advanced rickhouse in the industry for our exclusive customers,” Whiskey House co-founder and CEO David Mandell said in a news release. “The Koetter Group provides an incredible product that delivers significant improvements in warehouse maturation, air flow, safety, and durability.”

The pioneering K-RAX warehouse design increases maturation performance and airflow by using a full-length vented cupola in conjunction with their continuous floor vents around the entire perimeter of the building. In addition to air flow, the floor vents allow alcohol vapors — which are heavier than air — to exit the building for lower vapor buildup, which reduces barrel and structural damage. 

The K-RAX warehouse improves worker and contractor safety with its full width walk boards, wire mesh fall protection next to walkways, elimination of pinch points throughout the warehouse, and stronger dunnage that provides improved worker safety and smoother barrel rolling.

K-RAX warehouses are constructed using southern yellow pine that is glue laminated, heat treated, and kiln dried. As a result, the material is stronger and prevents powder post beetles from damaging the wood. Moreover, the CNC machined connections create a very tight fit for very little movement. This eliminates the need for a plumb bob and enables unbalanced loading so that barrels can be loaded and unloaded from any floor or side of the building without jeopardizing its structural integrity.

“The Koetter Group could not be more excited to commission our first seven-story K-RAX warehouse,” Koetter Group owner and CEO Bob Koetter said. “Over the years we have been asked by multiple distilleries to help innovate barrel storage warehouses. We are very thankful that Whiskey House gave us the opportunity to bring our innovation and advanced warehouse solutions to the bourbon industry.”

This development further bolsters Whiskey House’s transformative position in the contract whiskey manufacturing industry. Since the start of operations July 1, 2024, Whiskey House has produced more than 130,000 barrels and 59 different mashbills and recipes for its exclusive custom whiskey production customers. The 110,000-square-foot distillery boasts a highly sophisticated manufacturing system that is fully automated and runs on proprietary software 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Read more: Whiskey House, Koetter Group to Build K-RAX Rickhouses

About Whiskey House of Kentucky

Whiskey House of Kentucky is designed from the ground up to create high quality, customized American whiskey. By incorporating best practices, programs, and state-of-the art technology from advanced food manufacturing, and applying them to distilling, Whiskey House delivers quality, flexibility in customization, and the ability to test and scale innovation projects for spirits companies around the world. Whiskey House has no brands of its own and a campus closed to the public, removing potential conflicts of interest between the company and its customers. For more information, visit WhiskeyHouse.com.

About The Koetter Group

Family-owned and operated since 1954, The Koetter Group is one of the region’s leading full-service commercial contractors and developers, serving Southern Indiana and the Greater Louisville area. With four divisions — Koetter Construction, Koetter Real Estate Services, Koetter Building Services, and K-RAX Premium Spirits Barrel Storage Systems — providing a wide range of services including design-build construction, land development, real estate services, facility repairs and maintenance, fall protection inspections and installation, and premium barrel storage solutions. Learn more at thekoettergroup.com.