Ready or not, the next decade marks a new era for entrepreneurs of color. While many tend to focus predominately on entertainers and athletes as representation for people of color making headway in the business arena, there’s a whole segment of up-and-coming entrepreneurs that are embarking on endeavors in an array of niche markets. Brothers, Victor, Christian, and Bryson Yarbrough are among those joining this wave of Black excellence. The Kentucky natives celebrated the opening of their Brough Brothers Distillery on Friday (July 16) in the Park Hill neighborhood of West Louisville, becoming the first and only Black-owned distillery in Kentucky and the 42nd member of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association.
“As Louisville’s Congressman and the Founder and Co-Chair of the Congressional Bourbon Caucus, I’m thrilled to help celebrate the grand opening of Brough Brothers Distillery in West Louisville,” Congressman John Yarmuth said. “Black Louisvillians have been involved in distilling for centuries, and the Yarbrough family’s work to build this company from the ground up is a tremendous step forward in making the distilled spirits industry more reflective of our nation, our city, and our people. Louisville is lucky to have Kentucky’s first Black-owned distillery call the Park Hill neighborhood home, and you don’t have to look any further than a Brough Brothers bottle to see the love Victor, Bryson, and Chris have for our hometown. Cheers to them!”
“I want to congratulate Victor, Christian and Bryson Yarbrough for pouring their hearts and spirits into their vision for Kentucky’s first Black-owned distillery,” Mayor Greg Fischer said. “Bourbon is a critical part of our growing economy, and with the addition of this new distillery in the historic Park Hill neighborhood, the industry will grow stronger and investments will continue to flow into the area.”
The three brothers started off producing bourbon whiskey. Bryson, COO and the Master Distiller of the group, led the production of one barrel per week using corn, rye, and barley with a minimum one year aging process. Victor serves as CEO of Brough Brothers, managing day-to-day operations, while Chris serves as CMO, managing the marketing and events programs. The Brough Brothers Bourbon brand is now distributed in 25 states across the U.S.
